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)

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SECTION I.

_Prosecution of the Voyage.--Behaviour of the Two New Zealanders on
board.--Unfavourable Winds.--An Island called Mangeea discovered.--The
Coast of it examined.--Transactions with the Natives,--An Account of
their Persons, Dress, and Canoe.--Description of the Island.--A Specimen
of the Language.--Disposition of the Inhabitants_.

On the 25th of February, at ten o'clock in the morning, a light breeze
springing up at N.W. by W., we weighed, stood out of the Sound, and made
sail through the strait, with the Discovery in company. We had hardly
got the length of Cape Teerawitte, when the wind took us aback at S.E.
It continued in this quarter till two o'clock the next morning, when we
had a few hours calm. After which we had a breeze at north; but here it
fixed not long, before it veered to the east, and after that to the
south. At length on the 27th, at eight o'clock in the morning, we took
our departure from Cape Palliser, which, at this time, bore W., seven
or eight leagues distant. We had a fine gale, and I steered E. by N.

We had no sooner lost sight of the land, than our two New Zealand
adventurers, the sea sickness they now experienced giving a turn to
their reflections, repented heartily of the step they had taken. All the
soothing encouragement we could think of availed but little. They wept,
both in public and in private, and made their lamentations in a kind of
song, which, as far as we could comprehend the meaning of the words, was
expressive of their praises of their country and people, from which they
were to be separated for ever. Thus they continued for many days, till
their sea sickness wore off, and the tumult of their minds began to
subside. Then these fits of lamentation became less and less frequent,
and at length entirely ceased. Their native country and their friends
were, by degrees, forgot, and they appeared to be as firmly attached to
us, as if they had been born amongst us.

The wind had not remained many hours at S., before it veered to S.E. and
E.; and, with this, we stood to the N., till the 28th at noon. Being
then in the latitude of 41 deg. 17', and in the longitude of 177 deg. 17' E., we
tacked and stood to the S.E., with a gentle breeze at E.N.E. It
afterward freshened, and came about to N.E.; in which quarter it
continued two days, and sometimes blew a fresh gale with squalls,
accompanied with showers of rain.

On the 2d of March at noon, being in the latitude of 42 deg. 35' 30",
longitude 180 deg. 8' E., the wind shifted to N.W.; afterward to S.W.; and
between this point and north it continued to blow, sometimes a strong
gale with hard squalls, and at other times very moderate. With this wind
we steered N.E. by E. and E., under all the sail we could carry, till
the 11th at noon, at which time we were in the latitude of 39 deg. 29',
longitude 196 deg. 4' E.

The wind now veered to N.E. and S.E., and I stood to the N., and to the
N.E., as the wind would admit, till one o'clock in the morning on the
16th, when having a more favourable gale from the north, I tacked and
stood to the east; the latitude being 33 deg. 40', and the longitude 198 deg.
50' E. We had light airs and calms by turns, till noon the next day,
when the wind began to freshen at E.S.E., and I again stood to the N.E.
But as the wind often veered to E. and E.N.E., we frequently made no
better than a northerly course; nay sometimes to the westward of north.
But the hopes of the wind coming more southerly, or of meeting with it
from the westward, a little without the Tropic, as I had experienced in
my former visits to this ocean, encouraged me to continue this course.
Indeed it was necessary that I should run all risks, as my proceeding to
the north this year, in prosecution of the principal object of the
voyage, depended entirely on my making a quick passage to Otaheite, or
the Society Islands.

The wind continued invariably fixed at E.S.E., or seldom shifting above
two points on either side. It also blew very faint, so that it was the
27th before we crossed the Tropic, and then we were only in the
longitude of 201 deg. 25' E., which was nine degrees to the westward of our
intended port. In all this run we saw nothing, except now and then a
Tropic bird, that could induce us to think that we had sailed near any
land. In the latitude of 34 deg. 20', longitude 199 deg. we passed the trunk of
a large tree, which was covered with barnacles; a sign that it had been
long at sea.

On the 29th, at ten in the morning, as we were standing to the N.E., the
Discovery made the signal of seeing land. We saw it from the mast-head
almost the same moment, bearing N.E. by E. by compass. We soon
discovered it to be an island of no great extent, and stood for it till
sunset, when it bore N.N.E., distant about two or three leagues.

The night was spent in standing off and on, and at daybreak the next
morning, I bore up for the lee or west side of the island, as neither
anchorage nor landing appeared to be practicable on the south side, on
account of a great surf,[149] which broke every where with violence
against the shore, or against the reef that surrounded it.

