Volume Xvi Part 27 (1/2)
[Footnote 1: On the chart of Krenitzen's and Levasheff's voyage in 1768 and 1769, which we find in Mr c.o.xe's book, p. 251, an island called Amuckta, is laid down, not very far from the place a.s.signed to Amoghta by Captain Cook.--D.]
At eleven o'clock, as we were steering to the N.E., we discovered an elevated rock, like a tower, bearing N.N.E. 1/2 E., four leagues distant. It lies in the lat.i.tude of 53 57', and in the longitude of 191 2', and hath no place in the Russian map.[2] We must have pa.s.sed very near it in the night. We could judge of its steepness from this circ.u.mstance, that the sea, which now run very high, broke no where but against it. At three in the afternoon, after getting a sight of Oonalashka, we shortened sail, and hauled the wind, not having time to get through the pa.s.sage before night. At day-break the next morning, we bore away under courses, and close-reefed top-sails, having a very hard gale at W.N.W., with heavy squalls, attended with snow. At noon, we were in the middle of the Strait, between Oonalashka, and Oonella, the harbour of Samganoodha bearing S.S.E., one league distant. At three in the afternoon, being through the Strait, and clear of the isles, Cape Providence bearing W.S.W., two or three leagues distant, we steered to the southward, under double-reefed top-sails and courses, with the wind at W.N.W., a strong gale, and fair weather.
[Footnote 2: Though this rock had no place in the Russian map produced by Ismyloff, it has a place in the chart of Krenitzen's and Levasheff's voyage above referred to. That chart also agrees with Captain Cook's, as to the general position of this group of islands.
The singularly indented sh.o.r.es of the island of Oonalashka are represented in both charts much alike. These circ.u.mstances are worth attending to, as the more modern Russian maps of this Archipelago are so wonderfully erroneous.--D.]
On Monday, the 2d of November, the wind veered to the southward; and, before night, blew a violent storm, which obliged us to bring to. The Discovery fired several guns, which we answered; but without knowing on what occasion they were fired. At eight o'clock, we lost sight of her, and did not see her again till eight the next morning. At ten, she joined us; and, as the height of the gale was now over, and the wind had veered back to W.N.W., we made sail, and resumed our course to the southward.
The 6th, in the evening, being in the lat.i.tude of 42 12', and in the longitude of 201 26'”, the variation was 17 15' E. The next morning, our lat.i.tude being 41 20', and our longitude 202, a s.h.a.g, or cormorant, flew several times round the s.h.i.+p. As these birds are seldom, if ever, known to fly far out of sight of land, I judged that some was not far distant. However, we could see none. In the afternoon, there being but little wind, Captain Clerke came on board, and informed me of a melancholy accident that happened on board his s.h.i.+p, the second night after we left Samganoodha. The main tack gave way, killed one man, and wounded the boatswain, and two or three more.
In addition to this misfortune, I now learned, that, on the evening of the 2d, his sails and rigging received considerable damage; and that the guns which he fired were the signal to bring to.'
On the 8th, the wind was at N.; a gentle breeze with clear weather. On the 9th, in the lat.i.tude of 39-1/2, we had eight hours calm. This was succeeded by the wind from, the S., attended with fair weather.
Availing ourselves of this, as many of our people as could handle a needle, were set to work to repair the sails; and the carpenters were employed to put the boats in order.
On the 12th at noon, being then in the lat.i.tude of 38 14', and in the longitude of 206 17', the wind returned back to the northward; and, on the 15th, in the lat.i.tude of 33 30', it veered to the E. At this time, we saw a tropic-bird, and a dolphin, the first that we had observed during the pa.s.sage. On the 17th, the wind veered to the southward, where it continued till the afternoon of the 19th, when a squall of wind and rain brought it at once round by the W. to the N.
This was in the lat.i.tude of 32 26', and in the longitude of 207 30'.
The wind presently increased to a very strong gale, attended with rain, so as to bring us under double-reefed top-sails. In lowering down the main top-sail to reef it, the wind tore it quite out of the foot rope, and it was split in several other parts. This sail had only been brought to the yard the day before, after having had a repair.
The next morning we got another top-sail to the yard. This gale proved to be the forerunner of the trade-wind, which, in, lat.i.tude 25, veered to E. and E.S.E.
I continued to steer to the southward till day-light in the morning of the 25th, at which time we were in the lat.i.tude of 20 55'. I now spread the s.h.i.+ps, and steered to the W. In the evening we joined, and at midnight brought-to. At day-break, next morning, land was seen extending from S.S.E. to W. We made sail, and stood for it. At eight, it extended from S.E. 1/2 S. to W., the nearest part two leagues distant. It was supposed that we saw the extent of the land to the east, but not to the west. We were now satisfied, that the group of the Sandwich Islands had been only imperfectly discovered; as those of them which we had visited in our progress northward, all lie to the leeward of our present station.
In the country was an elevated saddle hill, whose summit appeared above the clouds. From this hill, the land fell in a gentle slope, and terminated in a steep rocky coast, against which the sea broke in a dreadful surf. Finding that we could not weather the island, I bore up, and ranged along the coast to the westward. It was not long before we saw people on several parts of the sh.o.r.e, and some houses and plantations. The country seemed to be both well wooded and watered, and running streams were seen falling into the sea in various places.
