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" Wh»» peiili dare him r not the mighty deep TV'ith all iti pMiopljr of rave* and stonni! Kot the round world itself, itith northern ice And tnrriil lonri, and touthem ice again ! Man has dared all, that, liko th« Ariel (pilte. He girdlet round the world." LONDON: T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTEB BOWi AMD EDINBURGH. MOCCCLIL Win) PREFACE. The object of the present Work is to give a compre- hensive History of the yarious Circnmnavigations of the Globe, and to describe at the same time the Progress of Discovery in Polynesia. The innumerable islands which are scattered over the vast expanse of the Pacific, have in all times excited the liveliest regard. In few regions of the earth does Nature present a more fascinating aspect, or lavish her gifts with more bountiful profusion. Favoured by mild and serene skies, the fertile soil of these insular terri- tories produces the most luxuriant vegetation, which, with its many rich and varied hues, clothes the whole land from the margin of the sea to the summits of the loftiest mountains. As the voyager soils along their picturesque shores, he is refreshed by perfumes borne on the breeze, from woods which at the same time display the bud, the blossom, and the mature fruit. Nor is the character of their inhabitants less cal- culated to inspire interest. In countries where the bread-tree affords ** the unreaped harvest of unfurrowed 2601^1 PREFACE. J tielfls," where the people neither plough nor sow, nor do any work, their first visiters believed that they had at length discovered the hnpj>y region with which poets ndorned the golden nge. To later explorers, as has been rrniarked by Humboldt, " the state of half-civilisation in which these isljuulers are found gives a peculiar '' charm to the description of their manners. Here a king', followed by a numerous suite, comes and presents the productions of his orchard ; there the funeral-festi- val embrowns the shade of the lofty forest. Such pic- tures have more attniction liian those which portray the solemn e^ravity of the inhabitants of the Missouri or the Maranon." In every compendium of voyages, from the days of Purclias downwards, a prominent place has been as- signed to the discoveries and exploits of those navigators whose course has led them to encompass the world, — whether in search of imaginary continents, in quest of warlike adventure, or in the peaceful pursuit of scien- tific knowledge. But the manner in which the History of Circumnavigation is given in most of the works al- luded to, tends to repel mther than to invite the attention of the common reader. In the imperfect abridgments which have from time to time appeared, no endeavour is made to supply the deficiencies or to illustrate the obscurities of the original narrative oy the light of more recent discovery. The mind is wearied by innu- merable repetitions, and perplexed by irreconcilable discrepancies. The vast extent, too, of some collections cannot fail to deter a majority of inquirei-s : in one of PREFACE. which (Bil)liotheque Uiiiversjille uos Voyages par M. Albert Montcfmont, in-8^ Piuis, 1033-1836), the "Voy- ages autour (lu Monde" occupy about twenty volumes. The excellent work of the late Admiral Burney may be said to be almost the only one in which an attempt has been made to digest this nr.ass of crude materials in a methodical and connected narrative, possessing the advantages of jterspicuous arrangement, and elucidated by the investigations of rece\!. navigatoiu. Of the " Chronological History of tic Discoveries in the South Sea" every one must speak witii respect, as of a book distinguished by great erudition and by laborious re- search. It chiefly addresses itself, however, to the pro- fessional and scientific student ; and is, indeed, obviously rendered unfit for g.neral p.