A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 (of 18) by Robert Kerr

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The French discoverers, with some reason, imagined Cape St Louis[122] to
be the projecting point, of the southern continent. The English have
since proved that no such continent exists, and that the land in
question is an island of no great extent;[123] which, from its
sterility, I should, with great propriety, call the Island of
Desolation, but that I would not rob Monsieur de Kerguelen of the honour
of its bearring his name.[124]

[Footnote 122: The idea of Cape Louis being this projecting point of a
southern continent must have soon vanished, as Cape Francois, within a
year after, was found, by the same discoverer, to lie above one third of
a degree farther N. upon the same land. But if Kerguelen entertained any
such imagination at first, we are sure that afterwards he thought very
differently. This appears from the following explicit declaration of his
sentiments, which deserves to be transcribed from his late publication,
as it does equal honour to his candour, and Captain Cook's
abilities:--"La terre que j'ai decouverte est certainement _une Isle_;
puisque le celebre Capitaine Cook a passe au Sud, lors de son premiere
voyage, sans rien rencontrer. Je juge ineme, que cette isle _n'est pas
bien grande_. Il y a aussi apparence, d'apres le Voyage de Monsieur
Cook, que toute cette etendue de Mers Meridionales, est semee d'lsles ou
de rochers; mais qu'il n'y a _ni continent ni grande terre_." Kerguelen,
p. 92.--D.]

[Footnote 123: Kerguelen, as we see in the last note, concurs with
Captain Cook as to this. However, he tells us, that he has reason to
believe that it is about 200 leagues in circuit; and that he was
acquainted with about fourscore leagues of its coast. "J'en connois
environs quatre-vingt lieues des cotes; et; j'ai lieu de croire, qu'elle
a environ deux cents lieues de circuit." _Kerguelen, page_32--D.]

[Footnote 124: Some of Monsieur de Kerguelen's own countrymen seem more
desirous than we are to rob him of his honour. It is very remarkable,
that Monsieur de Pages never once mentions the name of his commander;
and, though he takes occasion to enumerate the several French explorers
of the southern hemisphere, from Gonneville down to Crozet, he affects
to preserve an entire silence about Kerguelen, whose first voyage, in
which the discovery of this considerable tract of land was made, is kept
as much out of sight as if it never had taken place. Nay, not satisfied
with refusing to acknowledge the right of another, he almost assumes it
to himself. For, upon a map of the world annexed to his book, at the
spot where the new land is delineated, we read this inscription, _Isles
nouvelles Australes vuees par Monsieur de Pages, en_ 1774. He could
scarcely have expressed himself in stronger terms, if he had meant to
convey an idea that he was the conductor of the discovery. And yet we
know that he was only a lieutenant [Enseigne de vaisseau] on board of
one of three ships commanded by Kerguelen; and that the discovery had
been already made in a former voyage, undertaken while he was actually
engaged in his singular journey round the world.

After all, it cannot but be remarked, that Kerguelen was peculiarly
unfortunate in having done so little to complete what he had begun. He
discovered a new land indeed; but, in two expeditions to it, he could
not once bring his ships to an anchor upon any part of its coasts.
Captain Cook, as we have seen in this, and in the foregoing chapter, had
either fewer difficulties to struggle with, or was more successful in
surmounting them.--D.]

Mr Anderson, my surgeon, who, as I have already mentioned, had made
natural history a part of his studies, lost no opportunity, during the
short time we lay in Christmas Harbour, of searching the country in
every direction. He afterward communicated to me the observations he
made on its natural productions; and I shall insert them here in his own
words.

"Perhaps no place hitherto discovered in either hemisphere, under the
same parallel of latitude, affords so scanty a field for the naturalist
as this barren spot. The verdure which appears, when at a little
distance from the shore, would flatter one with the expectation of
meeting with some herbage; but in this we were much deceived. For on
landing, we saw that this lively colour was occasioned only by one small
plant, not much unlike some sorts of _saxifrage_, which grows in large
spreading tufts to a considerable way up the hills. It forms a surface
of a pretty large texture, and grows on a kind of rotten turf, into
which one sinks a foot or two at every step. This turf, dried, might, in
cases of necessity, serve for fuel, and is the only thing we met with
here that could possibly be applied to this use."

