Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Journal of the proceedings of His Majesty's ship Resolution, James Cook Esq. Commander, by George Gilbert, commencing 9 April 1776 and ending 29 Nov. 1779
DLMS 94

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In the Year 1776, Captain James Cook undertook his third Expedition to the South-Sea. The Purport of his first Voyage, was to observe the Transit of Venus at Otaheite, & to determine whether the Country of New Zeeland, was an Island or a Continent, as part of it only had been seen. That of his second, was to determine the Existence or Non existence, of a southern Continent. And this, his third Voyage, was in search of a N.W. or N.E. Passage to the East-Indies which has so often been sought for without Success on this Side the Continents, but had never before been attempted by Way of the South Sea.

The Reward offer‘d for the Discovery of either Passage was twenty thousand Pounds: & five thousand Pounds to get within a Degree of the North Pole.

The Ships fitted out for this Expedition were the Resolution & Discovery: the former commanded by Captn Cook was of 500 Tons, & pierc’d for 16 Guns but carried out only 12, which were 4 Pounders, 10 Swivels & 112 Men: the latter, commanded by Capt Clerke was of 300 Tons, & carried 8, 4 Pounders, 8 Swivels & 70 Men. Both of these were Merchant Vessels bought into the Service, for this Purpose; in preference to King’s Ships, on account of their Stowage; they were put upon the Establishment of Sloops of War, with respect to Wages; but different in Point of Officers, for the Resolution had 3 Lieutts & the Discovery two & all other officers in proportion. Each Ship had on board a Shallop of 30 Tons, in Frame, stow’d in the Hold with Masts, Yards, Sails, & every Thing necessary

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for fitting her up, shou’d any Accident happen the Ships. Our Provisions differ’d very little from those of other King’s Ships; except having a great Quantity of Sour-Krout, Wheat in lieu of Oatmeal, & Molasses, for Butter & Cheese & likewise a great Quantity of Portable Soup.

Neither of the Ships were copper’d, it being rarely done at that Time but were sheathed & closely fill’d with Nails. We carried with us a Painter, to take Drawings of the People & Places where we touch’d at. & an Astronomer on board of the Discovery, our 2nd Lieutt. Acting as such on board the Resolution; with a Time Keeper on board each Ship, made by Kendal, on Harrisons Principles; & all other kinds of Astronomical Instruments, for settling the Situation of Places we were going to. We likewise carried out Omai, a Native of Otaheite, who was brought to England by Captn Ferneaux, in the Adventure, in 1774.

Both Ships fitted out at Deptford; from thence they went round to Plymouth where they were join’d by Captn Cook. After a Fortnight’s Stay, being ready for Sea, the Resolution sail’d on the 13th of July, 1776 leaving the Discovery in the Sound; Captn Clerke being detain’d by private affairs; but had Orders to join us at the Cape of good Hope. The Wind blowing fresh from the westward, we were oblig’d to turn down Channel for 3 or 4 days before we weather’d Ushant: Stood to the southward, with a fresh Gale thro’ the Bay of Biscay. Saw a sail of french Men of War. Were becalm’d 4 or 5 days off Cape Ortegal: A fair Wind springing up we continued our Course to the Southwd & on the 28th of July, made the Island of Teneriff, (one of the Cannaries

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& anchor’d in Santa Cruz Bay. Found here a french Ship of 20 Guns, which had been settling the Situation of several Islands & Places in the Atlantic Ocean. The People here, who are Spaniards, brought on board Grapes, Figs & Bananoes in great plenty – Completed our Water & took in some Wine for the Ships Use – after a Stay of three Days, on the 1st of August, we sail’d & stood to the South-ward for the Cape de Verds – which we made on the 13th having had pleasant Weather & a fair Wind most of the Passage. being off the Island of Bonavista, about 10 O’Clock in the Evening, having a fresh Breeze upon our Quarter, we saw Breakers close under our Lee had just Time enough to [indecipherable] upon a Wind & weather them. The next Day we were becalm’d off the Isle of May & on the 15th having a Breeze we made the Island of St Iago: look’d into Porto-Praya Bay, where we saw two Dutch East-India Ships, but finding the Discovery was not there, we left the Island, & continued our Course to the Southward for the Cape of good Hope. On the 1st of Sept we cross’d the Equator, in Longt. 27° Wt. & the old Ceremony of Ducking was perform’d on those who had not cross’d it before. Caught during this Passage 15 or 20 Punchs of Rain Water. We were driven so far to the westwd by the Trade-Winds, as to be within 10 Leags of C. St Augustine in the Brazils, but the Weather being very hazy we did not see it. About 300 Leags from the Cape we had a hard Gale from the Westwd which continued till we got into Table-Bay, where we anchor’d on the 18th of Octr after a long Passage of 10 Weeks from St Iago.

Sent our Observatory & astronomical Instruments on shore & a Tent for the Sailmakers & Coopers. Had Mutton, Greens & soft Bread, serv’d every Day to the Ship’s Company. We were employ’d here in overhauling our Riging, caulking the Ships Sides, repairing our Sails & Casks on Shore, taking in Provisions & in watering,

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which is very convenient. Provisions of all Kinds are exceeding cheap & plentiful here: the Town lies at the Foot of the Table Mountain, & is very large & commodious at the back of it are very delightful Gardens, which produce Vegetables & Fruits of every Kind, in the greatest Plenty & Perfection.

This Bay lies in Lat: 33° ..55’ So & Longt 18° ..23’ Wt is very large & open & unsafe to lie in with a westerly Wind. The Discovery did not arrive till the 10th of Novr, having been blown off the Coast: which oblig’d us to stay 6 Weeks, being much longer than we intended. Took in here a great Quantity of Brandy, Biscuit & Flour. On leaving this Place, which was on the 1st of Decr 1776 we had on board as much Provisions as the Ships could possibly Stow; which at 2/3 allowance of Bread, which we were immediately put to, was sufficient to last us 22 Months. We likewise carried with us, 2 Horses, 2 Mares, 3 Bulls, 4 Cows, 2 Calves, 15 Goats, 30 sheep a Pea-cock & Hen, Turkeys, Rabbits, Geese, Ducks & Fowls in great Plenty. Part of which we brought from England & part took in here, for the Purpose of distributing them amongst the Islands we were going to: we had them all on board of the Resolution, the Discovery being too small to take out any of them.

On the 3rd of Decr we lost sight of the Land & stood to the SSE with a fresh Gale from the westwd . Carried away our Mizn topmast, made another out of a spar we had on board. On the 13th made 2 small Islands discover’d by the French in 1772. The interior Parts are high and cover’d with Snow, the Shores are steep and rocky, having but little Verdure on them. They be in Lat: 47° S. & Longt 37° E. we gave them the Name of

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Prince Edward Islands: pass’d between them & stood on to the Eastward; having fresh Gales & very bad Weather.

On the 24th in the Morning, the Weather being very foggy, we saw 2 small high Islands close to us, with 3 or 4 low ones betwixt them: they appear’d to be entire Rocks, thinly cover’d with green Moss: we pass’d them & stood on to the Eastward: In the afternoon saw more Land ahead, about 6 O’Clock we got in with it, & anchor’d off the Entrance of a deep Harbour: In the Morning weigh’d & work’d up it, to which we gave the Name of Christmas, as being that Day. We anchor’d in about 12 faths water ½ a Mile from the Head of it, to which the Soundings are very regular: The Land here is of a moderate heigth, &: almost an entire Rock, without the least Signs of Fertility. The Entrance into this Harbour is about ½ of a Mile wide from which it runs up 2 Miles; the Shore on each Side is steep & rocky, at the Head of it, is a black sandy Beach, with 2 or 3 runs of excellent Water; above which for ½ a Mile up, is a black Soil, with thick Moss; but no appearance of a Plant of any kind. This Place abounds with Seals, Sea-Bears, Penguins, & various kinds of Sea Birds; one of which is suppos’d never to have been met with before, it is nearly all white & about the size of a Pidgeon, & is very excellent eating. We stood here 3 Days, during which we completed our Water, & kill’d great Number of Seals & Sea-Bears, for their Blubber, to melt into Oil for the Ship’s Use. We found a Bottle with a Note in it, wrote in Latin; informing us that a french Ship commanded by Monsr Kergulin had been here in the Year 1772, which was the first discovery of this Land. we inclos’d with it a Note, mentioning our Country, the Name of our Ship and Commander, & the Time we were there; & plac’d the Bottle where we found it. This Harbour lies in Lat: 48° ..45’ So & Longt 69° ..11’ Et we left it on the 28th & stood to the S.E. the Land taking that Direction

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pass’d several deep Inlitts, forming excellent Harbours, there are several small Islands lying off here, which are surrounded with Sea-Weed; pass’d great Quantities of it, it extending in some Places above a Mile from the Shore. In the Evening we came to an Anchor, in the Entrance into a deep Inlett which we reach’d with great Difficulty, the Sea Weed being so thick & strong as almost to stop the Ship: Sent a Boat to examine this Inlett, to which we gave the Name of Port-Palliser; found it to run up 3 or 4 Miles, the Shore on each Side is steep & bold to, with streams of Water falling from the Cliffs: it is about ½ a Mile wide, with several small Islands off the Entrance. Saw very few Penguins here; the Land is in general higher than about Christmas Harbour, Snow lying in Patches upon the Hills. In the Morning we sail’d & stood to the Eastward, the Shore continued to have the same barren appearance: On the 30th we passed the Eastern Extremity, from whence it trends to the S.W. this Part of it is low & level towards the Shore, with high Hills inland cover’d with Snow. On the 31st we lost sight of this Land, which we call’d the Island of Desolation; it is about 40 or 50 Leagues in Extent, & uninhabited; being too barren for any human being to exist upon. We continued our Course to the Eastwd had fresh Gales & almost a continual Fog, all this Passage; in which we carried away our Fore topmast & Main Top Gallt Mast. fitted a spare Topmast & got it up the same Day.

On the 27th of Janry 1777 early in the Morning, we made the S.W. Cape of Van-Dieman’s Land. Stood along Shore to the S.E. This Country is very high & cover’d with Wood, the shores are rocky & don’t appear to form any Harbours. There were some small Islands &

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Rocks lying off the southern Extremity at some Distance from the Land. pass’d within them & continued our Course along Shore for Adventure Bay, from which we were but a little Distance; but were detain’d by Calms 3 or 4 Days before we got in. This Bay lies in Lat. 43½° So. & Longt 147½° Et & was nam’d from the Ship that put in there last Voyage, on her going out, after having parted with the Resolution. We lay here 3 Days, & completed our Wood & Water both being easy to be got. The Bay is large & open, with good anchorage, but the Surf which runs upon the Beach renders the landing disagreeable. Haul’d the Sceine & caught great Numbers of Elephant Fish, which were very indifferent eating, being but little better than Shark. The Shore round the Bay is low, with, sandy Beaches & cover’d with Wood, which had a very delightful Appearance: about a Mile above the Beach, there are several Lagoons of fresh Water, full of excellent Fish. Cut a Quantity of Grass here for the Cattle.

The second Day 5 or 6 of the Natives came down to us, none having been seen here before: they came without any Arms, except a Stick one of them had in his Hand which is the only kind of Weapon they are possess’d of. they seem’d much surpris’d at us, but not in the least afraid, & behav’d very quietly: Capt Cook made them a few Presents, with which they were much pleas’d.

Omai, to show them his Dexterity, fir’d his Musket, at which they were very much frighten’d & immediately run up into the Woods, leaving the Presents behind them. They return’d the next Day in a greater Number there being about 20 or 30 of them. They are the only Indians we met with this Voyage, that have not got Canoes.

They are of a dark Complexion; the Men go intirely naked the Women either throw the skin of some Animal or those of Birds sew’d together carelessly over their Shoulders, that being all their Clothing. Excepting the Natives of Terra-del-fuego they are suppos’d to be the most ignorant Race of People existing; being in the most perfect State of Nature imaginable, without the least Signs of Art amongst them.

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On the 1st of Febry. we sail’d, & after passing Marias Islands, which lie in sight of the Bay, we directed our Course to New-Zealand. Had a fair Wind & pleasant Weather during the Passage. On the 11th we made the western Coast, opposite Cooks-Straits, shich lie in Lat: 41° So & Longt 175° Et they are about 6 or 10 Leagues in breadth, & separate the Country into two Islands, which extend from 35½° to 47½° So. Lat: being together about the Size of Great Britain. We stood into the Straits, & the next Day haul’d into Queen Charlotte’s Sound, which lies on the South Side of them, & moor’d in Ship-Cove. We saw several of the Natives in their Canoes rowing about the Sound at a Distance, being afraid to come near us: but were after much persuasion prevail’d upon to come on board; which they did with great Diffidence: I think nothing can be a greater Proof of their Treachery than their suspecting it in us – they pretended great Friendship, & were glad to see Capt Cook, whom they perfectly recollected. We sent the Observatory & Ships Tents on Shore with a guard of Marines for the Protection of the People that were employ’d in repairing the Sails & Casks, boiling Blubber for Oil, & boiling Spruce, which grows here in great Plenty, for Essence to carry to Sea with us for brewing Beer. Wooding & Watering are both very convenient, the Ship’s lying within a Cables length of the Shore. Gather’d Scurvy-Grass which grows here in great Plenty, & had it boil’d in our Wheat & Peas.

Caught great Quantities of Fish of various Kinds, with our Sceine; likewise purchas’d from the Natives, for Beads, Nails, Hatchets &c one Kind in particular which they call a Mo-gee, is suppos’d to be the most delicious Fish in the World, it is about the Size of a Salmon, & I believe only met with in this Country. A Boat was sent every Day to different Parts of the Sound with 9 or 10 People to cut Grass for the Cattle. I was in that Party, & it was lucky for us that we never met with any of the Natives; for tho’ we had Arms with us, yet they might have rush’d from the Woods, & cut us off the Ship not being able to give us any Assistance. One Day when we were at Long-Island, a Quarrel happen’d at the Ship with the Natives, when an old Man came on board, & told Capt Cook that some of his Countrymen had

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a Design upon our Boat; at the same Time they saw 3 or 4 large Canoes full of Men, going over to where the Boat was: immediately another Boat was sent from the Ship man’d & arm’d, to bring us Intelligence & see whether any Thing had happen’d: she arriv’d in time, for we had seen nothing of the Natives; but however we were order’d to come on board. The next Day Capt Cook made an Excursion up the Sound, with 5 Boats & 50 or 60 Men well arm’d, to cut Grass. we went up about 12 Miles & cut 2 Boat Loads. On our Return, we put into Grass-Cove, the Place where the Adventure’s Boats Crew, consisting of a Mate, a Midshipman & 8 Men, were cut off & eat upon the Spot by the Natives.No Place cou’d be more favourable for such Intentions, as the Wood was so thick, that the Natives cou’d approach close to them before they were discover’d.

We saw 4 or 5 of them, who seeing our Numbers were afraid to come to us, till we made them understand we had no Intention to hurt them. we had Reason to believe there were a great Number of them in the Woods, as those with us, frequently call’d to them: we returned to the Ships that Night. The next Day a Boat was sent to Long Island to cut Grass as usual, but we met with none of the Indians, tho’ we found they had been there that Night.

What we saw of this Country this Voyage, was very Mountainous, & intirely cover’d with Wood – the Shores are in general steep and rocky; & tho’ the Soil appears to be fertile, yet there is no Fruit of any Kind produc’d in the whole Country: & the only Vegetables are Scurvey-Grass & wild Sellery. It being in the midst of Summer, we found the Woods very pleasant, in which there a great Variety of Birds, & some of them have the most melodius Notes I ever heard, but not in the least beautiful in their Plumage.

The only Sustenance that this Country affords, is Fish, & Fern Root, which serves the Natives for Bread; I don’t recollect ever seeing any of them have Birds, therefore imagine they have no method of catching them. The Dog, which is the only Quadruped in this Country, is very scarce; we may reasonably

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suppose that the Natives kill them for Food, for they are in such a continual State of Hungar, that they wou’d eat in the most voracious manner the Train Oil & Blubber of the Sea-Bear, which we were boiling on Shore, likewise Candles or any thing offer’d to them: In the most northern Part of this Country, they have a few Plantations of Sweet Potatow, but not one here. We made a Present of a Boar & Sow to one of the Chiefs, likewise left two Rabbits on the Island of Motuara in the Sound, with an Intention of forming a Breed of each in the Country, but I make no doubt of their being eat immediately after we went away.

Those Indians are of a dark Complexion, large, well shap’d & of a robust Constitution; the savagness of their Disposition, & horrid Barbarity of their Customs, is fully express’d in their Countenence; which is ferocious and frightful beyond Imagination, being much more so than any other Indians we have seen: this is increas’d by their daubing their Hair & Face over with a mixture which wou’d be nearly resembled by mixing Train Oil, red Ochre & wood Ashes together, which has a very disagreeable smell; notwithstanding that you must salute every one you meet, which piece of Ceremony is performe’d by touching the Tip of your Noses together.

They are exceedingly filthy & dirty both in their Person & Dress, which consists chiefly of a Cloak made of the Fibres of a Plant which only grows here, which they throw over their Shoulders & bind round them with a Girdle: they have another kind, which they call a Buggee-Buggee, made of long Grass & very thick; this they wear in rainy Weather, looking at some distance like little Hay Stacks, they having only part of their Head out. The Women are dress’d nearly in the same Manner & are almost as dirty; & from their small Share of Beauty, are capable of exciting but a very faint Desire

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of Acquaintenance, in the Breast of an European.

The northern Part of this Country is very populous, but hereabouts is not so much so: they live in Tribes which are independent of each other, & govern’d by their respective Chiefs: they are at perpetual War with one another, which is principally carried on by Stratagem & Surprizes in the Night; they seldom or never having set Battles – those who are so unfortunate as to be taken Prisoners in those Skirmishes, are certain of their fate; which is that of being cut to pieces, roasted & voraciously devour’d by the Conquerors, the first Opportunity they have of assembling together, which is in a few Hours afterwards; their rejoicings on those horrid Festivals are very great. From whence this barbarous Custom first originated is uncertain, as it is rarely met with even amongst the most unciviliz’d Indians: if any thing may be offer’d in favour of its Practice here, tis that of extreme Hunger. Their Arms are long wooden Spears, &: Pattoo-Pattoo’s, which are a Foot & an half in length & 3 or 4 Inches in breadth, tapering on each Side to an Edge, and are in this Form [see original] they in general are made of Stone, some few are of Bone; these they use when they come to close fight, & you seldom see any of the Indians without them hanging by their Side: they have no knowledge of the Bow & Arrow here. Their Houses, are about 6 Feet in hight, 10 in breadth & 14 in length; & inclos’d with Reeds closely bound together with Laths, leaving only a small space for a Door, just big enough for them to creep in on their Hands & Knees. Their Canoes are large & well made, & either sail or row very fast, & generally carry about 20 Men. Their Tiggee-Tiggee’s, or Gods, are little Images in an Human Form, cut out of a green Stone resembling Jasper with two small Pieces of Mother of Pearl neatly inlaid, to represent the Eyes; they wear them in their Bosom, & pay them great adoration; but few of the Natives are possess’d of them, they being very scarce; & and are a great Piece of Ingenuity considering they have got no Tools of Iron or any other Metal amongst them; there being no Ore of

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any kind in this Country. They seem’d very assiduous in purchasing our Hatchets, their own being only Stone. They are the most ingenious People at carving we have met with, & the only ones that carve in spiral Lines. Their Language nearly agrees with that of Otaheite, tho’ at such a great Distance. Two of the Natives went with us as Servants to Omai – one of whose Name was T’io-wa-roo-ah was about 16 Years of Age & the Son of a Chief that had been kill’d in some of their Skirmishes: the Name of the other was C’o-ah, who was about 10 Years of Age.

Having completed our Wood & Water & got what little Refreshments the Place cou’d afford; on the 25th of Febry we sail’d out of the Sound, on the 27th got thro’ the Straits, & on the 29th lost sight of the Land. The two Boys cried bitterly for 4 or 5 Days, upon leaving their Country, tho’ it was intirely by their own Consent; but however in a few Days they became very well reconcil’d to us.

Directed our Course to the Eastward for Othheiti having a fair Wind & pleasant Weather.

On the 28th of March, in Lat: 21° So & Longt 200 ° Et we discover’d a small Island about 5 Miles in extent, & intirely surrounded with a Reef of coral Rocks; sounded 105 fathoms within a Cables length of the Reef: the Land is of a moderate height & cover’d with Trees, having a very beautiful appearance. Saw several of the Natives running along the Beach with long Spears in their Hands, looking at the Ship, & following us as we sail’d along Shore. Two small Canoes with two of them in each, came along side but we cou’d by no means persuade them to come on board: they reconnoitred us very closely, & with great amazement: they are much like the People of Otaheite, from which this Island is 200 Leagues distant, both in their Persons & Dress, tho’ their Language seems to be very different: they wear only a small piece of Cloth round their Waist, this Climate requiring nothing more their Canoes were very neatly made, & like those of the

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Friendly Islands. They brought off with them 3 or 4 Cocoa-Nuts & a bunch of green Plantains, which we purchas’d with a few small Nails. Seeing no Possibility of a Boat being able to land, we left the Island; being greatly disappointed , as we began to be much in want of Water & Refreshments for the Cattle.

The next Day we discover’d another Island, of the same extent, with the same beautiful appearance, & likewise intirely surrounded with a Reef of Coral Rocks.Sent two Boats arm’d with an Officer in Shore, to see if it was possible to land; which they found impracticable for our Boats, but the Natives offer’d to carry them on Shore in their Canoes, in which three of our Gentlemen & Omai landed: they were carried up to the House of the Chief, & detain’d there two Hours; were treated with great Civility, & presented with the Fruits of the Island; but before they were suffer’d to come away, the Natives rob’d them of everything except their Cloaths, & then brought them off to the Boats, without offering any other kind of Violence. Omai met with 5 or 6 of his Countrymen, who had been driven here by the Trade Winds, this Island lying about 200 Leagues to leeward of Otaheite. One of the Natives ventur’d to come on board, he seem’d very much afraid, & was glad to get to his Canoe again: they brought off to us a Hog, some Cocoa-Nuts & Plantains, as a Present, & desir’d we wou’d give them in return a Dog that they saw & took a fancy for; which we did; they seem’d much pleas’d with us, & promis’d to bring more Hogs & Fruit the next Day; but having no Time to spare we did not stay for them, but stood for a small low Island that we saw at about 4 Leagues distance: it is about 2 Miles in extent & cover’d with Cocoa-nut & Palm Trees &c & nearly surrounded with a Reef; sent our Boats in Shore, which found a small opening in the Reef to leeward of the Island, where they landed, & brought off a Quantity of Cocoa-nuts & Palm-Cabbage for the Cattle: there are no Inhabitants

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here, nor any Water, which we begun to be in want of; therefore we did not stay, but stood for Hervey’s Islands, which we made the next Day. They are two small Islands join’d by a reef & shoal water betwixt them, & are together about 3 Miles in extent; they are exceeding low, & cover’d with Trees & Bushes to the Water’s Edge, having a very beautiful Appearance, being regularly plan’d out into delightful Walks & Gardens. Sent two Boats arm’d in Shore to sound for anchorage, found 30 fathoms within 2 Cables length of the Shore, but very rocky. The Natives, who were assembled on the Beach in great Numbers, made use of every method to persuade our People to land, which they declin’d, Several of them came along side in their Canoes, & ventur’d on board the Ship; we purchas’d a few Fish of them, which was the only thing they brought off. These Indians are of a darker Complexion, than those of the two Islands we had just left, tho’ at such a small Distance; & have something savage in their Countenances.

Being now nearly in the parallel of Otaheite, & 10 Degrees to leeward of it, finding the Wind to continue steady from the Eastward, & our Water beginning to grow very short; we gave over all hopes of reaching it, & bore away to the westward, for a Cluster of Islands discover’d by Tasman, a Dutch Navigator; & visited by Capt Cook in his second Voyage, to which he gave the Name of Friendly, from the Disposition of the Natives. This effectually prevented our going to the Coast of America to search for a Passage this Season; as we cou’d not go to the Northward till we had first landed Omai at his native Place, & dispos’d of the Cattle we brought with us among the Islands.

During this Passage, which was attended with Thunder, Lightning & hard Rain, we were forc’d to kill several of our Sheep, on account of the scarcity of Water

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on board. We began to distil fresh Water from Salt, by which we procur’d very little, & it was attended with great Trouble.

In our way we touch’d at Palmerstones Isles, which lie in Lat: 18° So & Longt 197° Et – they are a Cluster of & small low ones, lying in the form of an Oval, about 2 Leagues in extent; & join’d by shoal Water & a reef of coral Rocks which surrounds them: they are intirely covr’d with Cocoa-nut Trees, Palm Trees & Bushes, appearing very delightful: we found no Inhabitants upon them, nor any Water: the landing is rather difficult, by reason of a Surf running upon the Rocks; having no Ground fit for anchorage, we stood off & on for three Days; during which we were employ’d in bringing on board Cocoa-nuts, with Grass & Palm-Cabbage for the Cattle. From hence we continued our Course to the Westward, & pass’d Savage Island, which we saw at a Distance.

On the 28th of April, 1777 we made the Friendly Isles, and on the 1st of May came to an anchor at Anamocka, so call’d by the Natives; but by Tasman, Rotterdam: this Island is low, & about 6 miles in Extent, with a Lagoon of Salt Water in the middle of it; & is in my Opinion, the most delightful Spot in the World: being cover’d with a variety of Trees & Bushes, forming the most shady & agreeable Walks, I ever met with. We moor’d here in 12 faths water the bottom rather rocky, about ½ a mile from a Sandy Beach. The Natives came on board in great Numbers, & behav’d in the most friendly manner; being very much rejoic’d at seeing the Ships again. They brought on board Hogs, Fowls & Fruit, in great Plenty; which we purchas’d of them for Hatchets, Nails & Beads. Every Species of the Ship’s Provisions, was from this Time stop’d; & we liv’d intirely upon the Productions of the Islands, which was very agreeable to us. Sent our Tents on Shore, & the Observatories with the Astronomical Instruments, for making observations to regulate our Time Keepers: had a Guard

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of Marines for Sentry’s for their Protection. Sent the Cattle on Shore for some Refreshment, which they were much in want of, being reduced very low. The Discovery had both her Cables cut thro’ by the coral Rocks, she was lucky enough to get both her Anchors again after great Trouble: Hove our Cables in to examine them, but found ‘em not in the least damaged. Had Parties on Shore cutting Wood & watering from a small Pond about ¼ of a Mile above the Beach, which was muddy & brackish, & the only water we cou’d get: but the Milk of the Cocoa-nut in a great Measure made up for the badness of it, as they were so plentiful, that we seldom drank anything else. As we procur’d more Hogs here than was sufficient for present use, we began to salt Pork for to carry to Sea. About a Week after we came in, a great Chief nam’d Feenow, arriv’d here from Tongataboo, a neighbouring Island; he appear’d to be of a superior Rank to those here, who paid him great Respect: he came on board with Capt Cook who made him several Presents; we fir’d some great Guns, to show him the Use of them, at which he seem’d much surpriz’d, but not in the least afraid. This Chief inform’d us of three Islands lying close together, each as large as this, which he said belong’d to him; & promis’d to go with us & show us the way, & to supply the Ships with Provisions while they staid there, which he faithfully perform’d.

Finding Supplies begin to grow short here, on the 14th of May, we sail’d for the Islands above mention’d; the Chief going with us in his Canoe. Pass’d by two small high Islands which lie 11 Leagues NNW of that we left, on one of them is a Volcano. Having pass’d several small Islands & Reefs, we arriv’d at those we were in search of; found them to lie 15 Leagues to the N.E. of Anamocka: we anchor’d off one of them call’d Lefo’oga, ¼ of a Mile off Shore. Those 3 Islands are call’d Happi, each about the Extent of that we left, they lie very close to each other, are exceeding low & cover’d with Trees; & tho’ they are in the same Cluster with the Rest of the Islands, yet were

[Previous two pages of original manuscript missing]

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This Island is about 4 Leagues in length, & 2½ in breadth, is high & presents a most beautiful Prospect from the Sea, but is not so fertile as the others that are low. Found here a large Rivulet of excellent Water, which is the only one known at those Islands; but a great Surf that breaks upon the Shore which is rocky, renders the watering very difficult: got on board but little, for the Wind blowing fresh prevented us. Got but few Supplies here from the Natives, who are rather of a savage Disposition, differing much from those of Amsterdam. One Day when Capt Cook was on Shore with a Party trading for Provisions, having nothing with him but his Hanger & a fowling Piece that one of the Officers had brought on Shore; one of our People seperated from the rest, & went up about ½ a Mile into the Country, where he was met by the Natives who rob’d him of every thing, then run away & left him naked. they at the same time had a very strong Inclination to attack the whole Party; which Capt Cook perceiving sent on board for Arms, & by a resolute & undaunted Courage prevented. After a Stay of 8 Days here, & 2 Months & 3 Weeks at these Islands, on the 18th of July 1777 we set sail for Otaheite.

