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

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





SECTION V.

_Proceedings after leaving Staten Island, with an Account of the
Discovery of the Isle of Georgia, and a Description of it._


Having left the land in the evening of the 3d, as before mentioned, we
saw it again next morning, at three o'clock, bearing west. Wind
continued to blow a steady fresh breeze till six p.m., when it shifted
in a heavy squall to S.W., which came so suddenly upon us, that we had
not time to take in the sails, and was the occasion of carrying away a
top-gallant mast, a studding-sail boom, and a fore studding-sail. The
squall ended in a heavy shower of rain, but the wind remained at S.W.
Our course was S.E., with a view of discovering that extensive coast
laid down by Mr Dalrymple in his chart, in which is the gulph of St
Sebastian. I designed to make the western point of that gulph, in order
to have all the other parts before me. Indeed I had some doubt of the
existence of such a coast; and this appeared to me the best route for
clearing it up, and for exploring the southern part of this ocean.

On the 5th, fresh gales, and wet and cloudy weather. At noon observed in
57 deg. 9', latitude made from Cape St John, 5 deg. 2' E. At six o'clock p.m.,
being in the latitude 57 deg. 21', and in longitude 57 deg. 45' W., the
variation was 21 deg. 28' E.

At eight o'clock in the evening of the 6th, being then in the latitude
of 58 deg. 9' S., longitude 53 deg. 14' W., we close-reefed our top-sails, and
hauled to the north, with a very strong gale at west, attended with a
thick haze and sleet. The situation just mentioned is nearly the same
that Mr Dalrymple assigns for the S.W. point of the gulph of St
Sebastian. But as we saw neither land, nor signs of land, I was the more
doubtful of its existence, and was fearful that, by keeping to the
south, I might miss the land said to be discovered by La Roche in 1675,
and by the ship Lion in 1756, which Mr Dalrymple places in 54 deg. 30'
latitude, and 45 deg. of longitude; but on looking over D'Anville's chart, I
found it laid down 9 deg. or 10 deg. more to the west; this difference of
situation being to me a sign of the uncertainty of both accounts,
determined me to get into the parallel as soon as possible, and was the
reason of my hauling to the north at this time.

Towards the morning of the 7th the gale abated, the weather cleared up,
and the wind veered to the W.S.W., where it continued till midnight,
after which it veered to N.W. Being at this time in the latitude of 56 deg.
4' S., longitude 53 deg. 36' W., we sounded, but found no bottom with a line
of one hundred and thirty fathoms. I still kept the wind on the
larboard-tack, having a gentle breeze and pleasant weather. On the 8th,
at noon, a bed of sea-weed passed the ship. In the afternoon, in
latitude 55 deg. 4', longitude 51 deg. 43' W., the variation was 20 deg. 4' E.

On the 9th, wind at N.E., attended with thick hazy weather; saw a seal,
and a piece of sea-weed. At noon, latitude 55 deg. 12' S., longitude 50 deg. 15'
W., the wind and weather continuing the same till towards midnight, when
the latter cleared up, and the former veered to west, and blew a gentle
gale. We continued to ply till two o'clock the next morning, when we
bore away east, and at eight E.N.E.; at noon, observed in latitude 54 deg.
35' S., longitude 47 deg. 56' W., a great many albatrosses and blue peterels
about the ship. I now steered east, and the next morning, in the
latitude of 54 deg. 38', longitude 45 deg. 10' W., the variation was 19 deg. 25' E.
In the afternoon saw several penguins, and some pieces of weed.

Having spent the night lying-to, on the 12th, at day-break, we bore
away, and steered east northerly, with a fine fresh breeze at W.S.W.; at
noon observed in latitude 54 deg. 28' S., longitude in 42 deg. 8' W.; that is,
near 3 deg. E. of the situation in which Mr Dalrymple places the N.E. point
of the gulph of St Sebastian; but we had no other signs of land than
seeing a seal and a few penguins; on the contrary, we had a swell from
E.S.E., which would hardly have been, if any extensive track of land lay
in that direction. In the evening the gale abated, and at midnight it
fell calm.

