8' 38" 1/2 Too
Far To The West; That Is, It Had Gained, Since Our Leaving Queen
Charlotte's Sound, Of Its Then Rate Of Going, 8' 34" 1/2.
This was in about
five months, or rather more, during which time it had passed through the
extremes of cold and heat.
It was judged that half this error arose after
we left Easter Island; by which it appeared that it went better in the cold
than in the hot climates.
[1] "The man who acted the part of the woman in labour went through
the gestures which the Greeks were wont to admire in the groves of
Venus-Ariadne, near Amathus, where the same ceremony was acted on the
second day of the month Gorpioeus, in memory of Ariadne, who died in
child-bed. Thus it appears that there is scarcely a practice, though
ever so ridiculous, existing in any corner of the world, that has not
been hit upon by the extravagant fancy of men in some other region. A
tall, stout fellow, dressed in cloth, personated the new-born infant
in such a ludicrous style, that we could not refuse joining in the
plaudits which his countrymen bestowed on him. Anatomists and midwives
would have been surprised to observe, that this overgrown babe had
every necessary character of a child newly born; but the natives were
particularly delighted with his running about the stage, whilst the
rest of the dancers endeavoured to catch him. The ladies were much
pleased with this scene, which, according to the simplicity of their
ideas, had not the least indecency; they looked on, therefore,
unconcernedly, and were not obliged, like some European dames, to peep
through their fans." - G.F.
[2] The two Forsters, particularly the father, a man of great sagacity
and of very acute discernment, paid much attention to this interesting
subject. The information they procured is contained in their
respective works, and is, as might be expected, very similar. From
this it would have been easy to add to the contents of the text. But
this has been avoided, principally because we may perhaps present the
reader with the substance of Forster's observations, in a connected
form, on another occasion. That publication indeed is a treasure of
most curious and important matter, deserving to be more extensively
known, than there is reason to believe it now is. - E.
CHAPTER III.
FROM ULIETEA TO NEW ZEALAND.
SECTION I.
Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Isles, with a Description of
several Islands that were discovered, and the Incidents which happened in
that Track.
On the 6th, being the day after leaving Ulietea, at eleven o'clock a.m., we
saw land bearing N.W., which, upon a nearer approach, we found to be a low
reef island about four leagues in compass, and of a circular form. It is
composed of several small patches connected together by breakers, the
largest lying on the N.E. part. This is Howe Island, discovered by Captain
Wallis, who, I think, sent his boat to examine it; and, if I have not been
misinformed, found a channel through, within the reef, near the N.W. part.
The inhabitants of Ulietea speak of an uninhabited island about this
situation, called by them Mopeha, to which they go at certain seasons for
turtle.
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