-rusal by the copiousness and minuteness of its technical details. Though bring- ing down the annals of maritime enterprise no farther than to the commencement of the reign of George III., it occupies five volumes in quarto, — leaving the history of the short period comprehended between that epoch and the death of Cook (undoubtedly the most mterest- ing of the whole) to be pursued in works extending to more than three times the same amount. Nor must it be overlooked, that however excellent the performance of Admiral Burney may have been in its own day, it has now become in some measure antiquated) from the great accessions which geographical science has received since his work was submitted to the public. To our knowledge of the Archipelago of Tonga and Feejee, great contributions have been lately made by 8 PREFACE. lC Mariner and D'Urville. Otahcite and the Society Islands have been elucidated with singular fidelity by the Reverend Mr Ellis, as well as by Messrs Bennet and Tyernian. The labours of the gentlemen just nsmed, with those of the American missionary, Mr Stewart, of the officers of H. M. S. the Blonde, and of MM. Morineau and Botta, have greatly enlarged our acquaintance wit'i the Sandwich group. Much light has been thrown on New Zealand by the writings of Cruise, Rutherford, Yate, Earle, D'Urville, and the contributors to the Missionary Register. The Ladrone or Marian Islands, the Navigators', and the vast range of the Carolines, have been for the first time satisfac- torily illustrated by the inquiries of Freycinet and Kotzebue. The voyager last mentioned, as also his countryman Billinghausen, M. Duperrey, and Captain Beechey, have completed the discovery of the Low or Coral Archipelago ; and the researches of Dillon and of D'Urville have supplied much valuable information on the state and productions of the New Hebrides. In preparing this volume, the greatest pams have been taken to turn to advantage the important investi- gations of the writers just named ; and while much interesting matter has been derived from the collections of Debrosses, Dalrymple, and Burney, the work, it is hoped, will afford evidence that in no Instance where they were accessible have the original authorities been neglected. For some valuable information embodied in the ac- count of Cook's Voyages, which occupies so considerable PREFACE. 9 a portion of these pages, the Publishers have been indebted to the relatives of his family. By the kind- ness of the late Mr Isaac Cragg-Smith, they were fur- nished with the original manuscript of the great voyager's Observations of the Transit of Venus, and a fac-simile of tills interesting relic accompanies the book. It may also be stated, that the Portrait (engraved by Hoi-sburgh after Dance) which is prefixed to the work was pro- nounced by Mrs Cook — now no more — to be the most accurate of all the likenesses of her illustrious husband. The scenery of the different countries visited by that eminent seaman, the appearance of the natives, as well as their dress and arms, are successfully illustrated by numerous beautiful engravings from the able hand of Mr Jackson. The present volume comprises the History of Circum- navigation from Magellan to Cook, — a period of more than two centuries and a half, — and details the proceed- ings of those navigators who effected discoveries in the Pacific during the same time. It will be followed by a second, bringing down the narrative to the present day ; exhibiting a copious view of the recent French, Russian, and German voyages, hithei-to but little known in this country. The achievements of three circumnavigators, — Drake, Cavendish, and Dampier, — seemed to deserve a more minute description than was compatible with the design of this Work, and an early Number of the Edinburgh Cabinet Library was devoted to an account of their lives and actions. To the former impressions of that 10 PREFACE. volume waa prefixed a brief notice of some of the firat discoveries in the South Sea, which, as it is rendered superfluous by the more ample details now given, has been withdrawn in order to make way for several in- teresting facts and illustrations, derived from various books that have appeared m Great Britain and ou the Continent since it was originally is<'ued. EniKBrncH, June 1. liA>\ 'i'l rONTENTS CHAPTFJl 4. DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH SEA — 1618. Gco^^raphical Kiiowledjje of the Ancients — Their I^rnorance of a Sea to (he East of China — First «een by Marco Polo <1271- 1295)— Projfress of Modern Discoivery — Columbus (1492)— Pa- pal Bull of Partition (I494j— Cabral ( 1 5(«))— Cabot (1497-16 17) Cortereal (1500j— Pinzon (1600)— Vasco Nunez ie Balboa hears of the South Sea — Its Discovery (26th Sept. 15Id}j. .Pa^e 17 CHAPTER II. CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN— 1519-1522. Magellan's Birth and Services — Proposals to the Spanish Court ac- cepted—Sails on his Voyajfe (20th Sept. 1619 - Anchors at Port San Julian — Transactions there — Description