A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 13 by Robert Kerr

R >> Robert Kerr >> A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 13

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While these gentlemen were on shore, several of the natives went off to
the ship, and trafficked, by exchanging their cloth for that of
Otaheite: Of this barter they were for some time very fond, preferring
the Indian cloth to that of Europe: But before night it decreased in its
value five hundred per cent. Many of these Indians I took on board, and
shewed them the ship and her apparatus, at which they expressed equal
satisfaction and astonishment.

As I found it exceedingly difficult to get water on board on account of
the surf, I determined to stay no longer at this place; on the next
morning, therefore, about five o'clock, I weighed anchor and put to sea.

This bay, which is called by the natives _Tegadoo_, lies in the latitude
of 38 deg. 10' S.; but as it has nothing to recommend it, a description of
it is unnecessary.

From this bay I intended to stand on to the northward, but the wind
being right against me, I could make no way. While I was beating about
to windward, some of the natives came on board, and told me, that in a
bay which lay a little to the southward, being the same that I could not
fetch the day I put into Tegadoo, there was excellent water, where the
boats might land without a surf. I thought it better therefore to put
into this bay, where I might complete my water, and form farther
connections with the Indians, than to keep the sea. With this view I
bore up for it, and sent in two boats, manned and armed, to examine the
watering place, who, confirming the report of the Indians at their
return, I came to an anchor about one o'clock, in eleven fathom water,
with a fine sandy bottom, the north point of the bay N. by E. and the
south point S.E. The watering-place, which was in a small cove a little
within the south point of the bay, bore S. by E. distant about a mile,
many canoes came immediately off from the shore, and all traded very
honestly for Otaheite cloth and glass bottles, of which they were
immoderately fond.

In the afternoon of the 23d, as soon as the ship was moored, I went on
shore to examine the watering-place, accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr
Solander: The boat landed in the cove, without the least surf; the water
was excellent, and conveniently situated; there was plenty of wood close
to high-water mark, and the disposition of the people was in every
respect such as we could wish.

Having, with Mr Green, taken several observations of the sun and moon,
the mean result of them gave 180 deg. 47' W. longitude; but, as all the
observations made before exceeded these, I have laid down the coast from
the mean of the whole. At noon, I took the sun's meridian altitude with
an astronomical quadrant, which was set up at the watering-place, and
found the latitude to be 38 deg. 22' 24".

On the 24th, early in the morning, I sent Lieutenant Gore on shore, 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. After
breakfast, I went on shore myself, and continued there the whole day.

Mr Banks and Dr Solander also went on shore to gather plants, and in
their walks saw several things worthy of notice. They met with many
houses in the vallies that seemed to be wholly deserted, the people
living on the ridges of the hills in a kind of sheds very slightly
built. As they were advancing in one of these vallies, the hills on each
side of which were very steep, they were suddenly struck with the sight
of a very 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 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.

As they were returning to the watering-place in the evening, they met an
old man, who detained them some time by shewing them the military
exercises of the country with the lance and Patoo-Patoo, which are all
the weapons in use. The lance is from ten to fourteen feet long, made of
a very hard wood, and sharp at both ends: The Patoo-Patoo has been
described already, it is about a foot long, made of talc or bone, with
sharp edges, and used as a battle-axe. A post or stake was set up as his
enemy, to which he advanced with a must furious aspect, brandishing his
lance, which he grasped with great firmness; when it was supposed to
have been pierced by his lance, he ran at it with his Patoo-Patoo, and
falling upon the upper end of it, which was to represent his adversary's
head, he laid on with great vehemence, striking many blows, any one of
which would probably have split the skull of an ox. From our champion's
falling upon his mock enemy with the Patoo-Patoo, after he was supposed
to have been pierced with the lance, our gentlemen inferred, that in the
battles of this country there is no quarter.

This afternoon, we set up the armourer's forge, to repair the braces of
the tiller which had been broken, and went on getting our wood and
water, without suffering the least molestation from the natives; who
came down with different sorts of fish, which we purchased with cloth,
beads, and glass bottles, as usual.

