The Calm Continued Till Four O'clock The Next
Morning, When It Was Succeeded By A Breeze From The South.
At day-light,
perceiving a likelihood of a passage between the islands to the north and
the breakers to
The south, we stretched in west, and soon after saw more
islands, both to the S.W. and N.W., but the passage seemed open and clear.
Upon drawing near the islands, we sounded, and found forty-five and forty
fathoms, a clear sandy bottom. I was now quite easy, since it was in our
power to anchor, in case of a calm; or to spend the night, if we found no
passage. Towards noon some canoes came off to us from one of the isles,
having two or three people in each; who advanced boldly alongside, and
exchanged some cocoa-nuts, and shaddocks, for small nails. They pointed out
to us Anamocka, or Rotterdam; an advantage we derived from knowing the
proper names. They likewise gave us the names of some of the other isles,
and invited us much to go to theirs, which they called Cornango. The breeze
freshening, we left them astern, and steered for Anamocka; meeting with a
clear passage, in which we found unequal sounding, from forty to nine
fathoms, depending, I believe, in a great measure, on our distance from the
islands which form it.
As we drew near the south end of Rotterdam, or Anamocka, we were met by a
number of canoes, laden with fruit and roots; but as I did not shorten
sail, we had but little traffic with them. The people in one canoe enquired
for me by name; a proof that these people have an intercourse with those of
Amsterdam. They importuned us much to go towards their coast, letting us
know, as we understood them, that we might anchor there. This was on the
S.W. side of the island, where the coast seemed to be sheltered from the S.
and S.E. winds; but as the day was far spent, I could not attempt to go in
there, as it would have been necessary to have sent first a boat to examine
it. I therefore stood for the north side of the island, where we anchored
about three-fourths of a mile from shore; the extremes of it bearing south,
88 deg. E. to S.W.; a cove with a sandy beach at the bottom of it S. 50 deg. E.
SECTION II.
Reception at Anamocka; a Robbery and its Consequences, with a Variety of
other Incidents. Departure from the Island. A sailing Canoe described. Some
Observations on the Navigation of these Islanders. A Description of the
Island, and of those in the Neighbourhood, with some Account of the
Inhabitants, and nautical Remarks.
Before we had well got to an anchor, the natives came off from all parts in
canoes, bringing with them yams and shaddocks, which they exchanged for
small nails and old rags. One man taking a vast liking to our lead and
line, got hold of it, and, in spite of all the threats I could make use of,
cut the line with a stone; but a discharge of small shot made him return
it.
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