of the Natives — Discovers the Strait (21st October 1520}— Enters the South Sea (28th November) — The Unfortunate Islands — The Ladrones (0th March 1521) — The Island of Mazaj;uaor Limasava— Ztbu — Intercourse with the Natives — Death of Ma^llan (27th April) — His Character —Fleet proceeds to Borneo — Arrives at Tidore — The Ship Vitoria reaches Spain (f>Ui Sept. 1622)— Fate of the Trinidad— Results of the Expedition,.. «)3 CHAPTER III. DISCOVERIES AND CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS FROM MAGELLAN TO THE END OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY— 1622-16()Ul Expedition of l.oyasa (1526)— Discovery of Papua or New Guine<( (1526)- Voyages of Saavedra (1627-1529)— Of Villalobos (1C42) 12 CONTENTS. — Of Legaspi (1564)— Of Juan Fernandez (1563-1574)— Expe- dition of Mendana, and Discovery of the Solomon Islands (1567) — John Oxenharo, the first Englishman that sailed on the Pacific (1675)— Circiimnavijration of Sir Francis Drake (1577-1580)— Expedition of Sarmiento (157U) — Circnranavij^tion of Cavendish (1586-1588)— His Second Voyage ( 1591)— The Falkland Islands discovered (1592)— Expedition of Sir Richard Hawkins (1593) — Second Voyage of Mendana (1595) — The Marquesas— Santa Cruz — Expedition of five Dutch Vessels (1598) — Circumnaviga- tion of V .n Noort a598-l601)_Retrospect, Page 62 CHAPTER IV. CIUCUMNAVIGATICNS AND DISCOVERIES OF THE SEVEN- TEENTH CENTURY— 1600-1/00. Voyage of Quiros (1605-1606) — La Sagitaria — Australia del Es- piritu Santo — Luis Vaez de Torres discovers the Strait bptween New Holland and New Guinea (1606) — Circuranavii^jition of ipilbergen (1614-1617)— Of Schouten and Le Maire (1615-1617) — Discovery of Staten Land and Cape Horn — Cocos, Good Hope, and Horn Islands^New Ireland — Expedition of the Nodals (1618)_DiscoveryofNew Holland by DirckHatichs(16l6)-Cir- cumnavigation of the Nassau Fleet (1623-1626) —Voyage of Tasman (1642)— Discovery of Van Diemen's Land, of New Zea- land, and the Friendly Islands — Voyages of Hendrick Brower (1642) and La RiKhe (1675) — Expeditions of the Buccaneers (1683-1691)— Discovery of Davis' or Easter Island (1687)— Voyage of Strong, and Discovery of Falkland Sound (1690) — Retrospect^ 91 CHAPTER V. CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS FROM THE BEOINNINO OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TO THE REIGN OF GEORGE III. —1700-1761, Circumnavigation of Dampier and Funnel (1703-1706), of Woodes Rogers (1788-1711), of Clipperton and Shelvocke (1719-1722), of Roggewein (17'?1-1723) — Easter Island— Pernicious Islands — Circumnavigation of Anson (1740-1744) — Objects of the Ex- pedition — Passage of Cape Horn — Severe SuflFerings of the Crew — Juan Fernandez — Cruise oa the American Coasts — Burning t. CONTENTS. 19 of Payta— Loss of tlie Gloucester — Tinian — Capture of the Ma- nilla Galleon — Return of the Centurion to England — Fate of the Wager, Page ^^ CHAPTER VI. CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS OF BYRON, WALLIS, AND CARTERET— 17t)4-17«>y. Voyapre >( Byron (1764.17«6)— Its Objects— Vain Search for Pepys' Island — Discovery of the Islands of Disap|H)intment, King George, Prince of Wales, Danger, and Diike of York — Circum- navigations of Wallis and Carteret (1766-I76y) — Their Sepa- rati«)n (1767) — Wallis discovers the Islands of Whitsunday, Queen Charlotte, Egmont, Cumberland, and Osnaburg — Arrives at Otaheite— Transactions there — Sails for Tinian — Anchors in the Downs (17^58) — Carteret discovers Pitcairn's Island (1767) —Santa Cruz or Queen Charlotte's Islands — The Solomons- St George's Channel and New Ireland — New Hanover— Arrives at Spithead (1760), 167 CHAPTER VII. CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF BOUGAINVILLE— 1766-1769. Project for colonising the Falkland Islands (1763) — Their Cession to Spain (1767)- Disputes with England (1769-1771)— Settle- ments abandoned (177'<2) — Bougainville discovers the Dangerous Archipelago (1768) — Maitea — Otaheite — Incidents during his Stay there — Takes a Native with him — The Grand Cyclades or Australia del Espiritu Santo — Louisiade or the Solomons — Bouca — Choiseul and Bougainville Islands— Return to France (1769) — The Otaheitan in Paris — Voyage of Marion (1771)— Expedi- tion of Surville (17''9)— Terre des Arsacides — Voyage of Short- land (1788)— New Georgia— Retrospect, 209 CHAPTER VIII. LIFE OF COOK PREVIOUS TO HIS FIRST VOYAGE— 1728-1768. Birth and