The calm, attended by a thick fog, continued till six next morning, when
we got a wind at east, but the fog still prevailed. We stood to the
south till noon, when, being in the latitude of 55 deg. 7', we tacked and
stretched to the north with a fresh breeze at E. by S. and E.S.E.,
cloudy weather; saw several penguins and a snow-peterel, which we looked
on to be signs of the vicinity of ice. The air too was much colder than
we had felt it since we left New Zealand. In the afternoon the wind
veered to the S.E., and in the night to S.S.E., and blew fresh, with
which we stood to the N.E.

At nine o'clock the next morning we saw an island of ice, as we then
thought, but at noon were doubtful whether it was ice or land. At this
time it bore E. 3/4 S., distant thirteen leagues; our latitude was 53 deg.
56' 1/2, longitude 39 deg. 24' W.; several penguins, small divers, a
snow-peterel, and a vast number of blue peterels about the ship. We had
but little wind all the morning, and at two p.m. it fell calm. It was
now no longer doubted that it was land, and not ice, which we had in
sight. It was, however, in a manner wholly covered with snow. We were
farther confirmed in our judgement of its being land, by finding
soundings at one hundred and seventy-five fathoms, a muddy bottom. The
land at this time bore E. by S., about twelve leagues distant. At six
o'clock the calm was succeeded by a breeze at N.E., with which we stood
to S.E. At first it blew a gentle gale; but afterwards increased so as
to bring us under double-reefed top-sails, and was attended with snow
and sleet.

We continued to stand to the S.E. till seven in the morning on the
15th, when the wind veering to the S.E., we tacked and stood to the
north. A little before we tacked, we saw the land bearing E. by N. At
noon the mercury in the thermometer was at 35 deg. 1/4. The wind blew in
squalls, attended with snow and sleet, and we had a great sea to
encounter. At a lee-lurch which the ship took, Mr Wales observed her to
lie down 42 deg.. At half past four p.m. we took in the top-sails, got down
top-gallant yards, wore the ship, and stood to the S.W., under two
courses. At midnight the storm abated, so that we could carry the
top-sails double-reefed.

At four in the morning of the 16th we wore and stood to the east, with
the wind at S.S.E., a moderate breeze, and fair; at eight o'clock saw
the land extending from E. by N. to N.E. by N.; loosed a reef out of
each top-sail, got top-gallant yards across, and set the sails. At noon
observed in latitude 54 deg. 25' 1/2, longitude 38 deg. 18' W. In this situation
we had one hundred and ten fathoms water; and the land extended from N.
1/2 W. to E., eight leagues distant. The northern extreme was the same
that we first discovered, and it proved to be an island, which obtained
the name of Willis's Island, after the person who first saw it.

At this time we had a great swell from the south, an indication that no
land was near us in that direction; nevertheless the vast quantity of
snow on that in sight induced us to think it was extensive, and I chose
to begin with exploring the northern coast. With this view we bore up
for Willis's Island, all sails set, having a fine gale at S.S.W. As we
advanced to the north, we perceived another isle lying east of Willis's,
and between it and the main. Seeing there was a clear passage between
the two isles, we steered for it, and at five o'clock, being in the
middle of it, we found it about two miles broad.

Willis's Isle is an high rock of no great extent, near to which are some
rocky islets. It is situated in the latitude of 54 deg. S., longitude 38 deg.
23' W. The other isle, which obtained the name of Bird Isle, on account
of the vast number that were upon it, is not so high, but of greater
extent, and is close to the N.E. point of the main land, which I called
Cape North.

The S.E. coast of this land, as far as we saw it, lies in the direction
of S. 50 deg. E., and N. 50 deg. W. It seemed to form several bays or inlets;
and we observed huge masses of snow, or ice, in the bottoms of them,
especially in one which lies ten miles to the S.S.E. of Bird Isle.

After getting through the passage, we found the north coast trended E.
by N., for about nine miles; and then east and east-southerly to Cape
Buller, which is eleven miles more. We ranged the coast, at one league
distance, till near ten o'clock, when we brought-to for the night, and
on sounding found fifty fathoms, a muddy bottom.

