It Breaks Out In The
Face More Than Any Other Part Of The Body.
I have seen several whose faces
were ruined by it, and their noses quite gone.
In one of my excursions,
happening to peep into a house where one or more of them were, one man only
appeared at the door, or hole, by which I must have entered, and which he
began to stop up, by drawing several parts of a cord across it. But the
intolerable stench which came from his putrid face was alone sufficient to
keep me out, had the entrance been ever so wide. His nose was quite gone,
and his whole face in one continued ulcer; so that the very sight of him
was shocking. As our people had not all got clear of a certain disease they
had contracted at the Society Isles, I took all possible care to prevent
its being communicated to the natives here; and I have reason to believe my
endeavours succeeded.
Having mentioned a house, it may not be amiss to observe, that some here
differ from those I saw at the other isles: being inclosed or walled on
every side, with reeds neatly put together, but not close. The entrance is
by a square hole, about two feet and a half each way. The form of these
houses is an oblong square; the floor or foundation every way shorter than
the eve, which is about four feet from the ground. By this construction,
the rain that falls on the roof, is carried off from the wall, which
otherwise would decay and rot.
We did not distinguish any king or leading chief, or any person who took
upon him the appearance of supreme authority. The man and woman before
mentioned, whom I believed to be man and wife, interested themselves on
several occasions in our affairs; but it was easy to see they had no great
authority. Amongst other things which I gave them as a reward for their
service, was a young dog and bitch, animals which they have not, but are
very fond of, and know very well by name. They have some of the same sort
of earthen pots we saw at Amsterdam; and I am of opinion they are of their
own manufacture, or that of some neighbouring isle.
The road, as I have already mentioned, is on the north side of the isle,
just to the southward of the southernmost cove; for there are two on this
side. The bank is of some extent, and the bottom free from rocks, with
twenty-five and twenty fathoms water, one or two miles from the shore.
Fire-wood is very convenient to be got at, and easy to be shipped off; but
the water is so brackish that it is not worth the trouble of carrying it on
board; unless one is in great distress for want of that article, and can
get no better. There is, however, better, not only on this isle, but on
others in the neighbourhood; for the people brought us some in cocoa-nut
shells which was as good as need be; but probably the springs are too
trifling to water a ship.
I have already observed, that the S.W. side of the island is covered by a
reef or reefs of rocks, and small isles. If there be a sufficient depth of
water between them and the island, as there appeared to be, and a good
bottom, this would be a much securer place for a ship to anchor in, than
that where we had our station.[2]
[1] See Lord Anson's Voyages.
[2] Mr G.F. has given a few particulars respecting the subjects of
this and the preceding sections, in addition to Captain Cook's
account, but they are not important enough to warrant quotation. - E.
SECTION III.
The Passage from the Friendly Isles to the New Hebrides, with an Account
of the Discovery of Turtle Island, and a Variety of Incidents which
happened, both before and after the Ship arrived in Port Sandwich, in the
Island of Mallicollo. A Description of the Port, the adjacent Country, its
Inhabitants, and many other Particulars.
On the first of July, at sun-rise, Amattafoa was still in sight, bearing
N.E., distant twenty leagues. Continuing our course to the west, we, the
next day at noon, discovered land bearing N.W. by W., for which we steered;
and, upon a nearer approach, found it to be a small island. At four o'clock
it bore from N.W. half W. to N.W. by N., and, at the same time, breakers
were seen from the masthead, extending from W. to S.W. The day being too
far spent to make farther discoveries, we soon after shortened sail, hauled
the wind, and spent the night, making short boards, which, at day-break, we
found had been so advantageous that we were farther from the island than we
expected, and it was eleven o'clock before we reached the N.W. or lee-side,
where anchorage and landing seemed practicable. In order to obtain a
knowledge of the former, I sent the master with a boat to sound, and, in
the mean time, we stood on and off with the ship. At this time four or five
people were seen on the reef, which lies round the isle, and about three
times that number on the shore. As the boat advanced, those on the reef
retired and joined the others; and when the boat landed they all fled to
the woods. It was not long before the boat returned, when the master
informed me that there were no soundings without the reef, over which, in
one place only, he found a boat channel of six feet water. Entering by it,
he rowed in for the shore, thinking to speak with the people, not more than
twenty in number, who were armed with clubs and spears; but the moment he
set his foot on shore, they retired to the woods.
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