These Islands are situated in 20½ ° So Lat: & 185° Et Longitude, they are very populous, fertile & well cultivated; producing Yams, Plantains, Bananoes, Bread-Fruit & Cocoa-nuts in great Plenty, & a few Shadocks & Sugar-Cane; all of which we purchas’d with Nails & Beads. Their only Quadrapeds are Hogs, Dogs & Rats. Fowls are very plentiful here, & of the same kind as in England. Their Birds, of which they have no great Variety, are small and chiefly paroquets, which have the most beautiful Plumage I ever saw, but no Note. Bats, likewise are frequently met with here. Beside the Islands I have particularly mention’d, there are about 30 more small ones inter-

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-spers’d with them in the Cluster; they are low and cover’d with Trees & Bushes to the water’s edge, appearing very beautiful: there are several Reefs running off them, some at a considerable Distance which renders Navigation here very intricate & dangerous. The Chiefs inform’d us of an Island larger than Amsterdam, to which they are oblig’d to pay tribute, & that it lies about 3 Days sail to the Westward from hence – it is somewhat surprising that Capt Cook did not go in search of it, according to his usual Practice; his Reason for not doing it I can’t account for, as we certainly had Time while we were lying at Tongata’boo.

These People are tall, strong & very active; their Complexion, is somewhat darker than that of the Otaheiteans; their Features, are regular & well form’d; their countenances, very pleasing; their Appearance, manly & warlike; & their Behaviour, friendly & agreeable. Their Cloathing is only a small Piece of Cloth wrapt round their Waist; & is made from the Bark of a Tree which they cultivate for that Purpose: the Chiefs are distinguish’d by wearing a greater Quantity of it round them, & of a better Quality. The Women altho’ they have something masculine in their Appearance, yet their Countenance is pleasing; & their Disposition very mild & agreeable: their Actions, tho’ they are innocent enough according to their Ideas, yet are certainly very lascivious; & seem to be intirely unrestrain’d by Custom.

Their Dress likewise consists only of a Piece of Cloth wrapt round their Waist, reaching to their Knees; in which they are exceeding neat & clean, as well as in their Person: they are always full of Mirth & Vivacity, & very fond of singing & dancing. According to the Custom of this Country, they are not permitted to eat in the prescence of the Men.

Fish are very scarce here; the Natives catch them wit a small Sceine of the same construction as ours but

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much finer; the Time they chuse for fishing is in the dark Night, with Lights; what few they get are small & indifferent. Both Men & Women are very fond of the Water, & us’d to swim off to the Ship at some Distance. They were much surpriz’d at our Cattle, & call’d them Bo-a-ka la-hi, which signifies large Hogs, having seen nothing of the kind before. We purchas’d a great Quantity of red Feathers here, to carry with us to Otaheite; as the Natives there are exceeding fond of them. The Plantations at these Islands are neatly fenc’d round with strong Reeds, in the middle of which the Owners generally have their Houses; which are neat & of various Sizes; the Roof is well thatch’d with reeds & resembles that of a Country Cottage; the lower part is of an Oval form, supported by several upright Pieces of Wood, & is not above 3 or 4 feet from the Ground, rising in the Middle to a Ridge about 10 feet high: the Sides are open all round; this delightful Climate requiring no other Shelter but that of the Roof to keep the Rain & Sun from them: the Floor is cover’d with Matts, which they sit upon, having neither Chairs or Stools for that purpose. what few Utensils they have, are hung up under the Roof. in the Night when they go to sleep, they cover themselves with large pieces of Cloth they have for that Use, & Place their Head upon a small wooden Stool about 5 Inches high for a Pillow. At all these Islands they go to rest with the Sun, & rise with him in the Morning. The Arms us’d by these Indians are principally Clubs made of a hard kind of Wood, & about 4 feet in Length; which they manage very dexterously: & are likewise very expert at boxing. Their Canoes are made of Planks cut out with Stone Hatchets, lash’d together exceeding neat & close with line made from the Rind of the Cocoa-nut: the single ones are from 5 to 30 feet in length, & not more than 20 Inches in breadth they lash two Pieces of Wood across the Canoe towards the ends as Outriggers, which reach over one Side to the Water, to the outer Ends of these & about 3 feet distance, they

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lash a Piece of Wood parallel to the Canoe & nearly its length & shape, but small; which swims upon the Surface of the Water, & prevents the Canoe from upsetting. the Extremities of them are plank’d over, leaving only about half of the length open: they are made very neat, & carry from two to six of the Natives, who paddle along in them very swiftly.

Their sailing Canoes are two like the others, but five times as large, join’d parallel to each other at 5 or 6 feet distance, by a Platform of Planks lash’d across both, & extending over the outer Sides some feet; upon this they Step the Mast, & steady with Guys from different Parts of it: they have only one Sail, which is made of strong Matts sew’d together, & bent to two Yards, & is suspended in the Mast in this Manner [see manuscript]. On the Platform they generally have a small Hut, to keep the Sun from them, & to sleep in. These Canoes are able to carry 30 or 40 Men, but in general have no more on board than the Family that they belong to, who usually have 3 or 4 Days Provisions with them: they are neater built, sail faster, & are much better navigated than any we saw during the Voyage. The two Boys that we brought from New Zealand, who by this Time were very well reconcil’d to us, were much delighted at these Islands; especially with the Fruits, which they have no Idea of in their own Country.The Bread-fruit Tree, which grows only in the South Sea, is large & spreads like an Oak: the Fruit is nearly round & about 6 or 7 Inches in Diameter; it is cover’d with a thin Rind, & has a small spungy Core in the middle of it; the rest of it is good eating when boil’d or [indecipherable roast’d?] but before that is something like a raw Potatoe; it very dry & insipid, & intirely different from any Thing we have in England. These Indians have no Idea of boiling their Victuals, as they have got no Vessel that will bear the Fire, to heat Water in. They kill their Hogs by beating their Head with a Stone

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they then burn the Hair & scrape it off very clean; & after the Entrails are taken out, & the Hog well wash’d, they dress it whole in the following Manner; which by us is call’d barbacued. They have got a Hole in the Ground lin’d with Stones, just large enough to hold the Hog; in this they make a Fire, & throw into it a Number of small Stones sufficient to cover the Hole: when it is well heated, & the loose Stones are all red hot, they take out the Fire, & put 3 or 4 of the hot Stones into the inside of the Hog, & wrap it up well with Plantain-Leaves, which are very large, being from 3 to 5 feet in length, & 1 in breadth – they then put it into the Hole, & cover it with the loose Stones, over which they first throw the hot Embers, & then a Quantity of dry Earth, which keeps the Heat in: there they let it remain for a certain Time, according to its Size, till it is sufficiently done. By this Method it is not in the least burnt, is very tender, & full of gravey, (the Plantain Leaves keeping it all in,) & is in the Opinion of every one that has tasted it, much preferable to roasting. This way of cooking them is made use of by all the Indians in the South Sea. We procur’d a sufficient Quantity of Yams & Pork salted, at these Islands to last us to Otaheite, to which we were now going.

We stood to the Southward to get out of the Trade winds; & in the Latitude of 32° So we met with a hard Gale of Wind from the Westward, which lasted two days. The Discovery carried away her Main topmast sprung the Head of her Main Mast. In Latitude [33?]° So & Longitude 211° Et we discover’d an Island about 5 miles in Extent, surrounded with a Reef of Coral Rocks running off some distance from it: the interior Part rises into two high Hummocks, the Shore is low & cover’d

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with Cocoa-nut Trees, which had a pleasant appearance. Two large single Canoes with 8 or 10 of the Nativesin each, came within ½ a Mile of the Ships; we tried all Methods to persuade them to come along side, but without Effect: they continued to paddle about near us for upwards of an Hour, singing & shouting the whole Time: they were of a much darker Complexion than any Indians we have seen between the Tropic’s & from every Appearance of a very savage Disposition. The Wind being fair, we did not stop here, but bproceeded on to Otaheite, from which we were only [indecipherable] Leagues distant.

On the 12th of August 1777 we made the Island of Otaheite; which is the weathermost, & considerably the largest of a Cluster call’d by Capt Cook the Society Islands. The next Day we came to an Anchor in Oai-te-peha Bay, which lies on the North Side of little Otaheite; it is form’d on one Side by low Land, & on the other by a Reef of coral Rocks: there were several Rivulets of excellent Water emptying themselves here; the interior Part hereabout is very hilly, the low Land & Vallies are exceeding fertile, & cover’d with fruit Trees & Bushes, appearing very delightful. The Natives came on board in great Numbers, were much rejoic’d at our arrival, & seem’d to express a real Pleasure on seeing Capt Cook again, whom they all recollected; this being the third Time he had visited them. They were likewise much pleas’d at seeing Omai again, especially when he told them that he had been in England: they throng’d round him, & were very eager

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in asking him Questions; but after an Hour or two, their Curiosity intirely subsided, & they seem’d to take very little Notice of him: which principally proceeded from his Stupidity, & his being one of the meanest Degree amongst them. He met with his Sister here, who receiv’d him with Tears of Joy.

The Natives inform’d us that the Spaniards had, been here twice, since we were here last; that they came from Lima in South America, in two Ships much larger than ours; & had been gone only two Months. Capt Cook was very sorry to hear this, as fearing they had impoverish’d the Island, & that we shou’d get but little supplies; but we found every Thing in great Plenty. The Spaniards had left a wooden House here, with two Rooms in it; which they had brought with them in Frame, the Planks &c. being all number’d. The Natives told us that their Captain died here, & was buried at the Foot of a Cross they had set up, with this Inscription upon it:- Christus vincit, Carolics imperat, & the Year in which they were there. Capt Cook had put upon the other Side of it, Georgius tertius Rex, & the five different Years we were there. By what we can learn from the Natives, the Spaniards were very industrious in telling them that we were Pirates, that the English were a Nation of very little Consequence, & that they were much Superior to us: the latter, the Natives seem firmly to believe; which I suppose arises from their having larger Ships, & their Officers being better Dress’d; which we took but little care about at those Places. Notwithstanding these Prejudices, the Natives confess that they like us best: for the Spaniards wou’d not permit them to come on board their Ships; but always kept them at a great Distance: whereas

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we were ever on very friendly Terms, & had the most intimate Connexions with them. We promis’d ourselves great Pleasure in showing the Natives our Cattle, but were much disappointed when we found that they were very little surpriz’d at them; which we cou’d not conceive the Reason of, till they told us that the Spaniards had left a Bull & a Cow there, but that the latter was dead. After a stay here of 11 Days, having had hard Rain, Thunder & Lightning most of the Time, we set sail for Matavai Bay, where we arrived the same Day.

This Bay lies on the North Side of great Otaheite, to which little Otaheite is join’d by an Isthmus of low Land: it is large & open, is well shelter’d from the Trade Winds & has very good anchorage from 12 to 4 fathoms. We moor’d a Cable each way, about ½ a Mile from the Shore. The interior Part here is very Mountainous, the low Land & Vallies are exceeding fertile, being cover’d with Trees of various kinds, & abound in large Rivulets of excellent Water. The Natives came on board in great Numbers: among whom was O-too, the King of the Island, who express’d great Pleasure on the Arrival of Capt Cook, who made him several valuable Presents. We sent our Tents & Observatory on Shore with a Guard of Marines for their Protection. Likewise all our Sails & Casks to be repair’d. The Discovery was oblig’d to get her Main Mast out here, having sprung the Head of it, as before mention’d; got it on Shore & had

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new Oak Chocks put on it, which made it as serviceable as ever. Struck our Yards & Topmasts, & overhaul’d all our Riging, which we found in very good Order: likewise caulk’d the Ships Sides & pay’d them with Varnish of Pine. Our otherEmployments here were, watering; trading with the Natives for Provisions, which we procur’d in great Plenty; & in salting Pork for Sea. Found the Bull here that had been left by the Spaniards which was very large & rather wild. The Goats left here by Capt Cook in his last Voyage, had increas’d their Number greatly, & were in excellent Order & very tame. We entertain’d the Natives with some Fire works, with which they were much surpriz’d & delighted: for which in return they favour’d us with a Review of their Fleet, belonging to three or four of the neighbouring Districts; which assembled here on this Occasion, & consisted of 70 War Canoes. These Canoes are two large ones about 45 feet in length, join’d parallel to each other at about 5 feet distance, by Spars lash’d across both of them: they are built with strong Planks lash’d together with small line made from the Rind of the Cocoa-nut. They are considerably larger & stronger than those of the Friendly Isles, but far from being so neatly made, for they are very heavy & clumsy. On the fore part of them is a Stage about 4 feet high & 8 feet in length & breadth, upon which from 5 to 8 Chiefs or Warriors stand to fight, who on this occasion were dress’d very elegantly, & decorated with great Quantities of red Feathers, which they purchas’d from us & use only at those Times. Their Arms were Spears & Clubs, which are plac’d upright & form

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a kind of Barricade round the Stage. The other part of the Canoe contains about 30 Rowers who having nothing but their Paddles, bear but a small Share of the offensive Part of their Engagement. These Canoes when all assembled, together with the Number of small ones that attend them, & the great Crowd of the Natives collected on the Shore, made this Review very brilliant & warlike. Omai took this Opportunity of appearing on Horseback in a complete Suit of bright Armour studded with Brass, at which the Natives were much surpriz’d & delighted; but very unfortunately after he had it on about two Hours, one of the Joints broke close above the Knee, which render’d it useless – he likewise had with him a Coat of Mail; both of which were made him a Present of, in England.

While we were lying here Capt Cook with some of our Gentlemen went a few Miles up into the Country to see an human Sacrifice, which was to be made to their Deity, to entreat Success in an Expedition they were preparing to go upon against a neighbouring Island: these Sacrifices are very rare, & only us’d on these Occasions; upon which all the People are summon’d together by their Chief Priest, who after great Ceremony & suppos’d Inspiration, nominates the fated Victim, who is instantly seiz’d & kill’d upon the Spot: the Ceremony afterwards perform’d with his Body, I am not acquainted with. Till this voyage we had no Idea that this horrid Custom was practic’d at these Islands: but I firmly believe it prevails more from the Power of their Priests & their Ignorance & Super-

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stition; than from their natural Inclinations; for they are seemingly as much adverse to such Acts of Barbarity, as any people in the World. We left here with the King the Remainder of our Cattle; viz: a Bull, 2 Cows & 2 Calves, a Male & Female’ & 3 or 4 Sheep; likewise a Pea-cock & Hen, with a few Turkeys & Geese. Our Rabbits, tho’ we took very great Care of them, were all dead but one; which of course was useless to be left here. I make no doubt but they will all thrive well & increase very fast; for the Natives seem’d to be much delighted with them, & will not in the least disturb them, but suffer ‘em to wander about wherever they chuse. The latter Part of the Time we lay here, we began to find Fruit grow very scarce, from our having drain’d this Part of the Island of such as were at present ripe & fit for Use; for the Natives don’t Care to have more than is sufficient for themselves. Hogs & Fowls still remain’d plentiful, tho’ we shou’d naturally imagine them to grow scarce first.

After a Stay of 5 or 6 Weeks, we sail’d from hence for the Island of Eimco, which lies about 8 Leagues distance from this Bay. The next Day we found an Excellent Harbour on the No Side of the Island, call’d by the Natives Talough: stood thro’ a Passage between two Reefs of coral Rocks, lying directly opposite the Entrance of the Harbour, in which we came to; it is about 1/3 of a Mile wide, & runs up (continuing the same width) about a Mile & a half – warp’d up about a Mile, & the Shore being bold to on each Side, we haul’d the Ship close to, & secur’d her with Hawsers to the Trees, being within 10 fathoms of the Beach. This Island is in general high, &

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not so well cultivated as the others; which is owing in some Measure to the Descents & Ravages sometimes made here by the Otaheiteans, who are at perpetual War with the People of this Island; who are not very numerous, & are divided into two distinct Parties, each govern’d by its respective Chief, but always unite in the defence of the Country. At the Head of this Harbour is a very fertile & delightful Valley, with a large Rivulet of excellent Water running thro’ it; it is intirely surrounded with Hills & high steep Cliffs, affording a great Variety of the most pleasing & romantic Prospects I ever beheld. We found Provisions of all kinds very scarce, being barelt able to procure enough for present Use: Had a Party on Shore Cutting Fire Wood, while we staid here. The Natives having stolen a small Goat from us, & not returning it on Capt Cook’s demanding it back; the next Morning he set out with the Marines of both Ships & some Gentlemen, in all about 35 People well arm’d, & march’d across part of the Island in search of it. Likewise 3 Boats well man’d & arm’d were sent round to meet him. During this Excursion, whenever Capt Cook met with any Houses or Canoes that belong’d to the Party which he was inform’d had stolen the Goat, he order’d them to be burnt; & seem’d to be very rigid in the Performance of his Orders, which every one executed with the greatest Reluctance, except Omai, who was very officious in this Business, & wanted much to fire upon the Natives; but as they every where fled & left their all to the Mercy of the Destroyers, none of them were kill’d or hurt; which in all Probability they wou’d have been, had they made the least Resistance. Several Women & old Men still remain’d

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by the Houses, whose Lamentations were very great, but all their Tears, & Entreaties cou’d not move Capt Cook to desist in the smallest Degree from those cruel Ravages, which he continued till the Evening, when he join’d the Boats & return’d on board: having burnt & destroy’d 10 or 12 Houses, & about as many Canoes; part of the Plank of which he brought away with him. The next Morning he went round again with 3 Boats, where he completed the Devastation he had left undone the Day before: & all about such a mere Trifle as a small Goat, which was that Evening brought on board by the Natives. I can’t well account for Capt Cook’s Proceedings on this Occasion; as they were so very different from his Conduct in like Cases, in his former Voyages: if any Thing may be offer’d in favour of them, ‘twas his great Friendship for O-too’ (King of Otaheite) to whom these People were [profest?] Enemies.

After a stay of about 8 Days, we sail’d for the Island of Theaheine, which lies 14 Leagues to the Westward: & the next Day came to an Anchor in Owharre Harbour on the Lee Side of it – the Entrance is between two Reefs & very narrow, were oblig’d to warp up to the Head of the Harbour, where we came to & steadied the Ship with a Hawser from the Shore. Omai sail’d here with us in his Canoe, which was a very large one, & given him by the Admiral of Otaheite. This Island is somewhat larger than Eimeo, & is of a moderate height, inland; the Shores in general are low & cover’d with Trees, & appear very fertile & delightful. The Natives came on board & supplied us with Provisions in the most friendly manner imaginable: we found Cocoa-nuts & Bread-fruit in

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greater Plenty here, & the latter much better & larger, than at any Place we were at during the Voyage. Got our Observatories on Shore as usual.

Omai, tho’ generally understood to have been brought from Otaheite, was in reality a Native of this Island; & now chose to make it the Place of his Residence, in preference to any Island in the Cluster. Accordingly all our Carpenters were set to work to build him a House of the Plank of the Canoes destroy’d at Eimeo; which in about a Fortnight they completed. His principal Furniture were a Bed in the English Fashion, several Tin-Pots & Kettles, & a hand Organ, on which he us’d to play & divert the Natives: he had likewise a brace of Pistols & a Musket, for which we left him a small Kag of Gunpowder: we likewise left with him a Horse & a Mare; for which he had a Saddle & Bridle, & understood the Management of them very well. Capt Cook purchas’d a small Space of Land round his House, for him; from the Chiefs; & plan’d out a small Garden, in which we sow’d several kinds of Seeds that we brought out with us, & planted some Vines brought from the Cape of good Hope, which seem’d to prosper very well, till they were pluck’d up in the Night by some of the Natives; for which one of them was the next Day brought on board, had his Ears cut off, & was kept in Irons on the Quarter Deck – after he had been in Confinement about a Week, some one of our People took Pity on him & releas’d him in the Night so that he made his Escape. Capt Cook was exceeding angry on this Occasion but cou’d by no means find out the Person that did it.

The two Boys that we brought with us from New-Zeeland

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were left here, as Servants to Omai: ‘tis almost impossible to conceive their Distress at being forc’d to part from us; it being intirely against their Inclination to stay here, as it was their ernest Desire to go with us to England; but that Capt Cook wou’d not permit. They had now become so well reconcil’d to us, as not to have the least Desire to return to their own Country. The oldest, whom I mention’d before to be the Son of a Chief, behav’d in a manner that gain’d him the Love & Esteem of every one; in all his Actions he display’d a nobleness of Spirit above the common Rank of People; & never associated with the Sailors, but always kept with the Gentlemen. he was very sensible, & of a mild, humain Disposition; & had acquir’d a just abhorrence of the barbourous practices of his Countrymen. The youngest, was always full of Mirth & good Humour, & for his Mimicry, & other little Sportive Tricks, was the delight of the whole Ship’s Company. So great was his desire to remain with us, that he was oblig’d to be tied down in the Canoe that carried him on Shore, having leap’d out of it once & attempted to swim back to the Ship. The other bore it with a becoming Fortitude, disdaining to ask Capt Cook for what he knew he wou’d not grant. They were exceedingly fond of each other, & every body was sorry to part with them.

Omai took his Leave of us in a very affectionate Manner, & I believe wou’d have been very glad to come back to England; but he knew Capt Cook wou’d not permit him; for the Curiosity of the People in England having quite subsided, they began to think him rather a Burthen on the Publick; & were glad thus to get clear of him. He was certainly as stupid a Fellow as any on the Island, & originally of the very lowest Degree, therefore I make no Doubt but that he will

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in a short Time be plunder’d of every Thing he has, & be forced to return to his former State; but I have not the least Idea of their offering him any kind of Violence. It may be wonder’d why the Cattle left with the King of Otaheite, were not in preference given to Omai: but the Reason is very obvious: for as we expect every Thing to be taken from him, the Cattle wou’d but induce the Natives to do it the sooner; & most probably wou’d be the Cause of great Contention among the Chiefs, before they cou’d agree who were to have them: & perhaps they wou’d be destroy’d to put an End to the Disputes; as was done in a similar Case that we met with afterwards. But shou’d they not be hurt, yet ‘tis most likely that they wou’d be divided among the Chiefs, & ever afterwards kept separate: which wou’d equally destroy the grand Object of forming a Breed at these Islands:- but now they are perfectly free from those Dangers, as being in the Possession of the principal Person of this Country. As for the Horse & Mare left with Omai; they are not of that Consequence as the Cattle; therefore ‘tis no great Matter what becomes of them. Just before we sail’d Capt Cook particularly desir’d Omai, that after we had been gone about 3 Weeks to send a Canoe to us, to the Island we were going to: & if the Natives treated him ill, to send a blact Bead; if moderate, a blue one; & if well, a white one; which Advice he carefully observ’d.

After about a Month’s Stay here, we sail’d for Nlietea

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which lies 8 or 9 Leagues to the Westward; & the next Morning came to an Anchor in Ohamaneno Harbour, on the lee Side of the Island: the Entrance is between 2 Reefs & very narrow, warp’d up about 2 Miles into a Cove at the Head of the Harbour: haul’d the Ship close to the Shore & secur’d her with Hawsers to the Trees, not being above 10 or 12 fathoms from the Beach.

This Island is of a moderate height & very fertile; it is larger than Nuaheine, tho small in comparison with Otaheite; & is partly join’d by a Reef & shoal Water to an Island about 4 Miles distant, call’d O-ta-hau. The Natives here are numerous & supplied us with Provisions in a very plentiful & friendly Manner. Sent our Observatories on Shore as usual. A few Days after we had been in, one of our Marines who was plac’d as a Sentinel over the Observatories, was found in the Night to have quitted his Post, & gone with his Musket into the Country. In the Morning, the Serjeant & four Marines were sent in search of him; but return’d in the Evening without being able to get any Intelligence of him. The next Morning Capt Cook went in quest of him with 2 Boats arm’d; & in the afternoon found him amongst a great Number of the Natives, a few Miles from the Harbour: he was brought on board & punish’d with a Dozen Lashes. A little Time after this, a Midshipman & a common Sailor run away from the Discovery in the Night: in the Morning, when Capt Cook was inform’d of it, he went with some Boats arm’d in search of them: & had recourse to his usual Practice on these Occasions; viz: of inviting some of the Chiefs on board & then confining them till the Natives had made full Restitution or whatever they had been guilty off; which was always found to have the desir’d effect: & was certainly the

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best Method that cou’d possibly be taken in these Cases to avoid Bloodshed; being in general very easily accomplish’d, as the Chiefs usually came on board of their own accord, two or three times a Day, for their Amusement. In the present Case, Capt Clerke was order’d to get the Son of O-hau the King of the Island, likewise his Daughter & her Husband, on board the Discovery & confine them there; which was accordingly done, & the King was told that they shou’d never be releas’d till our two Deserters were brought back; he seem’d to be greatly distress’d on the Occasion, & immediately set about making Enquiries after them. Capt Cook return’d in the Evening, without being able to get any Intelligence of them. The next Morning he set out again, but likewise return’d without Success; therefore he went no more in quest of them, but depended upon the King’s bringing them back. During the Confinement of the Princess, a great Number of Women came round the Ship, & presented a very affecting Scene of Lamentation; by tearing their Hair, & striking their Head with a Sharks Tooth that they had in each Hand for that Purpose, till the Blood ran in a continued Stream from every Part of it:- in this manner these Indians express their Grief, when any great Misfortune befalls them & in the present Case there appear’d to be an Emulation amongst them, who shou’d carry it on to the greatest height; till the Scene became too moving to be beheld.

One Afternoon, a Girl that had follow’d us from Eimo, inform’d us that the Natives were then going to seize Capt Clerke & Lieutt Gore, who were on Shore together, by way of Retaliation for the Confinement of their Chiefs – Immediately the Alarm was given

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we were all under Arms in an Instant; some were sent on Shore in quest of Capt Clerke, while others went in the Boats along Shore, to seize all Canoes & to fire upon the Natives wherever they saw any, to prevent their assembling together. The People that went in search of Capt Clerke & Mr Gore, found them together before the Natives had time to form an Attempt; which they certainly intended, for three or four of them that were with Capt Clerke all the time he was on Shore, strove very much to persuade him & Mr Gore to go into a Pool of Water they were standing by to bathe; (where we all frequently went for that Purpose) which they intended to do, but seeing the Natives so very anxious about it, they began to have some Suspicion, & declin’d it: upon this they began to be rather troublesome; till Capt Clerke presented a Pistol at them, that he luckily chanc’d to have with him, which kept them quiet. our People coming up arm’d a little afterwards, prevented any Mischief, & they return’d on board safe. Just before the Alarm Capt Cook, who was on Shore close to the Ship, was likewise persuaded to go and bathe at the same Place, which is nearly a Mile distant, but fortunately chanc’d to refuse: which I think plainly proves that the Natives intended to assemble there to seize them as they were bathing, & carry them off;- which by the timely Intelligence we receiv’d was prevented without any Blood shed.

Our two Deserters were brought back after they had been away about a Week: they had gone over in a Canoe to Bolabola, & from thence to a small Island call’d Tubai, 12 Leagues distant from hence, where

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the Natives surpriz’d them when they were asleep & brought them on board: they were kept in Confinement during our Stay at these Islands. It was well for the Natives that they deliver’d them up so soon; for Capt Cook wou’d very shortly have proceeded to the greatest Extremities in his Power to get them back; being fully determin’d not to suffer any Person to remain here. Indeed had he once made a Precedent of it, so very flattering was every Prospect of the great Pleasure & Happiness to be enjoy’d at these delightful Islands, together with the Idea of the many Hardships we had to encounter after we left them; that a great Part of our People wou’d certainly have deserted us; which wou’d effectually have put a Stop to our further Proceedings. The Natives have always been extremely anxious for some of us to stay with them: & wou’d certainly have detain’d the Deserters, & treated them with great Friendship & Hospitality; had they not been oblig’d to deliver them up to redeem their own Chiefs; whom we now releas’d. They bore their Confinement (which was that of not being allow’d to go out of the Capts Cabbin) with great Fortitude & Cheerfulness; & seemingly without the least apprehensions of fear for their Situation; which was render’d as agreeable to them, as Circumstances cou’d possibly admit of.