At two o'clock in the morning of the 17th we made sail in for the land,
with a fine breeze at S.W.; at four, Willis's Isle bore W. by S.,
distant thirty-two miles; Cape Buller, to the west of which lie some
rocky islets, bore S.W. by W.; and the most advanced point of land to
the east, S. 63 deg. E. We now steered along shore, at the distance of four
or five miles, till seven o'clock, when, seeing the appearance of an
inlet, we hauled in for it. As soon as we drew near the shore, having
hoisted out a boat, I embarked in it, accompanied by Mr Forster and his
party, with a view of reconnoitring the bay before we ventured in with
the ship. When we put off from her, which was about four miles from the
shore, we had forty fathoms water. I continued to sound as I went
farther in, but found no bottom with a line of thirty-four fathoms,
which was the length of that I had in the boat, and which also proved
too short to sound the bay, so far as I went up it. I observed it to lie
in S.W. by S. about two leagues, about two miles broad, well sheltered
from all winds; and I judged there might be good anchorage before some
sandy beaches which are on each side, and likewise near a low flat isle,
towards the head of the bay. As I had come to a resolution not to bring
the ship in, I did not think it worth my while to go and examine these
places; for it did not seem probable that any one would ever be
benefited by the discovery. I landed at three different places,
displayed our colours, and took possession of the country in his
majesty's name, under a discharge of small arms.

I judged that the tide rises about four or five feet, and that it is
high water on the full and change days about eleven o'clock.

The head of the bay, as well as two places on each side, was terminated
by perpendicular ice-cliffs of considerable height. Pieces were
continually breaking off, and floating out to sea; and a great fall
happened while we were in the bay, which made a noise like cannon.

The inner parts of the country were not less savage and horrible. The
wild rocks raised their lofty summits till they were lost in the clouds,
and the valleys lay covered with everlasting snow. Not a tree was to be
seen, nor a shrub even big enough to make a toothpick. The only
vegetation we met with was a coarse strong-bladed grass growing in
tufts, wild burnet, and a plant like moss, which sprung from the rocks.

Seals, or sea-bears, were pretty numerous. They were smaller than those
at Staten Land: Perhaps the most of those we saw were females, for the
shores swarmed with young cubs. We saw none of that sort which we call
lions; but there were some of those which the writer of Lord Anson's
voyage describes under that name; at least they appeared to us to be of
the same sort; and are, in my opinion, very improperly called lions, for
I could not see any grounds for the comparison.

Here were several flocks of penguins, the largest I ever saw; some which
we brought on board weighed from twenty-nine to thirty-eight pounds. It
appears by Bougainville's account of the animals of Falkland Islands,
that this penguin is there; and I think it is very well described by him
under the name of first class of penguins. The oceanic birds were
albatrosses, common gulls, and that sort which I call Port Egmont hens,
terns, shags, divers, the new white bird, and a small bird like those of
the Cape of Good Hope, called yellow birds; which, having shot two, we
found most delicious food.

All the land birds we saw consisted of a few small larks, nor did we
meet with any quadrupeds. Mr Forster indeed observed some dung, which he
judged to come from a fox, or some such animal. The lands, or rather
rocks, bordering on the sea-coast, were not covered with snow like the
inland parts; but all the vegetation we could see on the clear places
was the grass above-mentioned. The rocks seemed to contain iron. Having
made the above observations, we set out for the ship, and got on board a
little after twelve o'clock, with a quantity of seals and penguins, an
acceptable present to the crew.

It must not, however, be understood that we were in want of provisions:
we had yet plenty of every kind; and since we had been on this coast, I
had ordered, in addition to the common allowance, wheat to be boiled
every morning for breakfast; but any kind of fresh meat was preferred by
most on board to salt. For my own part, I was now, for the first time,
heartily tired of salt meat of every kind; and though the flesh of the
penguins could scarcely vie with bullock's liver, its being fresh was
sufficient to make it go down. I called the bay we had been in,
Possession Bay. It is situated in the latitude of 54 deg. 5' S., longitude
37 deg. 18' W., and eleven leagues to the east of Cape North. A few miles to
the west of Possession Bay, between it and Cape Buller, lies the Bay of
Isles, so named on account of several small isles lying in and before
it.

