I Now Wished To Have Had The Little Vessel Set Up,
The Frame Of Which We Had On Board.
I had some thoughts of doing this, when
we were last at Otaheite, but found it could not be executed, without
neglecting the caulking and other necessary repairs of the ship, or staying
longer there than the route I had in view would admit.
It was now too late
to begin setting her up, and then to use her in exploring this coast; and
in our voyage to the south, she could be of no service. These reasons
induced me to try to get without the shoals; that is, to the southward of
them.[2]
Next morning at day-break, we got under sail with a light breeze at E. by
N. We had to make some trips to weather the shoals to leeward of Botany
Isle; but when this was done the breeze began to fail; and at three p.m. it
fell calm. The swell, assisted by the current, set us fast to S.W. towards
the breakers, which were yet in sight in that direction. Thus we continued
till ten o'clock, at which time a breeze springing up at N.N.W. we steered
E.S.E.; the contrary course we had come in; not daring to steer farther
south till daylight.
At three o'clock next morning, the wind veered to S.W., blew hard, and in
squalls, attended with rain, which made it necessary to proceed with our
courses up and top-sails on the cap, till day-break, when the hill on the
Isle of Pines bore north; and our distance from the shore in that direction
was about four leagues. We had now a very strong wind at S.S.W. attended by
a great sea; so that we had reason to rejoice at having got clear of the
shoals before this gale overtook us. Though every thing conspired to make
me think this was the westerly monsoon, it can hardly be comprehended under
that name, for several reasons; first, because it was near a month too soon
for these winds; secondly, because we know not if they reach this place at
all; and lastly, because it is very common for westerly winds to blow
within the tropics. However, I never found them to blow so hard before, or
so far southerly. Be these things as they may, we had now no other choice
but to stretch to S.E., which we accordingly did with our starboard tacks
aboard; and at noon we were out of sight of land.
The gale continued with very little alteration till noon next day; at which
time we observed in latitude 23 deg. 18', longitude made from the Isle of Pines
1 deg. 54' E. In the afternoon we had little wind from the south, and a great
swell from the same direction: And many boobies, tropic, and men-of-war
birds were seen. At eleven o'clock a fresh breeze sprung up at W. by S.,
with which we stood to the south. At this time we were in the latitude of
23 deg. 18', longitude 169 deg. 49' E., and about forty-two leagues south of the
Hebrides.
At eight o'clock in the morning, on the third, the wind veered to S.W. and
blew a strong gale by squalls, attended with rain. I now gave over all
thought of returning to the land we had left. Indeed, when I considered the
vast ocean we had to explore to the south; the state and condition of the
ship, already in want of some necessary stores; that summer was approaching
fast, and that any considerable accident might detain us in this sea
another year; I did not think it advisable to attempt to regain the land.
Thus I was obliged, as it were by necessity, for the first time, to leave a
coast I had discovered, before it was fully explored. - I called it New
Caledonia; and, if we except New Zealand, it is perhaps the largest island
in the South Pacific Ocean. For it extends from the latitude of 19 deg. 37', to
22 deg. 30', S., and from the longitude of 163 deg. 37' to 167 deg. 14' E. It lies
nearly N.W. 1/2 W., and S.E. 1 E., and is about eighty-seven leagues long
in that direction; but its breadth is not considerable, not any where
exceeding ten leagues. It is a country full of hills and valleys; of
various extent both for height and depth. To judge of the whole by the
parts we were on, from these hills spring vast numbers of little rivulets,
which greatly contribute to fertilize the plains, and to supply all the
wants of the inhabitants. The summits of most of the hills seem to be
barren; though some few are cloathed with wood; as are all the plains and
valleys. By reason of these hills, many parts of the coast, when at a
distance from it, appeared indented, or to have great inlets between the
hills; but, when we came near the shore, we always found such places shut
up with low land, and also observed low land to lie along the coast between
the seashore and the foot of the hills. As this was the case in all such
parts as we came near enough to see, it is reasonable to suppose that the
whole coast is so. I am likewise of opinion, that the whole, or greatest
part, is surrounded by reefs or shoals, which render the access to it very
dangerous, but at the same time guard the coast from the violence of the
wind and sea; make it abound with fish, secure an easy and safe navigation
along it, for canoes, &c.; and, most likely, form some good harbours for
shipping. Most, if not every part of the coast, is inhabited, the Isle of
Pines not excepted; for we saw either smoke by day, or fires by night,
wherever we came.
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