We
Rowed About Two Miles Up The Coast To The East, Where The Shore Was Mostly
Covered With Mangrove-Trees; And Entering Amongst Them, By A Narrow Creek
Or River, Which Brought Us To A Little Straggling Village, Above All The
Mangroves, There We Landed And Were Shewn Fresh Water.
The ground near this
village was finely cultivated, being laid out in plantations of sugar-
canes, plantains, yams, and other roots, and watered by little rills,
conducted by art from the main stream, whose source was in the hills.
Here
were some cocoa-nut trees, which did not seem burdened with fruit. We heard
the crowing of cocks, but saw none. Some roots were baking on a fire in an
earthen jar, which would have held six or eight gallons; nor did we doubt
its being their own manufacture. As we proceeded up the creek, Mr Forster
having shot a duck flying over our heads, which was the first use these
people saw made of our fire-arms, my friend begged to have it; and when he
landed, told his countrymen in what manner it was killed. The day being far
spent, and the tide not permitting us to stay longer in the creek, we took
leave of the people and got on board a little after sun-set.[3] From this
little excursion, I found that we were to expect nothing from these people
but the privilege of visiting their country undisturbed. For it was easy to
see they had little else than good-nature to bestow. In this they exceeded
all the nations we had yet met with; and, although it did not satisfy the
demands of nature, it at once pleased and left our minds at ease.[4]
Next morning we were visited by some hundreds of the natives; some coming
in canoes, and others swimming off; so that, before ten o'clock, our decks,
and all other parts of the ship, were quite full with them. My friend, who
was of the number, brought me a few roots, but all the others came empty in
respect to eatables. Some few had with them their arms, such as clubs and
darts, which they exchanged for nails, pieces of cloth, &c. After
breakfast, I sent Lieutenant Pickersgill with two armed boats to look for
fresh water; for what we found the day before was by no means convenient
for us to get on board. At the same time Mr Wales, accompanied by
lieutenant Clerke, went to the little isle to make preparations for
observing the eclipse of the sun, which was to be in the afternoon. Mr
Pickersgill soon returning, informed me that he had found a stream of fresh
water, pretty convenient to come at. I therefore ordered the launch to be
hoisted out to complete our water, and then went to the isle to assist in
the observation.[5]
About one p.m., the eclipse came on. Clouds interposed, and we lost the
first contact, but were more fortunate in the end, which was observed as
follows:
By Mr Wales with Dollond's 3 1/2 foot
achromatic refractor, at 3h 28' 39" 1/4 \
By Mr Clerke with Bird's 2 feet |Appa-
reflector, at 3 28 52 1/4 |rent
And by me with an 18 inch reflector |time.
made by Watkins, 3 28 53 1/4 /
Latitude of the isle or place
of observation, 20 deg. 17' 39" S.
Longitude per distance of the sun and moon,
and moon and stars, 48 sets, 164 deg. 41' 21" East.
Ditto per watch 163 58 0
Mr Wales measured the quantity eclipsed by a Hadley's quadrant, a method
never before thought of. I am of opinion it answers the purpose of a
micrometer to a great degree of certainty, and is a great addition to the
use of this most valuable instrument. After all was over, we returned on
board, where I found Teabooma the chief, who soon after slipped out of the
ship without my knowledge, and by that means lost the present I had made up
for him.
In the evening I went ashore to the watering-place, which was at the head
of a little creek, at a fine stream that came from the hills. It was
necessary to have a small boat in the creek to convey the casks from and to
the beach over which they were rolled, and then put into the launch; as
only a small boat could enter the creek, and that only at high water.
Excellent wood for fuel was here far more convenient than water, but this
was an article we did not want. About seven o'clock this evening, died
Simon Monk, our butcher, a man much esteemed in the ship; his death being
occasioned by a fall down the fore-hatch-way the preceding night.
Early in the morning of the 7th, the watering-party, and a guard, under the
command of an officer, were sent ashore; and soon after a party of us went
to take a view of the country. As soon as we landed we made known our
design to the natives, and two of them undertaking to be our guides,
conducted us up the hills by a tolerably good path. In our route, we met
several people, most or whom turned back with us; so that at last our train
was numerous. Some we met who wanted us to return; but we paid no regard to
their signs, nor did they seem uneasy when we proceeded. At length we
reached the summit of one of the hills, from which we saw the sea in two
places, between some advanced hills, on the opposite or S.W. side of the
land. This was an useful discovery, as it enabled us to judge of the
breadth of the land, which, in this part, did not exceed ten leagues.
Between those advanced hills, and the ridge we were upon, was a large
valley, through which ran a serpentine river.
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