As it was of the last importance to procure a supply of provisions at these islands; and experience having taught me that I could have no chance to succeed in this if a free trade with the natives were to be allowed; that is, if it were left to every man's discretion to trade for what he pleased, and in the manner he pleased; for this substantial reason, I now published an order, prohibiting all persons from trading, except such as should be appointed by me and Captain Clerke; and even these were enjoined to trade only for provisions and refreshments. Women were also forbidden to be admitted into the s.h.i.+ps, except under certain restrictions. But the evil I meant to prevent by this regulation, I soon found, had already got amongst them.
At noon, the coast extended from S., 81 E., to N. 56 W.; a low flat, like an isthmus, bore S., 42 W.; the nearest sh.o.r.e three or four miles distant; the lat.i.tude was 20 59', and the longitude 203 50'.
Seeing some canoes coming off to us, I brought-to. As soon as they got alongside, many of the people, who conducted them, came into the s.h.i.+p, without the least hesitation. We found them to be of the same nation with the inhabitants of the islands more to leeward, which we had already visited; and, if we did not mistake them, they knew of our having been there. Indeed, it rather appeared too evident; for these people had got amongst them, the venereal distemper; and, as yet, I knew of no other way of its reaching them but by an intercourse with their neighbours since our leaving them.
We got from our visitors a quant.i.ty of cuttle-fish for nails and pieces of iron. They brought very little fruit and roots; but told us that they had plenty or them on their island, as also hogs and fowls.
In the evening, the horizon being clear to the westward, we judged the westernmost land in sight to be an island, separated from that off which we now were. Having no doubt that the people would return to the s.h.i.+ps next day, with the produce of their country, I kept plying off all night, and in the morning stood close in sh.o.r.e. At first, only a few of the natives visited us; but, toward noon, we had the company of a good many, who brought with them bread-fruit, potatoes, tarro, or eddy roots, a few plantains, and small pigs; all of which they exchanged for nails and iron tools. Indeed, we had nothing else to give them. We continued trading with, them till four o'clock in the afternoon, when, having disposed of all their cargoes, and not seeming inclined to fetch more, we made sail, and stood off sh.o.r.e.
While we were lying-to, though the wind blew fresh, I observed that the s.h.i.+ps drifted to the east, consequently there must have been a current setting in that direction. This encouraged me to ply to windward, with a view to get round the east end of the island, and so have the whole lee-side before us. In the afternoon of the 30th, being off the N.E. end of the island, several canoes came off to the s.h.i.+ps.
Most of these belonged to a chief, named Terreeoboo, who came in one of them. He made me a present of two or three small pigs; and we got, by barter, from the other people, a little fruit. After a stay of about two hours they all left us, except six or eight of their company, who chose to remain on board. A double-sailing canoe came soon after to attend upon them, which we towed astern all night.
In the evening, we discovered another island to windward, which the natives call _Owhyhee_. The name of that, off which we had been for some days, we were also told is _Mowee_.
On the 1st of December, at eight in the morning, Owhyhee extended from S., 22' E, to S. 12 W.; and Mowee from N. 41 to N. 83 W. Finding that we could fetch Owhyhee, I stood for it; and our visitors from Mowee not choosing to accompany us, embarked in their canoe, and went ash.o.r.e. At seven in the evening, we were close up with the north side of Owhyhee; where we spent the night, standing off and on.
In the morning of the 2d, we were surprised to see the summits of the mountains on Owhyhee covered with snow. They did not appear to be of any extraordinary height; and yet, in some places, the snow seemed to be of a considerable depth, and to have lain there some time. As we drew near the sh.o.r.e, some of the natives came off to us. They were a little shy at first; but we soon enticed some of them on board; and at last prevailed upon them to return to the island, and bring off what we wanted. Soon after they reached the sh.o.r.e, we had company enough; and few coming empty-handed, we got a tolerable supply of small pigs, fruit, and roots. We continued trading with them till six in the evening; when we made sail, and stood off, with a view of plying to windward round the island.
In the evening of the 4th, we observed an eclipse of the moon. Mr King made use of a night-telescope, a circular aperture being placed at the object end, about one-third of the size of the common aperture.
I observed with the telescope of one of Ramsden's s.e.xtants; which, I think, answers this purpose as well as any other. The following times are the means, as observed by us both:
Longitude.
6^h 3' 25” beginning of the eclipse 204 40' 45”
8 27 25 end of the eclipse 204 25 15 ------------ Mean 204 35 0
The _penumbra_ was visible at least ten minutes before the beginning and after the end of the eclipse. I measured the uneclipsed part of the moon with one of Ramsden's s.e.xtants, several times before, at, and after the middle of the eclipse; but did not get the middle so near as might have been effected by this method. Indeed, these observations were made only as an experiment, without aiming at much nicety. I also measured mostly one way; whereas I ought to have brought alternately the reflected and direct images on contrary sides with respect to each other; reading the numbers off the quadrant, in one case, to the left of the beginning of the divisions; and, in the other case, to the right hand of the same. It is evident, that half the sum of these two numbers must be the true measurement, independent of the error of the quadrant; and this is the method that I would recommend.