About 3 or 4 Weeks after we had come here, a Canoe arriv’d from Omai, which brought a white Bead; which shows that he was still treated in a very friendly Manner. ‘Tis somewhat surprising that the Indian who had

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his Ears cut off at Nuaheine for plucking the Vines up in Omai’s Garden, & was kept in Confinement on board for some time, till he made his Escape; shou’d have the Confidence to appear here in public alongside the Ship, & seemingly without the least fear of being brought on board to his former Confinement. Capt Cook who certainly must have seen him, took not the least Notice of him. We completed our Wood & Water; & had now salted 12 Punchions of Pork for Sea, since we came among these Islands: we likewise took a great Quantity of green Plantains from this Place, to carry to Sea as a substitute for Bread.

Our Stay here was about a Month, from whence we sail’d for Bola-bola: the interior Part of this Island is a high peak’d Mountain; the Shores are low & cover’d with Trees, having a very fertile & delightful appearance. We lay to off an excellent Harbour on the S.W. Side of the Island, where Capt Cook with 3 or 4 Boats well arm’d, went on Shore to purchase a small kedge Anchor, that had been left by the French at Oai-te-peha Bay; & was brought by the Natives to the King of this Island as a Present: we purchas’d it of him for a few Hatchets; the flukes & ring were broke off, so that it was of no other use but to work up into Trade for the Indians. This Island tho’ small was very powerful; & excepting Otaheite, Eimeo & Oznaburg, which lay some Distance to windward, had by some means made the others tributary to it. We did not stop here; but after a Stay of four Months at these Islands, we sail’d from them on the 10th of Decr 1777, for the N.W. Coast of America; there to prosecute our grand Object, the search of a N.W. Passage to India.

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These Islands are 9 in Number, & situated between 17° .. 55’ & 16° .. 25’ So Latitude & 207° .. 40’ & 211° .. 20’ Et Longitude. Otaheite, which is by far the largest, is in the form of two Circles join’d by an Isthmus of low Land, one of them is six & an half & the other three & an half Leagues in Diameter: Ulietia, which is the next largest is about the Size of little Otaheite: Eimeo, Nuaheine, Otahau & Bolabola, are nearly alike, & are each about seven Miles in Extent: Morua & Oznaberg, are two small high Islands; & Tubai is three small low patches of land join’d by a Reef of Coral Rocks. They are very fertile & populous; being suppos’d all together to contain about 100,000 Inhabitants. Their Productions are Cocoa-nuts, Bread-fruit, Plantains, Bananoes, Eddy-root, a few Sugar Canes, & a particular kind of Fruit found only in these Seas; it grows upon a very large spreading Tree & is about the Size of an Orange, it is cover’d with a smooth rind like that of a Plumb, of a bright Yellow, and has a large prickly Core: it is of a different flavour to any other fruit, & is very delicious: they have likewise a small kind of Apple, which is very insipid. The only Yams we met with at these Islands, were a few small ones of a particular kind at Eimeo. ‘Tis very surprising that several of the Fruits of the East & West-Indies, such as Oranges, Limes, Pine-apples, Melons, Citrons, Tamarinds, Figs &c. were not found at any of the Islands we visited in

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the South Sea, ‘tho’ they lie in the same Climate: yet any of them transplanted there might be brought to great Perfection: as the Fruits they have, are superior to those of the same kind in any other Country. On Capt Cook’s arrival at Matavai Bay in his second Voyage, he inclos’d a small Spot of Ground for a Garden, wherein he sow’d the Seeds of several kinds of European Vegetables which sprung up very rapidly, & seem’d to thrive exceeding well: but when we went to look at them this Voyage, we found them intirely destroy’d, & the Place overgrown with Weeds. Yet I make no doubts but with a few Europeans to attend them, that every kind of Fruit & Vegetable that can possibly be produced in a hot Climate, wou’d come to greatPerfection in the fertile Soil of these Islands.

Their only Quadrupeds are Hogs, Dogs & Rats. Fowls are very plentiful; they have very few Birds, & those small & no way remarkable.

The Natives of these Islands are tall, strong & well form’d; their Complexion is of a very light Copper Colour, & fairer than any other we met with during the Voyage; they have a very pleasing Countenance, which more resembles that of an European, than an Indian: they are of a mild, generous, & agreeable Disposition; but are very indolent, & rather effeminate; not having that manly & warlike appearance that we find in the People of the friendly Islands.

The Women are the most beautiful we have

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seen in the South Sea; they are of the most mild & pleasing Disposition imaginable, are always full of Gaiety & good Humour, & in fact are possess’d of every Qualification that can render them agreeable: they are exceeding neat in their Person, & likewise in their Dress; which consists only of two Pieces of Cloth, one wrapt round their Waist reaching below their Knees & the other thrown carelessly over their Shoulders which is very cool & agreeable in those Climates; some of them, at times when the Weather is sultry wear a kind of Bonnet made of green Flags, to shade their Face from the Rays of the Sun. Tho’ the Manners of these Ladies are not polish’d or refin’d by Education, nor their Dress aided by Ornaments, yet in their native Innocence & Simplicity, they are more elegant & engaging than can well be conceiv’d. Their Songs & Dances, which are very frequent, appear exceeding lascivious in the Eyes of an European; but in them every Idea of the kind is remov’d by the Custom of the Country: which seemingly permits them to pursue the natural Impulse of their Passions. Here likewise they are not allowed to eat in the Presence of the Men.

Most of the Indians that we have seen in the South Sea, have a custom of what they call tattooing, that is marking themselves in various Parts of their Body, by introducing a black oily Liquid under the Skin by perforation. The Instrument they use for this Purpose is a thin, flat piece of Bone in this form [see original] the lower Edge is of different Sizes, from an

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Inch to a quarter of an Inch in breadth, & full of sharp pointed Teeth very close together, which they dip in the Liquid, & holding it very slightly by the End of the Handle, apply it to the Part to be mark’d; & with a small stick in the other Hand they strike it lightly upon the Head of it, till the Teeth pierce the Skin sufficient to admit the Liquid thro’ the Punctures: very little Blood is drawn in this Operation, which is less painful than wou’d be imagin’d; in five or six Days the Part is perfectly heal’d, & leaves a dark blue stain that can never be obliterated. The Natives here & at the friendly Islands are tattoo’d with broad Lines round their Hips & Thighs; & various small Figures of Men, Dogs, Birds &c very badly executed, upon their Arms & Legs; but have no Marks upon their Face like the New-Zeeland Chiefs, who are tattoo’d there very curiously in spiral Lines; which greatly adds to the natural ferocity of their Countenance. Several of our People got Marks of various kinds done by the Natives.

The Difference between the Houses here & at the Friendly Islands is, that these are considerably larger, the lower Part of the Roof higher, (being from six to nine Feet from the Ground,) & that the greater Part of them instead of having the Sides quite open have them inclos’d with Pieces of Bamboo set upright in the Ground, at the Distance of 3 or 4 inches from one another, which reach up to the Roof, except a Space of 6 or 8 feet that is left to enter in at; across which they have a Fence about two feet high to keep the Hogs & Fowls out, which are exceeding tame & domestic: this kind of Inclosure affords no Shelter from the Weather; but

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however this delightful Climate requires no other but that of the Roof to keep the Rain & Rays of the Sun from them. Beside their dwelling Houses, which are very much scatter’d; they have here & there particular ones for their publick Meetings & Diversions; which are very large & commodious, being from140 to 180 feet in length & 30 or 40 feet in breadth, & are without any Partitions.

The sailing Canoes here are sometimes two join’d parallel to each other, by Planks lash’d athwart both of them; & sometimes a single one, with a small Platform across it, & an Outriger to prevent its upsetting: they have only one Mast which stands upright in the middle of them, & one yard & a Sail made of Mats sew’d together; which is very narrow & stands in this Form: [see original] they are much smaller than those for War, & sail but indifferently. Their small single Canoes have Outrigers like those of the Friendly Islands, but are clumsey & very ill built.

The principal Part of their Cultivation at these Islands is that of the Cloth-Tree, which they plant in low Ground, at about two Feet asunder; & as they spring up, pluck off the young Buds that shoot out from the Sides of them, reserving only those at the Top; by this means they grow very fast; & when they come to be about six Feet high are cut down before the Bark begins to harden, which is the only part they make use of. The Process of making it into Cloth is as follows. After the green Outside of it is stript off, they take the Inner Part & put it in Water to soak for a few Days till it becomes soft like Paste: they then take it out & spread it close upon a flat Board, & beat it together

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while it is wet, with a square Piece of hard Wood about a Foot & an half in length, & each Side two Inches & an half in breadth, which are all fluted: the first Side they make use of has about five Grooves in an Inch, & the other three are finer in such Proportion, that the last Side they beat with has about eighteen: this Part of the Operation they continue till it is of a proper thickness, & is sufficiently connected, being when wet of a very cohesive Quality: after that they let it remain on the Board till it is dry, which ends the Process. Its natural Colour is white, which in general they let remain so; some few Pieces are painted red; it is about twice the Strength of Paper & of the came thickness, & will not bear to be handled when wet, unless very tenderly. Some Pieces they make as thick as our broad Cloth, which is done by putting two or three thin ones upon one another, when they are wet, & not above half beat, & then pressing them together: these generally have one Side painted yellow, which is sometimes ornamented with small red Circles & Spots; the only Colours they have got are black, yellow & red. The Chiefs often wear a Piece of this Kind loose over their Shoulders, which reaches down to their Waist; having a hole cut in the middle of it, thro’ which they put their Head.

The Cloth here is much better, & they make far greater Quantities of it, than at the Friendly Islands, where the Process is the same; but they have none of the thick kind. The thin Pieces, which are the largest, are made into Bales of various Sizes; being from fifteen to forty Yards in length, & from two to six in breadth. This Manufactory is principally perform’d by the Women.

There is a particular kind of Root here call’d by the Natives Yaa-va, which is very scarce, &

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us’d only by the Chiefs after it is prepar’d in the following manner. Four or five of their Attendants sit down round a large wooden Bowl, & take each of them a a Mouthful of this Root, & chew it for three or four Minutes, till it is sufficiently tore to Pieces & made soft; they then take it out & put it into the Bowl, & take another Mouthful, which they chew in the same Manner, till they have got sufficient Quantity: to this they pour some Water, & stir it round with their Hands & squeeze it till all the Juice is out of the Root, which makes the Water thick & of a light yellow; they then strain it thro’ a Piece of Cloth, & the Chiefs drink it immediately afterwards, seemingly with as much Pleasure as an European does the richest Wines; till they become quite intoxicated with it. The People of the Friendly-Islands make use of it in the same Manner.

The Fish at these Islands are small and not very plentiful, the few they get are caught either with a very fine Seine, or with a Hook & Line: they are remarkably fond of them, & eat ‘em either raw or broil’d according to the Taste of Individuals. Their fishing Lines & Seines are made of the Fibres of the Bark of the Cloth Tree; & their Hooks of Mother of Pearl, which is very plentiful here, these are exceeding neat & curious, & superior to any we have seen.

Their Method of producing Fire here & at all the Islands in the South Sea, is by the Friction of two Pieces of soft dry Wood rub’d violently together for some Time, which has the desir’d Effect.

They are exceeding dexterous at thieving, & seldom let slip an Opportunity whenever it offer’d; which oblig’d us to be always upon our Guard to prevent it.

The Articles of Trade with which we purchas’d Provisions &c were Hatchets, Nails, Knives, white-Beads

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& red Feathers; especially the latter, which they esteem of greater Value than any thing else we cou’d offer them. Their own Hatchets are Stone, there being no Iron or any other kind of Metal in these Islands; this seems to be the principal mechanical Tool they are possessed of, having no other to fell their Trees with, (which are of a hard kind of Wood,) & to cut out the Plank wherewith they make their Canoes; which renders those Performances very tedious & laborious; & it is surprizing how they accomplish so many, under such Circumstances. They are very assiduous in procuring our Hatchets, or Iron in any Form, being well convinc’d of its Use.

The Language spoke here varies very little from that of New-Zeeland & the Friendly Islands.

Their Religion, tho’ is attended with some superstitious Practices, yet the Principles of it are as natural & agreeable to Reason, as what are taught in most of the Churches in Europe. They pay their Adorations to a Supreme Being, whom they believe to be Omnipotent, Omniscient, & far beyond their Comprehension: and they hope after this Life, to enjoy a more exalted and happy State, in his immediate Presence.

The most regular Form of Government at these Islands is that of great Otaheite, which somewhat resembles the German: the Country is divided into several Districts, which are subject to their respective Chiefs, of whom the King is the Head: who from the small Respect paid him by the Natives, seems to be invested with no great Degree of Authority; having but little Power of his own, without the joint Consent & Assistance of the Chiefs; who don’t appear to be in the least inclin’d to Acts of Despotism; any further than is necessary to enforce the Laws of the Country: by which those that have Property, are perfectly secure in it, & the lower Class who have not got any are dependant on them that have, without the most distant

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Signs of Slavery or Oppression. The other Islands in this Cluster, are govern’d nearly in the same Manner.

These Islanders beyond a Doubt live in the most perfect State of Freedom, Friendship & Happiness, of any People in the World: & still enjoy all the Pleasures of the Golden-Age, which are now no where else to be found. The Mode of Government at the Friendly Islands seems to be somewhat different to that here for the principal Chiefs there appear to have much greater Authority over the Natives, & are rather inclin’d to be arbitary.

We left these Islands with the greatest Regret imaginable, as supposing all the Pleasures of the Voyage to be now at an End; having nothing to expect in future but Excess of Cold, Hunger, & every kind of Hardship & Distress attending a Sea-Life in general, & these Voyages in particular: the Idea of which render’d us quite dejected.

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From the Society Islands we directed our Course to the Northward; having a moderate Breeze & pleasant Weather.

On the 25th of Decr we discover’d a low sandy Island, with a large Lagoon in the middle of it, into which there was an Opening on the Lee Side, off which we came to an Anchor in betwixt 12 & 20 fathoms Water & good Ground, about a Mile from the Shore. This Island which we call’d Christmas, lies in Lat: 2° N. & Longt 202° E. it is 6 Leagues in Extent, & is an entire sand Bank almost level with the Water; having the most dreary Appearance that can possibly be conceiv’d: there are two small Copses of Cocoa-nut Trees upon it; & a few Bushes scatter’d here & there with scarce any Verdure on them. We found no Inhabitants here, it being impossible for any human Being to exist upon this barren Spot; which is frequented only by sea Birds of various Kinds, that resort here in great Numbers to lay their Eggs; which we found very plentiful upon the Sand, but scarce one in twenty without a young one in it. The Shores being very rocky & a great Surf breaking upon them, render’d the Landing everywhere very difficult, except within the Lagoon, into which there is a good Passage for Boats. Sent Parties on Shore in different Places to catch Turtle, which are exceeding plentiful here: the Method is to watch them in the Night when they come upon the Beach to sleep, & then approaching to them by surprize turn them on their Backs before they get into the Water; after which they they can’t stir from the Spot. The People on Shore suffer’d great Distress for want of fresh Water, there being none upon the Island; & we cou’d scarce send it from the Ships fast enough: several of them were forc’d to drink the Turtles Blood to quench their Thirst; the Heat being so intensive as to raise such Blisters on their Faces (the Lips in particular,) that some of them were oblig’d to be brought on board. One of the People belonging to the Discovery was missing three Days, after which he was found almost famish’d, & so weak that he cou’d scarce stand; having had nothing to drink all the Time, but the Blood of

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Birds & Turtle which he had kill’d: he had gone out of sight of the Boat, & cou’d not find his way back; there being no rising Ground for him to get upon to look for the Ship. Caught plenty of excellent large Fish here with Hook & Line. The Plantains that we brought with us from Ulietea, & were serv’d to us in Lieu of Bread, being now finish’d, we were put to 2/3 Allowance of Biscuit. This was the first Time of our using any Species of Ship’s Provisions, except a small Quantity of Spirits, since the Day we anchor’d at the Friendly Islands; which was a Space of eight Months. This great Supply, not only refresh’d & strengthen’d us as much as if we had just left England, but enabled us to prosecute our Discoveries to the Northward a second Season; & was in a great Measure a Compensation for that we lost, in not being able to fetch Otaheite. During our stay here, which was about a Week, we caught upwards of 200 Turtle, which we carried to Sea with us, they were of the green kind, & in general very large.

From hence we continued our Course to the Northward having a moderate Trade Wind & very fine Weather.

About the 25th of January 1778, being then in Lat: 21½ ° No & Longt 201° Et we discovered an Island at the Distance of 10 Leagues to windward of us; & in a few Hours afterwards another to leeward, which we stood for, & the next Day came to an Anchor in an open Road on the South Side of it, having bad Ground & a Reef to leeward of us. This Island is call’d by the Natives To’wi, it is of a circular Form, & about the Extent of Otaheite; the interior Part is high Land, the Shore in general is of a moderate height, & has a very barren Appearance till you come close in with it; what Wood there is being only in the Vallies, which are very fertile.

The Natives came off to us in their Canoes in great Numbers as soon as we came near the Shore, & were very easily persuaded to come on board, which they venture’d to do without the least Diffidence: they appear’d to be much delighted, & took a Fancy to several Things that they saw

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& were going very leisurely, without any Scruple or No hesitation, to carry them into their Canoes; & seem’d greatly surpriz’d at our preventing it, by taking from them what they had got hold of, which they wou’d not quit till after some Persuasion; for they cou’d not believe that we were in ernest, but imagin’d that we wou’d allow them to take what they chose, till we convinc’d them to the contrary; & then they were perfectly well satisfied, & behav’d in a very agreeable & friendly manner. In their Persons & Dress they very much resemble the Friendly-Islanders; & speak nearly the same Language as the Otaheiteans.

When they had fully satisfied their Curiosity, & were returning to the Shore, as soon as they had got a little Distance from the Ship, we perceiv’d them heaving a number of small Stones out of the bottom of their Canoes into the Water; whether they brought them off to act with on the offencive or defencive we cou’d not positively determine; but from every Appearance are rather led to believe the latter.

A Boat was sent on Shore from each Ship with a Lieutenant to purchase Provisions; when immediately they came near the Beach the Natives surrounded them in great Numbers, upon which they did not think it prudent to land, but remain’d in the Boats; the Natives soon began to be very troublesome, & even attempted to haul the Boat on Shore, which oblig’d the Officer to fire at them, by which one of them was kill’d: the Report of the Musket, together with the Fire & Smoak, & the Execution it did, being what they had never seen before, & a Mystery they cou’d form not the least Conception of, terrified them so much that they all instantly quitted the Boats and went away, carrying the dead Body off with them and making great Lamentations; the Boats did not attempt to land after this, but return’d on board. The next Morning Capt Cook went on Shore himself with four or five Boats well arm’d to purchase Provisions & bring off Water; he had no sooner landed but a Number of the Natives came & prostrated themselves before him in the most submissive manner imaginable, the Reason of which he was unacquainted with; as he had not been inform’d that one of them had been kill’d

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the Day before. They brought Plenty of Provisions down to the Beach, consisting of Hogs, Fowls, Bread-fruit, Plantains, Eddy-root, Sweet-Potatoes, & Sugar-Cane in great Quantities; which we purchas’d with Hatchets, Nails, Beads &c red-Feathers being no Article of Trade here, they having got great Plenty of them: ‘tis rather surprising that there are no Cocoa-nuts here, which we find in all the other Islands. The Natives came off to the Ships again & brought with them the Productions of the Island, which we purchas’d along-side.

There is a large Rivulet of excellent Water here, but the great Surf that runs upon the Beach renders the watering rather difficult; however each Ship got off three or four Boat Loads.

After we had been here three or four Days, the Wind came on to blow fresh along Shore, which caus’d a great Swell that the Boats cou’d not land; & Capt Cook not thinking it safe riding in the Situation we were in, we have up & stood out to Sea, with an Intention to look for safer Anchorage, leaving the Discovery [indecipherable] in the Road. We had no sooner got a little Distance from the Land, but the Wind shifted directly off the Shore which intirely frustrated our Design; for tho’ we attempted to work up for four or five Days, we cou’d not get up to windward; therefore giving over all hope of fetching into Anchorage again, we stood for an Island that lies in sught to the W.S.W. at about eight Leagues Distance, & the next Morning came to an Anchor in the open Road on the lee side of it.

This Island is call’d by the Natives Neehow, it is about one third of the Extent of that we left, & has the most barren Appearance imaginable, not having a Tree upon it the weathermost Part of it is of moderate height, but the lee Side off which we lay is low & swampy: the Landing is attended with great Difficulty, from the Surf that breaks on the Shore, which is very rocky: the Water here is in standing Pools, & is but indifferent & very troublesome to get at. There appears to be but few Inhabitants upon this Island who came off to us & behav’d very friendly; Hogs & Fowls are

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exceeding scarce here; there are plenty of Yams & Sweet Potatoes, which seem to be the only Produce of the Island, for we saw no Fruit upon it. The Discovery came in the next Day from Touri, & inform’d us that they had purchas’d a great Quantity of Yams while we were out; we did not see any when we were there, the Natives not having brought them down then. Sent a Party on Shore with a Tent to purchase Yams; & as Bread was the scarcest Article of Provisions we had on Board, they became a great object to us; as being an excellent Substitute for it, & will keep good two or three Months at Sea: Plantains or Bananoes if brought away very green, will keep two or three Weeks, but are an indifferent Substitute: Sweet-Potatoes, which are excellent eating, will not keep above ten Days, or a Fortnight at most; but the Bread-Fruit will remain good only two or three Days. After we had been here about a Week, the Wind came on in the Night to blow fresh off Shore, which occasion’d us to drag our Anchor into Deep Water; we immediately hove it up, made sail & stood out to Sea; having luckily got our Tent & People off from the Shore the Day before. We saw a small high Island lying about 9 or 10 Leagues to the Westward, which we were told by the People of Neehow is uninhabited: having light airs & Calms we did not lose sight of the Land for two Days, which was on the 12th of February 1778. To these Islands Captn Cook gave the Name of Sandwich; which I shall defer any further Description of, till we come to them again.

We continued our Course to the Northward, & as much to the Eastward as the Trade Winds wou’d permit, having moderate Weather. The Yams that we brought with us were serv’d at the Rate of a Pound per Man, & lasted about a Fortnight; but the Discovery had them much longer. After that we were put to two thirds Allowance of Bread, & had serv’d the Pork that we had salted at the Society Islands; which lasted out the greatest Part of the Season, & kept very good all the Time. We were allow’d a small Quantity of Sour-Krout (which is preserv’d Cabbage) twice a week, to eat with our salt Provisions; it is an excellent Antiscorbutick, and kept exceeding well all the Voyage; we had likewise Portable Soup three times a Week boil’d with our Peas; which were much the worst Article of Provisions we had on board;

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for they had been kiln dry’d to preserve them, which almost render’d them useless; for after being in the Copper six Hours, they were very little softer than at first, & only just ting’d the Water they were boil’d in. We found the Cold increase very fast as we advanc’d to the Northward, [indecipherable] Hunger accompanying it; for our Allowance of Bread was very Short, &we had no Flour serv’d in lieu of Beef, which was grown very bad.

On the 7th of March 1778, we made the western Coast of North America, in Lat: 45° No & Longt 235½ ° Et, which [indecipherable] about eight Degrees to the Eastward of what it was laid down in the best Charts. We found it to trend North & South without the least Signs of a Bay or Inlet; the inland Parts are very Mountainous, but the Shore is of a moderate height; the Appearance of this Country was very different to what we had been us’d to between the Tropicks, it being intirely cover’d with Snow, which afforded a very dreary Prospect, there being not the least Verdure to be seen. We were forc’d by contrary Winds to stand along Shore to the Southward as far as Cape Blanco, which lies in Lat 43° No, & is the Northermost Land that was seen by Sir Francis Drake, in his Discovery of New Albion. The Wind now coming, favourable, we haul’d off the Land and stood to the Northward, & fell in with it again where we first made it; the Weather being moderate we stood within two Miles of the Shore, which was thinly cover’d with Wood, & terminated in several long sandy Beaches we sounded off here & had forty Fathoms Water. From hence we trac’d the Coast in a northerly Direction up to the Latitude of 49½°No, where we first saw the Appearance of an Inlet; the Wind being favourable we stood directly for it, & got in that Evening; which was on the 20th of March, a Fortnight from our first meeting the Land.

To this Inlet, which lies in the above Latitude and Longt 234° East, Capt Cook gave the Name of King George Sound. The Mouth of it is about 5 Miles across, but it does not continue that breadth above 3 Miles before it seoarates into two Channels each about a Mile wide, which are form’d

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by what appear’d to be a large Island lying in the middle of the Sound; with several small ones off that End of it towards the Entrance. We stood about a Mile up the Eastermost Channel; where we anchor’d for the Night in 85 fathoms Water two Cables length from the nearest Shore. As soon as we came near the Land several of the Natives came off in their Canoes within about half a Mile of the Ships, but cou’d not be persuaded to come along Side; they follow’d us up the Channel, & continued paddling round us after we came to an Anchor till late, singing all the Time very loud, in a Manner not at all disagreeable. They visited us again in the Morning & ventur’d to come on board, & behav’d very friendly: the only Things they brought with them were dried Skins, & a few small dried Fish that were scarce eatable, which we purchas’d with the usual Articles. We warp’d the Ships up to a small Cove near us upon the Island, where we haul’d close in & steadied with Hawsers to the trees.

We set up our Observatories upon a large Rock which lay within about half a Cables length of us, & was very convenient for that Purpose; & immediately began unrigging the Ship for getting the Fore Mast out, having discover’d a Spring in the Head of it a little before we came in. We got it on Shore upon a small Stony Beach near us, & had new Cheeks put on it, which we cut in the Woods. During the Time the Fore Mast was repairing we had some very hard Squalls off the Land, & having our Mizen Topmast up & Topsail Yard across, the Wind took such hold of them, as to cause something to crack about the Top; we instantly struck the Yard & Topmast, & on unrigging the Mizen Mast found an old Spring in the Weuk of the Riging right athwart the Head of the Mast, which had been greatly enlarg’d by the above squalls.We then set about getting it out, & in lowering it over the Side, the Head chancing to take the Quarter-Gallery, proov’d so rotten as to break short off where the spring was: therefore it was very lucky we found it out before we went to Sea again.

We were visited every Day by a Party of the Natives; who came early in the Morning & return’d back in the evening to their Village, which lay at some Distance from us.

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We had this kind of Intercourse with them for about a Fortnight quite undisturb’d, till one Morning we perceiv’d a Number of Canoes full of People well arm’d coming into the Cove a different way from what those did that were with us; who as soon as they saw them, likewise began to arm themselves & retir’d to the Beach close astern of the Ship: from which we naturally suppos’d they intended jointly to attack us; therefore we got ready to receive them, & sent some Men arm’d upon the Rock to protect the Observatories. We remained in thisExpectation for two or three Hours the strange Party lying all that Time in their Canoes near the Ships, & the other on the Shore; both with their Weapons in their Hands, & talking very much amongst themselves. Capt Cook not being thoroughly sensible from their Manauvres what their Intentions were, was unwilling to fire at them unless they began the Attack; tho’ he was very near it, as they approach’d close along side of us. At last we discover’d it to be a Quarrel betwixt the two Parties, & that the Dispute was the Right of trading with us: which after several long Harangues & threatening Gestures on both Sides, was happily decided, without their Proceeding to further Extremities: an both Parties traded with us ever afterwards, in a very peaceable and friendly Manner.

A few Days after this two large Parties of Canoes full of Men well arm’d, were seen off the Entrance of the Cove, they each came a different way & approached to one another within a short Distance, then stop’d & lay still at about half a Mile from the Ships. We were all in Expectation that they were coming to an Action; as one Party stood up, shoke their Spears at the other, & made every Motion for fighting, by way of a Challenge as we suppos’d; singing at the same time & beating their Paddles against the Sides of their Canoes

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for the Space of half an Hour: they then sat down very quietly, & the other Party stood up & acted in the same Manner. This they continued to do alternately for four or five Times; & then withdrew out of sight.

They had very often little Quarrels with one another along Side, which generally ended in pulling each others Hair; this they wou’d do for nearly half an Hour together without the least Motion, till one of them gave out; being apparently of a very obstinate Disposition. When their Disputes do not run so high as to require Weapons to decide them, this seems to be the only Method they make use of; having no idea of striking with their Hands; which is rather surprising, as Boxing is generally practis’d by most other Indians.