Parentage of Cook— His Education— His Indentures with a Draper — Apprenticeship on board a CoUier — Volunteers into tlie Navy (1755)— Appointed Master of the Mercury (1769) 14 C0NTKNT8. — Hi"4 Services atQuebec- Hairbreadth Kficape — He first stixliea Euclid — His Marriaji^e (17fi2)— Made Muiine Surveyor of New» iuiindland and Labrador (17'»4) — ConHniinicates a» Observation ot* nn Eclipse to the iJojal Society (17W7) — History <»fthe Transits of Venus — Predicted in 1629 by Kepler — Discovery and Obser vation of Hnrrox (1039) First Appreciation of its Uses — Pro- fessor James Grejrory (1663) — Dr Edmund Halley (1677-1716) — His Exhortation to future Astronomers — Transit of 1761 — Preparations for that of 1769 — Pro|)osai to send a Ship with Oi)server8 to the South Sea -Cook promoted to the Hank of Lieu- tenant, and appointed to conduct it (2dtii May 1766) — His Choice of a Vessel — Sir Joseph Banks determines to join the Ex{>edi- tioD — Prt^paratioos and Instructions lur tlie Voya^^e^ . Pay;e 241 CHAPTER IX FinST CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF CoOK— 176lM77i' Dcfmrture (26th August 1766) — Adventtiro on Tierra del Fuey;o (16th January 1/69) — Discovery of La(^..on, Thrum Cap, Bow) The Groups, and Cliain Islands — Arrival at Otabeite — Observa- tion of the Transit and Incidents dining their Stay — Discovery of the Islands of Tcthuroa, Hiiabcine, Uliatea, Otalia, Tuba;., Bolabola, Maurua, and Gheteroa— Makes the I'-ast Coast of New Zealand (7th August) — Affrays with the Natives— Doubles the North Ca]ie — Discovers Cook's Straits, and circumnavigates the Islands — Sails for the East Coast sumed — Death of Captain Clerke — The Ships reach China — Fur-trade — Arrival in England (4th OctolHjr 1700), 341 CHAPTER Xn. OBSEHVATIONS ON THE CHAUACTEtt OF COOK. Honours paid to him — Personal Appearance — Temper and Habits — His Children and Widow — Energy and Perseverance — Self- education — His vast Contributions to Geography — Skill in deli- neating and fixing his Discoveries — Discovery of the Means of preser'^ing the Health of Seamen — Advantages derived from his Voyages —Progress of Civilisation u. Polynesia — Conclusion..4l0 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF THE GLOBE. CHAPTER I. Discovery of the South Sea, Ge<^japhical Knowledge of the Ancients — Their Ignorance of a Sea to the East of China — First seen by Marco Polo — Progress of Modern Discovery — Columbus— Papal Bull of Partition — Cabral — Cabot— Cortereal — Pinzon — Vasco Nunez de Balboa hears of the South Sea — Its Discovery. • The existence of the vast ocean which separates the con- chap. i. tinents of Asia and America was never imagined by the , , — r., . 11, '^eas of the ancients ; nor, indeed, do they appear to have had any ancients. certain knowledge that Asia on the east was bounded by the sea. Homer had figured the world as a circle begirt by Homer. " the great strength of ocean," and this belief in a cir- cumambient flood long continued to prevail. It was implicitly received b^ many geographers, and, being carried onwards with the advance of science, was from time to time reconciled to the varying theories and con- jectures of the increased knowledge of succeeding ages. discovehy op the south sea. Supposed fiieircling lh>\% of Aristotle, S«ncca, iind Hcrodolua. CHAP. 1. Thus, long after the spherical form of the earth was tauQ;ht, the existence of its ocean-jfirdlc was credited ; and in the geoffraphical systems of Eratosthenes, Straho, Mela, and others, the waters of the Atlantic were de- picted as lavinjj^ on the one hand the shores of Europe, and encirclintj on the other the inystcrious regions of Scythia and India. Nay, so fur had the speculations of philosophy outstripped the rude navigjition of the times, that the possibility of crossing this unknown ocean was more than once contemplated. Having formed an esti- mate of the circumference of the globe, Aristotle con- ceived that the distance between the pillars of Hercules and India must he small, and timt a communication might be effected between them. Seneca with more con- fidence affirmed, that with a fair wind a ship would sail from Spain to the Indies in a few days. But these notions were far from beiiig universally received. Herodotus had early denied the existence of this circle of waters ; and those who maintained the affirmative, reasoned on grounds manifestly hypothetical, and beyond the narrow limits of their