"There is another plant, plentifully enough scattered about the boggy
declivities, which grows to near the height of two feet, and not much
unlike a small cabbage, when it has shot into seeds. The leaves about
the root are numerous, large, and rounded; narrower at the base, and
ending in a small point. Those on the stalks are much smaller, oblong,
and pointed. The stalks, which are often three or four, all rise
separately from the root, and run into long cylindrical heads, composed
of small flowers. It has not only the appearance, but the watery acrid
taste of the antiscorbutic plants, and yet differs materially from the
whole tribe; so that we looked upon it as a production entirely peculiar
to the place. We ate it frequently raw, and found it almost like the New
Zealand scurvy grass. But it seemed to acquire a rank flavour by being
boiled; which, however, some of our people did not perceive, and
esteemed it good. If it could be introduced into our kitchen gardens, it
would, in all probability, improve so far by cultivation as to be an
excellent pot-herb. At this time none of its seeds were ripe enough to
be preserved, and brought home, to try the experiment."

"Two other small plants were found near the brooks and boggy places,
which were eaten as sallad; the one almost like garden cresses, and very
fiery, and the other very mild. This last, though but small, is in
itself a curiosity; having not only male and female, but what the
botanists call _androgynous_ plants."

"A coarse grass, which we cut down for the cattle, grows pretty
plentifully in a few small spots about the sides of the harbour, with a
smaller sort, which is rarer; and upon the flat ground a sort of
goose-grass, and another small plant much like it. In short, the whole
catalogue of plants does not exceed sixteen or eighteen, including some
sorts of moss, and a beautiful species of _lichen_, which grows upon the
rocks, higher up than the rest of the vegetable productions. Nor is
there even the least appearance of a shrub in the whole country."

"Nature has rather been more bountiful in furnishing it with animals,
though, strictly speaking, they are not inhabitants of the place, being
all of the marine kind; and, in general, only using the land for
breeding and for a resting-place. The most considerable are seals, or
(as we used to call them) sea-bears, being that sort called the ursine
seal. These come ashore to rest or breed; but they were not very
numerous, which is not to be wondered at, as it is known that these
animals rather frequent out-rocks, and little islands lying off coasts,
than bays or inlets. They were, at this time, shedding their hair, and
so tame, that we killed what number we chose."

"No other quadruped, either of the sea or of the land kind, was seen;
but a great number of birds, viz. ducks, petrels, albatrosses, shags,
gulls, and sea-swallows."

"The ducks are about the size of a teal or widgeon, but somewhat
different in colour from either. They were in tolerable plenty about the
sides of the hills, or even lower; and we killed a considerable number,
which were good, and without the least fishy taste. We met with some of
the same sort at the island of Georgia in our late voyage."

"The cape petrel, or pintado bird; the small blue one, which is always
seen at sea, and the small black one, or Mother Carey's chicken, are not
here in great numbers. But we found a nest of the first with an egg in
it, about the size of a pullet's; and the second, though scarce, was met
with in some holes like rabbit-burrows."

"Another sort, which is the largest of all the petrels, and called by
the seamen Mother Carey's goose, is in greater numbers, and so tame,
that at first we could kill them with a stick upon the beach. They are
not inferior in size to an albatross, and are carnivorous, feeding on
the dead carcasses of seals or birds that were thrown into the sea.
Their colour is a sooty brown, with a greenish bill and feet; and,
doubtless, they are the same that the Spaniards call _quebrantahuessos_,
whose head is figured in Pernetty's Voyage to Falkland Islands."[125]

[Footnote 125: Fig. 3, plate viii.]

"Of the albatrosses, none were found on shore except the grey one, which
is commonly met with at sea in the higher southern latitudes. Once I saw
one of these sitting in the cliff of a rock, but they were frequently
flying about the harbour; and the common large sort, as well as the
smaller with a black face, were seen farther out."

"Penguins form, by far, the greatest number of birds here, and are of
three sorts; the first, or largest, I have seen formerly at the island
of Georgia.[126] It is also mentioned by Bougainville;[127] but it does
not seem to be so solitary as he represents it, for we found
considerable numbers flocking together. The head is black, the upper
part of the body a leaden grey, and the under part white, with black
feet. It has two broad stripes of fine yellow, that begin on the sides
of the head, and, descending by each side of the neck, meet above its
breast. The bill is partly reddish, and longer than in the other sorts."

[Footnote 126: Pennant's Patagonian penguin. See his Genera of Birds,
tab. 14, p. 66.]

[Footnote 127: Voyage autour du Monde, p. 69.]

