Volume Xvii Part 16 (2/2)
They were thrown on the coast of Kamtschatka in 1730. The younger survived the absence from his country five, the other six years. Their portraits are to be seen in the cabinet of the empress at Petersburgh.--Vid. Krascheninnikoff, vol. ii. part 4. Fr. Ed.
[91] Attempts have been made at different periods by the Russians to open up a trade with j.a.pan; and, indeed, one purpose of the voyage which Captain Krusenstern undertook, was to conciliate the emperor or government of that island. No one, who is at all acquainted with the history of the people, will be surprised to learn that the j.a.panese did not think themselves honoured by the emba.s.sy; that they even refused the presents which had been carried out, and would not concede the favour of an alliance which was courted. The result of the whole, in fact, was rather a loss than a gain, as a permission which had been previously given to visit Nangasaky was withdrawn. Thus, says K., ”all communication is now at an end between j.a.pan and Russia, unless some great change should take place in the ministry of Jeddo, or, indeed, in the government itself, and this is perhaps not to be expected.” We are told, however, in a note, that some revolution is understood actually to have taken place after this visit, and that too in consequence of this dismissal of the Russian emba.s.sy. This is said on the authority of a Lieutenant Chwostoff, who heard of it from the j.a.panese, when he visited the northern coast of Jesso in 1806 and 1807. But as no particulars are mentioned, and as, indeed, the thing is somewhat unlikely, one may be allowed to call in question the truth of the report. The Russians then, like, the Spaniards, Portugueze, English, and Americans, have utterly failed in establis.h.i.+ng any commercial intercourse with j.a.pan; and the Dutch alone, of any of the European nations, have continued, by virtue of their _bowing propensities_, &c., to profit by a direct connection with it.--E.
SECTION VIII.
Plan of our future Proceedings.--Course to the Southward, alone the Coast of Kamtschatka.--Cape Lopatka.--Pa.s.s the Islands Shoomska and Paramousir.-- Driven to the Eastward of the Kuriles.--Singular Situation with respect to the pretended Discoveries of former Navigators.--Fruitless Attempts to reach the Islands North of j.a.pan.--Geographical Conclusions.--View of the Coast of j.a.pan.--Run along the East Side.--Pa.s.s two j.a.panese Vessels.-- Driven off the Coast by contrary Winds.--Extraordinary Effect of Currents.--Steer for the Bashees.--Pa.s.s large Quant.i.ties of Pumice Stone.-- Discover Sulphur Island.--Pa.s.s the Pratas.--Isles of Lema, and Ladrone Island.--Chinese Pilot taken on board the Resolution.--Journals of the Officers and Men secured.[92]
Our instructions from the Board of Admiralty having left a discretionary power with the commanding-officer of the expedition, in case of failure in the search of a pa.s.sage from the Pacific into the Atlantic Ocean, to return to England, by whatever route he should think best for the farther improvement of geography, Captain Gore demanded of the princ.i.p.al officers their sentiments, in writing, respecting the manner in which these orders might most effectually be obeyed. The result of our opinions, which he had the satisfaction to find unanimous, and entirely coinciding with his own, was, that the condition of the s.h.i.+ps, of the sails, and cordage, made it unsafe to attempt, at so advanced a season of the year, to navigate the sea between j.a.pan and Asia; which would otherwise have afforded the largest field for discovery; that it was therefore adviseable to keep to the eastward of that island, and in our way thither to run along the Kuriles, and examine more particularly the islands that lie nearest the northern coast of j.a.pan, which are represented as of a considerable size, and independent of the Russian and j.a.panese governments. Should we be so fortunate as to find in these any safe and commodious harbours, we conceived they might be of importance, either as places of shelter for any future navigators, who may be employed in exploring the seas, or as the means of opening a commercial intercourse among the neighbouring dominions of the two empires. Our next object was to survey the coast of the j.a.panese Islands, and afterward to make the coast of China, as far to the northward as we were able, and run along it to Macao.
This plan being adopted, I received orders from Captain Gore, in case of separation, to proceed immediately to Macao; and at six o'clock in the evening of the 9th of October, having cleared the entrance of Awatska Bay, we steered to the S.E., with the wind N.W. and by W. At midnight we had a dead calm, which continued till noon of the 10th; the light-house at this time bearing N. 1/2 W., distant five leagues, and Cape Gavareea, S. by W.
