The sail
is latteen, extending to a latteen yard above, and to a boom at the foot;
in one word, it is like a whole mizzen, supposing the whole foot to be
extended to a boom.
The yard is slung nearly in the middle, or upon an
equipoise. When they change tacks they throw the vessel up in the wind,
ease off the sheet, and bring the heel or tack-end of the yard to the other
end of the boat, and the sheet in like manner; there are notches, or
sockets, at each end of the vessel in which the end of the yard fixes. In
short, they work just as those do at the Ladrone Islands, according to Mr
Walter's description.[1] When they want to sail large, or before the wind,
the yard is taken out of the socket and squared. It most be observed, that
all their sailing vessels are not rigged to sail in the same manner. Some,
and those of the largest size, are rigged, so as to tack about. These have
a short but pretty stout mast, which steps on a kind of roller that is
fixed to the deck near the fore-part. It is made to lean or incline very
much forward; the head is forked; on the two points of which the yard
rests, as on two pivots, by means of two strong cleats of wood secured to
each side of the yard, at about one-third its length from the tack or heel,
which, when under sail, is confined down between the two canoes, by means
of two strong ropes, one to and passing through a hole at the head of each
canoe; for it must be observed, that all the sailing vessels of this sort
are double. The tack being thus fixed, it is plain that, in changing tacks,
the vessels must be put about; the sail and boom on the one tack will be
clear of the mast, and on the other it will lie against it, just as a whole
mizzen. However, I am not sure if they do not sometimes unlace that part of
the sail from the yard which is between the tack and mast-head, and so
shift both sail and boom leeward of the mast. The drawings which Mr Hodges
made of these vessels seem to favour this supposition. The outriggers and
ropes used for shrowds, &c. are all stout and strong. Indeed, the sail,
yard, and boom, are all together of such an enormous weight, that strength
is required.
The summit of Amattafoa was hid in the clouds the whole day, so that we
were not able to determine with certainty whether there was a volcano or
no; but every thing we could see concurred to make us believe there was.
This island is about five leagues in circuit. Oghao is not so much; but
more round and peaked. They lie in the direction of N.N.W. 1/2 W. from
Anamocka, eleven or twelve leagues distant; they are both inhabited, but
neither of them seemed fertile.
We were hardly through the passage before we got a fresh breeze at south.
That moment all the natives made haste to be gone, and we steered to the
west; all sails set. I had some thoughts of touching at Amsterdam, as it
lay not much out of the way; but as the wind was now, we could not fetch
it; and this was the occasion of my laying my design aside altogether.
Let us now return to Anamocka, as it is called by the natives. It is
situated in the latitude of 20 deg. 15' S.; longitude 174 deg. 31' W., and was
first discovered by Tasman, and by him named Rotterdam. It is of a
triangular form, each side whereof is about three and a half or four miles.
A salt-water lake in the middle of it occupies not a little of its surface,
and in a manner cuts off the S.E. angle. Round the island, that is, from
the N.W. to the S., round by the N. and E., lie scattered a number of small
isles, sand-banks, and breakers. We could see no end to their extent to the
N.; and it is not impossible that they reach as far S. as Amsterdam or
Tongatabu. These, together with Middleburg or Eaoowee, and Pylstart, make a
group, containing about three degrees of latitude and two of longitude,
which I have named the Friendly Isles or Archipelago, as a firm alliance
and friendship seems to subsist among their inhabitants, and their
courteous behaviour to strangers entitles them to that appellation; under
which we might, perhaps, extend their group much farther, even down to
Boscawen and Keppell's Isles discovered by Captain Wallis, and lying nearly
under the same meridian, and in the latitude of 15 deg. 53'; for, from the
little account I have had of the people of these two isles they seem to
have the same sort of friendly disposition we observed in our Archipelago.
The inhabitants, productions, &c. of Rotterdam, and the neighbouring isles,
are the same as at Amsterdam. Hogs and fowls are, indeed, much scarcer; of
the former having got but six, and not many of the latter. Yams and
shaddocks were what we got the most of; other fruits were not so plenty.
Not half of the isle is laid out in inclosed plantations as at Amsterdam;
but the parts which are not inclosed, are not less fertile or uncultivated.
There is, however, far more waste land on this isle, in proportion to its
size, than upon the other; and the people seem to be much poorer; that is,
in cloth, matting, ornaments, &c. which constitute a great part of the
riches of the South-Sea islanders.
The people of this isle seem to be more affected with the leprosy, or some
scrophulous disorder, than any I have seen elsewhere.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 171 of 235
Words from 173406 to 174411
of 239428