[Footnote 149: A very ingenious and satisfactory account of the cause of
the surf, is to be met with in Marsden'a History of Sumatra, p.
29-32.--D.]

We presently found that the island was inhabited, and saw several
people, on a point of the land we had passed, wading to the reef, where,
as they found the ship leaving them quickly, they remained. But others,
who soon appeared in different parts, followed her course; and sometimes
several of them collected into small bodies, who made a shouting noise
all together, nearly after the manner of the inhabitants of New Zealand.

Between seven and eight o'clock, we were at the W.N.W. part of the
island, and, being near the shore, we could perceive with our glasses,
that several of the natives, who appeared upon a sandy beach, were all
armed with long spears and clubs, which they brandished in the air with
signs of threatening, or, as some on board interpreted their attitudes,
with invitations to land. Most of them appeared naked, except having a
sort of girdle, which, being brought up between the thighs, covered that
part of the body. But some of them had pieces of cloth of different
colours, white, striped, or chequered, which they wore as a garment,
thrown about their shoulders. And almost all of them had a white wrapper
about their heads, not much unlike a turban; or, in some instances, like
a high conical cap. We could also perceive that they were of a tawny
colour, and, in general, of a middling stature, but robust, and
inclining to corpulence.

At this time, a small canoe was launched in a great hurry from the
further end of the beach, and a man getting into it, put off, as with a
view to reach the ship. On perceiving this, I brought-to, that we might
receive the visit; but the man's resolution failing, he soon returned
toward the beach, where, after some time, another man joined him in the
canoe; and then they both paddled toward us. They stopt short, however,
as if afraid to approach, until Omai, who addressed them in the Otaheite
language, in some measure quieted their apprehensions. They then came
near enough, to take some beads and nails, which were tied to a piece of
wood, and thrown into the canoe. They seemed afraid to touch these
things, and put the piece of wood aside without untying them. This,
however, might arise from superstition; for Omai told us, that when they
saw us offering them presents, they asked something for their _Eatooa_,
or god. He also, perhaps improperly, put the question to them, Whether,
they ever ate human flesh? which they answered in the negative, with a
mixture of indignation and abhorrence. One of them, whose name was
Mourooa, being asked how he came by a scar on his forehead, told us that
it was the consequence of a wound he had got in fighting with the people
of an island, which lies to the north-eastward, who, sometimes came to
invade them. They afterward took hold of a rope. Still, however, they
would not venture on board; but told Omai, who understood them pretty
well, that their countrymen on shore had given them, this caution, at
the same time directing them to enquire, from whence our ship came, and
to learn the name of the captain. On our part, we enquired the name of
the island, which they called _Mangya_ or _Mangeea_; and sometimes added
to it _Nooe, nai, naiwa_. The name of their chief, they said, was
Orooaeeka.

Mourooa was lusty and well-made, but not very tall. His features were
agreeable, and his disposition seemingly no less so; for he made several
droll gesticulations, which indicated both good-nature and a share of
humour. He also made others which seemed of a serious kind, and repeated
some words with a devout air, before he ventured to lay hold of the rope
at the ship's stern; which was probably to recommend himself to the
protection of some Divinity. His colour was nearly of the same cast with
that common to the most southern Europeans. The other man was not so
handsome. Both of them had strong, straight hair, of a jet colour, tied
together on the crown of the head with a bit of cloth. They wore such
girdles as we had perceived about those on shore, and we found they were
a substance made from the _Morus papyrifera_, in the same manner as at
the other islands of this ocean. It was glazed like the sort used by the
natives of the Friendly Islands; but the cloth, on their heads was
white, like that which is found at Otaheite. They had on a kind of
sandals, made of a grassy substance interwoven, which we also observed
were worn by those who stood upon the beach; and, as we supposed,
intended to defend their feet against the rough coral rock. Their beards
were long; and the inside of their arms, from the shoulder to the elbow,
and some other parts, were punctured or _tatooed_, after the manner of
the inhabitants of almost all the other islands in the South Sea. The
lobe of their ears was pierced, or rather slit, and to such a length,
that one of them stuck there a knife and some beads, which he had
received from us; and the same person had two polished pearl-shells, and
a bunch of human hair, loosely twisted, hanging about his neck, which
was the only ornament we observed. The canoe they came in (which was the
only one we saw), was not above ten feet long, and very narrow; but both
strong and neatly made. The fore part had a flat board fastened over it,
and projecting out, to prevent the sea getting in on plunging, like the
small _Evaas_ at Otaheite; but it had an upright stern, about five feet
high, like some in New Zealand; and the upper end of this stern-post
was forked. The lower part of the canoe was of white wood, but the upper
was black, and their paddles, made of wood of the same colour, not above
three feet long, broad at one end, and blunted. They paddled either end
of the canoe forward indifferently; and only turned about their faces to
paddle the contrary way.