1/2 W. Being luckily in soundings of sixty and seventy fathoms water, we employed our time very profitably in catching cod, which were exceedingly fine and plentiful; and at three in the afternoon, a breeze sprung up from the W., with which we stood along the coast to the southward. A head-land, bearing S. by W., now opened with Cape Gavareea, lying about seven leagues beyond it. Between them are two narrow, but deep inlets, which may probably unite behind what appears to be an high island. The coast of these inlets is steep and cliffy. The hills break abruptly, and form chasms and deep vallies, which are well wooded. Between Cape Gavareea (which lies in lat.i.tude 52 21', longitude 158 38') and Awatska Bay, there are appearances of several inlets, which at first sight may flatter the mariner with hopes of finding shelter and safe anchorage; but the Russian pilots a.s.sured us, that there are none capable of admitting vessels of the smallest size, as the low land fills up the s.p.a.ces that appear vacant between the high projecting head-lands. Toward evening, it again became calm; but at midnight we had a light breeze from the N., which increased gradually to a strong gale; and at noon the next day we found ourselves in lat.i.tude 52 4', longitude 158 31', when Cape Gavareea bore N. by W. 1/4, W.; the south extreme, S.W. 1/2 W. We were at this time distant from the nearest sh.o.r.e about three leagues, and saw the whole country inland covered with snow. A point of land to the southward, which we place in lat.i.tude 51 54', formed the north side of a deep bay, called Achachinskoi, in the distant bottom of which we supposed a large river to empty itself, from the land behind being so unusually low. South of Achachinskoi Bay, the land is not so rugged and barren as that part of the country which we had before pa.s.sed.
During the night we had variable winds and rain; but at four in the morning of the 12th, it began to blow so strong from the N.E., as to oblige us to double reef the top-sails, and make it prudent to stand more off the sh.o.r.e.
At six, the weather becoming more moderate and fair, we again made sail, and stood in for the land. At noon, our lat.i.tude was 51 0', longitude 157 25'. The northernmost land in sight, being the point we have mentioned as first opening with Cape Gavareea, bore N.N.E. A head-land, with a flat top, which is in lat.i.tude 51 27', and makes the south point of an inlet, called Girowara, bore N. 1/4 E.,.and the southernmost land in sight, W.3/4 N., distant six leagues. At this time we could just perceive low land stretching from the southern extreme; but the wind veering round to the N.W., we could not get a nearer view of it. At six in the afternoon we saw, from the mast-head, Cape Lopatka, the southernmost extremity of Kamtschatka. It is a very low flat cape, sloping gradually from the high level land that we saw at noon, and bore W.N., about five leagues distant; and the high land, N.W. by W. 1/2 W. As this point of land forms so marked an object in the geography of the eastern coast of Asia, we were glad to be able, by an accurate observation, and several good angles, to determine its precise situation, which is in lat.i.tude 51 0', longitude 156 45'. To the N.W. of it we saw a remarkably high mountain, the top of which loses itself in the clouds; and, at the same time, the first of the Kurile Islands, called Shoomska, appeared in sight, bearing W. 1/2 S. The pa.s.sage between this island and Cape Lopatka, the Russians describe as being three miles broad, and very dangerous on account of the rapidity of the tides, and the sunk rocks that are off the cape. From Cape Gavareea to Lopatka, the coast trends S.E. South of Achachinskoi, the land is not so high and broken as between that bay and the mouth of Awatska, being only of a moderate elevation toward the sea, with hills gradually rising farther back in the country. The coast is steep and bold, and full of white chalky patches.
At noon, the weather falling again to a calm, afforded us an opportunity of catching some fine cod. We were, at this time, in forty fathoms water, and about five or six leagues from Cape Lopatka. Both in the fore and afternoon, we had observations, with different compa.s.ses, for the variation, and found it to be 5 20' E.
We stood on all night, under an easy sail, to the S.S.W., having the wind westerly. At midnight we sounded, and had sixty fathoms; and, at day-break of the 13th, we saw the second of the Kurile Islands, (called by the Russians Paramousir,) extending from N.W. by W. to W. 1/2 S. This land is very high, and almost entirely covered with snow. At noon, the extremes bore from N.N.W. 1/2 W. to W.N.W. 1/2 W.; and a high peaked mountain, from which some thought they saw smoke issuing, N.W. by W. 1/2 W., about twelve or fourteen leagues distant. At this time our lat.i.tude, by observation, was 49 49', and our longitude 157 O'. In the course of the day we saw many gulls and albatrosses, and several whales.