As soon as our Fore Mast was repair’d we got it in, & then set about Chusing a Tree for a Mizen Mast; of which there were great Plenty fit for the Purpose: but the Difficulty lay in finding one, that, after we had fell’d, we cou’d get down to the Beach, or into the Water; for they stand so thick that in falling they generally get jamb’d betwixt one another. After three or four Attempts, with great Labour we got one down to the Beach, which the Carpenters of both Ships set to work upon. Finding some of our Main Riging much worn, we set up an entire new Gang; & chose the best from the old Main & Fore Riging to set up foreward.

After we had been here about three Weeks the Natives began to bring on board some small Fish to sell, that were then coming into Season; which tho’ very scarce, yet were a comfortable Supply to us, in the hungery State we were in.

We found a Run of excellent Water close above the Beach, from which we completed the Ships, & likewise with Wood from the same Place. We cut several small Spars here for studding-sail Booms, Yards &c & a large one that we made into a topmast; which tho’ it then appear’d to be very good, yet during the Voyage it intirely decay’d as it lay upon the Booms.

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Our new Mizen Mast being finish’d, we got it in & converted the old one into an excellent Main-topmast.

Captn Cook with two Boats well arm’d, made an Excursion up the Sound; & found the two Channels to meet at about four Leagues distance from the Entrance; forming a large Island as we had conjectur’d. They met with four or five Villages in Different Parts of the Sound, which appear’d to be inhabited by Parties intirely unconnected with each other: they landed at two or three of them, & were receiv’d by the Natives in a very friendly Manner.

A few Days before we left this Place, one of our Gentlemen purchas’d from the Natives two silver table Spoons; which we suppose they got from the Spaniards at California; & had handed them from one to another along the Coast; as we cou’d not learn that any Ships had been here before.

Being now as completely refitted, as our Stores & the Country wou’d admit of; after a Stay of five Weeks we sail’d from hence, on the 27th of April, 1778.

This part of the Coast is very Mountainous; & the Tops of the Hills were still cover’d with Snow the Shore is in general high, steep & rocky, & cover’d with tall straight Pines of a very large growth. There are very few Beaches here, & the Underwood is so thick, that we were intirely depriv’d of the Pleasure of walking up into the Country; being scarce able to get a hundred Yards from the Water. The Soil appears to be fertile, but is no where cultivated, we found Goooseberry & Currant Trees, & Strawberry Plants growing wild in the Woods; & were just coming into Blossom when we sail’d.

The Quadrupeds of this Country are, Black-Bears, Wolves, Deer, Foxes, Racoons, Martins & Beavers: we purchas’d several of the dried skins of these Animals from the Natives, who have them in great Plenty; particularly

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those of the Land & Sea Beaver, but of the two, the latter are most plentiful; the Fur of which is suppos’d to be superior to any that is known. The most valuable Articles that we us’d in this Traffick were, Hatchets, Saws, old Swords, large Knives & blue Beads; but having very few of these left, we supplied the want of them with Pewter Plates, Pieces of Iron Hoops, old Buckles, Buttons &c & in fact anything made of Iron, Tin, Copper or Brass. The principal Motive of our procuring those Skins was for Clothing, to secure us against the Cold; for of the Bear-Skins we made Great Coats, & with the Furs lin’d our Jackets, & made Caps & Gloves, from which we found great Comfort; & indeed have had great need, for we experience’d very little from our Provisions, which were only just sufficient to keep us alive.

The Natives at this place, tho’ much more numerous than on any other Part of the Coast that we touch’d at, yet are but few in Comparison to what we met with among the tropical Islands. They are of a smaller stature than any we saw during the Voyage, rarely exceeding five Feet; yet are robust & well proportion’d: their Face is very broad & flat, but their Features are rather small: they are of a ruddy Complexion, & if they kept themselves clean wou’d be moderately fair; they paint their Forehead very curiously in a variety of Forms & Colours, but chiefly in Squares, which are of one Colour, & the broad Lines they are form’d with of another. Their Hair which they wear long is clotted together with a red Mixture much resembling that us’d by the New-Zealanders both in Colour and smell, but still more disagreeable to appearance. In their Disposition they are savage & obstinate; yet seem to have but a small Share of natural Bravery. Their Dress consists chiefly in Furs the Skins of such Animals as they kill in hunting, made into a kind of Frock or Jacket reaching below their Knees: instead of this they sometimes wear a Cloak made of long fine Grass platted together like the

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Newzealand ones, but not half so neatly manufactur’d: They likewise wear a round Cap ending in a Point at the Top, like those of the Chinese; which in general are made of Wicker-work; but some of them are Wood, & painted with various colours. These People both in their Person & Dress, are certainly the most uncleanly & filthy set, we ever met with. They are very careful of their Women, for I don’t remember that more than two or three of them came off to the Ships: they were dress’d nearly in the same Manner as the Men, & like them had the most dirty appearance imaninable: being far unlike the blooming Beauties of the Tropicks. Their Language is the most unpleasing I ever heard, having a very harsh guttural Sound; & there are several Words in it that even themselves have great Difficulty in pronouncing.

The Houses here are the most ill built, & considering the Climate afford the least Shelter, of any we have seen.

Their Canoes are broad & flat bottom’d, resembling a Norway Yawl; & in general seem to be cut out of one Tree.

The Arms us’d by these Indians are Bows & Arrows & long wooden Spears: their Bows are the best I ever saw &, are render’d very strong & elastick by having a number of Whale Sinews drawn tight along a Groove in the back of them, & being closely bound round with the same from one End to the other; their Arrows are made of Fir & headed with hard Wood, Bone or Flint, & some few with Copper roughly beat out, which seems to be very scarce amongst them, tho’ they certainly get it in this Country several of their Spears are likewise pointed in the same Manner.

The principal Mode of Fishing here, & all along the Coast, is with small Darts four or five Feet in length; to which they have a long small Line made of Sinews ready to veer out, as soon as they have struck the Fish: they are headed either with Bone or a Piece of hard Wood four or five

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inches long, which is mostly barb’d all the way up; in general they have but one Prong, but some of them have three.

Those Darts are for small Fish, but for the Whale they have a different Kind: the Head of it is a Piece of Wood about four Inches long, with a thick Line fast to the middle of it; one End is pointed with a Muscle Shell ground flat & to a Point, & fasten’d into the Wood with a kind of Gum; on the other End is a Hole into which when they want to use it, they put the End of a long Staff, for the Purpose of darting it into the Whale; the Staff coming out and leaving the Head behind buried in the Flesh, with a long Line to it ready to veer out.

These People don’t seem to have any Chiefs amongst them, as we find at the tropical Islands; but live in Families quite independent of one another. Their Sustenance principally depends on their Success in fishing & hunting, in which they spend the greatest Part of their Time; & being very dexterous in both, procure a moderate Support.

They us’d frequently as they lay along Side in their Canoes, to entertain us with their War-Songs; & a very curious kind of Marsquerade Dance, in which they put on large wooden Masks of various Forms & Colours, & shifted them with great Dexterity. The greater Part of them resembled the Face of a Man; The Features were cut out large, but very expressive & well executed, & represented in a number of droll Gestures & Distortions; they had Hair, Eye Brows & Teeth to them, & were painted very curiously. Some of them were made to resemble the Heads of wild Beasts; & others that of a Bird, with the Bill to open & shut at Pleasure. The two latter ones they frequently make use of in Hunting; by way of Deception, to decoy those Animals near them that they are in search of.

After leaving this Place our Intention was to keep along Shore; but before I proceed any further it will be necessary to mention that some parts of the Coast we were going to explore, had been slightly sketch’d by Behring & Tchirikow two Russian

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Navigators who sailed from Kamtchatka upon Discovery in these Seas, in the Years 1728 & 1741.

We had no sooner got out of the Sound, but the same Evening a very hard Gale came on directly off the Land attended with the most severe Squalls we had yet experienced, which drove us quite off the Coast. The Ship very unfortunately too at this Time sprung a Leak in her starboard Buttock, occasion’d by the Violence of the Gale; which oblig’d us to stand to the Northward to keep her upon that Tack. The Fish & Spirit Rooms were intirely fill’d with Water, which render’d our Situation rather alarming, as knowing the Ship was much decay’d in her after Parts: the People were now put to two Watches, & kept constantly employ’d at the hand Pumps & in bailing with the Buckets, yet cou’d scarce keep the Leak under. In this disagreeable State we remain’d for two Days, after which the Gale abated; & the Weather coming on moderate, we made no more Water than we cou’d keep clear with one Pump.

The Wind still continuing from the Eastward, we were not able to make the Land, till we got up to the Latitude of 56° N. & Longt 220½° Et so that a Space of 153 Leagues, unfortunately remains unexplor’d: from hence we trac’d it in a N.W.b.N. Direction up to 60° where we were becalm’d for four or five Days, at about six Leagues distance from the Shore, which had a very dreary Appearance; having no Wood upon it, & being intirely cover’d with Snow.

There are two very high Mountains here lying close to the Shore & about 15 Leagues distant from one another; the Northernmost, which is the largest, was loftier than any we had seen before; & is call’d Mount St Elias by the Russians, who landed near this Place & had a Boats Crew cut off by the Natives. A Breeze springing up we stood along the Coast, which from hence trends to the W.N.W.

On the 12th of May, about Noon, we discover’d an Opening which had a very promising Appearance; as the Weather being hazy we cou’d not see any Land within it: having a favourable Wind we bore away for it immediately, flattering

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ourselves with the Hope of having found the Passage we were in search of. By 4 O’Clock we got up to it, & found it to be about four Leagues wide; but had scarce stood into it before we saw two high bluff Points open one after the other, on the East Side; which we had no sooner pass’d, but were oblig’d to come to an Anchor, about a ¼ of a Mile from the Shore, by reason of a very thick Fog coming on, which render’d it too hazardous to proceed any further at that Time.

A Boat was sent on Shore with a few People to haul the Seine for Fish; we caught several Cod along Side with Hook & Line, which were a most welcome Acquisition to us, being almost starved with Hunger. We had no Idea from the Appearance of the Country, it being intirely cover’d with Snow, that there were any Inhabitants here; till our People that were upon the Beach hauling the Seine saw two large Canoes full of Men making towards them; upon which having no Arms, they instantly put off from the Shore & return’d on board, without having caught any Fish.

The Natives came off within about a Cables length of the Ships, & paddled round them three or four times, singing hallooing all the while, very loud, but we cou’d not entice them to come along-side: they continued to reconnoitre us about two Hours, & then return’d to the Shore.

The next Morning the Weather being tolerably clear our Hope of a Passage here in a great Measure vanish’d, upon seeing Sand all round us: we now weigh’d & stood further up to the Northward; but in the Afternoon the Wind coming on to blow very fresh, with hard Rain & a thick Fog, we were again oblig’d to stop, & work up into a Cove on the East Shore, where we came to and steadied with a small Anchor & Hawser. The Weather clearing up in the Morning, we perceiv’d that we had got into a large Sound, to which Captn Cook gave the Name of Sandwich, but it is since alter’d to Prince William Henry’s: it lies in Lat: 60½ ° N. & Longt 213° E. & is 25 Leagues to the NW of King Georges Sound. The interior Part of the Country is very Mountainous, the Shore is in

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general steep & rocky, & thinly cover’d with Pines, which are of a small Growth. The Natives came off to us a little after Daylight, & ventur’d to come on board the Ship; they brought with them great Numbers of Skins which we purchas’d with the usual Articles; that of the Sea-Beaver in particular we found very plentiful.

A Boat was sent with the Master to go round a long Point about a Mile from us, to sound & look for Water; he had no sooner come near the Shore, but he perceiv’d several Canoes in pursuit of him, which oblig’d him to put back, & had scarce time to get clear of them.

The Weather being moderate we heel’d the Ship to Port as much as possible, to examine the Leak on the Starboard Buttock before mention’d; which we were lucky enough to bring above Water, it being close below the Wale; & occasion’d by some of the Seams being very open, & the Oakum quite rotten, & a great Part of it got out: in two Days we repair’d this Defect, being oblig’d to put two & a half Inch Rope along the Seams, which were too wide for caulking. During this Time we completed our Water from a Rivulet near us in the Cove. Wild Ducks & Geese seem to be very plentiful here, but are so shy that we shot very few of them.

About an Hour after the Natives first came off to us, three or four of them very leisurely got out of their Canoes into our Cutter that was lying alond Side, the others at the same time handing them Arms, & were going to take her away, with two of our Men that were in her; till the People on board perceiv’d it, & drove them out; nor did they quit her till they were absolutely forc’d to it.

A little afterwards some of them along-side the Discovery Chanc’d to go on board when the People were below at Breakfast, & the Ship being flush fore & aft they saw only two or three that were upon Deck looking out; from which they suppos’d there were no more belonging to her, & that they should be able to take Possession of her; accordingly they dispatch’d a Canoe to acquaint those that were with us, who all instantly paddled away to the Discovery to assist them, thinking to have a very valuable Prize: several of them now ventur’d on board, & laid hold of such moveable

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things as came first to hand; & were going very deliberately to carry them into their Canoes, till they were prevented by the People coming upon Deck with Cutlasses &c at which they seem’d much surpris’d, & quitted what they had hold of very quietly, but appear’d to be greatly disappointed.

These Indians are in most Respects like those at King George’s Sound; their faces are flatter & broader, & their Disposition more savage; but their Dress, & the Manner of painting their Forehead, is exactly the Same: they have a Slit thro’ the lower Part of their under lip, parallel to their Mouth, & two thirds the length of it, thro’ which they wear a smooth white Bone, by way of Ornament; it is about an Inch & a half long & half an Inch broad, is flat & has a Hook on the upper End, by which it hangs upon the Lip; being Part seen above & Part below; having a very odd appearance. In rainy Weather they wear a kind of Frock or Jacket made of the Entrails of the Whale or Seal, sewn together with Sinews so close as not to admit a Drop of Water: of these they have two sorts, one being as thin as the Skin of a Bladder, & the other as thick as the Leather we use for Gloves; they tie close round the Neck & Wrists & reach almost to their Knees: we purchas’d several and found them very convenient.

Their Arms & Fishing Geer are likewise the same as at King George’s Sound; but their Canoes are very different, & of two Kinds: The large open ones are fram’d or rib’d with Wood somewhat like our Cutters, & cover’d with Whale Skin instead of Plank; & will carry fifteen or twenty Men. The small ones are long & narrow; & sharp at both ends; they are fram’d with Wood & intirely cover’d with a white Skin of some Fish, except one or two round Holes that are left open, just large enough for a Man to sit in: those with only one, have it in the middle; & carry only one Person; those with two Holes, have them one third of the length of the Canoe from one another, & that Distance from the Extremities & carry two People. They use a long Paddle which is broad & flat towards the Ends, and round in the middle, where they hold it with both Hands; using it first on one Side of them & then on the other, in which Manner they go very swiftly.

After three Days stay in this Cove, we weigh’d early in the Morning & stood to the Northward, keeping over

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to the East Shore. At Noon having light Winds & Calms, we were very near being carried by small Drain of a Tide upon some Rocks which lie above Water off the Point of an Island; but luckily with the Assistance of our Boats in towing & sounding a Passage into deep Water (for we had got upon a Shoal) we went clear of them. In the Afternoon it being quite Calm, we came to off an Island lying at the Head of the Sound, about 12 Leagues from the Entrance: two Boats well arm’d with an Officer in each were sent to examine an Inlett running up to the North-East; they went up four or five Miles & finding it to grow much narrower return’d on board: there are two or three smaller ones along the upper Part of the Sound, but they did not appear to be worth searching into. A light Breeze springing up we weigh’d & stood back to the Southward; giving over every Hope of a Passage in this Place. The next Day we perceiv’d another Opening out to Sea, to the Westward of that we came in at, & seperated from it by a large Island lying in the Entrance of the Sound, which we had mistaken for the main Sound. On the 21st of May we sail’d thro’ the West Passage, having been in here nine Days.

From hence we stood along the Coast which trend to the W.S.W. having a very barren Appearance, there being not the least Shrub to be seen. From the 24th to the 27th we were turning up to the Entrance of a large Inlet about eight Leagues wide, with a Cluster of small Islands and Rocks lying off the middle of it; it lies in Lat. 59° N. and Longt 208° E, & afforded a very flattering Prospect. We found a strong Tide here running at the Rate of five & an half Miles P. Hour, which ebb’d & flow’d equal Time had Soundings from 20 to 30 Fathoms: the Wind being directly against us we work’d up with the Flood & came to on the Ebb, both Night & Day, having no Darkness. Found the Inlet to run up to the N.N.E. & continuing nearly the same width: the East Shore is low & marshy

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for six or seven Leagues inland, & then rises into high Mountains cover’d with Snow; the West Side is likewise low towards the Water, but not above one or two Leagues inland, in some Places only one or two Miles: there are two very high Mountains on this Side about 30 Leagues from the Entrance, one of which is a Volcano; & opposite them lies a small high Island over on the same Shore. The low Land was quite clear of Snow, but without the least Signs of Fertility, not having a single shrub on it.

Four or five small Canoes came off to us with one or two Men in each, & brought with them a few fresh Salmon which we purchas’d, & heartily wish’d for more, these serving only to raise our Desire for what we cou’d not procure, as they did not come off to us again: they were like the Natives of the Sound we left both in their Person & Dress, but seemingly of a more mild Disposition. Had Soundings here from 25 to 20 Fathoms, shoaling to 15 & 10 on each side.

After having work’d up to the Latitude of 64°N., & upwards of 60 leagues from the Entrance, we found what we now perceiv’d to be a large River to separate into two Branches, one running up to the Northward, & the other to the Eastward, which entirely destroy’d every Hope of a Passage. The latter we attempted to go up with the Ships, but found a Bar with only one Fathom Water across the Mouth of it, which was about two Miles wide, with a high bluff Point on each Side; there is a Probability of this Branch having communication with Prince Willm Henry’s Sound, from which it is not far distant. Sent two Boats arm’d with the Master to the Northwest to examine the other Arm of the River, the Entrance of which was about a League broad, with low swampy ground on each Side of it: they went up four or five Leagues & finding it grow rather narrower they return’d on board. We landed upon a small Island lying between the two Branches, & took Possession of the Country in the Name of His Britannic Majesty: about a Dozen of the Natives were present & behaved very friendly, but had no Idea what we were doing. There are a few small Pines growing here upon the low Land, but none betwixt this and the Entrance.

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Finding nothing cou’d be done here, & having no Time to spare, we work’d down again in the same Manner as we had done in coming up; for the Wind very unfortunately just this Time shifted round to the Southward directly against us. About a quarter of the way down, having a moderate Breeze & the Tide then half Ebb, the Ship run aground upon the Edge of a Shoal over upon the West Shore, where she remain’d fast, we carried out an Anchor into deep Water & hove taught, & on the next Flood she floated & we got her off without Damage, the Shoal being fine Sand. This Part of the Country appears to be very thinly inhabited, for we saw no more of the Natives than those we mention’d. About the 7th of June we got out of the River, which bears the name of our Commander; having had very fine weather all the Time we were in it.

We continued to turn up along the Coast, which from this trends to the Southward, to the Latitude of 57° N.; & then turns off due West, having several small Islands lying off the Shore at a little Distance. In the Longitude of 204° E. we had a thick Fog, wherein we run a Day & a Night without seeing the Land, for the Space of twenty Leagues: the Weather clearing up we saw two or three high Islands to the Southward of us, about ten Leagues didtant from the Shore; having pass’d within them we had light Airs & Calms for four or five Days wherein we got but a little Distance. A fair Wind coming we stood thro’ a very narrow Passage between a large Cluster of small Islands & the main Land; two of the Natives came on board here & gave us a Letter, which we cou’d not understand but suppos’d it to have been left here by the Russians, as we afterwards learnt to be the Case. These Islands were seen by Behring, & call’d by him Shumagin, they lie in Lat. 55° N. & Longt 200° E. & are 120 Leagues distant from Cook’s River. We continued to follow the Direction of the Coast, which trended to the WSW. & pass’d several Patches of Rocks lying within us, & 4 or 5 Miles distance from the Shore. About the 21st of June we were becalm’d for two or three Days off a low Island lying near the Main, in Lat: 54½° N. & Longt 197° E. to which we gave the Name of Halibut, from the great Quantity of that Fish we caught here along-Side with Hook & Line; they were a most welcome Acquisition to us & afforded an excellent Feast for four or five Days. There are four very large Mountains on this Part of the Coast, nearly at equal Distance

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from one another; but the Land round them is of a very moderate height: the westernmost is the highest we have seen during the Voyage, & perhaps the World; it is exceeding steep all round, the Sides rising in a direct Line, & terminate in a Point at the Top, on which is a Volcano with a large Column of Smoak constantly issuing out of it; yet it is cover’d with Snow all the way up. A fair Wind springing up we stood to the S.W. & passed to the Southward of several small Islands lying off the Land. In the Evening a thick Fog coming on , we haul’d our Wind off Shore; at 4 o’Clock in the Morning we bore away again to the Westward with a fresh Breeze, tho’ the Fog was still so thick that we cou’d scarce see the length of the Ship from us; about half an Hour afterwards, going then five or six Knots, we all at once heard Breakers close to us, but even in the short Space of a Minute we perceiv’d by the Sound that we had pass’d them; hove the Lead, & finding Ground at 20 fathoms, we instantly let go the Anchor, & took in our Sails. The Fog did not clear away till 10 o’Clock; when tho’ we were then lying very safe, yet we cou’d not help being struck with Horror at the Sight of the Dangers we had escap’d; having three or four Patches of Rocks above Water about a third of a Mile from one another on one Side of us, & the Land half a Mile distant on the other: so that even after clearing the Rocks, had we stood on only six Minutes longer we shou’d have run on Shore, & from the Rate of our going must inevitably have been lost: a more providential Escape from instant Destruction being scarce to be met with.

We now weigh’d & turn’d up to windward for a small opening to the N.W. which we reach’d in two or three Days; the Wind coming favourable we attempted to stand up it, but after we had got about two Miles, we found ourselves set astern by a strong Current, which oblig’d us to come to an Anchor; it running at the Rate of six Knots. We now perceiv’d this to be a small Strait about a Mile wide & four or five Miles long between two large Islands lying close to a Point of the Main, with the Sea to the Northward of them.

About an Hour afterwards we weigh’d & stood into an excellent Harbour on the S.W. Side in Lat: 54° N. & Longt 193° East. The Entrance into it is about a third of a Mile broad, with a Patch of Rocks on each Side; it runs up to the Southward a Mile & an half, & then turns off, to the Westward a Mile further, & is about half a Mile wide all the way up: the Shore on the East Side, & half up the West, is steep & rocky; at the Head of it is a black sandy Beach, & a large Rivulet of excellent Water

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which runs thro’ a long narrow Valley between two Ridges of high Hills, & empties itself here: there is likewise a small Rivulet on the west Side, & a Fall of Water from the Cliffs a little above the Entrance. We came to in 42 fathoms Water & good Ground about half way up, from whence the Soundings decreased gradually to within half a Mile of the Head of the Harbour which is very shoal. Steadied with a small Anchor and Hawser; & immediately began watering, which we completed here. The shore had a very steril Appearance, not having a Tree of any kind upon it, only here & there a few small Bushes, with a Blossom upon them resembling that of the Apple both in Colour & Smell, but much smaller.

We were invited by the Natives, who ventur’d to come along Side & on board without the least Diffidence and behav’d with the greatest Civility imaginable; being more mild in their Disposition, & inoffensive in their Behaviour than any Indians we met on the Coast, which is fully expressed in their Countenance. In their Stature & Complexion they resemble those at Prince William Henry’s Sound, but their Dress is somewhat different; for instead of Furs their Garments are made of the Skins of other Animals, or those of Birds or Fish sewn together, which are generally very dirty. They wear upon their Head a kind of wooden Bonnet without a Crown to it, which they us’d to pull off to us and bow at the same Time as we do to one another in Europe: we suppose them to have learned this from some Russians, who probably trade to these Parts. They likewise wear in rainy Weather a Frock made of the Entrails of Fish as has been describ’d at the last Sound; & have a Slit along the under Lip & a small white Bone thro’ it, in the same manner. They are the most tacit Set of People we ever met with, for we never heard them speak but when real Occasion requir’d.

Their Canoes are all of the small kind, & exactly like those we saw last; the upper Part of them is almost cover’d with small Darts for fishing, like those describ’d at King George’s Sound; but we did not perceive that these People had any Bows & Arrows, as they have there.

Their Houses are different to any we have hitherto seen; and a Person unacquainted with them wou’d not suppose they were such till he came close to them; for they appear only like so many Heaps of Earth cover’d with Turf, rising gradually all round to the heigth of three or four Feet in the Middle, where there is a Hole thro’ which the Natives descend

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by a Ladder to the Floor, which is about six Feet below the Surface of the Ground; & is either oblong, square or circular, & generally about 25 Feet from one Extremity to the other. Round the Sides are plac’d several upright Pieces of Wood to support the lower Part of the Roof, which is one or two Feet above the Ground, & consists of a Number of Spars laid across & meeting in the Center, where they rise about two Feet & rest upon a large Piece of Timber standing upright in the Middle of the Floor; upon these Spars they first lay small Sticks, then dried Grass, and upon that a sufficient Quantity of Earth & Turf to keep out the Wet. The Inside is throughout remarkably dirty, contains two, three, or four Families, who are separated from each other somewhat like Horses in a Stable: their Bed Places are built up round the Sides, & cover’d with Skins, & serve for Seats in the Day, being the only ones they have.

Where they procure the Wood their Houses are built with we can’t determine, for we are certain that there is none upon this Island, & the nearest that we have seen is at Prince William Henry’s Sound, which is 250 Leagues distant; therefore I suppose it to be what has drifted along the Coast, which probably they go in search of.

Their chief Employment seems to be in fishing; as on that their Sustenance principally depends: they catch Halibut, Salmon & Trout when in Season in great Quantities, & during the Summer take care to dry & lay up a sufficient Stock for their Winter Support. We cou’d not get any fresh Fish here at this Time of the Year, but purchas’d a few dried ones from the Natives for Tobacco, which they are exceedingly fond of, as likewise of Snuff, & were the first Indians we met with that express’d the least Desire for either. After a Stay here of three or four Days, on the 2nd of July, we sail’d out of the Harbour; & having a fair Wind & fine Weather, we stood to the Northward & got thro’ the Strait; which we were not able to do before for the Strength of the Current.

From hence we followed the Direction of the Coast, which trends back to the N.E., and nearly parallel to that on the other Side of the Strait, with which it forms a long Neck of Land from 12 to 20 Leagues in breadth & 130 in length. The Weather being foggy we trac’d this Part but imperfectly,

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sometimes not being able to see it: having got up to the Latitude of 58½° N. & Longt 203° Et the Fog clear’d away & we found the Coast to turn off suddenly to the westward, forming a large Bay with that already past, to which we gave the Name of Bristol: The Land here is low & broken, but continued to have the same barren Appearance, the Weather being now very fine we kept within two or three Leagues of the Shore, carrying Soundings from 15 to 25 faths for the Distance of 50 Leagues to a Cape which we nam’d Newenham, in Lat. 58°..40’ N. & Longt 198° Et.

Some of our Gentlemen landed here & saw two Deer at a Distance, but did not perceive any Indians. From this Cape the Coast trends due North, which we trac’d up to the Latitude of 60° N. at about four Leagues from the Shore, not being able to approach any nearer for Shoal Water. In coming to an Anchor here we parted our best Bower Cable at the Clinch in bringing up, occasion’d by the Strength of the Tide, which runs at the rate of four or five Knots p.Hour: but after trying two days we were lucky enough to get our Anchor again, as it lay only in seven or eight Fathoms Water.

The Land as far as we cou’d see from hence continued in the same Direction; & finding that we cou’d trace it no further for shoal Water, we attempted to stand to the westward directly off Shore, but were prevented by a Shoal lying without us: we now perceiv’d that we had come up a Channel from three to six or seven Miles wide; with a Patch of Rocks in the Middle of it level with the Water, & a Shoal on each Side that the Ships cou’d not get over, but so deep as to be intirely hid: therefore we had nothing to guide us in working back to the Southward for the Distance of 16 Leagues but our Soundings, which were about 15 Fathoms in mid-Chanel. During this we were very fortunate in having moderate Weather; for if in this dangerous & critical Situation, a Gale of Wind had come on, added to the Strength of the Tide in all probability we shou’d have been wreck’d.