As soon as the boat was hoisted in, we made sail along the coast to the
east, with a fine breeze at W.S.W. From Cape Buller the direction of the
coast is S. 72 deg. 30' E., for the space of eleven or twelve leagues, to a
projecting point, which obtained the name of Cape Saunders. Beyond this
cape is a pretty large bay, which I named Cumberland Bay. In several
parts in the bottom of it, as also in some others of less extent, lying
between Cape Saunders and Possession Bay, were vast tracks of frozen
snow, or ice, not yet broken loose. At eight o'clock, being just past
Cumberland Bay, and falling little wind, we hauled off the coast, from
which we were distant about four miles, and found one hundred and ten
fathoms water.

We had variable light airs and calms till six o'clock the next morning,
when the wind fixed at north, and blew a gentle breeze; but it lasted no
longer than ten o'clock, when it fell almost to a calm. At noon,
observed in latitude 54 deg. 30' S., being then about two or three leagues
from the coast, which extended from N. 59 deg. W. to S. 13 deg. W. The land in
this last direction was an isle, which seemed to be the extremity of the
coast to the east. The nearest land to us being a projecting point which
terminated in a round hillock, was, on account of the day, named Cape
Charlotte. On the west side of Cape Charlotte lies a bay which obtained
the name of Royal Bay, and the west point of it was named Cape George.
It is the east point of Cumberland Bay, and lies in the direction of
S.E. by E. from Cape Saunders, distant seven leagues. Cape George and
Cape Charlotte lie in the direction of S. 37 deg. E. and N. 37 deg. W., distant
six leagues from each other. The isle above-mentioned, which was called
Cooper's Isle, after my first lieutenant, lies in the direction of S. by
E., distant eight leagues from Cape Charlotte. The coast between them
forms a large bay, to which I gave the name of Sandwich. The wind being
variable all the afternoon we advanced but little; in the night it fixed
at S. and S.S.W., and blew a gentle gale, attended with showers of snow.

The 19th was wholly spent in plying, the wind continuing at S. and
S.S.W., clear pleasant weather, but cold. At sunrise a new land was
seen, bearing S.E. 1/2 E. It first appeared in a single hill, like a
sugar-loaf; some time after other detached pieces appeared above the
horizon near the hill. At noon, observed in the latitude 54 deg. 42' 30" S.,
Cape Charlotte bearing N. 38 deg. W., distant four leagues; and Cooper's
Isle S. 31 deg. W. In this situation a lurking rock, which lies off Sandwich
Bay, five miles from the land, bore W. 1/2 N., distant one mile, and
near this rock were several breakers. In the afternoon we had a prospect
of a ridge of mountains behind Sandwich Bay, whose lofty and icy summits
were elevated high above the clouds. The wind continued at S.S.W. till
six o'clock, when it fell to a calm. At this time Cape Charlotte bore N.
31 deg. W., and Cooper's Island W.S.W. In this situation we found the
variation, by the azimuths, to be 11 deg. 39', and by the amplitude, 11 deg. 12'
E. At ten o'clock, a light breeze springing up at north, we steered to
the south till twelve, and then brought-to for the night.

At two o'clock in the morning of the 20th we made sail to S.W. round
Cooper's Island. It is a rock of considerable height, about five miles
in circuit, and one mile from the main. At this isle the main coast
takes a S.W. direction for the space of four or five leagues to a point,
which I called Cape Disappointment. Off that are three small isles, the
southernmost of which is green, low, and flat, and lies one league from
the cape.

As we advanced to S.W. land opened, off this point, in the direction of
N. 60 deg. W., and nine leagues beyond it. It proved an island quite
detached from the main, and obtained the name of Pickersgill Island,
after my third officer. Soon after a point of the main, beyond this
island, came in sight, in the direction of N. 55 deg. W., which exactly
united the coast at the very point we had seen, and taken the bearing
of, the day we first came in with it, and proved to a demonstration that
this land, which we had taken for part of a great continent, was no more
than an island of seventy leagues in circuit.

Who would have thought that an island of no greater extent than this,
situated between the latitude of 54 deg. and 55 deg., should, in the very height
of summer, be in a manner wholly covered, many fathoms deep, with frozen
snow, but more especially the S.W. coast? The very sides and craggy
summits of the lofty mountains were cased with snow and ice; but the
quantity which lay in the valleys is incredible; and at the bottom of
the bays the coast was terminated by a wall of ice of considerable
height. It can hardly be doubted that a great deal of ice is formed here
in the water, which in the spring is broken off, and dispersed over the
sea; but this island cannot produce the ten-thousandth part of what we
saw; so that either there must be more land, or the ice is formed
without it. These reflections led me to think that the land we had seen
the preceding day might belong to an extensive track, and I still had
hopes of discovering a continent. I must confess the disappointment I
now met with did not affect me much; for, to judge of the bulk by the
sample, it would not be worth the discovery.