Paramousir is the largest of the Kuriles under the dominion of Russia, and well deserves a more accurate survey, than we were at this time allowed to take. For, in the afternoon, the gale increasing from the W., we were never able to approach it nearer than we had done at noon; and were, therefore, obliged to be contented with endeavouring to ascertain its situation at that distance. We place the S. end of the island in lat.i.tude 49 58', the N. end in lat.i.tude 50 46', and in longitude 10' W. of Lopatka; and as this position is found not to differ materially from that given by the Russians, it is probably very near the truth. Whilst we were abreast of this island, we had a very heavy swell from the N.E., though the wind had, for some time, been from the westward, a circ.u.mstance which we have already remarked more than once during the course of our voyage. In the night we tried for soundings, but found no ground with fifty fathoms of line.
On the 14th and 15th, the wind blowing steadily and fresh from the westward, we were obliged to stand to the southward; and consequently hindered from seeing any more of the Kurile Islands. At noon of the 16th, the lat.i.tude, by observation, was 45 27', the longitude, deduced from a number of lunar observations taken during the three days past, 155 3O'.
The variation 4 30' E. In this situation, we were almost surrounded by the supposed discoveries of former navigators, and uncertain to which we should turn ourselves. To the southward and the S.W. were placed, in the French charts, a group of five islands, called the Three Sisters, Zellany and Kunas.h.i.+r. We were about ten leagues, according to the same maps, to the westward of the land of De Gama, which we had pa.s.sed to the eastward in April last, at a distance rather less than this, without seeing any appearance of it; from which circ.u.mstance we may now conclude, that, if such land exist at all, it must be an island of a very inconsiderable size.[93] On the other hand, if we give credit to the original position of this land, fixed by Texiera, it lay to the W. by S.; and as the Company's Land,[94] Staten Island,[95] and the famous land of Jeso,[96] were also supposed to lie nearly in the same direction, together with the group first mentioned, according to the Russian charts, we thought this course deserved the preference, and accordingly hauled round to the westward, the wind having s.h.i.+fted in the afternoon to the northward. During this day we saw large flocks of gulls, several albatrosses, fulmars, and a number of fish, which our sailors called grampuses; but, as far as we could judge, from the appearance of those that pa.s.sed close by the s.h.i.+ps, we imagined them to be the _kasatka_, or sword-fish, described by Krascheninnikoff, to whom I refer the reader, for a curious account of the manner in which they attack the whales. In the evening, a visit from a small land-bird, about the size of a goldfinch, and resembling that bird in shape and plumage, made us keep a good look-out for land. However, at midnight, on trying for soundings, we found no ground with forty-five fathoms of line.
On the 17th, at noon, we were in lat.i.tude 45 7', by observation, longitude 154 0'. The wind now again coming to the westward, obliged us to steer a more southerly course; and, at midnight, it blew from that quarter a fresh gale, accompanied with heavy rain. In the morning, we saw another land- bird, and many flocks of gulls and peterels bending their course to the S.W. The heavy N.E. swell, with which we had constantly laboured since our departure from Lopatka, now ceased, and changed suddenly to the S.E. In the forenoon of the 18th; we pa.s.sed great quant.i.ties of rock-weed, from which, and the flights of birds above-mentioned, we conjectured we were at no great distance from the southernmost of the Kuriles; and, at the same time, the wind coming round to the S., enabled us to stand in for it. At two, we set studding-sails, and steered W.; but the wind increasing to a gale, soon obliged as to double reef the top-sails; and, at midnight, we judged it necessary to try for soundings. Accordingly we hove to; but, finding no bottom at seventy-five fathoms, we were encouraged to persevere, and again bore away W., with the wind at S.E. This course we kept till two in the morning, when the weather becoming thick, we hauled our wind, and steered to the S.W. till five, when a violent storm reduced us to our courses.
Notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weather left us little prospect of making the land, we still kept this object anxiously in view; and, at day-light, ventured to steer W. by S., and continued to stand on in this direction till ten in the forenoon, when the wind, suddenly s.h.i.+fting to the S.W., brought with it clear weather. Of this we had scarcely taken advantage, by setting the top-sails, and letting out the reefs, when it began to blow so strong from this quarter, that we were forced to close- reef again; and, at noon, the wind s.h.i.+fting two points to the W., rendered it vain to keep any longer on this tack. We therefore put about, and steered to the southward. At this time, our lat.i.tude, by observation, was 44 12', and longitude 150 40'; so that, after all our efforts, we had the mortification to find ourselves, according to the Russian charts, upon a meridian with Nadeegsda, which they make the southernmost of the Kurile Islands, and about twenty leagues to the southward.