After having got clear of the Shoals we left the Coast & stood to the Westward; carrying Soundings from 28 to 32 Fathoms all the way to an Island we fell in with on the 29th of July: in Lat: 60½° N & Longt 187° Et & about

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12 Leagues to the W.N.W. of Cape Newenham. It is about three Leagues in length & two Miles in breadth, is intirely barren & frequented only by a great Number of Sea-Birds of various Kinds, from which we gave it the Name of Bird Island.

From hence we sail’d N.E.b.N. & carried the same Soundings for the Distance of 100 Leagues, till we made the Coast again on the 4th of August, in Lat: 61½° N. & Longt 193½° Et. Off here we lost Mr William Anderson our Surgeon, who died of a Decline, being the second Person since we left England; the first was a Quarter-Master, died off Sandwich Islands, of the same Disorder.

The Weather being very foggy we came to an Anchor within a small High Island lying close to the Main where Capt Cook with some Gentlemen went on Shore, & gave it the Name of Sledge Island from Part of one they found upon it; they brought on board a few Vegetables which we had boil’d in our Peas, but did not perceive any Natives here. The next Day we weigh’d and stood along Shore, which trends due West; but having foggy Weather & a strong Tide, we were frequently oblig’d to come to an Anchor. After tracing the Land which is very high & barren, for the Distance of 40 Leags in the above Direction, we found it to turn off to the N.N.E., & ending in a low sandy Point with Breakers running of it; upon which we very narrowly escap’d being drove by a hard Gale of Wind attended with very severe Squalls.

This is the western Extremity of America; and with a Point opposite to it on the Coast of Asia call’d the Zerd-Kamen by the Russians, forms a Strait between the two Continents about 14 Leagues wide, in Lat: 65°..40’ N. and Longt 191°: Et : the first, & I believe the only one that had sail’d thro’ it was Behring in 1728 after whom it is nam’d.

The Gale abating after six or eight Hours, we left the Coast and stood over to two small high Islands in sight of it to the westward, which lie directly in the Middle of the Straight: we passed close by them, they being bold to, & carried Soundings from 23 to 30 Fathoms over to the Coast of Asia, which we made the next Morning, in Lat: 65½° N. & Longt 189° E. The interior Part is very Hilly, the Shore of a moderate heigth, but is steep & rocky, & has a very steril Appearance, not having a Tree or Shrub of any Kind upon it that we cou’d perceive. We came to an Anchor

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off a small Bay; the Water up it being too shoal for the Ships; it is call’d by the Russians St Lawrence, & lies about 12 Leagues to the S.W. of the Strait.

A few of the Natives came off to us, who are much like those at the Harbour we left in their Stature & Person, but far neater in their Dress; which consists of Skins worn nearly in the same Manner: they are the only People we have seen since that Time, & are call’d by the Russians the Tehutaki. Capt Cook went on shore here with two Boats well man’d & arm’d & was receiv’d by a great Number of them in a very friendly Manner; having at the same Time Weapons in their Hands, which to Appearance they design’d to use only on the Defensive: they made the Captain a Present of several Things that they had about them, and wou’d not take any Thing in Return till after much Persuasion. When the Boats return’d on board we weigh’d & stood to the N.E. towards the Zerd-Kamen, which is the eastern Extremity of the Coast of Asia: pass’d betwixt it & the two Islands mention’d above, & were becalm’d for two Days about four or five Leagues to the Northw’d of them; we had the same Soundings as before, and no particular Current or Tide that I recollect, of any Consequence.

A Breeze springing up we stood over to the Coast of America, just to the Northward of the low Point that forms that Side of the Strait; from which we trac’d it in a N.E. Direction up to the Latitude of 67° N. where having a thick Fog, we stood on without seeing the Land for the space of 10 Leagues; the Weather clearing up we got sight of it again & kept along Shore, which trended N.b.E. up to 68°; the Weather then coming on foggy again we lost Sight of it & stood on to the Northwd for the Distance of 11 Leagues, where we fell in with it & trac’d it in a N.b.W. Direction up to 70°, from whence it trends to the N.E. This Part of the Coast is high inland, but rather low towards the Shore; & is throught intirely cover’d with Snow. Having got up to the Latitude of 70°,,40’ N. & Longt 198½° Et & NEbN 110 Leagues from the Strait, we found that we cou’d not approach the Land within six or eight Leagues for shoal Water; or get any further to the Northwd for a firm Field of Ice, which extended from the Shore as far to the westward as we cou’d see.

We now left the Coast & stood along the Ice; keeping as close to the firm Body as we cou’d, & passing thro’ a great Number

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of loose Fields lying off it. Having run in this Manner about 45 Leagues we got clear of it, & found an open Sea to the Northward of us: we still continued our Course to the W.S.W., & did not meet with it again for the Space of 36 Leagues; from whence we trac’d it in a firm Body in the above Direction for that Distance; till we found it join to the opposite Coast of Asia, in Lat: 68¾° N. & Longt 181° Et; which is 127 Leagues from the Northernmost Part seen of America, & bears N.W. ½ W. 100 Leagues from Behring’s Strait. Had regular Soundings all the Way across, from 28 to 32 Fathoms; & were often in great Dander of being embay’d by the loose Ice, from having thick hazy Weather all the Time we were amongst it.

During this cold & disagreeable Passage we met with great Numbers of Sea Horses; but why they are so call’d I can’t imagine, for they bear not the smallest Resemblance to that Animal: They are about the Size of a large Ox, & have a very thick Hide thinly cover’d with short bristly Hair; their Head is very small & is the only Part about them that has the least Appearance of a Beast; the rest of their Body being like a Fish, the hinder Part tapering in that Manner, & terminating in a Couple of Fins about two Feet long instead of Legs, Having likewise one of the same length upon each Shoulder; with which they swin faster than cou’d be imagined, but more slowly upon the Ice: they have two large white Ivory Teeth like those of the Elephant, projecting with a small Curve downwards from their upper Jaw; which are from one & half to two Feet in length, & nearly parallel to each other at about five Inches Distance, & end in a Point at the outer Extremities.

That they are endued with a greater Share of Sagacity & Understanding than the generality of Animals, will appear from the following Instance. When they want to sleep, a Number of them assemble upon a small Piece of Ice separate from the rest, & only just large enough for that Purpose, that they may the more readily get off from it into the Water, in Case of the approach of an Enemy: I believe the only one they are apprehensive of is the white Bear, which is likewise amphibious; & being much nimbler upon the Ice than they are, have there greatly the Advantage of them; but in the Water the Sea-Horse is the swiftest, & most formidable on account of its Teeth. Therefore to prevent being surpris’d in their Sleep, they always appoint one as a Sentinel, & place it in the Middle, to keep watch over them during that Time; which Charge it strictly & faithfully performs, keeping the fore Part of its Body erect, & an attentive

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Eye all round. As we approach’d them with the Ships, they wou’d lie very quiet till we came within two Cables length of them; when the one that had the watch, wou’d make a great Noise to alarm the Rest; upon which they all began by degrees to raise their Head & Shoulders & look round them, & crawl to the Edge of the Ice & plunge Head foremost into the Water: so that by the Time we had got within half a Cables length of them there wou’d not be one remaining. The Noise they make is a Mean betwixt the barking of a Dog, & the bellowing of an Ox. We hoisted out our Boats to get some, & with great Difficulty kill’d & brought on board eight or ten of them; for tho’ we row’d ever so softly yet by the Time we got within good Musket Shot, it was a great Chance if there were any left; & unless we fir’d at them whilst they were upon the Ice, it was twenty to one that we cou’d hit them in the Water, as they dive immediately: they will in general bear three or four Balls in their Body before they are kill’d; except in their Head; & there one is sufficient. Their affection for their Young, & even for one another, is very great & remarkable; for whenever one of them got wounded in the Water if any of the rest were near they wou’d come to its Assistance, & carry it off if possible at the Risk of their own Lives: but if by chance we had kill’d one of their Young, the Mother wou’d come & make every Attempt to rescue it from us; & even try to upset the Boat it was in by hooking the Side with her Teeth, which she wou’d follow till she was kill’d; all the Time making a very lamentable Noise, & showing every Sign of real parental Distress.

After we had got them on board they were skin’d & cut up by the Butcher: the Hide we preserv’d for the Riging, the Blubber or Fat we put into Casks, to melt down into train Oil for our Lamps; & the Flesh, disgustful as it was we eat thro’ extreme Hunger, caus’d by the badness & short Allowance of our Provisions; which were just sufficient to exist upon, & were now reduc’d on Account of this Supply; the Quality of which will be best describ’d in the several Preparations it went thro’ before it was possible to eat it.

In the first Place we let it hang up in the Air for one Day that the Blood might drain from it, which wou’d continue to drop for four or five Days when permitted to remain so long, but that our Hunger wou’d not allow of at first; after that we tow’d it overboard for twelve Hours, then boil’d it four Hours

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the next Day cut it into Steaks & fry’d it; & even then it was too rank both in Smell & Taste to make use of, unless with plenty of Pepper & Salt, & these two Articles were very scarce amongst us. However our Hunger got the better of the Quality, in the Quantity we found some Comfort, having as much of it as we cou’d eat, which was what we had been a long Time unaccustomed to. We salted some of it by way of Experiment, which after lying two or three Weeks we found was little improv’d; but still cou’d only be eat by such as were at the Point of perishing with Hunger, & where no other Food was to be procur’d.

Having made the Coast of Asia as before mention’d, we found it to trend to the S.E: it is of a moderate heigth & appears at a Distance like a Number of small Islands; but on nearer approach we perceiv’d it to be a straight Shore, without the least Signs of an Inlet or Harbour; & having a very barren Appearance, there not being a Tree or Shrub to be seen. We kept close in with it in the above Direction down to Behrings’ Strait, which we stood thro’, & having very fine Weather, still continued along that Shore; after passing the Bay of St Lawrence, we trac’d it S.W.b.S. about 30 Leagues, & then bore away for the Coast of America; & in two Days, on the 8th of Septr made Sledge Island, being now about five Weeks since we left it.

As we had not explor’d that Part of the Coast lying to the Eastward of us, we now trac’d it due East for the Distance of 30 Leagues, when we perceiv’d Land to the Southward, forming with that we were standing along, a large Sound, to which we gave the Name of Norton. We had very pleasant Weather here, but the Wind shifted directly against us; however we work’d up to the Eastward along the North Shore for several Leagues, till we cou’d proceed no further for shoal Water, having carried Soundings from four & a half to three & a half Fathoms for a very considerable Distance. We came to an Anchor off a large sandy Beach, there being not the least Appearance of a Harbour on this part of the Coast; which is very Mountainous Inland, but towards the Shore is of moderate heigth, thinly cover’d with small Pines: this being the first Wood we had seen since we left Cook’s River it was quite a new Sight to us, & appear’d very delightful. We found Hurtle Crane Berries here in great Plenty, which proov’d a far more delicious Treat to us than the Fruits of the tropical Islands, being at present in much greater want of them; yet we got but few, as we were allow’d to go on Shore only for a very short Time. We took in some Water here, & a great

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Quantity of Wood, the Beach being almost cover’d with Dead Trees & Branches that had drifted upon it. As we cou’d not get any further with the Ships, two Boats were sent well arm’d under the Command of Mr King our second Lieutenant to examine the Head of the Sound; & discover the Land on the South Side join’d to this on the North. We saw about twelve of the Natives, from whom we purchas’d several Salmon Trout, which were very acceptable to us.

After three Days we weigh’d & stood over to the other Side of the Sound, which is here about seven Leagues across; & anchored within a bluff Point that stretch’d a little way out & form’d a small Bay to the westward of it. We landed & found great Plenty of Berries, & a few Current Bushes but they had no Fruit left upon them: we gather’d great Quantities of an Herb that grows here to make use of in lieu of Tea which has a very agreeable Flavour; & is the same Kind as is us’d by the Indians of Hudsons Bay & Newfoundland. We only saw one Copse of Trees here, the Shore on this Side being in general quite low & marshy. After three Days Absent the Boats return’d on board, having been up seven or eight Leagues; but cou’d not reach the Head of the Sound within two Leagues for shoal Water: they found the Land on each Side to meet within a small Space of no Consequence.

The next Day we weigh’d & stood to the Westward along the South Shore, but cou’d not approach it for Shoals. After running ten or twelve Leagues we haul’d round a small low Island lying close to the Main, which from hence turn round to the Southward; we attempted to trace it along but were again prevented by shoal Water, not being able to get near enough to keep within Sight of it.

This Part of the Coast, which makes the South Point of the Sound, lies in Lat: 63° N & Longt 197° E. being due North and 63 Leagues distant from that Part above Cape Newenham which we were oblig’d to leave for the same Reason: so that the above Space remains still unexplor’d; but the shoal Water both to the Southward & Northward of it, leaves not the least Room to suppose a Passage there.

On the 20th of September we left the Sound, & stood to the Westward; & on the 23rd we fell in with an Island in Lat 63¼° N. & Longt 191° Et the Weather being foggy we cou’d not see the Extent of it, & the Wind blowing very fresh we did not stop but stood to the Southward for Bird Island; which we made

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and from thence directed our Course to the S.S.E. for the Harbour we left on the 2nd of July, which is 144 Leagues distant.

We arrived there on the 3rd of Oct., & moor’d the Ships about half way up; & as we intended to stay some Time to refresh ourselves, we set up our Observatories for making Observations to regulate our Time-Keeper, which we had not done since we left King George’s Sound. We likewise sent out Sails & empty Casks on Shore to repair them. Hurtle & Crane Berries we found in great Quantities; & the small Bushes that were in Blossom when we sail’d, were now full of black Berries about the Size of a large Currant; they were very agreeable to the Taste, & of a different Kind from any we had ever seen; but did not continue above a Week or ten Days after we came in, being nearly out of Season. The Natives came & traded with us as before in a very friendly Manner: they have got six or seven small Villages in different Parts of the Island which is about 12 Leagues in Extent, but they don’t appear to be very numerous. During the first Week we caught plenty of Salmon Trout with our Seine, by spreading it opposite to a Rivulet of fresh Water, there being several that empty themselves here: we likewise sent a Boat every Day without the Harbour to fish with Hook & Line, which generally return’d with a sufficient Quantity of Halibut to serve the whole Ship’s Company. These few Refreshments we found very comfortable, having been without any Kind for a long Time.

After we had been about eight Days, one of the Natives brought the Captain a present of a Cake of Rye-flour with some Salmon bak’d in the Middle of it; & told us it came from some People upon the Island about five Leagues distant. Capt Cook immediately suppos’d them to be Russians, who had either settled there or were trading upon the Island: therefore he sent one of our Corporals of Marines who was a very intelligent Man, back with the Native to learn who they were. In two Days Time he return’d with three Russians, from whom we were inform’d that about fifteen of them had settled there, & liv’d together in a House built with Logs of Wood laid horizontally one upon another & let in at the Corners. About three Days afterwards we were visited by the chief Person amongst them; who was Captain of a small one masted Sloop they had got laid up there, which was remarkably clumsy & ill built. He seem’d to be very active & intelligent, but unluckily we had no Person on board that had the least

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Knowledge of the Russian Language; therefore we were oblig’d to converse with him principally by Signs. He understood Figures, & likewise our Charts exceedingly well; & inform’d us that there were a Range of small Islands extending from this about six or eight Degrees to the Westward, & that they had some small Settlements there. He gave us a Manuscript Chart of them, & those Parts of the Continent that he was acquainted with, which was tolerably correct: & we learn from him that they had extended their Trade along the Coast to the Eastward as far as Shumagin Islands, which lie 84 Leagues from hence; & was the Place where the Natives brought off a Letter to us that we cou’d not understand. He likewise inform’d us that some Russians had attempted to settle upon the Main about Norton Sound, but were not able to accomplish it having had some of their People cut off by the Natives, who were too numerous for them, tho’ we saw very few there. Capt Cook made him a Present of a Quadrant with which he was much pleas’d, & seem’d to understand the use of it perfectly well, tho’ they have got none in these parts. We inquir’d of him concerning the State of their Settlement in the Bay of Awatcha on the Coast of Kamtchatka, which he told us was very well peopled & had a fort with forty Guns in it: & when we acquainted him that we shou’d go there, he gave us a Letter for the Governor & said that it wou’d by no means answer our Purpose, as they wou’d give us no Assistance or Supplies of any Kind, & endeavour’d much to persuade us from it. They had seen us the first Time we came here, but were then afraid to come near us, not knowing our Intentions or who we were; & even now we cou’d not perfectly satisfy them with Respect to the latter, as they had little or no Knowledge of the English or any other European State but their own.

They differ very little from the Natives in their Dress or yet in their Sustenance, except in having a small Quantity of Rye-flour that they got from the Bay of Awatcha which lies 410 Leagues to the Westward. The whole Intention & Support of their Settlements upon these Islands consists in Skins & Furs; Part of which they trade for, & Part exact from the Natives as a Tribute to the Empress. The mild Disposition of these Indians, which we took Notice of the first Time we were here, is now very easily accounted for;

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as they are all subject to the Russians, who keep them in awe with their Fire-arms.

The Name they give to the Harbour we were in is Samanooda, & to the Island Oonalaska; which with the Island of Oomenak that lies to the N.E. of it, forms the small Strait betwixt them that we came thro’ when we were here before: the latter lies close to the Point of a long Neck of Land before mention’d, which we find from their Chart is call’d Alaska.

Having overhaul’d our Riging, completed our Water, & refresh’d ourselves as well as the Place wou’d admit of; after a Stay of above three Weeks, we weigh’d & stood thro’ the Strait to the Westward, to examine some Islands lying in that Direction, which the Russian Captain had inform’d us of; but the Weather coming on foggy, & a very hard Gale of Wind directly against us, we were oblig’d to give up our Design, & bear away again for the Strait; which we stood thro’ ; & on the 31st of October 1778, we lost sight of the Land & directed our Course to the Southward for Sandwich Islands, where we intended to pass the Winter: Capt Cook having publickly declar’d to the Ship’s Company upon our leaving the Ice, that he intended to make another Attempt there in Search of a Passage the next Summer.

Thus ended a very hazardous & disagreeable Season, wherein we survey’d an Extent of Coast of 1200 Leagues; which is far more than ever any Navigator had done before. It is necessary to observe that having very often had either a Tide or Current when near the Shore, we were frequently oblig’d to come to an Anchor; but as to have mention’d it every Time wou’d have been too tedious, I have only taken Notice of the most material ones. Excepting the Gale we had after leaving King George’s Sound, & the one above mention’d, we were very fortunate in generally having fine Weather for our Purpose; but particularly when in any dangerous Situation, as we were often in such for a considerable Time together that if a Gale had then come on we must inevitably have been lost.

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On leaving the Land we had a very hard Gale of Wind from the N.W. which lasted three Days; but after that had fine Weather all the Passage.

About the 23rd of Novr we got into the parallel of Sandwich Islands & seven or eight Degrees to the Eastward of them; which we did intentionally to discover if there were any more in the Cluster to windward of those we had seen before. We now stood to the Westward, the two Ships keeping abreast of one another at two Leagues Distance all Day, & lying to during the Night: after sailing in this Manner three Days, we fell in with a large Island in Lat: 20¾° N. & Longt 205½° E. & about 100 Leagues distant from Towi. The interior Part is hilly, but the Shore is of a moderate height & has a very fertile & delightful Appearance: as soon as we had got within a Mile or two, the Natives came off to us & ventur’d on board without any Hesitation, & behav’d very friendly: they brought with them the Productions of the Island in great Plenty, which we purchas’d along Side with the usual Articles.

The Joy that we experience’d on our Arrival here is only to be conceiv’d by ourselves, or People under like Circumstances, for after suffering Excess of Hunger, & a Number of other Hardships most severely felt by us Midshipmen, for the Space of near ten Months; we had now come into a delightful Climate where we had almost every Thing we cou’d wish for in great Profusion: & this Luxury was still heighten’d by our having been at a shorter Allowance of Provisions this last Passage than ever we were at before.

Having Procur’d a sufficient Supply to last us four or five Days, we stood off & work’d up along Shore to the S.E. keeping at the Distance of 5 or 6 Leagues from the Land: when our Stock on board began to grow short, we went close in & traded for more, & then stood off again. This we continued to do for ten or twelve Days, till we weather’d the S.E. Point of the Island, which is call’d by the Natives Mowwee.

From hence we stood over to a large Island call’d Owyhee that lies in sight of it to the S.W. which we made on the N.E. Side. It is very Mountainous inland, & the Shore in general steep but exceeding fertile. The Natives came off to us in great Numbers, behav’d in a very friendly Manner: we traded with them as usual till we had purchas’d Provisions enough for five or six Days; which

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we did in three or four Hours, & might have got three Times as much if we had chose, for the greatest Part of their Canoes were oblig’d to return to the Shore with what they had brought off to us. We then stood off about five or six Leagues from the Land, & work’d up along Shore to the S.E.; keeping at that Distance till our Stock was expended, & then went in & traded for more, as we had done off the other Island. Asa we were not yet in want of Water, Capt Cook prefer’d this Method of passing the Time to going into a Harbour; as it was a great Means of saving Trade, of which he was apprehensive we shou’d not have as much as we might have Occasion for. The Discovery having broke an Arm of one of her Bower Anchors at the Island of Desolation, the Armourers were employ’d while we lay in Samganooda Harbour in working it up for that Purpose, which was proportionally divided betwixt the two Ships; & with several spare Iron Stores, principally belonging to the Shallop, serv’d us for Trade during our Stay among these Islands.

After standing off & on for upwards of a Month, & having coasted along near two thirds of the Island, we began to be in want of Water; therefore the Master with two Boats well arm’d was sent in Shore to look for a Harbour; & very luckily found a small Bay opposite to us, which was the first we had seen the least Appearance of: but however as this cou’d not be perceiv’d till we came within two Miles of it, we very probably might have pass’d others of the same Kind.

The next Morning, (being about the 10th of Janry 1779) we stood in for it with a light Breeze; & as we approach’d near the Shore, we were surrounded with upwards of one thousand Canoes, at the mean Rate of six People in each; & so very anxious were they to see us, that those who had none swam off in great Numbers & remain’d along-side in the Water, both Men, Women & Children for four or five Hours without seeming tir’d. The Decks both above & below were intirely cover’d with them, so that when we wanted to work the Ship we cou’d not come at the Ropes without first driving the greater Part of them overboard; which they bore with the utmost Cheerfulness & good Nature, jumping from every part of her into the Water as fast as they cou’d, appearing to be much diverted at it, & wou’d come on board again when the Business was over.

This Bay is situated on the West Side of the Island, in Lat: 19½° N. & Longt 204° Et., & is call’d by the Natives Carriacoah: it is small & open to the Sea which causes a Swell to set in, & a great Surf breaking on the Shore renders Landing rather difficult: the Bottom of it is a high steep Cliff, but the Sides are low & level with a Town upon each, at least eight Times as large as any we had

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seen before in the South Sea. The Country here is one entire Plantation as far as we cou’d see from the Ship, which is divided into small Squares by Stones thrown together or Hedges of Sugar Cane. We moored with the Bowers in 10 fathoms Water gravely Bottom; about two thirds of a Mile from the Town on the North Side, & one third from a large sandy Beach on the South Side near the Bottom of the Bay, which is the only one in it. We got our Observatories & Tents on Shore here as usual, & pitch’d them upon a large oblong Piece of Ground wall’d round with stones two or three Feet high, which was held sacred by the Natives; who notwithstanding their Curiosity, so great was their Superstition that none but the Chiefs dare venture to come upon it; so that our People were the less disturb’d by them. The Sailmakers were sent on Shore with the greatest Part of our Sails to repair, they being now very much worn; as was all our Riging, which we carefully overhaul’d here.

We were surrounded every Day with a great Number of Canoes, supplied by the Natives with Provisions in the most plentiful and hospitable Manner imaginable. The King of the Island whose Name was Terriaboo, & several other very powerful Chiefs, frequently came on board to visit Capt Cook, who always receiv’d them with the greatest Respect: they generally brought with them a large Present of Hogs, Fowls, Fruit &c for which in Return he gave them at different Times four or five small Iron Daggers, about two Feet & an half long, in form of their own Wooden ones, & made by the Armourer for that Purpose; likewise such other Trinkets as they were pleas’d with.

What we were most in want of here was good Water, that which there is being in standing Pools & very muddy & brackish; except some we got from a small Spring in a Well at the Foot of a Rock close to the Beach, which yielded very little; tho’ it was clear & much better than the other, yet was render’d brackish from its being so near the Water Side. We purchas’d not less than ten or twelve Punchions of excellent Salt here, which is principally made by the Sun, & was the first we met with during the Voyage: this prov’d a very welcome Supply, as it enabled us to salt down Pork for Sea; which otherwise we cou’d not have done, having us’d all we had on board for that Purpose at Otaheite.

One of our Seamen died here, whom we inter’d on Shore in one of their burying Places; Capt Cook read Prayers over him in the usual Manner; & the Natives who were present on the Occasion, according to their Custom threw a couple of small Pigs & some Fruit into the Grave, which were cover’d up with him. The latter Part of the Time we lay in Matavai Bay in Otaheite,

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& at Amsterdam one of the Friendly Islands, which was five Weeks at each, we found Supplies of all Kinds begin to grow very scarce; but that was far from being the Case here, for everything was as plentiful the last Day, as when we first came in.

Having got every thing off from the Shore, in the Evening about Seven o’Clock we perceiv’d the House to be on Fire that our Sailmakers had worked in; which we were in general of Opinion they did on Purpose, thro’ some superstitious Notion they had among them.

It being now about the 4th of Febry, & the Season approaching; after a Stay of near a Month, we sail’d from the Bay with an Intention of going to the Westward to those Islands we had been at before; to take in a Supply of Yams for Sea, as they had got none here: but in this we were unfortunately prevented; for after working up along Shore to the Northward a considerable Distance against a very strong Breeze, we discovered a Spring in the Head of our Fore-Mast, right athwart from one Cheek to the other; which oblig’d us to put back to Carriacoah Bay to repair; & having a fair Wind for it, we got in the next Day, & moor’d as before.

We immediately began unrigging the Ship as far as was necessary; & having rais’d a Pair of Sheers with two Main topmasts we got out the Fore-Mast, which was haul’d up upon the Beach to be repair’d, & the Carpenters of both Ships were sent on Shore for that Purpose: the Place our Tents were pitch’d upon before being close to the Beach, we set them up again on the same Spot, for the People who were at work upon the Mast; & Mr King our 2nd Lieut was order’d to superintend this Duty with a Guard of about eight Marines for their Protection. The Observatories were likewise sent on Shore with the Astronomical Instruments; & several of our Sails to repair, having split them whilst we were out.

The Natives did not appear to receive us this Time with that Friendship they had done before; our quick Return seem’d to create a Kind of Jealously amongst them with Respect to our Intentions; as fearing we shou’d attempt to settle there, & deprive them of Part if not the whole of their Country. This Idea Capt Cook took every Method to remove, by telling & showing them the Reason that oblig’d us to come in again, with which they apparently seem’d to be very well satisfied.

The third Day we had been here, in the Afternoon one of

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the Natives on board the Discovery stole a Pair of Tongs from off the Armorers Forge & got into his Canoe with them; the Alarm being given several began to paddle away as fast as they cou’d; upon this the Master with a Midshipman & two Men instantly got into their Jolly-Boat, & without any Arms pursued the Canoe they suspected; which reach’d the Shore long before them & the Men got out & haul’d it up on the Beach where several others were lying. The Master & Midshipman landed amongst a great Number of the Natives & were going to seize one of the Canoes, when a Chief who was present told them that it belong’d to him, & they shou’d not have it; & indeed it is very probable but they mistook the one the Man got into who committed the Theft; either in putting off from the Ship among so many, or in hauling up; but as they still foolishly persisted in attempting to take it away, the Chief laid hold of them & gave ‘em a severe Beating with his Hands; which the two Men who remain’d in the Jolly-Boat perceiving they row’d off to a little distance & got clear. Our Pinnace that was lying not far off waiting for Capt Cook, with only the crew in her, who seeing the Affair went without any Orders to their Assistance; but as soon as they came near the Shore the Natives laid hold of the Boat & haul’d her high & dry upon the Beach, & broke some of the Oars; which oblig’d the Crew to take to the Water & swim to the Jolly-Boat; the Indians at the same Time pelting them with Stones. In a little Time they were quiet, & call’d to the People in the Boat to come on Shore, & that they wou’d let them have the Pinnace; which they did, with the Oars that remain’d, & likewise realeas’d the Master & Midshipman. About an Hour afterwards, Capt Cook hearing of the Quarrel was very Angry, & gave our People a severe Reprimand for their Rashness: he walk’d round with one of the Officers to the Place where it happen’d, & found every Thing there veary peaceable.