knowledge. Of the northern countries of Asia they knvw nothinu:, nor were they acquainted with the extensive regions beyond the Gni,i.';es, — a vast space that they filled wiCh their Ejistern Sea, which thus com- menced whirc their information stopped, and all beyond was dark. The progress of discovery at length brought to light the existence of lands in those portions of the globe supposed to be covered by the ocean ; but, proceed- ing with undue haste, it was next imagined that Asia extended eastwards in an indefinite expanse. It was figured thus by Ptolemy, the last and greatest of the ancient geographers. He removed from his map the Atlanticum Mare Orientale (the eastern Atlantic), which had so long marked the confines of geographical research, and exhibited the continent as stretching far beyond the limits previously assigned to it. His know- ledge did not enable him to delineate its eastern ex- tremity, or the ocean beyond : he was therefore induced to terminate it by a boundary of " land unknown." PmCTCss of discovery. rioV-niy. r DISCOVBllY OP THE SOUTH SEA. 10 With Ptolemy ceased not only the advance of science, chap, l but even the memory of almost all that had been former- Decline of ly known. The long night which succeeded the decline S?""*' of the Roman empire was now closing in, and a dreary space intervened before its shadows were dispelled by the dawn of a brighter day than the world had yet witnessed. The first gleam of light came from the East, where Arftbian the Arabs i>ursued the stndy of geography with the 6wugr»»i' >»-'»3. utmost ardour. Their systems again revived the belief in a circumambient ocean, which bound the earth like a zone, and in which the world floated like an egg in a basin. That portion of this belt of waters which was imagined to flow round the north-eastern shores of Asia, they called by the name of "The Sea of Pitchy Dark- ness." The Atlantic had by the Greeks been regarded The Atinntie as a fairy scene, where the Islands of the Blest were j)luccd, in which, under calm skies, suiTounded by un- ruflled seas and amid groves of the sweetest odour, the favoured of the gods enjoyed everlasting peace and happiness. This fable found no place among the Arabs, who bestowed on that ocean the name of " The Sea of Darkness," and filled their imaginations with appalling pictures of its storms and dangers. Xerif al Edrisi, one ^oHfai of the most eminent of their geographers, who wrote about the middle of the twelfth century, observes, — ** No one has been able to verify any thing concerning it, on account of its difficult and perilous navigation, its great obscurity, its profound depth and fnquent tem- pests ; through fear of its mighty fishes and its haughty winds ; yet there are many islands in it, some peopled, others uninhabited. There is no mariner who dares to enter into its deep waters ; or, if any have clone so, they have merely kept along its coasts, fearful of departing from them. The waves of this ocean, although they roll as high as mountains, yet maintain themselves with- out breaking ; for if they broke, it would lie impossible for a ship to plough them." But the mystery of this " Sea of Pitchy Darkness " was 20 DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH SUA. CHAP. I. Murco Polo. Tlie court of Kublui Kliaiv Islands of the Indian Ocuan. ZInnngu or Japan. at length removed. Townrds the end of the thirteenth century, the celehmted Venetian traveller, Marco Polo, succeeded in penetrating across the Asiatic continent, and reached the farthest shores of China. He brought l)ack to Europe tales of orii-ntal pomp and magnificence fur beyond any previous conception. His work exer- cised the greatest influence on the minds of that age, which, prone to belief in marvellous stories, found un- bounded gratification in the glowing descriptions of the "^.vealth of those eastern countries ; the extent and archi- tectural wonders of their cities ; the numbers and glit- tering array of their armies ; and, above all, the incon- ceivable splendour of the court of the great Kublai Khan, his vast palaces, his guards, his gny summer- residences, with their magnificent gardens watered by beautiful streams, and adorned with the fairest fruits and flowers. Among these visions of immeasurable riches, a prominent place was occupied by the sea whicli was found to be the eastern boundary of China. He drew a picture of it, widely differing from the gloom and tempests