"The second sort of penguins scarcely exceeds half the size of the
former. The upper part of the body is a blackish grey, with a white spot
on the upper part of the head, growing broader at each side. The bill
and feet are yellowish. A very accurate figure and description, both of
this and of the preceding, is given by Mr Sonnerat."[128]

[Footnote 128: Voyage a la Nouvelle Guinee, p. 181, 182. Tab. 113, 115.]

"The third sort of penguin met with here, had never been seen by any of
us before. Its length is twenty-four inches, and its breadth twenty. The
upper part of the body and throat are black, the rest white, except the
upper part of the head, which has a fine yellow arch, looking backward,
and ending on each side in long soft feathers, which it can erect as two
crests."

"The two first sorts were found together on the beach; the large ones
keeping by themselves, and walking in small flocks amongst the others,
which were more numerous, and were sometimes seen a considerable way up
the sides of the hills. The third sort were only found by themselves,
but in great numbers, on the outer shores of the harbour. They were
breeding at this time; and they lay on the bare stones only one white
egg, larger than that of a duck. All the three sorts of penguins were so
tame, that we took as many as we pleased with our hands."

"The shags of this place are of two sorts; the lesser cormorant or
water-crow, and another, which is black above, with a white belly, the
same that is found in New Zealand, Terra del Fuego, and the island of
Georgia."

"We also met with here the common sea-gull, sea-swallow, tern, and Port
Egmont hen; the last of which were tame and numerous."

"Another sort of white bird, flocks of which flew about the bay, is very
singular, having the base of the bill covered with a horny crust.[129]
It is larger than a pigeon, with the bill black and the feet white, made
like those of a curlew. Some of our people put it in competition with
the duck as food."

[Footnote 129: The sheath-bill. See Pennant's Genera of Birds, p. 43.]

"The seine was hauled once, but we found only a few fish about the size
of a small haddock, though quite different from any we knew. The snout
is lengthened, the head armed with some strong spines, the rays of the
back-fin long, and very strong, the belly is large, and the body without
scales. The only shell-fish are a few limpets and muscles; and amongst
the stones a few small star-fish and sea-anemonies were found."

"The hills are of a moderate height; yet many of their tops were covered
with snow at this time, though answering to our June. Some of them have
large quantities of stones, irregularly heaped together at their root,
or on their sides. The sides of others, which form steep cliffs toward
the sea, are rent from the top downward, and seem ready to fall off,
having stones of a considerable size lying in the fissures. Some were of
opinion that frost might be the cause of these fissures, which I shall
not dispute; but how others of the appearances could be effected, but by
earthquakes, or some such severe shocks, I cannot say."

"It appears that rain must be almost constant here, not only from the
marks of large torrents having rushed down, but from the disposition of
the country, which, even on the hills, is almost an entire bog or swamp,
the ground sinking at every step."

"The rocks, or foundations of the hills, are composed chiefly of a dark
blue, and very hard, stone; intermixed with small particles of glimmer
or quartz. This seems to be one of the most universal productions of
nature, as it constitutes whole mountains in Sweden, in Scotland, at the
Canary Islands, the Cape of Good Hope, and at this place. Another
brownish brittle stone forms here some considerable rocks; and one which
is blacker, and found in detached pieces, incloses bits of coarse
quartz. A red, a dull yellow, and a purplish sand-stone, are also found
in small pieces; and pretty large lumps of semi-transparent quartz,
disposed irregularly in polyedral pyramidal crystals of long shining
fibres. Some small pieces of the common sort are met with in the brooks,
made round by attrition; but none hard enough to resist a file. Nor were
any of the other stones acted on by aquafortis, or attracted by the
magnet."

"Nothing, that had the least appearance of an ore or metal, was seen."

SECTION VI.

_Passage from Kerguelen's to Van Diemen's Land.--Arrival in Adventure
Bay.--Incidents there.--Interviews with the Natives.--Their Persons and
Dress described.--Account of their Behaviour.--Table of the Longitude,
Latitude, and Variation.--Mr Anderson's Observations on the Natural
Productions of the Country, on the Inhabitants, and their Language_.

After leaving Kerguelen's Land, I steered E. by N. intending, in
obedience to my instructions, to touch next at New Zealand, to recruit
our water, to take in wood, and to make hay for the cattle. Their
number, by this time, had been considerably diminished; two young bulls,
one of the heifers, two rams, and several of the goats, having of late
died, while we were employed in exploring this desolate coast.