On the 25th, Mr Banks and Dr Solander went again on shore; and while
they were searching for plants, Tupia staid with the waterers: Among
other Indians who came down to them was a priest, with whom Tupia
entered into a very learned conversation. In their notions of religion
they seemed to agree very well, which is not often the case between
learned divines on our side of the ocean: Tupia, however, seemed to have
the most knowledge, and he was listened to with great deference and
attention by the other. In the course of this conversation, after the
important points of divinity had been settled, Tupia enquired if it was
their practice to eat men, to which they answered in the affirmative;
but said that they eat only their enemies who were slain in battle.[58]

[Footnote 58: There is some reason, however, to believe that they make
battle in order that they may have enemies to eat. It is something like
the plea of the slave-dealers. They took those only who had been made
prisoners in war, and who would be butchered if not thus disposed of.
But who occasioned the wars which brought these miserable beings into
the hands of their enemies? There's the rub.--E.]

On the 26th, it rained all day, so that none of us could go ashore; and
very few of the Indians came either to the watering-place or the ship.

On the 27th, I went with Dr Solander to examine the bottom of the bay;
but though we went ashore at two places, we met with little worth
notice. The people behaved very civilly, shewing us every thing that we
expressed a desire to see. Among other trifling curiosities which Dr
Solander purchased of them, was a boy's top, shaped exactly like those
which children play with in England; and they made signs, that to make
it spin it was to be whipped. Mr Banks in the mean time went ashore at
the watering-place, and climbed a hill which stood at a little distance
to see a fence of poles, which we had observed from the ship, and which
had been much the subject of speculation. The hill was extremely steep,
and rendered almost inaccessible by wood; yet he reached the place, near
which he found many houses that for some reason had been deserted by
their inhabitants. The poles appeared to be about sixteen feet high;
they were placed in two rows, with a space of about six feet between
them, and the poles in each row were about ten feet distant from each
other. The lane between them was covered by sticks, that were set up
sloping towards each other from the top of the poles on each side, like
the roof of a house. This rail-work, with a ditch that was parallel to
it, was carried about a hundred yards down the hill in a kind of curve;
but for what purpose we could not guess.

The Indians, at the watering-place, at our request, entertained us with
their war-song, in which the women joined, with the most horrid
distortions of countenance, rolling their eyes, thrusting out their
tongues, and often heaving loud and deep sighs; though all was done in
very good time.

On the 28th, we went ashore upon an island that lies to the left hand of
the entrance of the bay, where we saw the largest canoe that we had yet
met with: She was sixty-eight feet and a half long, five broad, and
three feet six high; she had a sharp bottom, consisting of three trunks
of trees hollowed, of which that in the middle was the longest: The
side-planks were sixty-two feet long in one piece, and were not
despicably carved in bas relief; the head also was adorned with carving
still more richly. Upon this island there was a larger house than any we
had yet seen; but it seemed unfinished and was full of chips. The wood
work was squared so even and smooth, that we made no doubt of their
having among them very sharp tools. The sides of the posts were carved
in a masterly style, though after their whimsical taste, which seems to
prefer spiral lines and distorted faces: As these carved posts appeared
to have been brought from some other place, such work is probably of
great value among them.

At four o'clock in the morning of the 29th, having got on board our wood
and water, and a large supply of excellent celery, with which the
country abounds, and which proved a powerful antiscorbutic, I unmoored
and put to sea.

This bay is called by the natives Tolaga; it is moderately large, and
has from seven to thirteen fathom, with a clean sandy bottom and good
anchorage; and is sheltered from all winds except the north-east. It
lies in latitude 38 deg. 22' S. and four leagues and a half to the north of
Gable-end Foreland. On the south point lies a small but high island, so
near the main as not to be distinguished from it. Close to the north end
of the island, at the entrance into the bay, are two high rocks; one is
round like a corn-stack, but the other is long, and perforated in
several places, so that the openings appear like the arches of a bridge.
Within these rocks is the cove where we cut wood, and filled our
water-casks. Off the north point of the bay is a pretty high rocky
island; and about a mile without it, are some rocks and breakers. The
variation of the compass here is 14 deg. 31' E., and the tide flows at the
full and change of the moon, about six o'clock, and rises and falls
perpendicularly from five to six feet: Whether the flood comes from the
southward or the northward I have not been able to determine.