The next Morning, which was the 14th of Febry 1779; at Daylight the Discovery found her six oar’d Cutter was missing, that had been moor’d at the Buoy; which we immediately suppos’d to have been stolen by the Natives in Consequence of the above Quarrel. When Capt Cook was inform’d of it, he order’d a Boat from each Ship well arm’d to row off the Mouth of the Bay, to prevent the Canoes from going out, & if any attempted it; to seize and send them in again. At the same Time propos’d to Capt Clerke for him to go on Shore & endeavour to persuade the King to come on board, that he might confine him till the Boat was return’d, according to his usual Custom in these Cases:

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but he seeming to express a Desire to decline it on Account of his Health, Capt Cook said no more about the Matter; but went himself with three Boats, viz. a six oar’d Pinnace in which he had with him a Mate, the Lieut of Marines & some of his Men; a six oar’d Launch, with the 3rd Lieut, a Mate, some Marines & a few additional Seamen; & a four oar’d Cutter, with a Mate & the Midshipmen that row’d her being in all, including the Crews of the Launch & Pinnace, about thirty-eight People, with each a Musket, Cutlass and Cartridge-Box.

Having landed at the Town on the North Side Side of the Bay with the Lieut of Marines, a Sergeant, Corporal & seven private Men he order’d the Boats with the Rest of the People to lie off at a little Distance & wait for him. He then proceeded with the Marines under Arms up to the Kings House, which was about 200 Yards from the Water Side; where he found him with several Chiefs, & not less than two or three thousand of the Natives: after the usual Ceremonies had pass’d, the Capt invited him to come on board; which at first he absolutely refused but after being press’d for some Time he seem’d inclin’d to consent & ‘twas thought he wou’d have come, had he not been prevented by the Chiefs who wou’d not permit him, as in all probability they saw into the Design. This enrag’d Capt Cook very much as he was not accustom’d to have his Intentions frustrated by any Person; & had but little Command over himself in his Anger. At this Instant a Canoe came over from the other Side of the Bay, & brought the Natives Intelligence that a Chief was kill’d there by one of our Boats firing on Shore. Upon this they began to arm themselves with Spears, & Pieces of the Branches of Trees that they broke up in a hurry instead of Clubs; & some of the Chiefs had the small Iron Daggers that we had given them: The Capt had with him a double barrel’d Piece one loaded with small Shot the other with Ball, & a Hanger by his Side.

They now began to press together & grow rather tumultuous & some in particular insulting him, he beat them with the but-End of his Musket, which caus’d them to be still more so: Mr Philips the Lieut of Marines perceiving this repeatedly told Capt Cook of the Danger he apprehended they were in, & urg’d him to retire; which as if Fate had determin’d he shou’d fall, he took not the least Notice of; but fir’d at one of them with small shot & wounded him; & a little afterwards at a Chief with Ball, but missing him kill’d the Man that stood next to him outright; & although this enrag’d them to the highest Degree, yet they then did not dare to attack

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him. At last finding it was impossible to accomplish his Design, he order’d the Marines to retreat, & was himself following them; & possibly wou’d have got safe off, had not the People in the Boats very unfortunately on hearing the second Report of his Musket, began to fire upon the Natives, which threw them into a State of Fury: the Marines likewise on Shore without Orders follow’d their Example; & Capt Cook had no sooner got to the Water Side & wav’d to the Boats to give over firing, when one of the Chiefs more daring than the Rest, stept behind & stab’d him betwixt the Shoulder with an Iron Dagger; another at that Instant gave him a blow on the Head with a Club, by which he fell into the Water; they immediately leapt in after & kept him under for a few Minutes, then haul’d him out upon the Rocks & beat his Head against them several Times; so that there is no Doubt but he quickly expir’d. The Marines likewise at the same Time after they had discharg’d their Pieces were closely attack’d; & not being able to load again, the Corporal & three private Men that cou’d not swim were seiz’d & kill’d upon the Spot: the Lieut Sergeant & the other four leapt into the Water, which was four or five Feet deep close to the Rocks, & escap’d to the Pinnace that was lying within thirty Yards of the Shore; but by Reason of the continual Shower of Stones that were thrown at them, & the Confusion of those People getting in, they cou’d not afford the least Assistance to Capt Cook, & very narrowly escap’d from being taken. The Launch that lay close without her, & the Cutter that was in Shore at a little Distance, both kept up a brisk Fire for the Space of ten or fifteen Minutes; till they were oblig’d to retire having kill’d & wounded several of the Natives, & caus’d the greater Part of them to retreat: & we were inform’d by the Gentlemen in the Cutter, who were the last that left the Shore, that very few of them remain’d by the dead Bodies when the Launch and Pinnace came away.

During the firing on Shore, we saw great Numbers of the Natives running away up an adjacent Hill, at whom we fir’d five or six Shot from our great Guns; but our first Lieut wou’d not allow of any more.

When on the Return of the Boats we were inform’d of the Captain’s Death, a general Silence ensued throughout the Ship for the Space of near half an Hour; it appearing to us somewhat like a Dream that we cou’d not reconcile ourselves to for some Time. Grief was visible in every Countenance, some expressing it by Tears, & others by a kind of gloomy Dejection more easy to be conceiv’d than describ’d; for as all our Hopes centred in him, our Loss became irreparable; & the Sense of it was so deeply impress’d upon our Minds as not to be forgot.

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Such was the Confusion of the People when they came on board, that they did not perceive till a quarter of an Hour afterwards how many of the Marines were missing – Mr Philips the Lieut who behav’d with great Prudence and Courage, received a large Wound upon his Shoulder by a Spear; & one of the private Men was wounded in his Cheek close below his Eye, two Inches & an half of the Point of a Spear having broke short off & was buried in his Head; the others had several Bruises from the Stones that were thrown at them, but suffer’d no Hurt of any Consequence.

During this our People on the South Side of the bay, under the Direction of Mr King the 2nd Lieutenant; were very fortunately reinforc’d by some of our Boats Crew that had been rowing off the Mouth of the Bay, before any Disturbance had began there; being then altogether about twenty-four in Number, tho’ not above two-thirds of them had Muskets. On perceiving they were likely to be attack’d, they took Possession of a Burying Place that lay near them; which was a large Platform of Earth thrown up & fac’d with Stones; being about 150 Yards in length, 60 in breadth, & the Sides six or eight Feet perpendicular all round; except a small Passage where not more than two People cou’d go up abreast. Nothing cou’d be more conveniently situated than this Place, as from thence they not only cou’d protect the Mast, Tents & Observatories, which lay between them & the Beach & within less than a Musket Shot; but were secur’d from an Encounter that they wou’d not have been able to resist. The Natives did not venture either to make an open Effort to force them from their Post, or to come near the Tents; but kept up a distant & vigorous attack by heaving a great Number of Stones from behind the Trees & Houses. They had here, as likewise on the other Side of the Bay, several Stone Walls about four Feet high, of a considerable length, & all parallel to the Shore; being apparently design’d to prevent a Landing, & to protect their Houses which lay behind them. By creeping along under Cover of these walls they were able to approach very close to the Platform without being seen; & when they thought themselves near enough, wou’d stand up, heave several Stones, & then retire for more. This they continued for some Time; & when any of them fell, another wou’d step forth & carry

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off the Body at the Risk of his own Life. These Indians use a large thick Mat which they hold before them by way of a Shield against their own wooden Spears; & at the beginning of the Attack several of them came to the edge of a Pool within reach of the Shot to dip them in the Water, & then wou’d hold them up in Defiance; thinking by that Means to quench the Fire of the Musket, by which they suppos’d they were kill’d; but in that Point we quickly undeceiv’d them. The Discovery lying nearest over to this Side, fir’d several Shot on Shore, which terrified them very much. After two or three Hours they retir’d, with the Loss of six or eight kill’d & some wounded; finding it in vain to carry on any Thing further against our People in their present Situation, & thinking I suppose by that Means to draw them from it; but they wisely kept Possession of their Post.

About two Hours after the Death of Capt Cook, we went with all the Boats from both Ships well man’d & arm’d and brought them off, with the Mast & every Thing else we had on Shore very safe, the Natives not daring to molest us.

The Remainder of the Forenoon we were employ’d in setting the Mast upon the Booms for the Carpenters to work at, they having done very little to it as yet,

Capt Clerke now came on board & took the Command of the Resolution, & appointed Mr Gore our 1st Lieutenant to that of the Discovery; & Mr Harvey one of the Mates to be Lieutenant in his Room.

In the Afternoon notwithstanding what had pass’d two of the Natives from the Town on the North Side of the Bay had the Courage to come along Side; which was placing great Confidence in us, & prooves the high Opinion they entertain’d of our Integrity. One of them was a Priest whom we had often before known to have behav’d very treacherously, therefore suppos’d in the present Case that he had no good Intention towards us; & so highly were our People exasperated at the Sight, that it was with great Difficulty the Officers cou’d prevent their firing at him. After staying about a quarter of an Hour he return’d to the Shore ; & continued to make these short Visits on board every Forenoon & Afternoon for three or four Days Afterwards; which I believe were to see whether or not we were making any further Preparations against them.

Mr King now our first Lieut was sent off the Town on the North Side with all our Boats well man’d & arm’d to treat with the Natives for the Bodies, carrying a white Flag as a Signal of Peace

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for that Purpose. They were assembled along the Shore in great Numbers, with their Weapons in their Hands, & bidding us Defiance in the most contemptuous Manner imaginable, for they seem’d to pride themselves very much in having kill’d our principal Chief: but from what we afterwards learnt they had very little Reason, having lost not less than eight or ten Chiefs & abour twenty common Men, beside several wounded; amongst whom chanc’d to be the greatest Part of those who assisted in the Murder of our People. They strove much to persuade us to land, but without Effect, one of them was dress’d in C Cook’s Jacket & Trousers, & another had his Hanger in his Hand, which he kept shaking at us & making Use of every threatening & insolent Gesture he cou’d possibly invent. This enrag’d the Sailors to the highest Degree, & it was with the utmost Difficulty they were restrain’d from firing upon them. Finding we wou’d not come any nearer, two of them ventur’d to swim off to us; whom we inform’d that we had no Intention of making an Attack, but came only to demand the Bodies; which to amuse us for the present they said were carried away some Distance into the Country, that we cou’d not have them then, but promis’d to bring them off to us in the Morning; therefore perceiving they were not to be procur’d at that Time the Boats returned on board.

We were rather apprehensive that they intended to make an Attack upon the Ships in the Night, therefore took every necessary precaution to prevent being surpris’d; by keeping our Guns & Swivels loaded, a Sentry forward, abaft & upon each Gangway, one of the People always under Arms, & a four oar’d Cutter well arm’d constantly rowing round us at a little Distance while it was dark; which both Ships continued to do during our Stay here.

The next Morning the Sailors earnestly solicited Captain Clerke that they might go on Shore with their Arms to revenge the Death of their Captain; which he did not think proper to permit, as it was not the Intention of the Officers to pursue Measures of that Kind for a Quarrel we had principally brought upon ourselves: but perceiving they were eagerly bent upon it, he fram’d an Excuse to pacify them for the present, by telling them he cou’d not possibly think of allowing it while the Ship remain’d in such a defenceless State, but that in two Days Time, when we had got things into a little

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Order, they shou’d have Leave for that Purpose. By keeping them thus in Suspence for three or four Days their Rage began to abate; & ‘tis well he did, for had he at first positively denied them, so highly were they incens’d against the Natives, that I believe the Officers would not have been able to have kept them on board.

Being rather suspicious that they were assembling Canoes round the North point of the Bay, a Boat with an Officer was sent to see, who found no Appearance of any.

This Forenoon a Canoe with three Men in her came off from the North Side about half way to the Ship, where they stopt & began to throw Stones towards us; in which they cou’d have no other Intention but that of insulting us, as they cou’d not heave half that Distance: one of them all the Time very triumphantly kept waving C. Cook’s Hat over his Head, till some Muskets were fir’d at them, & then they instantly put back to the Shore.

Our chief object at present was the Fore-Mast, which the Carpenters of both Ships were working upon with the utmost Expedition, making new Cheeks for it out of a spare Anchor Stock.

In the Afternoon seeing a great Number of the Natives Assembled upon the Shore on the North Side of the Bay, we fir’d a few Shot at them from our great Guns, which quickly dispers’d them.

When the old Priest came on board we enquir’d of him concerning the Bodies, but cou’d get no satisfactory Account of them; & when we ask’d him why they were not brought off agreeable to the Promise made Yesterday, he said they had been carried to different Parts of the Island & were not yet collected together, but that we shou’d have them the next Day, which we perceiv’d was only an Excuse to keep us quiet; therefore gave over every Hope of having them return’d, as judging they had otherwise dispos’d of them, & did not wish us to know in what Manner.

On the 16th nothing remarkable happened till about nine o’Clock in the Evening, when some People were discovered paddling very softly to the Ship; it being quite Dark & not knowing how many there might be, two or three of the Sentry’s instantly fir’d at them; nevertheless they persisted in coming towards us, finding there was only one small Canoe we suffer’d her to come along-side: when to our great Astonishment they proov’d to be two of the Natives who had brought with them about

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five Pounds of human Flesh, which they told us was C. Cook’s & that they were sent by a Priest that liv’d on the South Side of the Bay, who had before on all Occasions treated us with great Hospitality. We learnt that him & his Adherents still remain’d firmly attach’d to us, but were too few to declare it to their Countrymen; which was the reason of their coming in the dark, that it might not be known: after giving them some Presents they return’d to the Shore, having luckily escap’d being hurt in approaching the Ship. This small Remains of our unfortunate Commander, which appear’d to have been taken from the inside of his Thigh, was all our Friend cou’d procure for us, & a great Proof of his Sincerity: but answered no good Purpose to us, as the Sight of it struck every one with Horrour, & tended only to disquiet the Sailors, by renewing their Desire to be reveng’d of the Natives, which had begun to wear off.

Beginning now to be greatly in want of Water, we were necessitated to go on Shore again at all Events, & endeavour to get off a Sufficiency to last us to some other Place. Accordingly in the Morning on the 17th; we sent the two Launches full of empty Casks to a small Well before mention’d , on the South Side close above the Beach, with other Boats well man’d & arm’d to protect them; the Discovery likewise haul’d closer in for the same Purpose. We had not been long on Shore before the Natives began to annoy us by throwing Stones from behind the Houses; & the Well being situated at the Foot of a steep Hill they kept rolling large ones down from the Top of it, which were often near doing us much Mischief. To prevent this in a great Measure, it was determin’d by the Officers to set Fire to the adjacent Houses; which wou’d not only terrify them but hinder their approaching to molest us; as they then wou’d have no Shelter from our Muskets. Therefore when the People went on Shore again after Dinner, several of them were given Port-Fires for that Purpose; when it was amazing with what alacrity they carried this Scheme into Execution: the eagerness with which they grasp’d at this small Opportunity of Revenge being so great, that the Officers cou’d not keep them in the least Order; for they all instantly separated & were guided only by their own Impetuosity: setting Fire to the Houses & killing the Natives wherever they met

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with any; who were struck with such Terrour on seeing the Flames that they made off as fast as they cou’d: & it was very fortunate they did, for our People were so much scatter’d that had they made the least Resistance, they might have cut several of them off, & the Rest of us known nothing of it till this Business was over, which was in about an Hour; when with great Difficulty we collected the People together & stopt their further Progress. During this they had burnt about thirty Houses & kill’d six of the Natives; & two Irishmen concern’d in the affair extended their Malice even to the dead Bodies, by cutting the Heads from two of them, which they brought down & fixt upon the Stems of the Boats.

While the Houses were yet blazing we perceiv’d a Party of them coming down the Hill, but upon some of our People firing a few Muskets at them, they immediately fell down flat to the Ground, & lay still for about five Minutes: they then got up & advanced slowly towards us with white Flags in their Hands; & finding that they were not very numerous we suffer’d them to approach us: when they proov’d to be our Friend the Priest whom I mention’d last, with some of his Followers, coming to entreat for Peace for himself & his People; his House having unknown to us been unfortunately burnt with the others. We carried him on board the Ships where we consol’d him in the best Manner we cou’d, & made him several Presents; being well convinc’d of his Sincerity to us. When the Natives that came down the Hill perceiv’d the two Bodies lying without their Heads, they set up a most frightful Cry, follow’d with great Lamentations; seeming to be more affected at that, than any Thing we had done to them; which must arise intirely from Superstition.

I cannot proceed without mentioning an Instance of remarkable Courage in one of these Indians, who had for some Time greatly annoy’d the Waterers by throwing Stones at them from behind the Rocks: at last being closely pursued by several of our People he retreated to a deep narrow Cave; & immediately began reising a small Breastwork of Stones towards the Bottom of it, behind which he plac’d himself: they search’d all round but to no Purpose, & ‘tis a Doubt whether they wou’d have forund him or not, hadn’t he discover’d himself by throwing Stones out at them the Instant they appear’d. Upon this three or four of them stept to the Entrance of the Cave & presented their Muskets at him, & at the same Time made Signs & told him that if he wou’d come out he wou’d not be hurt; when like Aneas he return’d an Answer with a flying stone, which was followed by others as fast as he cou’d throw them: they then fir’d at him five or six Times, at which he seem’d

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to be not in the least intimidated, still persisting in throwing at them; but perceiving that he was much wounded, & resolv’d to fight to the last Moment, one of them rush’d in upon him, clapt a Pistol to his Breast, & instantly dispatch’d him. On examining him we found he had receiv’d no less than four Balls in different Parts; he was a tall, well made handsome yound man, & had the Appearance of a Chief.

We took one of the Natives Prisoner that was attempting to escape in his Canoe, whom we bound Hand & Foot & put him into a Boat that had the Head of one of his Countrymen on the Stem of it.

In the Evening the Boats return’d on board, having procur’d a Sufficiency of Water to last us to Towi, one of the other Islands, where we knew we cou’d get Plenty.

The Officers wou’d not permit the Sailors to bring the two Heads into the Ship, but oblig’d them to throw ‘em into the Water along-side.

The Prisoner being brought upon the Quarter Deck & sat down bound as before, every Body throng’d round him, as is usual in such Cases: when it is scarce possible to conceive how strongly every Sign of Fear was imprinted in his Countenance; he was seiz’d with a most violent trembling from Head to Foot; his Complexion, which was naturally of a light Copper, was chang’d to that of a pale lead Colour; & he remain’d silent & immoveable. His Apprehensions of Death in every horrid Form, appear’d to be so strong, as not to admit of the least Ray of Hope to his Relief & intirely depriv’d him of the Faculty of Speech. By his Looks which express’d the most exquisite Distress, he seem’d to implore for Mercy in a Manner so affecting, that it exited Pity in every Breast, & all being desirous for it, we unbound him. He now thought we were going to put into Execution what his Fears had suggested: and when we return’d him his Canoe, & told him that he might go on Shore, he paid no attention to it for some Time; imagining we did it only to insult him in his Misery, by tantalizing him with what he had too great a Dread upon his Mind to believe: but when he found we were in earnest, his Excess of Joy was then as predominant as his Fear had been before; & his Gratitude, which he express’d in the sincerest Manner, was not disguis’d under the Hiel of Politeness, but flow’d from the Heart free & uncorrupted. He had not been long on Shore before he came off again, with his Canoe loaded with whatever he cou’d procure as a Present to us; for which in Return we gave him something of an equal Value: this he continued to do two or three Times a day, & became a most faithful Friend.

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On the 19th the Carpenters having finish’d the Mast, after great Difficulty it was got in; the Hawser we had reev’d for this Purpose being so rotten that it stranded in five or six Places as we were heaving, & had no better on board.

On the 20th in the Morning, a Chief that we had not seen before came on board to negotiate a Peace with us; & promis’d to restore Part of the Captain’s Body. Accordingly in the Afternoon, C. Clerke with three or four Boats well arm’d went close in Shore on the south Side, where he concluded a Peace with that Chief, & brought on board C. Cook’s Head & Hands; which were all the Remains we could possibly procure. The Head was too much Disfigur’d to be known; but one of the Hands we were well assur’d was his, from a Wound he had formerly receiv’d in it, which made it remarkable. One of the Natives brought us about a Handful of small Pieces of Human Bones, which he said belong’d to the Marines, whom they had burnt: we made several Enquiries to know if they eat them, but cou’d find not the least Reason to believe so; for they seem’d to express as great an Abhorence of such an Act as any European. They told us that no Part of Capt Cook was burnt, but what became of the Remainder of his Body we cou’d not learn. They likewise brought off the Double barrel’d Piece he had with him when he was kill’d; but they had intirely spoil’d it by beating the Barrels quite flat at the Muzzle. We cou’d never get the least Intelligence of the Cutter that was stolen, which was the first Cause of this unfortunate Affair.

On the 21st some of the Natives from the South Side of the Bay brought off Provisions, & began to trade with us as usual; but excepting the old Priest, we were seldom visited by any of those on the North Side, who did not seem so much inclin’d as the others to come to a Reconciliation: yet from every Appearance I make no Doubt, had we remain’d there, but that in three or four Weeks we shou’d have been nearly upon as friendly Terms with them as we were at our first coming.

In the Afternoon we buried the Remains of our much lamented Commander along Side, with every Ceremony due to his Rank; whose Name will be perpetuated to after Ages, & ever stand foremost on the List of British Navigators.

On the 22nd the Ship being rig’d again & ready for Sea, in the Morning we sail’d out of the Bay; having no Desire to stay any longer at a Place where we had suffer’d so great a Misfortune;

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& I make no Doubt but the principal Part of the Natives were much rejoic’d at our Departure. We stood along Shore to the Northward as we had done before, for ten or twelve Leagues & then bore away from the Island; having now sail’d round upwards of three-fourths of it without seeing any other Harbour or Bay but that we were in.

After leaving Owyhee, we stood towards three high Islands that lie to the Northward of it in the parallel of Mowwee; & in Sight from both: they don’t appear to be quite so fertile as the others in the Cluster, & seeing no Signs of any Harbour we did not Stop; but after passing close along the S.W. Side of them, we directed our Course to the N.W. for the Island we had first seen in coming from the Southward last Year; but we being then too far to leeward cou’d not fetch it, and were oblig’d to bear away to another, as is there mention’d.

After two Days sail we made the Island & came to an Anchor in a small open Road on the N.E. Side of it. The interior Part is hilly, the Shore low & exceeding well cultivated, but very bare of Wood. The Natives here don’t appear to be very numerous; & as soon as we came near the Land they ventur’d on board without any Hesitation, & were very friendly: the first Enquiry we made about Yams, of which they inform’d us that they had Plenty, & wou’d bring some off to us the next Day. As these & Water were now our principal Objects, the two Captains went on Shore to look for the latter, which they found; & in the general Opinion of every one else that saw it, was good, & to be got at without much Difficulty.

Although this Place appear’d to be in every Respect more convenient for our Purpose than that we were going to, yet C. Clerke did not approve of our staying here; & in the Evening sail’d from the Island, which is call’d by the Natives Oowahor. It lies in Lat: 21½° N. & Longt 202° Et & is about N.W.b.W. 40 Leagues from the three Islands we pass’d by after leaving Owyhee, being much the largest Space in the Cluster.

From hence we stood to the W.N.W. for Towi, which is about 25 Leagues distant; & the next Day came to an Anchor in Ohamaya Road, where we had been before in January 1778. We were visited by the Natives as usual who seem’d

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to be very well pleas’d at seeing us again, & in a short Time the Ships were surrounded with Canoes: they brought off with them Plenty of Provisions which we purchas’d, being very acceptable as we began to be in Want of some.

The next Morning the Launches & some other Boats with a Party under the Command of Mr King our 1st Lieutenant were sent on Shore for Water: having landed they were receiv’d by a great Number of the Natives apparently in a very friendly Manner; who under Pretence of trading intermix’d with them & soon began to grow troublesome, by taking & running away with whatever they cou’d conveniently lay hold of; & one of them even became so daring as to snatch a Bayonet from the Side of a Marine, which he got clear off with. Mr King perceiving this judg’d it wou’d be too dangerous to continue on Shore any longer with the few people he had with him, & those not all arm’d; he therefore gave over watering, & collecting them together, retreated gradually down to the Boats; which they were lucky enough to reach & put off all safe: tho’ not without great Hazard & Difficulty; being oblig’d to fire three or four Muskets to keep back the Natives, who had follow’d them close down to the Water-Side, & thrown several Stones & Spears, which chanc’d to do no Hurt.

As this was the only Place left at these Islands where we cou’d get Water to take with us to the Northward, we were oblig’d to attempt it again at any Risk: accordingly in the Morning the Launch from each Ship was sent with empty Casks & a Gang of People for that Purpose; likewise four other Boats with about forty Men, who were chiefly Marines as a Guard for their Protection. They form’d on Shore in a regular Manner, & kept constantly under Arms; by which Means tho’ the Natives were exceedingly numerous, yet we kept them at a Distance & very peaceable, none daring to come near us but such as we chose to permit, that we might trade with them. During this they came off to the Ships which lay about a Mile from the Shore in great Numbers; & brought on board Plenty of Provisions of every kind except Yams, which we were most in want of, they being very scarce. In three or four Days we completed our Water, which was exceeding good, without any further Disturbance with the Natives: but finding we cou’d not procure a

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Supply of Yams here as we expected, after a Stay of about a Week, we sail’d for the Island of Neehow; & the same Day came to an Anchor in an open Road on the lee Side of it, where we lay last Year.

Our whole Employment here was in trading for Yams; which we not only purchas’d along Side from the Natives who were very friendly, but had Boats on Shore every Day for that Purpose. We enquir’d concerning two Goats that we had left with them when we were here before, which I had forgot to mention: & they informed us that after our Departure, the People of Towi, who are far more powerful than they in every Respect, had demanded them; & on their refusing to deliver them up, a Battle ensued; wherein they being much worsted, by way of putting an End to the Dispute had kill’d the Goats, rather than the other People shou’d have them.

After using every Method in our Power to procure Yams, we got only a Sufficiency to last us three Weeks; which was far Short of what we wish’d for, or even expected: but finding we cou’d get no more, & the Spring advancing fast; after a Week’s Stay here, & near four Months among these Islands, on the 15th of March 1779, we sail’d for the Northward; to prosecute our Discoveries another Season, in search of a Passage thro’ the Ice above Behring’s Strait.

As Capt Cook had given the Name of Sandwich to those Islands we first discover’d, it was now continued to the whole Cluster: which are nine in Number; & extend from 19° to 22° No Lat: & from 199° to 206° Longt. Owyhee, which is by far the most extensive, is of a circular form, about 25 Leagues across & 80 in Circunference; & is at least eight Times as large as Otaheite: it lies exceedingly convenient for the Spanish Ships to touch at in their Passage from Acapulca to Manilla, being nearly in the parallel of both, & about 980 Leags distant from the former, & 1600 from the latter: therefore ‘tis very probable that in a few Years they will have a Settlement upon it. The interior Part rises into two very high Mountains, whose Summits are cover’d with eternal Snow tho’in so warm a Climate: the Shore appears to be every where fertile except on the North Side, which seems intirely burnt up; & bears evident Proofs of there having been formerly great Eruptions from some Volcano upon these

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Mountains; but tho’ we perceiv’d no Smoak arising from them as we have seen on the Coast of America; yet have Reason to believe they still continue in a small Degree. However, the easternmost Island of the Cluster & the next in Extent, is 14 or 15 Leagues in length & 7 or 8 in breadth. Morrokoi, Oowahoo & Towi, are nearly alike, being circular & about 9 or 10 Leagues across. Kahowrowee, Ranni & Neehow, are likewise nearly equal in Size to one another, being about four Leagues each way. These with a small high Island to the Westward of Neehow & in Sight from it, call’d Taoora, make up the Number.

The Productions of these Islands are Bread-Fruit, Sweet Potatoes, Sugar Cane, Plantains, Bananas, Eddy-Root & the Cloth Tree, all in greater Plenty than we had ever met with before; particularly the Sugar Cane which was the largest we had ever seen, & is much superior to that in the West Indies: one I recollect that after the Head was broke off measur’d eleven Feet in length & eleven Inches in Circumference. Yams we got only to leeward; & Cocoa-nuts that are so very plentiful at all other Islands between the Tropics, we found only at Carriacoah Bay, & there exceeding scarce.