We now stood off and on; and as soon as the ships were in a proper
station, about ten o'clock I ordered two boats, one of them from the
Discovery, to sound the coast, and to endeavour to find a landing-place.
With this view, I went in one of them myself, taking with me such
articles to give the natives, as I thought might serve to gain their
good-will. I had no sooner put off from the ship, than the canoe, with
the two men, which had left us not long before, paddled toward my boat;
and, having come along-side, Mourooa stept into her, without being
asked, and without a moment's hesitation.

Omai, who was with me, was ordered to enquire of him where we could
land; and he directed us to two different places. But I saw, with
regret, that the attempt could not be made at either place, unless at
the risk of having our boats filled with water, or even staved to
pieces. Nor were we more fortunate in our search for anchorage; for we
could find no bottom, till within a cable's length of the breakers.
There we met with from forty to twenty fathoms depth, over sharp coral
rocks; so that anchoring would have been attended with much more danger
than landing.

While we were thus employed in reconnoitring the shore, great numbers of
the natives thronged down upon the reef, all armed as above mentioned.
Mourooa, who was now in my boat, probably thinking that this warlike
appearance hindered us from landing, ordered them to retire back. As
many of them complied, I judged he must be a person of some consequence
among them. Indeed, if we understood him right, he was the king's
brother. So great was the curiosity of several of them, that they took
to the water, and, swimming off to the boats, came on board them without
reserve. Nay, we found it difficult to keep them out; and still more
difficult to prevent their carrying off every thing they could lay their
hands upon. At length, when they perceived that we were returning to the
ships, they all left us, except our original visitor Mourooa. He, though
not without evident signs of fear, kept his place in my boat, and
accompanied me on board the ship.

The cattle, and other new objects, that presented themselves to him
there, did not strike him with so much surprise as one might have
expected. Perhaps his mind was too much taken up about his own safety,
to allow him to attend to other things. It is certain, that he seemed
very uneasy; and the ship, on our getting on board, happening to be
standing off shore, this circumstance made him the more so. I could get
but little new information from him; and therefore, after he had made a
short stay, I ordered a boat to carry him in toward the land. As soon as
he got out of the cabin, he happened to stumble over one of the goats.
His curiosity now overcoming his fear, he stopped, looked at it, and
asked Omai, what bird this was? and not receiving an immediate answer
from him, he repeated the question to some of the people upon deck. The
boat having conveyed him pretty near to the surf, he leaped into the
sea, and swam ashore. He had no sooner landed, than the multitude of his
countrymen gathered round him, as if with an eager curiosity to learn
from him what he had seen; and in this situation they remained, when we
lost sight of them. As soon as the boat returned, we hoisted her in, and
made sail from the land to the northward.

Thus were we obliged to leave, unvisited, this fine island, which seemed
capable of supplying all our wants. It lies in the latitude of 21 deg. 57'
S., and in the longitude of 201 deg. 53' E. Such parts of the coast as fell
under our observation, are guarded by a reef of coral rock, on the
outside of which the sea is of an unfathomable depth. It is full five
leagues in circuit, and of a moderate and pretty equal height; though,
in clear weather, it may be certainly seen at the distance of ten
leagues; for we had not lost sight of it at night, when we had run above
seven leagues, and the weather was cloudy. In the middle, it rises into
little hills, from whence there is a gentle descent to the shore, which,
at the S.W. part, is steep, though not above ten or twelve feet high;
and has several excavations made by the beating of the waves against a
brownish sand-stone of which it is composed. The descent here is covered
with trees of a deep green colour, very thick, but not high, which seem
all of one sort, unless nearest the shore, where there are great numbers
of that species of _dracaena_ found in the woods of New Zealand, which
are also scattered in some other places. On the N.W. part, the shore, as
we mentioned above, ends in a sandy beach; beyond which the land is
broken down into small chasms or gullies, and has a broad border of
trees resembling tall willows; which, from its regularity, might be
supposed a work of art, did not its extent forbid us to think so.
Farther up on the ascent, the trees were of the deep green mentioned
before. Some of us supposed these to be the _rima_, intermixed with low
cocoa palms; and a few of some other sorts. They seemed not so thick as
on the S.W. part, and higher; which appearance might be owing to our
nearer approach to the shore. On the little hills were some trees of a
taller sort, thinly scattered; but the other parts of them were either
bare, and of a reddish colour, or covered with something like fern. Upon
the whole, the island has a pretty aspect, and might be made a beautiful
spot by cultivation.

