The Astronomers Set Up Their Observatory,
And Made Their Observations On Point Venus, The Latitude Of Which They
Found To Be 17 Deg.
29' 13" south.
This differs but two seconds from that which
Mr Green and I found; and its longitude, viz. 149 deg. 34' 49" 1/2 west, for
any thing that is yet known to the contrary, is as exact.
Mr Kendal's watch was found to be gaining on mean time 8" 863 per day,
which is only 0" 142 less than at Queen Charlotte's Sound, consequently its
error in longitude was trifling.
[1] "We heard that about the time mentioned by the natives, Don Juan
de Langara y Huarte, sent out from the port of Callao in Peru, had
visited Otaheite, but what the particulars of that voyage are, has
never transpired." - G.F.
[2] We anticipated such an opinion in a former volume, and cannot
refrain quoting the following observations in support of it. - "The
question, which has been agitated between the French and English
navigators, concerning the first introduction of this evil to
Otaheite, might be decided very favourably for them both, by supposing
the disease to have existed there previous to their arrival. The
argument, that some of Captain Wallis's people received the infection,
does not seem to controvert this supposition, but only proves, that
the women, who prostrated themselves to his men, were free from it;
which was, perhaps, owing to a precaution of the natives, who might be
apprehensive of exposing themselves to the anger of the strangers, by
conferring such a desperate gift upon them. M. de Bougainville, with
the politeness of a well-bred man, doubts whether the disease existed
at Otaheite previous to his arrival or not; the English seaman asserts
his opinion as facts in positive terms. We heard, however, of another
disease of a different nature, whilst we stayed upon the island; and
which they called o-pay-no-Peppe, (the sore of Peppe), adding that
it was brought by the ship which they designed by that name, and
which, according to different accounts, had either been two, three, or
four months before us at Otaheite. By the account of the symptoms, it
seemed to be a kind of leprosy. Nothing is more easy than to imagine,
how the strangers (Spaniards) who visited Otaheite in that ship, might
be erroneously charged with introducing that disease. In order to give
rise to a general error of this sort, it is sufficient that it broke
out nearly about the time of their arrival, and that some distant
connections between them and the persons affected could be traced.
This is the more probable, as it is certain, that there are several
sorts of leprous complaints existing among the inhabitants, such as
the elephantiasis, which resembles the yaws; also an eruption over the
whole skin, and, lastly, a monstrous rotting ulcer, of a most
loathsome appearance. However, all these very seldom occur, and
especially the last; for the excellence of their climate, and the
simplicity of their vegetable food, which cannot be too much extolled,
prevent not only these, but almost all dangerous and deadly
disorders." - G.F.
[3] The reader will be abundantly supplied with information respecting
the fact of human sacrifices being used at this island, when he comes
to the account of the third voyage performed by Cook. - E.
CHAPTER II.
FROM OUR DEPARTURE FROM THE SOCIETY ISLES, TO OUR RETURN TO AND LEAVING
THEM THE SECOND TIME.
SECTION I.
Passage from Ulietea to the Friendly Islands, with an Account of the
Discovery of Hervey's Island, and the Incidents that happened at
Middleburg.
After leaving Ulietea, as before mentioned, I steered to the west,
inclining to the south, to get clear of the tracts of former navigators,
and to get into the latitude of the islands of Middleburgh and Amsterdam;
for I intended to run as far west as these islands, and to touch there if I
found it convenient, before I hauled up for New Zealand. I generally lay-to
every night, lest we might pass any land in the dark. Part of the 21st and
22d the wind blew from N.W., attended with thunder, lightning, and rain,
having a large swell from S.S.E. and S., which kept up for several days, -
an indication that no land was near us in that direction.
On the 23d, at ten o'clock in the morning, land was seen from the top-mast
head, and at noon from the deck, extending from S. by W. to S.W. by S. We
hauled up for it with the wind at S.E., and found it to consist of two or
three small islets, connected together by breakers like most of the low
isles in the sea, lying in a triangular form, and about six leagues in
circuit. They were clothed with wood, among which were many cocoa-nut
trees. We saw no people, or signs of inhabitants; and had reason to think
there were none. The situation of this isle, which is in the latitude of
19 deg. 18' S., longitude 158 deg. 54' W., is not very different from that assigned
by Mr Dalrymple to La Dezena. But as this is a point not easily determined,
I named it Hervey's Island, in honour of the Honourable Captain Hervey of
the navy, one of the lords of the Admiralty, and afterwards Earl of
Bristol.
As the landing on this isle, if practicable, would have caused a delay
which I could ill spare at this time, we resumed our course to the west;
and on the 25th we again began to use our sea-biscuits, the fruit which had
served as a succedaneum being all consumed; but our stock of fresh pork
still continued, each man having as much every day as was needful. In our
route to the west we now and then saw men-of-war and tropic birds, and a
small sea-bird, which is seldom seen but near the shores of the isles; we,
therefore, conjectured that we had passed some land at no great distance.
As we advanced to the west, the variation of the compass gradually
increased, so that on the 29th, being in the latitude of 21 deg.
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