The Soil here is not so rich as at the Society & Friendly Islands, but the Plantations are proportionably much more numerous & extensive: these Indians being more industrious and improv’d in Cultivation than any we have seen; the principal part of which is the Cloth-Tree, the Eddy-root, Sweet-Potatoes & Yams: the other Productions requiring little or no Labour, but grow almost spontaneously.

The Quadrupeds here are Hogs & Dogs; the former very numerous, but the latter rather Scarce: whether there are Rats or not as at Otaheite I can’t determine, but don’t remember ever to have seen any.

The few Birds they have are small & only remarkable for their Plumage; being chiefly of the Paroquet Kind as at most of the other tropical Islands: indeed there is one Sort that is very small & all its Feathers intirely red, which I don’t recollect to have met with at any other Place. Fowls are very plentiful here, & exactly the same as in England; but we never saw any of their Eggs at these or the Islands to the Southward; which is rather surprising, as I don’t know any thing else the Natives have got that they did not bring for to sell to us; therefore I suppose they make no Use of them & imagin’d we wou’d not either; and as we were not in want of them, ‘tis probable they were never enquir’d for.

There are very few Fish here, & those small & indifferent; yet

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the Natives are exceeding fond of them, & as often eat them raw as broil’d: their only Method of Fishing that I know of is with a Hook & Line, at which they are very expert and assiduous.

As we cou’d have no Idea of falling in with these Islands when we were to the Southward, we had dispos’d of all our Cattle there, except the two Goats mention’d at Neehow which was very unlucky; for a Breed of Oxen in particular wou’d have been of much greater Use here to future Navigators than either at the Friendly or Society Islands; as Owyhee is far more extensive for them to increase upon, & there being Plenty of Salt to cure them with for Sea.

The Natives of these Islands, from the lowest Computation that can be made of their Number, are not less than half a Million; being far more numerous than at any others yet discover’d between the Tropicks in the Pacifick Ocean. Their Complexion is a just Medium between those of the friendly & society Islands, but in every other Respect they resemble the former having the same robust, active & warlike Appearance; & are intirely free from that indolent Effeminacy so predominant in the latter: & although we had several Quarrels with them, they are certainly much more civiliz’d, more generous & sincere, and possess’d of a greater Share of Understanding, than any other Indians we have met with during the Voyage.

The Women here, tho’ not so fair in general as at the Society Islands, yet are quite as agreeable, if not more so: their Features are regular & beautiful; their Mien graceful; both their Person & Dress neat & clean; their Disposition mild & cheerful; & their whole Study an endeavour to render themselves pleasing to every one. They seem to be fonder of singing & dancing in their own Mode, than any Girls we have ever seen; & notwithstanding there is a great Degree of Lasciviousness in both, yet it is attended with a particular Kind of Simplicity & Innocence, which join’d to the Custom of the Country, intirely removes every Idea that can be form’d to their Prejudice. In fact, so pleasing is their Temper, so great their Vivacity, that even a Hermit cou’d not help being delighted with them.

The Language spoken at New Zealand, The Friendly, & the Society Islands, is likewise us’d here, with no very great Variation, tho’ at such a Distance from each other; but it agrees nearest with that of the latter.

The Cloth they make here is not so fine as at Otaheite, nor have

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they got such Quantities of it; yet it is far preferable, as being very strong, & equally so whether wet or dry: which must be owing to some difference in the Process of manufacturing it, that we are not acquainted with; as I don’t recollect that any of us ever saw them at that Work. Some Pieces they paint of three or four different Colours, & in a great Variety of Patterns; which appear’d very beautiful, & was what we had not seen before.

The Men wear no more of it than at the other Islands; & the Women have only one Piece wrapt round their Waist, which reaches to their Knees, leaving their Shoulders & Breasts intirely bare, as at the Friendly Islands.

It is very extraordinary that the Hair of these Indians when permitted to grow long, naturally forms into separate Locks, which are clotted together like the Wool of a black Sheep, & exactly resembles it; being always of that Colour, & faded at the Ends in the same Manner to a light brown by the heat of the Sun. The Men in general cut it all close off on each Side, preserving only a Range in the middle about two Inches broad, reaching from the Forehead down to the Neck; which they don’t suffer to grow above two inches Long, & either curls or stands upright. The Women likewise have theirs all cut off very short, except a small Quantity along the fore Part of their Head; which lies flat upon the Crown, & is about five Inches long, with the Ends faded as before mention’d: this Fashion appear’d very droll at first, but Custom soon reconcil’d it to us, & we began to think it look’d tolerably well, but not equal to the long flowing Locks of the Girls of Otaheite.

Tattowing seems not to be so much practis’d here by either sex as at the Islands to the Southward: & the Custom of the Women’s not being allow’d to eat in the Presence of the Men, which is there so strictly observ’d, is taken no Notice of here.

The first Time we lay at Carriacoah Bay, some of our Gentlemen form’d into Parties of three or four together, & went up into the Country for a few Days, taking one or two Indians with them as Guides & Attendants. They found the Island neither inhabited nor cultivated beyond six or seven Miles from the Shore; where it began to be very Woody, & continued so for a considerable height up the Mountains: the Ground seem’d to be hollow underneath them in several Places from the resounding of their Footsteps as they walk’d along; & they discover’d here & small Channels of dried Lava; with other convincing Proofs of former Eruptions. They were never in the least molested by the Natives, but on the contrary always met with great Hospitality from them, & were suffer’d to go wherever they pleas’d. I had forgot to

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mention before that one Evening while we were there, we display’d the Remainder of our Fireworks on Shore, in the presence of a numerous Assembly collected upon that Occasion, who were all greatly surpris’d & delighted with them; particularly with the Sky-rockets, which seem’d to excite their Admiration more than any of the others.

The Yava-root is more plentiful here than at the Islands to the Southward, & is us’d by the Chiefs to a greater Excess: the Method of preparing it is exactly the same as has been already describ’d. The whole of their Cookery consists in baking, roasting & broiling; being intirely unacquainted with boiling any Thing, from having no Kind of Vessel that will bear the fire for heating Water.

The Chiefs here wear on particular Occasions a Cap of fine wicker-Work, which is very neatly made; & has a narrow Ridge along the middle of it about two Inches high, exactly resembling an ancient Helmet, & in the same Manner as they have their own Hair: the Outside is intirely cover’d with small Feathers put on in Stripes of four different Colours, viz. red, yellow, green & black, which looks very beautiful & warlike. They likewise wear with it, a large Cloak of fine Netting, cover’d with Feathers of the same Colours, form’d into regular Squares within one another, appearing very elegant.

Owyhee is the only one of these Islands that we have any Knowledge of relative to its Government, which seems to be much like that of Tongataboo the largest of the Friendly Isles. From what we can learn the Regency is hereditary; & the King tho’ he has great Power, & is shown every kind of Respect, yet is far from being absolute of himself; but with the joint Consent & Assistance of the Chiefs is very much so; by whom these People are kept under more Subjection than any we have seen. They are exceeding superstitious, & the Priests seem to have great Authority over them; but the Principles of their Religion I’m quite unacquainted with: we saw several kinds of Images about their Houses & Burying Places, but what they esteem most are a Sort of Household Gods in the Figure of a Man’s Head; which are of slight Wicker-Work & intirely cover’d with small red Feathers: the Eyes are represented by two Pieces of Mother of Pearl, & the Opening for the Mouth is furnish’d with two Rows of Hogs Teeth; indeed not only the Features, but the whole Face is distorted in such a droll & ridiculous Manner, that even the Natives cou’d scarce refrain at

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times from laughing at them: after much Persuasion they were prevail’d upon to sell some to us, which were very readily purchas’d, as being a great Curiosity.

The only Article we made use of here for Trade was Iron, which they were exceeding fond of in any Shape, & seem’d to care very little about any Thing else: they are the only Indians we met with that ever attempted to work it themselves into different Forms agreeable to their own Fancy; which from seeing our Armorers on board, they accomplish’d neater than cou’d possibly be imagin’d, by heating & beating with a Stone.

The Houses here are more collected & form’d into Towns and Villages than at the southern Islands, being there very much scatter’d. They are rather small, & exactly represent a Farmers Barn; the Roof is thatch’d as at the other Islands, but they differ in being enclos’d all round, except a Space for a Door at one End, & a small Hole on each Side for to admit the Light: the Inside is always kept neat & clean, having generally Mats spread all over it.

The small single Canoes here are nearly like those at the Friendly Isles, with Outrigers to them in the same Manner; & both in their Form & Workmanship are the neatest we have ever seen. Their double ones are two somewhat larger than the others, which are fixt parallel at about four feet Distance by three or four Spars extending with a Curve upward from one to the other, & lash’d down across both: along the middle of these Spars they have one or two Planks plac’d upon which they carry their Hogs, Fruit, & whatever they bring off to us. The sailing Canoes are in Respect to their Mast, Sail & Riging much like those at the Society Islands; being very ill contriv’d, & seemingly as indifferently navigated. They don’t appear to have any here particularly adapted for War, as we found at Otaheite.

Several of these Indians who have not got Canoes, have a Method of swimming upon a Piece of Wood nearly in the Form of the Blade of an Oar; which is about six Feet in length, sixteen Inches in breadth at one End & eight or ten at the other, & is four or five Inches thick in the middle, tapering down to the Sides to an Inch: they lay themselves upon it lengthways, with their Breast about the Center; & it being sufficient to buoy them up they paddle along with their Hands & Feet at a moderate Rate; having the broad End foremost, & that it may not meet with any Resistance from the Water, they keep it just above the Surface, by weighing down upon the other, which they have underneath them between their Legs. These Pieces of Wood are so nicely ballanc’d, that the most expert of our People at swimming,

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cou’d not keep upon them half a Minute with rolling off.

The chief Employments carried on by these People are Cultivation, Fishing, the Manufactory of their Cloth, & building their Houses & Canoes; but none of them are laborious except the latter, which is very much so: the Wood they use for that Purpose is rather hard & in general two or three Miles from the Shore; & there being no Metal here, the principal mechanical Tool they have to fell the Trees with, & then to cut them into Planks, is a stone Hatchet, which renders both very tedious; & it is surprising how they manage to make such a Number of Canoes as they have got, under these Circumstances.

I had forgot to observe before, that during our Stay at these Islands, we did not use an Article of the Ship’s Provisions; but subsisted intirely upon what we purchas’d; which was another great Help to our Sea stock, & refresh’d us very much: likewise that we salted as much Pork as almost lasted us to England, which kept exceeding well all the Time.

We sail’d from hence with great Dissatisfaction on Account of the Death of our unfortunate Commander, which still lay heavy upon our Minds, as being truly sensible of our Loss: this, together with the Thought of the approaching Season to the Northward, the Hardships of the last being still recent in our Memory, and will never be effac’d from mine, render’d us quite dispirited.

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From these Islands we directed our Course to the Westward; keeping in the Trade Winds till we came to the Meridian of Kamtchatka, & then haul’d up to the Northward. About a Fortnight after leaving the Land, we met with a very hard Gale of Wind, which caus’d the Ship to spring a Leak on the larboard Bow: we did not perceive it before the Hatch that covers the Passage into the Coal-hole was burst open, from that Place being full of Water: we instantly scuttled the Bulk Heads foreward to bring it to the Pumps, with which & constant bailing with Buckets for two or three Days, we kept it under; & the Gale then very fortunately abating, the Leak ceas’d. During this we were greatly alarm’d at our Situation, as being at least three Weeks sail from the nearest Land; & even that was the Coast of Japan, where we cou’d not hope for the smallest Assistance; but might rather expect to be cut off, or made Slaves by those People.

After a Passage of about six Weeks, on the 25th of April 1779 we made the Eastern Coast of Kamtchatka, in Lat: 52°N. The Land is in general very high & intirely cover’d with Snow, presenting a most dreary & uncomfortable Prospect: we at this Time experience’d a greater Severity of Cold than ever we had done before; every Part of the Ship being cover’d with Ice & Snow. We turn’d up along Shore to the Northward till the 30th , when we came to an Anchor in the Entrance of the Bay of Awatcha, which was our intended Port: the next morning we weigh’d & stood into it; & in the Evening anchor’d within about two Miles of the Ostrog (or Village) of St Peter & St Paul; not being able to get any nearer for a firm Body of Ice, which extended that Distance from the Shore. A Day or two before we came in, the Discovery by some Means parted Company; & mistaking the Entrance into the Bay, did not get in till three Days after us: this was the only Time the two were separated during the Voyage.

This Bay is situated on the East Coast of Kamtchatka, in Lat: 53°N. & Longt 158°..50’ Et. The Entrance is bold to on each Side, & about half a Mile wide for the Distance of a Mile & an half; from whence it opens into nearly a circular Form about three Leagues across. It receives its Name from the River Awatcha, which empties itself at the Bottom of it; as does likewise a smaller River call’d Parratoonka, from an Ostrog about three Miles up it: the former is large & navigable for Boats a great Distance up,

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but the latter not much higher than the Ostrog. Within this Bay there are three excellent Harbours; two of them are very deep & commodious, but the other off which we lay is rather small; it is circular & about half a Mile over, & form’d by a long & narrow Neck of low Land, upon which is the Ostrog of St Peter & St Paul from whence it is nam’d. There is a moderate & regular Tide here, with good Anchorage from ten to twenty Fathoms both in the Entrance & all over the Bay; except at the Bottom of it where it is Shoal for two Miles. That Part of the Shore between the two Rivers is low & marshy for some Distance; but every where else is very hilly, & terminates in steep Cliffs; craggy Points, & large sandy Beaches very convenient for hauling the Seine for Fish, which are exceeding plentiful here. There are several small Lagoons of fresh Water full of excellent Trout: & scarce a Valley without a large Rivulet running through it, & falling into the Bay. On the South Side of the Entrance there is a very high Mountain, & two close together to the N.E. further inland from the Coast; one of these is a Volcano, as is that to the Southward. The Country is tolerably well wooded with Birch, which is the only Kind that grows here: at present we found it intirely cover’d with Snow, and the Shore surrounded with Ice, by which the Harbours were quite block’d up.

We were greatly deceiv’d in the Appearance of the Ostrog of St Peter & St Paul, from the Account given us of it at Shamganooda, we expected to find a large populous Town; but on the Contrary it consists only of six wretched Log-houses, & eight or ten Kamscadale ones: & instead of a Fort with forty Guns as we had been inform’d, they have only two Pieces of small Cannon here; one of them a three Pounder & the other a one Pounder, mounted upon a couple of ill made Carriages, without any Kind of Fortification whatever. There are not above thirty five Russians here, & they are all soldiers under the command of a Sergeant, who is the principal Person at this Place: the Kamscadales likewise don’t appear to be numerous.

They were very much alarm’d at our Appearance in the Bay; & the Forenoon after we came in, when Mr King our first Lieut. & some other Gentlemen went to the Ostrog, they found them all under Arms, each having a large riffle-barrel’d Musket ready to act with on the defencive if Occasion requir’d. Our Gentlemen were very politely receiv’d by the Sergeant, who show’d them every Civility in his Power & conducted them to his House; where he prepar’d a Dinner for them in the best Manner he cou’d, which consisted principally of Fish and Rye-bread with it; he wou’d not

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by any Means be prevail’d upon to sit down, but stood and waited upon them himself. They had never seen any Ships before, & had no Idea who we were, or from whence we came; appearing to have little or no Knowledge of the States of Europe, & very unluckily we had no Person on board that cou’d speak the Russian Language; so that we were not able to satisfy them in these Points, or yet tell them what our Business was there, whether our Intentions were friendly or hostile, for they seem’d to be greatly in fear of the latter. It now plainly appears that the Account given us of this Place by the Capt of the Russian Vessel at Shamganooda Harbour; was merely to intimidate us, & if possible to prevent our going there, as he fancied we might have a Design against it. Mr King deliver’d the two Letters we had receiv’d from him to the Sergeant; one being for himself, & the other for the Governor of Kamtchatka; which was immediately sent express to Bolchovieeka, the capital Town of the Country, where he resides.

About a Week afterwards two People arriv’d here from thence, one of them a kind of Merchant, & the other an Attendant upon the Governor who very fortunately was a German, as Mr Webber our Painter understood that Language tolerably well. Some of our Officers waited upon them at the Ostrog, & were inform’d by the German that they were sent by the Governor to learn who we were, & likewise our Intentions; for the Letter they receiv’d had put them into great Consternation, as the Russian Capt at Shamganooda had express’d in his Opinion that we were Pirates, & had a Design against the Country; & the Governor having no Intelligence of our being in these Parts was at quite a Loss how to account for us, or what to do upon the Occasion. We fully explain’d ourselves to them thro’ Mr Webber, & remov’d every Doubt to their intire Satisfaction: & they now show’d us that Civility with Pleasure, which before they had done thro’ fear, & came on board the Ships, where we entertain’d them in the best Manner we cou’d: the Sergeant likewise now ventur’d on board, which he had not done before, tho’ we often invited him.

After a Stay of about two Days, Capt Gore, Mr King & W. Webber with two Servants, set out with them for Bolchoireeka, to pay their Respects to the Governor & make known to him our Business & Situation. He receiv’d them with the greatest Pleasure and Politeness imaginable, &amo was happily reliev’d from the Fear and Perplexity that our Arrival had occasion’d amongst them. He was a Major in the Russian Service, & had the Government of the whole

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Country; & very luckily too was a German, which sav’d the Trouble of any other Interpreter, as Mr Webber was present.

The Ostrog or Town of Bolchoireeka is situated on the West Coast of Kamtchatka, in Lat: 52deg;..5½’ No & Longt 156°..37’ Et it consists of about 100 Houses & 400 Inhabitants, of whom 150 are russian Soldiers, & the rest trading People & Kamscadales. I believe they have got five or six small Pieces of Cannon here, but no Garrison or any kind of Fortification in the whole Country. The Major, whose Name was Behm, gave our Officers the best Entertainment the place cou’d afford, & made them several valuable Presents, consisting chiefly of very rich Furs made into Cloaks & Caps &c. After they had been there two or three Days, he set out with them for Awatcha-Bay to see the Ships; where he arriv’d after a very tedious Journey of a Week, tho’ it is not above eighty Miles; which was occasion’d by the Frost then breaking up, and the Snow going away.

The next Day, having put the Ship in Order for his Reception, a Boat with an Officer was sent to the Ostrog to bring him on board; on his coming we saluted him with fifteen Guns, & receiv’d him with a Guard of Marines & every Respect due to his Rank. He din’d with Capt Clerke who show’d him every Civility in his Power; & in the Evening return’d on Shore again: the next Day he din’d on board the Discovery with Capt Gore, & afterwards with the Officers of the Resolution: he seem’d to be highly delighted with the Entertainment he met with, as we made use of every Effort in our Power to make it agreeable to him. He staid here five or six Days & then return’d home; having procur’d us what little Supply the Place cou’d afford at present, & promis’d to send round from Bolechoireeka every Thing they cou’d possibly spare, ready for us at our Return from the Northward. As he intended this Summer to resign his Government & return to Russia; we took that Opportunity to send Dispatches to England.

After we had been in here about a Fortnight, the Ice between us and the Shore broke loose & drifted out of the Bay we then warp’d within half a Mile of the Ostrog, & moor’d with, the Bowers a Cable each way: we did not go into the Harbour that Time, as it was not clear of Ice till the latter end of May. We set up our Observatories as usual on Shore at the Ostrog, for the Purpose of making Astronomical Observations: our Time-Keeper very unfortunately by some Accident got spoil’d here, & we had no Person

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on board that understood how to repair it; but that belonging to the Discovery continued to keep very good Time all the Voyage.

We took in a great Quantity of Wood & Water here, both being very plentiful, & easy to be got at in every part of the Bay. Our Casks, Sails & Riging we overhaul’d & repair’d in the best Manner we cou’d; all of them being now very much worn & become exceeding bad; & we had but little Canvas or Cordage remaining in Store, & the latter nearly dry rotten.

The only Refreshments the Country afforded at this Time were Cod, Herrings & Trout; which latterly we caught in great Quantities; the former with Hook & Line along-side, & the others with the Seine as soon as the Beaches were freed from Ice & Snow, which was not till the middle of May. The only Vegetable we found was Garlick, which springs up everywhere very plentifully as soon as the Snow is off the Ground.

The Houses here belonging to the Russians are small & have a very wretched Appearance: they are built with long straight Logs of Wood laid horizontally one upon the other, each having a small Groove on the upper Part; along which they lay some dry Moss to keep out the Cold, before they place the next log upon it: they are roof’d & thatch’d in the Manner of a Farmer’s Barn; & are generally divided into two Rooms, with one or two Windows in each made of Talc instead of Glass, as they have not got any at this Place. They are so very close & warm within, as in the midst of Winter to have but little Occasion for a Fire: their Bed-Places are built up along the Sides & cover’d with Bear-Skins, serving them likewise for Seats in the Day-time.

The Inside of these Houses is in general remarkably dirty throughout, but that they seem to be not in the least concern’d about, being themselves in Point of Cleanliness very little superior to the Indians at King George’s Sound.

Their common Dress resembles European; except in having Fur Jackets & Caps, which soon have a very filthy Appearance, as they never take the Trouble to clean them: they are likewise equally dirty in their Person, for I don’t think they either wash or shave themselves above once a Fortnight. They are all drawn up under Arms every Morning & Evening, & review’d by the Sergeant; & keep two ot three Sentrys in different Parts of the Ostrog Day and Night: on these Occasions they put on their Regimental Coat, which is green fac’d with red, & very little cleaner than their other Dress. The Officers that afterwards came here, except two or three of the higher Rank, were likewise in every Respect exceeding slovenly. The only Russian Women in this Country, were the Wives of Major Behm, & Capt Smiloff, the Second in Command.

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The Houses belonging to the Kamscadales are call’d Ballangans; & are plac’d in the middle of a square Platform eight or ten Feet from the Ground, supported by a number of upright Posts, & made of Spars laid athwart from one to the other; which are cover’d with small Branches, Reeds & dried Grass, sufficient to bear them to walk upon, & to keep the Rain from going thro’, for under it they dry their Fish. On one Side there is a Ladder fixt, that they ascend by to their House, which is small & does not take up above half of the Platform; it consists of several Spars plac’d in a circular Manner at the bottom & meeting in a Point at the Top, in the Form of a Cone; & is surrounded with Reeds & Straw, except a small Space to enter at, but scarcely sufficient to exclude the Cold & Rain.

The Kamscadales appear to be kept in a State of very strict Subjection to the Russians; they differ but little from the Natives at Shamganooda Harbour on the opposite Part of the Coast of America, being like them short in Stature, with flat Faces, & nearly the same likness in their Features, but of a fairer Complexion. They seem to be of a very mild & quiet Disposition, & seldom speak but when the real Occasion requires. Their Dress chiefly consists of Furs & Skins made into Caps & Jackets &c. in which they are more cleanly than the Russian Soldiers.

The Women are in general tolerably decent in their Dress, being much more so than the Men; especially those that are married to the Russians, who are habited nearly in the European Fashion. They have a round flat Face, with small Features, & a very fair Complexion; their Disposition is exceeding mild, but quite devoid of all kind of Mirth & Vivacity, being very different in that Respect from the Ladies at the tropical Islands, yet there is something very innocent & pleasing in their Countenance, which much resembles that of the Chinese; between whom & the Esquinaux Indians at Hudsons Bay, these People may be looked upon as a just Medium.

The Winter in this Country begins about the latter End of November & continues till the middle of May, the Ground all this Time being cover’d with Snow, & the Frost very severe. During the Interval the chief Sustenance of these People is dried Salmon & rye Flour, which is the only Grain they have, & is very coarse; & even of that they are put to a certain Allowance on account of its Scarcity; as it does not grow here, but is brought from Ochoz, a large Town on the adjacent Coast of Siberia 200 Leagues to the N.W. of Balchoireeka: a small Vessel comes from thence round the South Point of Kamtchatka every Summer, with that principally and other Supplies for this Place.

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On our Arrival we found several of the Russians very much afflicted with the Scurvey, which is always the Case about that Time; & we were inform’d that frequently some of them die of it before the Return of the Spring. It is chiefly brought on by their unparallel’d Indolence; for during the whole Winter they very seldom stir from their Houses, or use any kind of Exercise; but oblige the Kamacadales to do all their Work, & get them whatever they want. As this keeps the latter employ’d, it is the occasion of their being so much more healthy than the Russians; who wou’d all be carried off by this Disorder, was it not for the great Quantity of Garlick they eat as soon as it springs up, which is the only Vegetable they make use of: for tho’ these Settlements have been made upwards of eighty Years, yet they have no Kind of European Vegetation here, or a single Foot of Ground cultivated; except a small Spot we afterwards found with a few Turnips on it, which are scarce worth mentioning as I don’t recollect seeing above a Dozen of them.

There was a small one masted Sloop froze up in the Harbour, which was to sail for Ochoz in the Summer: she was of about 60 or 80 Tons Burthen, & remarkably ill built; being far more clumsy than a Dutch Dogger. They have only got five or six Sail of small Vessels in these Parts; & one of them goes every other Summer to their Settlements upon the Islands off the Coast of America near the Neck of Alaska, where we met with them: she is sent out with rye Flour, Ammunition & other Necessaries for the Support of the People there, & returns with Furs, of which they procure a great Quantity along that Coast. This Passage tho’ not above 400 Leagues, generally takes them six or eight Weeks to perform it; these Vessels being extraordinary dull Sailers, & the Russians as inexpert Navigators.

At the Head of the Harbour there is a Store House & an Hospital, built with Logs, by Capt Behring, before he set out on his expedition to the Coast of America.

The Method of travelling here in the Winter over the Ice & Snow, is in Sledges very neatly constructed: the lower Part is two flat Pieces of light Wood, five or six Inches broad & seven or eight Feet long, rising in a small Curve at each End & plac’d parallel at about sixteen Inches distance: upon these they have a Seat fixt about a Foot & an half high, & so contriv’d as to be convenient for sitting or sleeping in; it is sixteen or eighteen Inches broad & five or six Feet long, rising six or eight Inches on each Side, & at the Ends in a Curve upwards of a Foot; having just Room enough for one Person to lie down in: the Frame of the Seat is slight Wood, which is clos’d round with Thongs of Sea-Horse Hide; &

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the whole Sledge is so light that it may be lifted with one Hand with great ease. To this Carriage they harness either four or six large Dogs, which draw in Pairs; being very strong & of the Wolf kind, for they never bark but always howl like that Animal, & are exceeding fierce & numerous. The People here esteem them as much as the Europeans do Horses, & always chuse the largest to train up while they are young to the Sledge which after great Trouble in the Management of them, they will draw very steady, & at the Rate of five or six Miles an Hour for that Time only; but with stopping a little now & then to rest they’ll continue to go three or four Miles pr Hour for a whole Day. When once brought up to this, they are ever afterwards tied up in Kennels, & not permitted to run loose among the others.

The Quadrupeds native to this Country are the Wild Deer, which is very scarse, the black Bear, Dog, Fox, Racoon, Martin & Beaver. The Russians have a few Oxen here, but we procured only five, which were drove hither from a neighbouring Ostrog on purpose for us, being all they cou’d possibly spare at that Time: as for Sheep, Goats & Hogs they are not possess’d of, nor yet any Kind of Poultry: we saw two or three Horses but they are very rare.

The chief Object & Support of these Settlements are Furs; the principal Part of which they got from the adjacent Coast of America, as this Country is nearly drain’d of that Commodity; for they now procure only the establish’d Tribute from the Natives who bring none to sell as they did formerly. They carry on a small Trade by Land to the North of China with some of them but the greatest Part is sent to Russia, from whence they get all their Necessaries.

Two Merchants as they are there call’d, but may more properly be term’d Pedlers; came over from Bolchoireeka to Awatcha Bay on account of our being there, with several Sorts of Goods for Sale; VIZ: Linen plain & checker’d, yarn Stockings, Handkerchiefs, Caps, Shoes, Boots, a few Chinese Silks, with Buckles, Spoons, Knives &c which were all exceeding dear & of the worst Quality: the three last Articles, & every Thing of the hardware kind, were made in England for Exportation. We purchas’d of them a small Quantity of Tea & Sugar, which they get from China. They were very eager to trafick with us for the Furs we got on the Coast of America; which were but few, having then very little of any Thing left to procure them from the Indians. For those we sold here, we receiv’d from twenty-five to thirty-five Rublees for each Skin

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which is from £5..6 to £7..9; a Rublee being reckon’d at 4s/3d Sterling.

The Kamscadales are mostly employ’d in fowling & fishing, being very expert in both; but the Russians are in general too lazy to attend to either. Wild Ducks & Grouse are very plentiful upon the low Ground between the Rivers, & afford excellent shooting.