We got nothing here by traffic but a few fish, and some sweet potatoes,
except a few trifles, which we considered merely as curiosities. We saw
no four-footed animals, not the appearance of any, either tame or wild,
except dogs and rats, and these were very scarce: The people eat the
dogs, like our friends at Otaheite; and adorn their garments with the
skins, as we do ours with fur and ermine. I climbed many of the hills,
hoping to get a view of the country, but I could see nothing from the
top except higher hills, in a boundless succession. The ridges of these
hills produce little besides fern; but the sides are most luxuriantly
clothed with wood, and verdure of various kinds, with little plantations
intermixed. In the woods, we found trees of above twenty different
sorts, and carried specimens of each on board; but there was nobody
among us to whom they were not altogether unknown. The tree which we cut
for firing was somewhat like our maple, and yielded a whitish gum. We
found another sort of it of a deep yellow, which we thought might be
useful in dying. We found also one cabbage tree, which we cut down for
the cabbages. The country abounds with plants, and the woods with birds,
in an endless variety, exquisitely beautiful, and of which none of us
had the least knowledge. The soil, both of the hills and vallies, is
light and sandy, and very fit for the production of all kinds of roots;
though we saw none except sweet potatoes and yams.

SECTION XXIII.

_The Range from Tolaga to Mercury Bay, with an Account of many Incidents
that happened both on board and ashore: A Description of several Views
exhibited by the Country, and of the Heppahs, or fortified Villages of
the Inhabitants_.

On Monday the 30th, about half an hour after one o'clock, having made
sail again to the northward for about ten hours, with a light breeze, I
hauled round a small island which lay east one mile from the north-east
point of the land: From this place I found the land trend away N.W. by
W. and W.N.W. as far as I could see, this point being the eastermost
land on the whole coast. I gave it the name of East Cape, and I called
the island that lies off it East Island; it is of a small circuit, high
and round, and appears white and barren: The Cape is high, with white
cliffs, and lies in latitude 37 deg. 42' 30" S. and longitude 181 deg. W. The
land from Tolaga Bay to East Cape is of a moderate, but unequal height,
forming several small bays, in which are sandy beaches: Of the inland
country we could not see much, the weather being cloudy and hazy. The
soundings were from twenty to thirty fathom at the distance of about a
league from the shore. After we had rounded the Cape, we saw in our run
along the shore a great number of villages, and much cultivated land;
the country in general appeared more fertile than before, and was low
near the sea, but hilly within. At six in the evening, being four
leagues to the westward of East Cape, we passed a bay which was first
discovered by Lieutenant Hicks, and which therefore I called Hicks's
Bay. At eight in the evening, being eight leagues to the westward of the
Cape, and three or four miles from the shore, I shortened sail, and
brought-to for the night, having at this time a fresh gale at S.S.E. and
squally; but it soon became moderate, and at two in the morning, we made
sail again to the S.W. as the land now trended; and at eight o'clock in
the morning, saw land, which made like an island, bearing west, the
south-westermost part of the main bearing south-west; and about nine no
less than five canoes came off, in which were more than forty men, all
armed with their country pikes and battle-axes, shouting and threatening
an attack; this gave us great uneasiness, and was indeed what we did not
expect; for we hoped, that the report both of our power and clemency had
spread to a greater extent. When one of these canoes had almost reached
the ship, another, of an immense size, the largest that we had yet seen,
crowded with people, who were also armed, put off from the shore, and
came up at a great rate; as it approached it received signals from the
canoe that was nearest to the ship, and we could see that it had sixteen
paddles on a side, beside people that sat, and others that stood in a
row from stem to stern, being in all about sixty men: As they made
directly to the ship, we were desirous of preventing an attack, by
showing what we could do; and therefore fired a gun, loaded with
grape-shot, a-head of them: This made them stop, but not retreat; a
round shot was then fired over them, and upon seeing it fall, they
seized their paddles and made towards the shore with such precipitation,
that they seemed scarcely to allow themselves time to breathe. In the
evening, three or four more canoes came off unarmed; but they would not
venture within a musket-shot of the vessel. The Cape, off which we had
been threatened with hostilities, I called, from the hasty retreat of
the enemy, Cape Runaway. It lies in latitude 37 deg. 32'; longitude 181 deg.
48'. In this day's run, we found that the land, which made like an
island in the morning, bearing west, was so; and we gave it the name of
White Island.