I called this island the isle of Georgia, in honour of his majesty. It
is situated, between the latitudes of 53 deg. 57' and 54 deg. 57' S.; and
between 38 deg. 13' and 35 deg. 34' west longitude. It extends S.E. by E. and
N.W. by W., and is thirty-one leagues long in that direction; and its
greatest breadth is about ten leagues. It seems to abound with bays and
harbours, the N.E. coast especially; but the vast quantity of ice must
render them inaccessible the greatest part of the year; or, at least, it
must be dangerous lying in them, on account of the breaking up of the
ice cliffs.

It is remarkable that we did not see a river, or stream of fresh water,
on the whole coast. I think it highly probable that there are no
perennial springs in the country; and that the interior parts, as being
much elevated, never enjoy heat enough to melt the snow in such
quantities as to produce a river, or stream, of water. The coast alone
receives warmth sufficient to melt the snow, and this only on the N.E.
side; for the other, besides being exposed to the cold south winds, is,
in a great degree, deprived of the sun's rays, by the uncommon height of
the mountains.

It was from a persuasion that the sea-coast of a land situated in the
latitude of 54 deg., could not, in the very height of summer, be wholly
covered with snow, that I supposed Bouvet's discovery to be large
islands of ice. But after I had seen this land, I no longer hesitated
about the existence of Cape Circumcision; nor did I doubt that I should
find more land than I should have time to explore. With these ideas I
quitted this coast, and directed my course to the E.S.E. for the land we
had seen the preceding day.

The wind was very variable till noon, when it fixed at N.N.E., and blew
a gentle gale; but it increased in such a manner, that, before three
o'clock, we were reduced to our two courses, and obliged to strike
top-gallant yards. We were very fortunate in getting clear of the land,
before this gale overtook us; it being hard to say what might have been
the consequence had it come on while we were on the north coast. This
storm was of short duration; for, at eight o'clock it began to abate;
and at midnight it was little wind. We then took the opportunity to
sound, but found no bottom with a line of an hundred and eighty fathoms.

Next day the storm was succeeded by a thick fog, attended with rain; the
wind veered to N.W., and, at five in the morning, it fell calm, which
continued till eight; and then we got a breeze southerly, with which we
stood to the east till three in the afternoon. The weather then coming
somewhat clear, we made sail, and steered north in search of land; but,
at half-past six, we were again involved in a thick mist, which made it
necessary to haul the wind, and spend the night in making short boards.

We had variable light airs next to a calm, and thick foggy weather, till
half-past seven o'clock in the evening of the 22d, when we got a fine
breeze at north, and the weather was so clear that we could see two or
three leagues round us. We seized the opportunity, and steered to west;
judging we were to the east of the land. After running ten miles to the
west, the weather again became foggy, and we hauled the wind, and spent
the night under top-sails.

Next morning at six o'clock, the fog clearing away, so that we could see
three or four miles, I took the opportunity to steer again to the west,
with the wind at east, a fresh breeze; but two hours after, a thick fog
once more obliged us to haul the wind to the south. At eleven o'clock, a
short interval of clear weather gave us view of three or four rocky
islets extending from S.E. to E.N.E., two or three miles distant; but
we did not see the Sugar-Loaf Peak beforementioned. Indeed, two or three
miles was the extent of our horizon.

We were well assured that this was the land we had seen before, which we
had now been quite round; and therefore it could be no more than a few
detached rocks, receptacles for birds, of which we now saw vast numbers,
especially shags, who gave us notice of the vicinity of land before we
saw it. These rocks lie in the latitude of 55 deg. S., and S. 75 deg. E.,
distant twelve leagues from Cooper's Isle.

