Therefore, As Soon As The
Adventure Was Up With Us, We Made Sail For Cape Kidnappers, Which We Passed
At Five O'clock In The Morning, And Continued Our Course Along-Shore Till
Nine, When, Being About Three Leagues Short Off Black-Head, We Saw Some
Canoes Put Off From The Shore.
Upon this I brought to, in order to give
them time to come on board; but ordered the Adventure, by signal, to stand
on, as I was willing to lose as little time as possible.
Those in the first canoe, which came along-side, were fishers, and
exchanged some fish for pieces of cloth and nails. In the next, were two
men, whom, by their dress and behaviour, I took to be chiefs. - These two
were easily prevailed on to come on board, when they were presented with
nails and other articles. They were so fond of nails, as to seize on all
they could find, and with such eagerness, as plainly shewed they were the
most valuable things we could give them. To the principal of these two men
I gave the pigs, fowls, seeds, and roots. I believe, at first, he did not
think I meant to give them to him; for he took but little notice of them,
till he was satisfied they were for himself. Nor was he then in such a
rapture as when I gave him a spike-nail half the length of his arm.
However, at his going away I took notice, that he very well remembered how
many pigs and fowls had been given him, as he took care to have them all
collected together, and kept a watchful eye over them, lest any should be
taken away. He made me a promise not to kill any; and if he keeps his word,
and proper care is taken of them, there were enough to stock the whole
island in due time; being two boars, two sows, four hens, and two cocks;
The seeds were such as are most useful (viz.) wheat, French and kidney
beans, pease, cabbage, turnips, onions, carrots, parsnips, and yams, &c.
With these articles they were dismissed. It was evident these people had
not forgot the Endeavour being on their coast; for the first words they
spoke to us were, Mataou no te pow pow (we are afraid of the guns).
As they could be no strangers to the affair which happened off Cape
Kidnappers in my former voyage, experience had taught them to have some
regard to these instruments of death.
As soon as they were gone, we stretched off to the southward, the wind
having now veered to the W.S.W. In the afternoon it increased to a fresh
gale, and blew in squalls; in one of which we lost our fore-top-gallant
mast, having carried the sail a little too long. The fear of losing the
land induced me to carry as much sail as possible. At seven in the morning,
we tacked and stretched in shore, Cape Turnagain at this time bore about
N.W. 1/2 N. distant six or seven leagues. The Adventure, being a good way
to leeward, we supposed, did not observe the signal, but stood on;
consequently was separated from us. During the night (which was spent in
plying) the wind increased in such a manner as to bring us under our
courses; it also veered to S.W. and S.S.W., and was attended with rain.
At nine in the morning on the 23d, the sky began to clear up, and the gale
to abate, so that we could carry close-reefed top-sails. At eleven o'clock
we were close in with Cape Turnagain, when we tacked and stood off; at noon
the said Cape bore west a little northerly, distant six or seven miles.
Latitude observed 41 deg. 30' south. Soon after, the wind falling almost to a
calm, and flattering ourselves that it would be succeeded by one more
favourable, we got up another top-gallant-mast, rigged top-gallant-yards,
and loosed all the reefs out of the top-sails. The event was not equal to
our wishes. The wind, indeed, came something more favourable, that is at W.
by N., with which we stretched along shore to the southward; but it soon
increased in such a manner, as to undo what we had but just done, and at
last stripped us to our courses, and two close-reefed top-sails under which
sails we continued all night. About day-light, the next morning, the gale
abating, we were again tempted to loose out the reefs, and rig top-gallant-
yards, which proved all lost labour; for, by nine o'clock, we were reduced
to the same sail as before.[1] Soon after, the Adventure joined us; and at
noon Cape Palliser bore west, distant eight or nine leagues. This Cape is
the northern point of Eaheinomauwe. We continued to stretch to the
southward till midnight, when the wind abated and shifted to S.E. Three
hours after, it fell calm, during which we loosed the reefs out, with the
vain hopes that the next wind which came would be favourable. We were
mistaken; the wind only took this short repose, in order to gain strength,
and fall the heavier upon us. For at five o'clock in the morning, being the
25th, a gale sprung up at N.W. with which we stretched to S.W.; Cape
Palliser at this time bore N.N.W., distant eight or nine leagues. The wind
increased in such a manner, as obliged us to take in one reef after
another; and, at last, it came on with such fury, as made it necessary to
take in all our sails with the utmost expedition, and to lie-to under bare
poles. The sea rose in proportion with the wind; so that we had a terrible
gale and a mountainous sea to encounter. Thus after beating up against a
hard gale for two days, and arriving just in sight of our port, we had the
mortification to be driven off from the land by a furious storm.
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