At day-break on the 1st of November, we counted no less than
five-and-forty canoes that were coming from the shore towards the ship:
Seven of them came up with us, and after some conversation with Tupia,
sold us some lobsters and muscles, and two conger eels. These people
traded pretty fairly: When they were gone, some others came off from
another place, who began also to trade fairly; but after some time they
look what was handed down to them, without making any return; one of
them who had done so, upon being threatened, began to laugh, and with
many marks of derision set us at defiance, at the same time putting off
the canoe from the ship: A musket was then fired over his head, which
brought him back in a more serious mood, and trade went on with great
regularity. At length, when the cabin and gun-room had got as much as
they wanted, the men were allowed to come to the gangway, and trade for
themselves. Unhappily the same care was not taken to prevent frauds as
had been taken before, so that the Indians, finding that they could
cheat with impunity, grew insolent again, and proceeded to take greater
liberties. One of the canoes, having sold every thing on board, pulled
forward, and the people that were in her seeing some linen hang over the
ship's side to dry, one of them, without any ceremony, untied it, and
put it up in his bundle: He was immediately called to, and required to
return it; instead of which, he let his canoe drop astern, and laughed
at us: A musket was fired over his head, which, did not put a stop to
his mirth; another was then fired at him with small shot, which struck
him upon the back; he, shrunk a little when the shot hit him, but did
not regard it more than one of our men would have done the stroke of a
rattan: He continued with great composure to pack up the linen that he
had stolen. All the canoes now dropped astern about a hundred yards, and
all set up their song of defiance, which they continued till the ship
was distant from them about four hundred yards. As they seemed to have
no design to attack us, I was not willing to do them any hurt; yet I
thought their going off in a bravado might have a bad effect when it
should be reported ashore. To show them therefore that they were still
in our power, though very much beyond the reach of any missile weapon
with which they were acquainted, I gave the ship a yaw, and fired a
four-pounder so as to pass near them. The shot happened to strike the
water, and rise several times at a great distance beyond the canoes;
This struck them with terror, and they paddled away without once looking
behind them.

About two in the afternoon, we saw a pretty high island bearing west
from us; and at five, saw more islands and rocks to the westward of
that. We hauled our wind in order to go without them, but could not
weather them before it was dark. I therefore bore up, and ran between
them and the main. At seven, I was close under the first, from which a
large double canoe, or rather two canoes lashed together at the distance
of about a foot, and covered with boards so as to make a deck, put off,
and made sail for the ship: This was the first vessel of the kind that
we had seen since we left the South Sea islands. When she came near, the
people on board entered very freely into conversation with Tupia, and,
we thought, showed a friendly disposition; but when it was just dark,
they ran their canoe close to the ship's side, and threw in a volley of
stones, after which they paddled ashore.

We learnt from Tupia, that the people in the canoe called the island
which we were under Mowtohora; it is but of a small circuit, though
high, and lies six miles from the main; on the south side is anchorage
in fourteen fathom water. Upon the main land, S.W. by W. of this island,
and apparently at no great distance from the sea, is a high round
mountain, which I called Mount Edgecumbe: it stands in the middle of a
large plain, and is therefore the more conspicuous; latitude 37 deg. 59',
longitude 183 deg. 7'.