But, though the violent and contrary winds we had met with during the last six days, prevented our getting in with these islands, yet the course we had been obliged to hold, is not without its geographical advantages. For the group of islands, consisting of the Three Sisters, Kunas.h.i.+r, and Zellany, (which, in D'Anville's maps, are placed in the track we had just crossed,) being, by this means, demonstratively removed from that situation, an additional proof is obtained of their lying to the westward, where Spanberg actually places them, between the longitude 142 and 147.
But as the s.p.a.ce is occupied, in the French charts, by part of the supposed land of Jeso and Staten Island, Mr Muller's opinion becomes extremely probable, that they are all the same lands; and, as no reasons appear for doubting Spanberg's accuracy, we have ventured, in our general map, to reinstate the Three Sisters, Zellany, and Kunas.h.i.+r, in their proper situation, and have entirely omitted the rest. When the reader recollects the manner in which the Russians have multiplied the islands of the Northern Archipelago, from the want of accuracy in determining their real situation, and the desire men naturally feel of propagating new discoveries, he will not be surprised, that the same causes should produce the same effects. It is thus that the Jesoian lands, which appear, both from the accounts of the j.a.panese, and the earliest Russian traditions, to be no other than the Southern Kurile islands, have been supposed distinct from the latter. The land of De Gama is next on record; and was originally placed nearly in the same situation with those just mentioned, but was removed, as has been already suggested, to make room for Staten Island, and the Company's Land; and as Jeso, and the southernmost of the Kuriles, had also possession of this s.p.a.ce, that nothing might be lost, they were provided for, the former a little to the westward, and the latter to the eastward.
As the islands of Zellany and Kunas.h.i.+r, according to the Russian charts, were still to the southward, we were not without hopes of being able to mate them, and therefore kept our head as much to the westward as the wind would permit. On the 20th, at noon, we were in lat.i.tude 43 47', and longitude 150 30'; and steering W. by S., with a moderate breeze from S.E., and probably not more than twenty-four leagues to the eastward of Zellany, when our good fortune again deserted us. For, at three o'clock in the afternoon, the wind, veering round to the N.W., began to blow so strong, that we were brought under our foresail and mizen stay-sail. We had very heavy squalls and hard rain, during the next twenty-four hours; after which, the horizon clearing a little, and the weather growing moderate, we were enabled to set the top-sails; but the wind, still continuing to blow from the N.W., baffled all our endeavours to make the land, and obliged us, at last, to give up all further thoughts of discovery to the N. of j.a.pan.
We submitted to this disappointment with the greater reluctance, as the accounts that are given of the inhabitants of these islands, mentioned at the end of the last section, had excited in us the greater curiosity to visit them.
In the afternoon, the leach-rope of the Resolution's fore top-sail gave way, and split the sail. As this accident had often happened to us in Captain Cook's life-time, he had ordered the foot and leach ropes of the topsails to be taken out, and larger fixed in their stead; and as these also proved unequal to the strain that was on them, it is evident, that the proper proportion of strength between those ropes and the sail is exceedingly miscalculated in our service. This day a land-bird perched on the rigging, and was taken; it was larger than a sparrow, but, in other respects, very like one.
The gale now abated gradually; so that, in the morning of the 22d, we let out the reefs of the topsails, and made more sail. At noon, we were in lat.i.tude 40 58', and longitude 148 17', the variation 3 E. In the afternoon, another little wanderer from the land pitched on the s.h.i.+p, and was so worn out with fatigue, that it suffered itself to be taken immediately, and died a few hours afterward. It was not bigger than a wren, had a tuft of yellow feathers on its head, and the rest of its plumage like that of the linnet. The sparrow, being stronger, lived a long time. These birds plainly indicating, that we could not be at any great distance from the land, and the wind, after varying a little, fixing in the evening at N., our hopes of making the land again revived, and we hauled up to the W.N.W., in which direction, the southernmost islands seen by Spanberg, and said to be inhabited by hairy men, lay at the distance of about fifty leagues. But the wind not keeping pace with our wishes, blew in such light airs, that we made little way, till eight next morning, when we had a fresh breeze from the S.S.W., with which we continued to steer W.N.W. till the evening. At noon, we were in lat.i.tude 40 35', longitude 146 45'; the latter deduced from several lunar observations taken during the night. The variation of the needle we found to be 17' E. In the evening, we had strong squally gales attended with rain, and having pa.s.sed, in the course of the day, several patches of green gra.s.s, and seen a s.h.a.g, many small land- birds, and flocks of gulls, it was not thought prudent, with all these signs of the vicinity of land, to stand on during the whole night. We therefore tacked at midnight, and steered a few hours to the S.E., and, at four in the morning of the 24th, again directed our course to the W.N.W., and carried a press of sail till seven in the evening, when the wind s.h.i.+fted from S.S.W. to N., and blew a fresh gale. At this time we were in the lat.i.tude of 40 57', and the longitude of 145 20'.