The 31st in the morning, being the day after we stood out to sea, we had
several observations of the sun and moon. Their results gave the
longitude 72 deg. 33' 36" E. The timekeeper, in this situation, gave 72 deg. 38'
15". These observations were the more useful, as we had not been able to
get any for some time before, and they now served to assure us that no
material error had crept into the time-keeper.

On the 1st of January, being then in the latitude of 48 deg. 41' S.
longitude 76 deg. 50' E., the variation was 30 deg. 39' W.; and in the next day,
in the latitude of 48 deg. 22' S. longitude 80 deg. 22' E., it was 30 deg. 47' 18"
W. This was the greatest variation we found in this passage; for
afterward it began to decrease, but so slowly, that on the 3d, in the
evening, being then in the latitude of 48 deg. 16' S. longitude 85 deg. E., it
was 29 deg. 38' W.

Thus far we had fresh gales from the W. and S.W., and tolerably clear
weather. But now the wind veered to the N. where it continued eight
days, and was attended with a thick fog. During this time we ran above
300 leagues in the dark. Now and then the weather would clear up, and
give us a sight of the sun; but this happened very seldom, and was
always of short continuance. On the 7th I hoisted out a boat, and sent
an order to Captain Clerke, appointing Adventure Bay, in Van Diemen's
Land, as our place of rendezvous, in case of separation before we
arrived in the meridian of that land. But we were fortunate enough,
amidst all this foggy weather, by frequently firing guns as signals,
though we seldom saw each other, not to lose company.

On the 12th, being in the latitude of 48 deg. 40' S. longitude 110 deg. 26' E.
the northerly winds ended in a calm; which, after a few hours, was
succeeded by a wind from the southward. This, with rain, continued for
twenty-four hours, when it freshened, and veered to the W. and N.W., and
brought on fair and clear weather.

We continued our course to the eastward, without meeting with any thing
worthy of notice, till four o'clock in the morning of the 19th, when, in
a sudden squall of wind, though the Discovery received no damage, our
fore-top-mast went by the board, and carried the main-top-gallant-mast
with it. This occasioned some delay, as it took up the whole day to
clear the wreck, and fit another top-mast. The former was accomplished
without losing any part of it, except a few fathoms of small rope. Not
having a spare main-top-gallant-mast on board, the fore-top-gallant-mast
was converted into one for our immediate use.

The wind continued westerly, blew a fresh gale, and was attended with
clear weather, so that scarcely a day passed without being able to get
observations for fixing the longitude, and the variation of the compass.
The latter decreased in such a manner, that in the latitude of 44 deg. 18'
S. longitude 132 deg. 2' E., it was no more than 5 deg. 34' 18" W.; and on the
22d, being then in the latitude of 43 deg. 27' S. longitude 141 deg. 50' E., it
was 1 deg. 24' 15" E. So that we had crossed the Line where the compass has
no variation.

On the 24th, at three o'clock in the morning, we discovered the coast of
Van Diemen's Land, bearing N. 1/2 W. At four o'clock the S.W. cape bore
N.N.W. 1/2 W., and the Mewstone N.E. by E. three leagues distant. There
are several islands and high rocks lying scattered along this part of
the coast, the southernmost of which is the Mewstone. It is a round
elevated rock, five or six leagues distant from the S.W. cape, in the
direction of S. 55 deg. E.

At noon, our latitude was 43 deg. 47' S. longitude 147 deg. E., and the
situation of the lands round us as follows: An elevated round-topped
hill bore N. 17 deg. W.; the S.W. cape N. 74 deg. W.; the Mewstone W. 1/2 N.;
Swilly Isle, or Rock, S. 49 deg. E.; and the S.E. of S. cape N. 40 deg. E.
distant near three leagues. The land between the S.W. and S. capes is
broken and hilly, the coast winding, with points shooting out from it;
but we were too far off to be able to judge whether the bays formed by
these points were sheltered from the sea-winds. The bay which appeared
to be the largest and deepest, lies to the westward of the peaked hill
above mentioned. The variation of the compass here was 5 deg. 15' E.