In standing westward, we suddenly shoaled our water from seventeen to
ten fathom; and knowing that we were not far from the small islands and
rocks which we had seen before dark, and which I intended to have passed
before I brought-to for the night, I thought it more prudent to tack,
and spend the night under Mowtohora, where I knew there was no danger.
It was indeed happy for us that we did so; for in the morning, after we
had made sail to the westward, we discovered a-head of us several rocks,
some of which were level with the surface of the water, and some below
it: They lay N.N.E. from Mount Edgecumbe, one league and a half distant
from the island Mowtohora, and about nine miles from the main. We passed
between these rocks and the main, having from ten to seven fathom
water.

This morning, many canoes and much people were seen along the shore;
several of the canoes followed us, but none of them could reach us,
except one with a sail, which proved to be the same that had pelted us
the night before. The people on board again entered into conversation
with Tupia; but we expected another volley of their ammunition, which
was not indeed dangerous to any thing but the cabin windows. They
continued abreast of the ship about an hour, and behaved very peaceably;
but at last the salute which we expected was given; we returned it by
firing a musquet over them, and they immediately dropped astern and left
us, perhaps rather satisfied with having given a test of their courage
by twice insulting a vessel so much superior to their own, than
intimidated by the shot.

At half an hour after ten, we passed between a low flat island and the
main: The distance from one to the other was about four miles, and the
depth of water from ten to twelve fathom. The main land between this
flat island and Mowtohora is of a moderate height, but level, pretty
clear of wood, and full of plantations and villages. The villages, which
were larger than any we had yet seen, were built upon eminences near the
sea, and fortified on the land side by a bank and ditch, with a high
paling within it, which was carried all round: Beside a bank, ditch, and
pallisadoes, some of them appeared to have out-works. Tupia had a notion
that the small inclosures of pallisadoes, and a ditch that we had seen
before, were Morais, or places of worship; but we were of opinion that
they were forts, and concluded that these people had neighbouring
enemies, and were always exposed to hostile attacks.[59]

[Footnote 59: The latter opinion was the more correct, as might be
readily shewn; but it is not purposed to treat of the subject till we
come to the account of the 3d voyage.--E.]

At two o'clock we passed a small high island, lying four miles from a
high round head upon the main. From this head the land trends N.W. as
far as can be seen, and has a rugged and hilly appearance. As the
weather was hazy, and the wind blew fresh on the shore, we hauled off
for the weathermost island in sight, which bore from us N.N.E. distant
about six or seven leagues.

Under this island, which I have called the _Mayor_, we spent the night.
At seven in the morning it bore S. 47 E. distant six leagues, and a
cluster of small islands and rocks bore N. 1/2 E. distant one league, to
which I gave the name of the _Court of Aldermen_. They lie in the
compass of about half a league every way, and five leagues from the
main, between which and them lie other islands, most of them barren
rocks, of which there is great variety: Some of them are as small in
compass as the Monument of London, but rise to a much greater height,
and some of them are inhabited. They lie in latitude 36 deg. 57', and at
noon bore S. 60 E. distant three or four leagues; and a rock like a
castle, lying not far from the main, bore N. 40 W. at the distance of
one league. The country that we passed the night before, appeared to be
well inhabited, many towns were in sight, and some hundreds of large
canoes lay under them upon the beach; but this day, after having sailed
about fifteen leagues, it appeared to be barren and desolate. As far as
we had yet coasted this country from Cape Turnagain, the people
acknowledged one Chief, whom they called Teratu, and to whose residence
they pointed, in a direction that we thought to be very far inland, but
afterwards found to be otherwise.

About one o'clock three canoes came off to us from the main, with
one-and-twenty men on board. The construction of these vessels appeared
to be more simple than that of any we had seen, they being nothing more
than trunks of a single tree hollowed by fire, without any convenience
or ornament. The people on board were almost naked, and appeared to be
of a browner complexion; yet naked and despicable as they were, they
sung their song of defiance, and seemed to denounce against us
inevitable destruction: They remained, however, some time out of stones
throw, and then venturing nearer, with less appearance of hostility, one
of our men went to the ship side, and was about to hand them a rope;
this courtesy, however, they thought fit to return by throwing a lance
at him, which having missed him, they immediately threw another into the
ship: Upon this a musquet was fired over them, which at once sent them
away.[60]