44' 35" E. It is no more than a little creek running in S. by W. 1/2
W. three quarters of a mile, and is about half that in breadth.
A shoal of
sand and rocks, lying on the east side, makes it still narrower. The depth
of water in the harbour is from six to three fathoms, and the bottom is
sand and mud. No place can be more convenient for taking in wood and water;
for both are close to the shore. The water stunk a little after it had been
a few days on board, but it afterwards turned sweet; and even when it was
at the worst, the tin machine would, in a few hours, recover a whole cask.
This is an excellent contrivance for sweetening water at sea, and is well
known in the navy.
Mr Wales, from whom I had the latitude and longitude, found the variation
of the needle to be 7 deg. 14' 12" E., and the dip of its south end 45 deg. 2' 3/4.
He also observed the time of high water, on the full and change days, to be
about 5h 45m; and the tide to rise and fall three feet.
[1] According to Mr G.F. nothing, except this very dubious
circumstance of the solemn song, could be discovered among these
people, to indicate religion or superstitious notions. He mentions
indeed, their practice of taking up the presents given them on a leaf,
but properly enough remarks, that as even this was not general, and as
it even ceased on the parties becoming better acquainted, no stress
ought to be laid upon it. Obviously, the information is too scanty to
warrant decided opinions on the subject; but reasoning from analogy
and what is related of the conduct and enjoyments of these islanders,
one could not readily embrace the notion that they were quite
destitute of both religious ideas and practices. - E.
[2] Mr G.F. informs us that not less than forty different species of
plants are cultivated in this island, and the nutmeg he conceives to
be among its spontaneous ones. Of the fish found here he specifies
mullet, Brasilian pike, garfish, dolphins, cavalhas, parrot-fish,
sting-rays, toothless-rays, angel-fish, sharks, sinking-fish, and
varieties of mackrel. Its birds are several sorts of pigeons,
parroquets, fly-catchers, the Ceylonese owl, a species of creeper, a
sort of duck, and a purple water-hen. The cock and hen are its only
tame fowls; and there are but three quadrupeds, hogs, rats, and
bats. - E.
[3] If I might venture a conjecture, founded upon the languages which
we heard spoken in this island, I should suppose that several tribes
of different nations have peopled it, and may have disputed the
possession of the ground with each other. Besides the common language
of the island, and a dialect of that of the Friendly Islands, we
collected some words of a third language, chiefly current among the
inhabitants of its western hills; and we particularly obtained the
numerals of all the three tongues, which are indeed totally extinct.
In the common language of Tanna we met with two or three words, which
have a clear affinity with the language of Mallicollo, and about the
same number corresponded with some words of the Malay; but in general
they are wholly unlike each other, and related to no other language
that I know of. There is a strong kind of aspiration, and a guttural
sound, in many words at Tanna, which are however very sonorous and
full of vowels, and therefore easily pronounced." - G.F.
[4] Captain Cook has neglected to notice the musical genius of these
people. The following remarks on it are worthy of quotation. - "As I
happened to hum a song one day, many of them very eagerly entreated me
to sing to them, and though not one of us was properly acquainted with
music, yet we ventured to gratify their curiosity, and offered them a
great variety of airs. Some German and English songs, especially of
the more lively kind, pleased them very much; but Dr Sparrman's
Swedish tunes gained universal applause; from whence it appeared that
their judgment in music was not influenced by the same rules which
regulate the taste of other countries. When we had performed, we
desired them in return to give us an opportunity of admiring their
talents, and one of them immediately began a very simple tune; it was
however harmonious, and, as for as we could judge, superior to the
music of all the nations in the tropical part of the South Sea, which
we had hitherto heard. It ran through a much more considerable compass
of notes, than is employed at Otaheite, or even at Tonga-Tabboo; and
had a serious turn which distinguished it very remarkably from the
softer effeminate music of those islands. The words seemed to be
naturally arranged, and flowed very currently from the tongue. When
the first had finished his song, another began; his tune was different
as to the composition, but had the same serious style which strongly
marked the general turn of the people. They were indeed seldom seen to
laugh so heartily, and jest so facetiously, as the more polished
nations of the Friendly and Society Islands, who have already learnt
to set a great value on these enjoyments. On the afternoon of this
day, our friends importuned us to sing to them again. We readily
complied with their request, and when they seemed to wonder at the
difference in our songs, we endeavoured to make them comprehend that
we were natives of different countries. Hearing this, they pointed out
an elderly thin man in the circle of our hearers, and telling us that
he was a native of Irromanga, desired him to sing to us. The man
immediately stepped forward, and began a song, in the course of which
he made a variety of gesticulations, not only to our entertainment,
but to the great satisfaction of all the people about him.
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