As the inhabitants seemed to be both numerous and well fed, such
articles of provision as the island produces must be in great plenty. It
might, however, be a matter of curiosity to know, particularly, their
method of subsistence; for our friend Mourooa told us, that they had no
animals, as hogs and dogs, both which, however, they had heard of; but
acknowledged they had plantains, bread-fruit, and taro. The only birds
we saw, were some white egg-birds, terns, and noddies; and one white
heron, on the shore.

The language of the inhabitants of Mangeea is a dialect of that spoken
at Otaheite; though their pronunciation, as that of the New Zealanders,
be more guttural. Some of their words, of which two or three are perhaps
peculiar to this island, are here subjoined, as taken, by Mr Anderson,
from Omai, who had learnt them in his conversations with Mourooa. The
Otaheite words, where there is any resemblance, are placed opposite.

English. _Mangeea._ _Otaheite._
_A cocoa nut_, Eakkaree, Aree.
_Bread-fruit_, Kooroo, Ooroo.
_A canoe_, Ewakka, Evaa.
_Friend_, Naoo, mou.
_A man_, Taata, or Tangata, Taata.
_Cloth_, or _cloth plant_, Taia, taia aoutee, Eoute.
_Good_, Mata, Myty.
_A club_, Pooroohee.
_Yes_, Aee, Ai.
_No_, Aoure, Aoure.
_A spear_, Heyhey.
A_fight, or battle_, Etamagee, Tamaee.
_A woman_, Waheine, Waheine.
_A daughter_, Maheine, Maheine.
_The sun_, Heetaia matooa.
_I_, Ou, Wou.
_The shore_, Euta, Euta.
_What is that?_ Ehataieee? Owytaieeoa?
_There_, Oo.

English. _Mangeea_. _Otaheite_.
_A chief_, Ereekee, Eree.

_Great_, or _powerful_, Manna (_an adjunct to
the last_.)

_To kiss_, Ooma.

The natives of Mangeea seem to resemble those of Otaheite and the
Marquesas in the beauty of their persons, more than any other nation I
have seen in these seas; having a smooth skin, and not being muscular.
Their general disposition also corresponds, as far as we had
opportunities of judging, with that which distinguishes the
first-mentioned people. For they are not only cheerful, but, as Mourooa
shewed us, are acquainted with all the lascivious gesticulations which
the Otaheitans practise in their dances. It may also be supposed, that
their method of living is similar. For, though the nature of the country
prevented our seeing many of their habitations, we observed one house
near the beach, which much resembled, in its mode of construction, those
of Otaheite. It was pleasantly situated in a grove of trees, and
appeared to be about thirty feet long, and seven or eight high, with an
open end, which represented an ellipse divided transversely. Before it,
was spread something white on a few bushes; which we conjectured to be a
fishing net, and, to appearance, of a very delicate texture.

They salute strangers much after the manner of the New Zealanders, by
joining noses; adding, however, the additional ceremony of taking the
hand of the person to whom they are paying civilities, and rubbing it
with a degree of force upon their nose and mouth.[150]

[Footnote 150: The inhabitants of the Palaos, New Philippine, or rather
Caroline Islands, at the distance of almost fifteen hundred leagues from
Mangeea, have the same mode of salutation. "Leur civilitie, et la marque
de leur respect, consiste a prendre la main ou la pied de celui a qui
ils veulent faire honneur, et s'en frotter doucement toute le
visage."--_Lettres Edifiantes & Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 208. _Edit_.
1781.--- D.]

SECTION II.

_The Discovery of an Island called Wateeoo.--Its Coasts
examined.--Visits from the Natives on board the Ships.--Mess. Gore,
Barney, and Anderson, with Omai, sent on Shore.--Mr Anderson's Narrative
of their Reception.--Omai's Expedient to prevent their being
detained.--His meeting with some of his Countrymen, and their
distressful Voyage.--Farther Account of Wateeoo, and of its
Inhabitants_.