The interval of clear weather was of very short duration, before we had
as thick a fog as ever, attended with rain, on which we tacked in sixty
fathoms water, and stood to the north. Thus we spent our time, involved
in a continual thick mist; and, for aught we knew, surrounded by
dangerous rocks. The shags and soundings were our best pilots; for after
we had stood a few miles to the north, we got out of soundings, and saw
no more shags. The succeeding day and night we spent in making short
boards; and at eight o'clock on the 24th, judging ourselves not far from
the rocks by some straggling shags which came about us, we sounded in
sixty fathoms water, the bottom stones and broken shells. Soon after, we
saw the rocks bearing S.S.W. 1/2 W., four miles distant, but still we
did not see the peak. It was, no doubt, beyond our horizon, which was
limited to a short distance; and, indeed, we had but a transient sight
of the other rocks, before they were again lost in the fog.

With a light air of wind at north, and a great swell from N.E., we were
able to clear the rocks to the west; and, at four in the p.m., judging
ourselves to be three or four leagues east and west of them, I steered
south, being quite tired with cruizing about them in a thick fog; nor
was it worth my while to spend any more time in waiting for clear
weather, only for the sake of having a good sight of a few straggling
rocks. At seven o'clock, we had at intervals a clear sky to the west,
which gave us a sight of the mountains of the isle of Georgia, bearing
W.N.W., about eight leagues distant. At eight o'clock we steered S.E. by
S., and at ten S.E. by E., with a fresh breeze at north, attended with a
very thick fog; but we were, in some measure, acquainted with the sea
over which we were running. The rocks above-mentioned obtained the name
of Clerke's Rocks, after my second officer, he being the first who saw
them.[10]

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Anonymous - "Representation of the Impiety and Immorality of the English Stage (1704); Some Thoughts Concerning the Stage in a Letter to a Lady (1704)"

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John Sutherland: Misery memoirs sell by the million; meanwhile we overlook human tragedies on a far more epic scale
Articles published by guardian.co.uk Books

Mother of Constance Briscoe weeps as she tells libel jury of struggle to raise family
John Sutherland: Misery memoirs sell by the million; meanwhile we overlook human tragedies on a far more epic scale

Ian McEwan on what Obama's election means for the environment

The mother of a lawyer who says her daughter's best-selling "misery memoir" is fiction broke down in court yesterday as she told a jury how she had struggled to raise her family. Carmen Briscoe-Mitchell is suing barrister Constance Briscoe for libel. Briscoe alleged she had suffered abuse and neglect during her south London childhood in Ugly, the first part of her autobiography published in 2006.

Briscoe-Mitchell began crying as she described her relationship with George Briscoe, father of seven of her 11 children, on the second day of the hearing at the high court in London at which she is also suing the book's publishers Hodder and Stoughton over her daughter's claims. Her counsel, William Panton, said Briscoe was "spinning a yarn". Her mother had worked as a dressmaker to keep her children, often without their father, and had provided for them equally to the best of her ability, an assertion supported by Briscoe's siblings, he said. Briscoe painted a picture of being regularly punched, kicked and beaten with a stick by her mother, said Panton, yet had not complained to police, social services or teachers.

Briscoe's lawyer, Andrew Caldecott QC, said the jury must remember when they heard witnesses that they were dealing with events between 1964 and 1975 when Briscoe-Mitchell, 74, was in her prime, not a vulnerable old lady, and Briscoe was a child. "Constance Briscoe says she was the victim of sustained cruelty and serious neglect when she was a child. She chose to say it. She has to prove it."

The trial was not of the accuracy of every word or paragraph in the book but of whether or not it was true that Briscoe was physically and emotionally abused by her mother over a lengthy period, said Caldecott. "We say this is a book that has its share of errors but it was properly put in the biography section of a bookshop, not in the fiction section."

Briscoe-Mitchell was asked about her relationship with George Briscoe. "My husband wasn't there to help me along with his children. I've had a very hard time with my husband. He wouldn't maintain them, he wasn't there. It was rough, it wasn't easy but I managed.

"He was in and out. He'd just come and make a baby and go back to his girlfriend and that was my life. It was too much. He'd come and kick the door off." Briscoe-Mitchell said she had four times taken him to court for maintenance. The only time she received any payment was when he was arrested and police gave her the £15 in his pocket. "He didn't want to know about his children, he got no interest there at all."

The case continues.

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