At six o'clock in the afternoon we sounded, and found sixty fathoms
water, over a bottom of broken coral and shells. The S. cape then bore
N. 75 deg. W. two or three leagues distant; Tasman's Head N.E.; and Swilly
Rock S. by W 1/2 W. About a league to the eastward of Swilly is another
elevated rock, that is not taken notice of by Captain Furneaux. I called
it the Eddystone, from its very great resemblance to that light-house.
Nature seems to have left these two rocks here for the same purpose that
the Eddystone light-house was built by man, viz. to give navigators
notice of the dangers around them; for they are the conspicuous summits
of a ledge of rocks under water, on which the sea, in many places,
breaks very high. Their surface is white with the dung of sea-fowls; so
that they may be seen at some distance even in the night. On the N.E.
side of Storm Bay, which lies between the S. cape and Tasman's Head,
there are some coves or creeks, that seemed to be sheltered from the
sea-winds; and I am of opinion, that, were this coast examined, there
would be found some good harbours.

Soon after we had sight of land the westerly winds left us, and were
succeeded by variable light airs and alternate calms, till the 26th at
noon. At that time a breeze sprung up and freshened at S.E. which put it
in my power to carry into execution the design I had, upon due
consideration, formed, of carrying the ships into Adventure Bay, where I
might expect to get a supply of wood and of grass for the cattle; of
both which articles we should, as I now found, have been in great want
if I had waited till our arrival in New Zealand. We therefore stood for
the bay, and anchored in it at four o'clock in the afternoon, at twelve
fathoms water, over a bottom of sand and ooze. Penguin Island, which
lies close to the E. point of the bay, bore N. 84 deg. E.; the southernmost
point of Maria's Islands bore N. 76 deg. 1/2 E.; and Cape Frederick Henry,
or the N. point of the bay, bore N. 33 deg. E. Our distance from the nearest
shore was about three quarters of a mile.

As soon as we had anchored, I ordered the boats to be hoisted out. In
one of them I went myself to look for the most commodious place for
furnishing ourselves with the necessary supplies; and Captain Clerke
went in his boat upon the same service. Wood and water we found in
plenty, and in situations convenient enough, especially the first. But
grass, of which we stood most in need, was scarce, and also very coarse.
Necessity, however, obliged us to take such as we could get.

Next morning early, I sent Lieutenant King to the E. side of the bay
with two parties, one to cut wood, and the other to cut grass, under the
protection of the marines, whom I judged it prudent to land as a guard.
For although, as yet, none of the natives had appeared, there could be
no doubt that some were in our neighbourhood, as we had seen columns of
smoke from the time of our approaching the coast, and some now was
observed at no great distance up in the woods, I also sent the launch
for water; and afterward visited all the parties myself. In the evening,
we drew the seine at the head of the bay, and, at one haul, caught a
great quantity of fish. We should have got many more, had not the net
broken in drawing it ashore. Most of them were of that sort known to
seamen by the name of elephant fish. After this, every one repaired on
board with what wood and grass we had cut, that we might be ready to
sail whenever the wind should serve.

This not happening next morning, the people were sent on shore again on
the same duty as the day before. I also employed the carpenter, with
part of his crew, to cut some spars for the use of the ship; and
dispatched Mr Roberts, one of the mates, in a small boat to survey the
bay.

In the afternoon, we were agreeably surprised, at the place where we
were cutting wood, with a visit from some of the natives, eight men and
a boy. They approached as from the woods, without betraying any marks of
fear, or rather with the greatest confidence imaginable; for none of
them, had any weapons, except one who held in his hand a stick about two
feet long, and pointed at one end.

They were quite naked, and wore no ornaments, unless we consider as
such, and as a proof of their love of finery, some small punctures or
ridges raised on different parts of their bodies, some in straight, and
others in curved lines.

They were of the common stature, but rather slender. Their skin was
black, and also their hair, which was as woolly as that of any native of
Guinea; but they were not distinguished by remarkably thick lips, nor
flat noses. On the contrary, their features were far from being
disagreeable. They had pretty good eyes; and their teeth were tolerably
even, but very dirty. Most of them had their hair and beards smeared
with a red ointment; and some had their faces also painted with the same
composition.

They received every present we made to them without the least appearance
of satisfaction. When some bread was given, as soon as they understood
that it was to be eaten, they either returned it, or threw it away,
without even tasting it. They also refused some elephant fish, both raw
and dressed, which we offered to them. But upon giving some birds to
them, they did not return these, and easily made us comprehend that they
were fond of such food. I had brought two pigs ashore, with a view to
leave them in the woods. The instant these came within their reach, they
seized them, as a dog would have done, by the ears, and were for
carrying them off immediately, with no other intention, as we could
perceive, but to kill them.