After leaving Mangeea, on the afternoon of the 30th of March, we
continued our course northward, all that night, and till noon on the
31st; when we again saw land, in the direction of N.E. by N., distant
eight or ten leagues.

Next morning, at eight o'clock, we had got abreast of its north end,
within four leagues of it, but to leeward; and could now pronounce it to
be an island, nearly of the same appearance and extent with that we had
so lately left. At the same time, another island, but much smaller, was
seen right ahead. We could have soon reached this; but the largest one
had the preference, as most likely to furnish a supply of food for the
cattle, of which we began to be in great want.

With this view I determined to work up to it; but as there was but
little wind, and that little was unfavourable, we were still two leagues
to leeward at eight o'clock the following morning. Soon after, I sent
two armed boats from the Resolution, and one from the Discovery, under
the command of Lieutenant Gore, to look for anchoring-ground, and a
landing-place. In the mean time, we plyed up under the island with the
ships.

Just as the boats were putting off, we observed several single canoes
coming from the shore. They went first to the Discovery, she being the
nearest ship. It was not long after, when three of these canoes came
along-side of the Resolution, each conducted by one man. They are long
and narrow, and supported by outriggers. The stern is elevated about
three or four feet, something like a ship's stern-post. The head is flat
above, but prow-like below, and turns down at the extremity, like the
end of a violin. Some knives, beads, and other trifles were conveyed to
our visitors; and they gave us a few cocoa-nuts, upon our asking for
them. But they did not part with them by way of exchange for what they
had received from us. For they seemed to have no idea of bartering; nor
did they appear to estimate any of our presents at a high rate.

With a little persuasion, one of them made his canoe fast to the ship,
and came on board; and the other two, encouraged by his example, soon
followed him. Their whole behaviour marked that they were quite at their
ease, and felt no sort of apprehension of our detaining, or using them
ill.

After their departure, another canoe arrived, conducted by a man who
brought a bunch of plantains as a present to me; asking for me by name,
having learnt it from Omai, who was sent before us in the boat with Mr
Gore. In return for this civility, I gave him an axe, and a piece of red
cloth; and he paddled back to the shore well satisfied. I afterward
understood from Omai, that this present had been sent from the king, or
principal chief of the island.

Not long after, a double canoe, in which were twelve men, came toward
us. As they drew near the ship, they recited some words in concert, by
way of chorus,[151] one of their number first standing up, and giving
the word before each repetition. When they had finished their solemn
chant, they came along-side, and asked for the chief. As soon as I
shewed myself, a pig and a few cocoa-nuts were conveyed up into the
ship; and the principal person in the canoe made me an additional
present of a piece of matting, as soon as he and his companions got on
board.

[Footnote 151: Something like this ceremony was performed by the
inhabitants of the Marquesas, when Captain Cook visited them in 1774. It
is curious to observe, at what immense distances this mode of receiving
strangers prevails. Padillo, who sailed from Manilla in 1710, on a
voyage to discover the Palaos Islands, was thus received there. The
writer of the relation of his voyage says, "Aussitot qu'ils approcherent
de notre bord, ils se mirent a chanter. Ils regloient la cadence, en
frappant des mains sur leurs cuisses."--_Lettres Edifiantes &
Curieuses_, tom. xv. p. 323.--D.]

Our visitors were conducted into the cabin, and to other parts of the
ship. Some objects seemed to strike them with a degree of surprise; but
nothing fixed their attention for a moment. They were afraid to come
near the cows and horses; nor did they form the least conception of
their nature. But the sheep and goats did not surpass the limits of
their ideas; for they gave us to understand, that they knew them to be
birds. It will appear rather incredible, that human ignorance could ever
make so strange a mistake; there not being the most distant similitude
between a sheep or goat, and any winged animal. But these people seemed
to know nothing of the existence of any other land-animals, besides
hogs, dogs, and birds. Our sheep and goats, they could see, were very
different creatures from the two first, and therefore they inferred,
that they must belong to the latter class, in which they knew there is a
considerable variety of species.[152] I made a present to my new friend
of what I thought might be most acceptable to him; but, on his going
away, he seemed rather disappointed than pleased. I afterward understood
that he was very desirous of obtaining a dog, of which animal this
island could not boast, though its inhabitants knew that the race
existed in other islands of their ocean. Captain Clerke had received the
like present, with the same view, from another man, who met with from
him the like disappointment.