Their Boats here are flat bottom’d, broad in the middle, & taper to a Point at each End; being very ill made: their Nets likewise are but indifferent, & in the Form of our Seine.

There is neither Wine nor spirituous Liquors of any kind in this Country; yet both the Russians & Kamscadales are so exceeding fond of Brandy or Rum, that they wou’d give us from four to six Rublees for a Quart Bottle full; which they never diluted with Water, but always drank it in Drams, till they became quite intoxicated: indeed the latter wou’d not leave off as long as they had the least use of their Senses remaining.

We were supplied here with what little rye Flour they cou’d spare at present; which tho’extremely bad, yet was very acceptable in our Situation: for by this Addition to what remain’d of the Flour taken in at the Cape of Good Hope, we were enabled to be at full Allowance of that Article in lieu of Bread, all the second Season to the Northward. Alltho’ this wou’d not last out the Day so well, nor was by any Means so desireable as the same weight of Biscuit; yet it was far preferable to two-thirds Allowance, which we must otherwise have continued at; for at these Times the Quantity of our Provisions was a much greater Object to us than the Quantity.

The Settlements at this Bay appear rather to be in a State of decay than of Improvement; for the Russians don’t seem to make any Effort either to extend their Navigation or increase the Number of their Vessels: & so great is their Indolence, that they rather chuse to live in the most wretched State of any People I ever saw, than to be at the Least Labour to cultivate the Country: which from the Appearance we afterwards found it to have at our Return from the Northward, is exceeding fertile; & wou’d produce most of the Plants & Roots we have in our gardens, in nearly as great Perfection: for tho’ the Summer does not continue above four or five Months, yet the Ground is no sooner clear of Snow, but what Vegetation there is there springs up with amazing Rapidity, & ripens in like Manner. From the Appearance of this Place, at any Time of the Year; it is throughout in such a perfect State of Nature; that was it view’d by a Person

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who did not know what Country it was, nothing else, except chancing to see some of the Russian Soldiers in their Regimental cou’d induce him to imagine that any Europeans inhabited it.

At Parratoonka, a small Ostrog about twelve Miles from where we lay, they have a Church; which is the only one in this Part of the Country- it is built with Logs in the Manner of their Houses, but is much larger; the Outside has avery mean appearance, but they have been at great Labour to decorate it within, being far more neat & elegant than cou’d possibly be suppos’d from the wretched State of every Thing else. The Altar is enclos’d with painted Rails about three Feet high, & very neat green Curtains hanging over them, which draw up & let down at Pleasure; the Table within is cover’d with a green Cloth surrounded with a deep Embroidery of Gold: over it upon the Wall are plac’d three large Paintings; the extreme ones are of our Saviour & the Virgin Mary, & that in the middle is a very good one of the Crucifix, which they pay great Respect to & have a Curtain drawn before it. The Pulpit is likewise encircled above with green Hangings; & has a crimson Cloth spread over the fore Part, with a narrow gold Fringe round it; the Cushion likewise is of the same Colour, with a gold Tassel at the outer Corners. Between the Altar & Pulpit there is a large & elegant brazen Lamp pendent from the Roof. The Walls are almost cover’d with not less than fifty Portraits as large as the Life, of the twelve Apostles, Saints &c which were all brought hither from Russia at a great Expence, & are tolerably well executed, but begin to be very much defac’d. They have three small Bells here fixt upon a kind of Gallows a few Yards from the Church. The Priest, who is a native of Russia, is the most intelligent & hospitable Person that resides near this Bay & lives in a much more decent Manner. The Religion they profess here is that of the Church of Greece.

We were visited by a Russian Nobleman, who had been upwards of thirty Years an Exile in this Country: he was now near sixty Years of Age, & the Marks were very visible where his Nostrils had been slit; which is a customary Stamp of Disgrace inflicted upon them before they were sent away. He was greatly respected here by every one, & had some Time past made Interest [indecipherable] get the Rank of Proppaschak confer’d upon him, which is the same as that of an Ensign in our Service, but cou’d not by any Means get recall’d: however Custom had now render’d his Banishment so familiar to him, that he had very little Desire to return, at his Time of Life.

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A few Years ago, a Polish General that had been taken Prisoner by the Russians, was sent here & kept closely confin’d at Bolchoireeka: he had not been long in that State, before he found Means to stir up the Kamscadales to an Innsurrection, who were soon quell’d; but it intirely answer’d his Intention, in giving him an Opportunity to Escape; which he effected, & got safe to China; from whence they were inform’d he went to France. When we arriv’d here, they imagined that he might be return’d to harass & plunder the Country; as being well acquainted with their defenceless Situation: which was chiefly the Cause of the great Consternation we found them in.

Kamtchatka is a long Neck of Land projecting to the Southward from the eastern Part of Siberia; & extends from 50° to 61½° No Latitude, & from 154½° to 163½° Et Longitude: its Length is 690 Miles, & mean Breadth about 145, being a little larger than Great Britain; & is 3850 Miles distant from Petersburg, It is all in the Possession of the Russians, who have not got above five or six Towns of any Note, in the whole Country; the rest being small Kamscadale Ostrogs, & those not very numerous: the Number of Inhabitants here I suppose to be about six or seven hundred of the former, and four or five thousand of the latter. Tho’ I have always call’d these people Russians, yet there is scarce one out of ten that really is so; being in general Cossocks, who are Soldiers in their Service.

Having refited the Ships in the best Manner we cou’d, and got what little Refreshments the Place afforded at present; after a Stay of near six Weeks we weigh’d; but with very great Difficulty, being oblig’d to wait for the Flow of the Tide, which is not above five Feet at any Time; a twelve fold Purchase of a Hawser upon the Cable proving ineffectual to bring up the Anchor, it being the best holding Ground we ever met with. We had no sooner got into the Entrance of the Bay, but were oblig’d to come to an Anchor; the Wind shifting to the Eastward directly against us.

The next Morning was almost Calm, & at Daylight we found our Decks cover’d with fine Sand of a light-brown Colour; which we perceiv’d came from a Volcano about twelve Leagues distant, from whence a violent Eruption had began in the Night still continued. We very plainly heard an incessant rumbling Noise from it, but cou’d not see the Top of the Mountain, as it was quite hid in a thick black Cloud of Smoak & Dust stretching a great Way to the N.E. By ten o’Clock the Dust was at least one fifth of an Inch thick upon the Decks; & we had then a Shower of small Stones that lasted a quarter of an Hour, some of them about the Size

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of a Pea & others of a Horse-bean; they were very light and brittle, & of the same Colour as the Sand, several appearing to have been burnt. During the Day we had two more of these Showers that did not last above ten Minutes each; likewise two or three of Rain, which from the Atmosphere being so full of Dust; the Drops in passing thro’ it were formed into little Lumps of Mud. We went on Shore opposite the Ship, but did not perceive the Ground tumble or any other Signs of an Earthquake. In the Evening the Eruption began to abate, & the next Morning was nearly over: the Wind then coming fair, we weigh’d & stood out of the Bay, which was on the 10th of June 1779.

From hence we stood along Shore to the Northward; but did not keep Sight of the Land above fifteen Leagues, before a thick Fog coming on oblig’d us to haul off from it: in two or three Days Time, the Weather clearing up we stood in again for the Coast, & made it in Lat: 54½° N.; but had not trac’d it above 25 Leagues before we haul’d off for a thick Fog, which made it too dangerous to continue our Course along Shore. After some Days having clear Weather again, we stood in for the Land, & fell in with it once more in Lat: 60° N. & Longt 166½° Et from whence we trac’d it in an EbN Direction for the Distance of about 45 Leagues, to the Longt of 171° Et where it turns off to the Northward, forming a Cape call’d by the Russians Tigonooskoi. The Weather then coming on very foggy, intirely frustrated our Intention of surveying this Part of the Coast of Kamtchatka, & up as high as the Strait; a few Leagues to the Southward of which we left off last Year. What little we saw of it, corresponded with the Russian Surveys, which were in general very correct & principally made by that enterprising Navigator Capt Behring in the Year 1728.

The Fog still continuing, by the Assistance of the Time-Keeper we pass’d thro’ the Strait without seeing either Continent, or the two small Islands in the Middle, tho’ the Passage on each Side is not above six Leagues wide; which is a convincing Proof how far it is to be depended upon.

About the latter End of June we fell in with the Ice in Lat: 69° No & then stood to the Eastward for the Coast of America; passing thro’ great Numbers of large Pieces that had broke loose from the firm Body, which we trac’d till we got

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within 12 or 15 Leagues of the Land; but did not see it, having very foggy & blowing Weather. As the Ice prevented our approaching any nearer to this Coast, we stood back to the westward for that of Asia, which we cou’d not reach within 20 or 30 Leagues for the drift Ice; that there extends near two Degrees to the Southward of the main Body. We often got embay’d amongst it, & cou’d scarce find our Way out again; the Discovery was once block’d up for twenty four Hours, till a lucky Change of Wind drove the Ice clear of her. We kill’d a few Sea-Horses chiefly for their Blubber to melt into Oil; but eat very little of them, not being at quite so short Allowance as we were the other Season. The Drift Ice was in greater Quantities, & stretch’d much farther to the Southward than it did last Summer; & the firm Body now extended from Shore to Shore, without any Opening in the middle of the Sea, as there was before; or the least Prospect of there being one this Year.

About the 26th of July, after great Difficulty & both Ships receiving considerable Damages we got clear of the Ice: & thinking it unnecessary to continue any longer in search of a Passage that Nature had then, & I believe has forever shut against us, we therefore quitted the Attempt & stood back to the Southward for Behring’s Strait; which we pass’d thro’ on the 1st of August, & were becalm’d for three or four Days off the N.W. Part of a large Island two Degrees to the Southward of it. We discover’d the East End of this Island last Summer, after leaving Norton Sound; but the Weather being then very bad & foggy we cou’d not determine its Extent: we gave it the Name of Anderson, but I understand that it is since chang’d to that of our present Commander: its length from East to West is 7 Leagues, & breadth 12 Leagues; it is throughout of a very moderate height, yet the Tops of the Hills were still cover’d with Snow, we did not perceive any Inhabitants upon it, & the Russians have not extended their Settlements so far to the Northward.

After passing by the western Extremity of the Island, our Intention was to explore the Coast down to the Bay of Awatcha; but having a continual Fog all the Passage, we were again prevented; for that Shore being very irregular, it was thought most prudent not to venture near it. We pass’d within Sight of Behring’s Islands, which are two small ones lying in Lat: 54½° No Longt 168° Et where he was cast away & died in the Year 1741.

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On the 23rd of August, we lost our Commander Capt Clerke who died of a Decline; having been ill the greatest Part of the Voyage. The next Day we arriv’d at the Bay of Awatcha & there ended the second Season to the Northward; in which we were very unfortunate, having had blowing Weather & a thick Fog nearly the whole Time: so that we cou’d neither make Discoveries, nor carry on any Survey.

The Ships this Time went into the Harbour of St Peter & St Paul, which from its Form & Security may with great Propriety be call’d a Basin: the Entrance is not above a Stone’s throw either in length or breadth, & is bold to on each Side having six fathoms Water; the Soundings within are likewise six or seven fathoms, shoaling near the Shore to four, three & at the upper Part to two fathoms. There are two or three Rivulets of excellent Water here, & very good Beaches for hauling the Seine: the Rise & Fall of the Tide at full & change is not above five or six Feet perpendicular.

Capt Gore now took the Command of the Resolution & appointed Mr King our first Lieut to that of the Discovery whom I follow’d into that Ship; & Mr William Lanyon one of the Mates was made Lieut in his Room. The next Day we buried the Remains of Capt Clerke on Shore, a little above the Head of the Harbour, with the Honours due to his Rank.

The Appearance of the Country was very different at this Time of the Year, to what it was when we were here before; for instead of Snow, the Shore was now overspread with a most delightful Verdure: & altho’ every Thing was in its rude natural State, void of Cultivation; there being no Parks, Gardens, Cornfields or Enclosures, but only Birch-Trees, Bushes & Weeds of various Sorts grown up to great height; yet to us just come from the Ice, they afford a very pleasing Prospect, & the most agreeable Fragrancy ever met with, which even extended to the Ships.

We found some wild Raspberries which were equal in Flavour to those in England, but very scarce & then almost out of Season. Several of the Bushes were full of small red berries of a different Kind to any we had seen before: they were not very agreeable to the Taste, being rather too sour; but yielded a great Quantity of Juice when boil’d, in which the

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Russians have a Method of preserving them for the Winter; yet are in general too indolent to put it in practice, notwithstanding how useful they wou’d be as a Means of securing them against the Scurvy. Nwitti & Cranberries were very plentiful in the Vallies: likewise the same Kind of Herb as we found at Norton Sound; of which we gather’d great Quantities to use in Lieu of Tea, that we brought out with us long since expended.

The Discovery since she got block’d up by the Ice, has continued to make six or seven Inches Water in an Hour, from a Leak on the larboard Bow; we heel’d her to starboard, & on examining it found about two Feet of the End of a Plank close below the Wale stove right in, which luckily had not fallen out afterwards; as it might have occasion’d the Loss of the Ship. This was not the only Stroke she had receiv’d, for the other Bow was very much damag’d: the Carpenters of both Ships immediately set about repairing them, which they completed in eight or ten Days. The Resolution likewise lost a great Part of her Cutwater, & was oblig’d to be lighten’d foreward & haul’d with her Head upon the Beach at high Water, to have it repair’d; which was done in a few Days, & then she hove off again.

Our other Employments at this Place, were in carrying on the usual Duties, such as wooding, watering, repairing our Sails & Casks, overhauling the Riging, & fishing, for we liv’d all the Time chiefly upon Salmon; which were so plentiful at first, that we us’d to get from forty to sixty and sometimes near an hundred at one haul of the Seine; but latterly they became more scarce. The Kamscadales are employ’d the greatest Part of the Summer in drying a sufficient Quantity of them for their Winter Support. Each Ship salted about ten Punchions to carry to Sea with us, which prov’d of very little Use; for as we were going to the Southward, when we came into warm Weather they all spoil’d.

One of the Seamen belonging to the Resolution died here, being the fifth Person we lost by Sickness since leaving England.

The Sloop that was lying in the Harbour when we went to the Northward, had sail’d for Ochoz.

We were visited by Capt Smiloff who now had the Government of the Country, to whom we show’d every Respect in

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our Power: he staid with us eight or ten Days & then returned to Bolchoireeka.

A Galiot of 100 or 120 Tons, & very clumsily built, arriv’d here from thence with Stores & Provisions; & about fifty Soldiers, who were going to a Town to the Northward; they had been two Months on the Passage & were now very sickly. Major Behm according to his Promise sent round in her such Things as we had mentioned to him, & as much of each Article as they cou’d possibly spare which were very acceptable to us, & much more than we had Reason to expect from the State of the Country. This welcome Supply consisted of Plenty of rye Flour, two Hawsers, about a Dozen Coils of Rope, eight or ten little Kegs of Pitch & Tar, a small Quantity of Canvas, some Twine & a few Sail Needles. The Cordage in particular was very useful; it was full of Tar & badly made, but exceeding strong for I don’t recollect that any of it ever broke; & had we not met with this little Supply shou’d have been in the utmost Distress, not having an Hawser on board of sufficient Strength to heave up the Anchor with, or other Rope to answer several Purposes about the Riging; what we had left being now dry rotten.

We were inform’d by Capt Smiloff that the Tchutskoi, a People who inhabit the eastern Extremity of Siberia about Behring’s Strait, & the only Nation that remain’d unconquer’d by the Russians, had this Summer voluntarily sent them a large Tribute of Skins; which they were never able to exact by Force, tho’ it had often been attempted. This was occasion’d by our Appearanve upon the Coast, & their mistaking us for Russians; whom I suppose they imagin’d were come to carry on Hostilities, in order to bring them under Subjection. This accounts for their Conduct when Capt Cook landed amongst them at the Bay of StLawrence a little to the Southward of the Strait which is mention’d in Page 74.

About a Week before we sail’d twenty-one Head of Oxen arrived here, that had been collected & drove from a considerable Distance on Purpose for us; they were of a moderate Size & in very good Order, & prov’d a great Refreshment to us. Except a few for present Use, we kill’d the Rest & salted them for Sea.

The Summer here is of very short Duration being little more than four Months: for by October the country began to have quite a wintry Appearance; the Trees & Bushes having intirely lost their Verdure, & the Weather grown very cold: & I make no

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Doubt but by the latter Part of November or the beginning of December that the Ground wou’d be cover’d with Snow.

Having completed our Wood & Water, & got what Refreshments the Place cou’d afford; after a tedious Stay of seven Weeks; on the 10th of Octr 1779, we sail’d out of the Bay; & having fine Weather survey’d the coast down to Cape Lopatka, which is the southern Extremity of Kamtchatka, & lies in Lat: 50° No & Longt 155½° East.

After this our intention was to explore the Kurilian Isles; but having a contrary Wind we saw only the northernmost of them, that lies in Sight from Cape Lopatka: according to the Russian manuscript Charts they are small & eighteen in Number; extending in a Chain S.S.W. to the Islands of Iedso; which likewise we did not see, for the Wind continuing westerly we cou’d not fetch near them; they were three in Number, of a moderate Extent & lie close to the northward of Japan.

From the incorrectness of most old Maps, Japan is generally understood to be one large Island, when instead of that it is a Cluster of several; but three of them only are extensive, the others being very small; they lie close together, & are including the whole almost the Size of Great-Britain.

About the 24th of Octr we made the N.E. Point of Nipon, which is the principal of the Japanese Islands & nearly as large as the other two: this Extremity lies in Lat: 40½° N. & Longt 141½° Et. We stood within about two Miles of the Shore, which was of moderate height and to appearance very fertile; being well cultivated & laid out into regular Plantations, presenting a most delightful Prospect. Having light Breezes we made but little Progress along the Coast, which trends due South: the Wind at last coming off Shore & a Current setting to the eastward, we remain’d in Sight of it only two Days. We saw two Japanese Vessels at a Distance, which bore down within two or three Miles of us but wou’d not come any nearer; perceiving from the Rate of their sailing that it wou’d be in vain to chase them, we therefore lay to for some Time, then fir’d a gun & hoisted our Colours, but all without Effect; for they stood away in shore.

After three or four Days the Wind favouring us we made the Land about a Degree & an half to the southward of where we left it: having got within three or four Leags of the Shore, we had little Winds & Calms, which prevented our standing to the southward to survey the Coast; & in two or three Days we were carried out to Sea again by the Strength of the Current. A few Days afterwards we saw the Land at the Distance of about twelve Leagues, & a great

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Number of Vessels close in Shore; this was the S.E. Extremity of the Island, lying in Lat: 35° N. & 140°: Et upon which there is a very large peak’d Mountain almost equal in height to any we have seen. The Current setting round this Point much stronger than before, drove us so far to the Eastward that we found it in vain to attempt to make the Land again; & the Winter advancing we stood to the southward for China. We continued to pass by great Quantities of Pumice Stone for several Days which must come from some adjacent Volcano.

The greatest Part of this Passage was the most disagreeable we had ever experience’d; having a continual Gale of Wind, with very severe Squalls, Thunder, Lightening & Rain, & an extraordinary high Sea. On the 14thy of Novr we pass’d Sulphur-Islands , lying in Lat: 25° N. & Longt 140½° Et they are three in Number, small, barren & uninhabited. It was Capt Gore’s Intention to have touch’d at two or three small Islands call’d the Basha but by some means we miss’d them, as not being quite certain of their Situation.

A few Days before our making the Coast, we fell in with a large Reef; & it being then Midnight & very dark, we did not perceive the Sea breaking upon the Rocks, till the Ship had got within the Swell that rebounds from them; & had scarce Time to wear round & haul off. In the Morning we bore away again & stood close along the South Point of the Reef which is call’d the Pratas, & lies in Lat: 22° ..42’ N. & Longt 116° ..44’ East, Var: half a Degree West. It is of a circular Form about six Leags in Extent, & has a low sandy Island on the West Side two or three Miles long, that seemingly a Boat might land upon.

On the 30th of Novr we made the Sema Isles, which are a Range of small ones lying close to the Coast of China. The Captains now in Compliance with the Orders of the Admiralty, desir’d every Gentleman to deliver up to them their Journals, Charts, Drawings & Remarks of all Kinds relative to the Voyage; & a diligent Search was likewise made amongst the Sailors. The Intent of this was to prevent any Person from publishing an Account of our Discoveries; but such as their Lordships shou’d appoint, when they thought proper. We haul’d around the Southernmost of the Sema Islands, & after working up for three or four Days came to an Anchor in Macao Road, to our inexpressible Joy & Satisfaction; having had no Intelligence from Europe for a Space of three Years, it being now exactly that Time since we left the C. of Good Hope.

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The next Day we weigh’d & sail’d into the Typa; which is a well shelter’d Harbour but rather shoal, having only 2½ & 3 faths Water, with an oozy Bottom: it is large & form’d by four small high Islands lying at the Entrance of the River of Canton, & is about 24 Leagues distant from that City. We lay about four Miles from Macao, a small Settlement belonging to the Portuguese; the Citadel & other Fortifications are in their Possession, but the Town is chiefly inhabited by the Chinese, who will not permit them to go out of the small Peninsula it is situated upon; it lies in Lat: 22° .. 10’ N. & Longt 113° ..28’ E.

Here we heard of the War with France, which was a very unexpected Event to us; as in general we were of the Opinion that the Rebellion in America wou’d have been quell’d long before that Time. The Chinese supplied us very plentifully with Provisions of all kinds, but at a very dear Rate. Capt King went up to Wampoo where the India Ships lie, in a small Brig belonging to one of our Factors, to procure Stores for us; & tho’ nine of them were there, yet we did not get so good a Supply as at Kamtchatka. Beside the usual Duties we were employ’d in making Breast-Works, & putting the Ships into a State of Defence, which had never before been an Object to us. We made an Exchange with one of our India-Ships of a Bower Anchor for six four-pound Pieces of Cannon; which completed the Resolution to sixteen Guns & the Discovery to ten.

We sold the Remainder of our Furs to much greater Advantage than at Kamchatka; the Chinese being very eager to Purchase them, & gave us from 50 to 70 Dollars for each Skin; that was from £11..5 to £15..15, for what we bought with only a Hatchet or a Saw. Two of the Resolution’s People run away with their six oar’d Cutter in the Night & were not heard of afterwards.

Having completed our Water, overhaul’d our Riging, caulk’d the Ships Sides & pay’d them with Varnish of Pine; after a very tedious & unnecessary Stay of six Weeks, we sail’d & stood to the Southward.

On leaving the Land we had a very hard Gale of Wind & bad Weather for eight Days, till we made the Island of Pulo-Condore; which is small, high & cover’d with Wood, & lies in Lat: 8° .. 39’ N. & Longt 106° .. 19’ Et. WSe came to an Anchor in an excellent Harbour on the N.W. side of it, where we moor’d the Ships in six fathoms Water & staid for a Week. There are a few Chinese Families upon this Island of whom we purchas’d eight or ten Buffalo’s & kill’d them for the Use of the Ships Companies. We caught plenty of Fish with the Seine; & cut a great Quantity of Wood, the Place

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being very convenient for that Purpose. The Shore at the Head of the Harbour is almost cover’d with Mangroves; & Monkies are innumerable here: there is a small Well of Spring Water on the East Side, which we got a little from, for present Use.

On the 28th of Jany 1780 we sail’d, & after passing thro’ the Straits of Banka, on the 12th of Febry came to an Anchor in 26 faths fine Sand off the S.E.Side of Princes Island in the Straits of Sunda; which is generally allow’d to be the hottest & most unhealthy Place in the World. The People here are Malays, of whom we purchas’d great Plenty of Fowls & Turtle at a moderate Price. We completed our Water from a standing Pool, which was but indifferent; & having got what we cou’d, after a stay of five or six Days, on the 18th of Febry we sail’d for the Cape of good Hope.

During the Passage we were lucky in having fine Weather, & in general favourable Winds; till the last Fortnight when we had light Breezes & Calms; which are very unusual off the Cape, where Storms are mostly found to prevail. About two Days before our making the Land, we discover’d six Sail from the Mast Head at a great Distance; which we afterwards learnt were French Ships of the Line, that had been cruising there & now going to the Mauritius; a Fog coming on we saw them only a few Minutes. A little after this we fell in with a large Ship that continued to hover about at a Distance for two or three Days, & then bore down to us; which appearing rather suspicious we hove to & clear’d for Action: she pass’d close to windward of us with Imperial Colours & stood on. We likewise met with a small East-India Packet, that was cruising here with Orders for their homeward-bound Fleet. The Resolution having wrung the Head of her Rudder very much was not able to turn up round the Cape to Table Bay; therefore we were oblig’d to put into False Bay, which is sixteen Miles distant from it over Land, where we arriv’d on the 11th of April, after a Passage of eight Weeks.

Here we heard of the War with Spain; & receiv’d a Proclamation of the King of France, that had been issued out to all Commanders of their Ships or Vessels of War, forbidding them to intercept or molest us: it was found on board one of their Frigates taken by Admiral Keppels Fleet; & sent out by the Admiral for us at our Return. We found the Nassau & Southampton India Ships lying here; being afraid to venture out on Account of

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The French Fleet we had seen of the Coast: about ten Days afterwards the Sybil Frigate arriv’d at Table Bay, & convoy’d them home. The Carpenters of both Ships were employ’d in making a new Rudder for the Resolution; which was soon completed. Having refitted the Ships, & taken in a sufficient Quantity of Stores & Provisions; after a tedious Stay of a Month, on the 9th of May we sail’d for England; & on the 12th lost Sight of the Land.

We saw three Ships in our Passage at different Times, but they wou’d not come near us. On the 9th of August we open’d the Channel, & I believe Capt Gore intended to have gone up it, had not the Wind then shifted directly against us: upon which we stood to the Northward for the western Coast of Ireland, with an Intention to put into Galway; but the Wind continuing steady from the Eastward we were beating off the Coast for a Week or ten Days without being able to make the Land, tho’ not above 30 Leagues from it. Therefore giving over all Hopes of getting into Galway, we stood on to the Northward; & on the 21st of August, made the western Isles of Scotland; which was the first Land we had seen since leaving the Cape of good Hope, after a very tedious Passage of three Months, two Weeks & three Days; being the longest Time we were out of Sight of any Land during the Voyage.

The next Day we got into Stromness Harbour in the Orkney’s; but the Reason of our putting in there, when we had Water enough on board & a favourable Wind to carry us round to the River, was known only to our Commander: it continued so for six Days afterwards, & then chang’d to the S.E. where it remain’d, & intirely prevented our sailing. Capt King was sent away in a small Vessel to Aberdeen, with the Charts, Journals &c to carry up to the Admiralty; & Mr Burney first Lieut: of the Resolution, took Command of the Discovery in his Absense. Altho’ we procur’d every kind of Refreshment, & met with very great Friendship & Hospitality from the Inhabitants, yet our Stay at this Place seem’d exceeding tedious & disagreeable; for we cou’d get no more Intelligence concerning our Friends than if we had been at Otaheite.

After being detain’d here for a Month, the Wind at last came fair; & on the 20th of Sept we sail’d from the Orkney’s in Company with several Merchant Vessels. It was Capt Gore’s Intention to have gone up to Leith, but the Wind blowing very fresh & directly down the Firth, we stood on along the Coast. Here two of the Resolution’s People died; one of whom had then been two Voyages

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of this Kind, & the other, who was the Sergeant of Marines, had been three.

On the 30th of Septr we came to an Anchor in Yarmouth Roads; where each Ship got on board a new Cable, our own being too bad to proceed with. After two Days Stay we weigh’d & sail’d up the River; & on the 7th of Octr 1780, we lash’d along Side the Sheer Hulk at Woolwich, & the Resolution went up to Deptford. Both Ships were immediately clear’d, & their Crews paid their full Wages as a sixth Rate, & set at Liberty from the Service, except the Marines who were sent to their Division.

The Captains Gore & King were made Post, Mr Burney & Mr Williamson Master & Commanders; & every Mate & Midshipman that had serv’d their Time, were made Lieutenant & several of the Sailors, Warrant-Officers.

Thus ended a long, tedious & disagreeable Voyage of four Years & three Months: during which we lost only seven Persons by Sickness, who all belong’d to the Resolution; & three by Accidents belonging to the Discovery, exclusive of those that were kill’d with our great & unfortunate Commander.

[Transcribed by Robert Williams for the State Library of New South Wales]