This second disappointment in our endeavours to get to the N.W., together with the boisterous weather we had met with, and the little likelihood, at this time of the year, of its becoming more favourable to our views, were Captain Gore's motives for now finally giving up all farther search for the islands to the N. of j.a.pan, and for shaping a course W.S.W., for the N.
part of that island. In the night, the wind s.h.i.+fted to the N.E., and blew a fresh gale, with hard rain, and hazy weather, which, by noon of the 25th, brought us to the lat.i.tude of 40 18', in the longitude 144 0'. To-day, we saw flights of wild-ducks, a pigeon lighted on our rigging, and many birds, like linnets, flew about us with a degree of vigour that seemed to prove, they had not been long upon the wing. We also pa.s.sed patches of long gra.s.s, and a piece either of sugar-cane or bamboo. These signs, that land was at no great distance, induced us to try for soundings; but we found no ground with ninety fathoms of line, Toward evening, the wind by degrees s.h.i.+fted round to the S., with which we still kept on to the W.S.W.; and at day- break of the 26th, we had the pleasure of descrying high land to the westward, which proved to be j.a.pan. At eight, it extended from N.W. to S.
by W., distant three or four leagues. A low flat cape bore N.W. 3/4 W., and seemed to make the S. part of the entrance of a bay. Toward the S. extreme, a conical-shaped hill bore S. by W. 3/4 W. To the northward of this hill there appeared to be a very deep inlet, the N. side of the entrance into which is formed by a low point of land, and, as well as we could judge by our gla.s.ses, has a small island near it to the southward.
We stood on till nine, when we were within two leagues of the land, bearing W. 3/4 S., and had soundings of fifty-eight fathoms, with a bottom of very fine sand. We now tacked and stood off; but the wind dying away, at noon we had got no farther than three leagues from the coast, which extended from N.W. by N. 3/4 W. to S. 1/2 E., and was, for the most part, bold and cliffy. The low cape to the northward bore N.W. by W., six leagues distant; and the N. point of the inlet S. 3/4 W. The lat.i.tude, by observation, was 40 5', and longitude 142 28'. The northernmost land in sight, we judged to be the northern extremity of j.a.pan.[97] It is lower than any other part; and, from the range of the high lands that were seen over it from the mast- head, the coast appeared evidently to incline round to the westward. The N.
point of the inlet we supposed to be Cape Nambu, and the town to be situated in a break of the high land, toward which the inlet seemed to direct itself[98]. The country is of a moderate height, consists of a double range of mountains; it abounds with wood, and has a pleasing variety of hills and dales. We saw the smoke of several towns or villages, and many houses near the sh.o.r.e, in pleasant and cultivated situations.
During the calm, being willing to make the best use of our time, we put our fis.h.i.+ng lines overboard, in sixty fathoms water, but without any success.
As this was the only amus.e.m.e.nt our circ.u.mstances admitted, the disappointment was always very sensibly felt, and made us look back with regret to the cod-banks of the dreary regions we had left, which had supplied us with so many wholesome meals, and, by the diversion they afforded, had given a variety to the wearisome succession of gales and calms, and the tedious repet.i.tion of the same nautical observations. At two in the afternoon, the breeze freshened from the southward, and, by four, had brought us under close-reefed topsails, and obliged us to stand off to the S.E. In consequence of this course, and the haziness of the weather, the land soon disappeared. We kept on all night, and till eight the next morning, when the wind coming round to the N., and growing moderate, we made sail, and steered W.S.W., toward the land; but did not make it till three in the afternoon, when it extended from N.W. 1/2 W. to W. The northernmost extreme being a continuation of the high land, which was the southernmost we had seen the day before; the land to the W. we conceived to be the Hofe Tafel Berg (the High Table Hill) of Jansen. Between the two extremes, the coast was low and scarcely perceptible, except from the mast- head. We stood on toward the coast till eight, when we were about five leagues distant; and, having shortened sail for the night, steered to the southward, sounding every four hours, but never found ground with one hundred and sixty fathoms of line.
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