with which the Arabs had invested its waters. He spoke of its extent, so great, " that, accord- ing to the report of experienced pilots and mariners who frequent it, and to whom the truth must be known, it contains no fewer than seven thousand four hundred and forty islands, mostly inhabited." As to their products, he told that no trees grew there that did not yield a fragrant perfume. He dwelt on the abundance of their spices and drugs, and summed up the whole by declar- ing, that " it v\ as impossible to estimate the value of the gold and other articles found in these islands ! " But all others were outshone by the more lavish splendours of Zipangu, the modern Japan. There, were to be found abundance of precious stones, and large quantities of pearls, some white, and others of a beautiful pink colour. The inhabitants were of a fair complexion, well mp.de, and of civilized mannera. " They have gold," it is said, " in the greatest plenty, its sources being inex- haustible ; but as the king does not allow of its being DISCOVERY OF Tllfi SOUTH SEA. 21 Piilace of the Bovereign of Jupiia. exported, few merchants visit the country, nor is it frc- CllAP. I. quented by much shipping from other parts. To tliis circumstance we are to attribute the extraordinary rich- ness of the sovereign's pulace, according to what we are told by those wlio liave acce&s to tlie place. The entire roof is covered with a plating of goM, in the same man- ner as we cover houses, or more properly churches, with lead. The ceilings of the halls arc of the same l)rccious metal ; many of the apartments have small tables of pure gold, considerably thick ; and the windows altjo have golden ornaments. So vast, indeed," exclaims tlic Venetian, " arc the riches of the palace, that it is impossible to convey an idea of them !"* Marco Polo was careful to explain, that the sea hi which Zipangu and its neiglibouring islands were placed was not a gulf or branch of the ocean, like the English or the Egean Soas, but a large and boundless expanse of waters. Tims early was the Asiatic margin of the South Sea made known ; but more than two centuries elapsed before its opposite boundary was reached, or a Europeon ship was launched upon its waves. The Atlantic shores of Africa were the first scenes rortuKiteso of that career of modern discovery which characterized ^n the^]^fri- thc spirit of the fifteenth century. The main object can coast, wns the circumnavigation of that continent, in order to open a direct path to India, the grand source of com- merce and wealth ; and, under the auspices of Prince Henry of Portugal, this end was pursued with a steadi- ness and perseverance which produced the most important results. There was inspired a confidence, hitheii;o un- felt, in the art of navigation ; its capabilities were much advanced, and the range of its enterprise extended far beyond all previous limits. A passion for maritime adventure was also spread throughout Europe, and men's minds were excited to daring undertakings and bold speculations. Attention was turned to the un- The Travpls of Marco Polo, a Venetian, in tlie Thirteenth cntury, translated from tlie Italian, with Notes by Wiilian Mars* tin, F.U.$. London, lUlii. 4to, p. 561^, et i,eq. C den. ; t CIIaP. I. Influence on Europe. : i ; s I i Columbus. Supposed cir- cuiiiference ot the earth. Departure of Colunibui DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH SEA. known waters of the Atlantic, and imagination wantoned in figuring the wealth, the wonders, and the mysteries of the lands that were hidden in its hosom. The fables of antiquity were revived ; the Atalantis of Plato came again to be believed ; and to its classic fictions were added the marvels of many a Gothic and monkish legend, and the visions of splendour st-en in the glory of the setting sun. Yet all these glittering fancies failed to tempt any mra'iner to sail boldly forth into the ocean, and explore the secrets of its depths. At length arose Christopher Columbus, — a man of whom it has l)cen happily remarked, that the nar- rative of his life is the link which connects the history of the Old World with that of the New. From the study of ancient and modern geographers he became convinced of the existence of lands wlrich might be reached by sailing westward. He argued that the eartli was a sphere, and, following Ptolemy, he assigned to it a circumference of twenty-four hours. He esti- mated that fifteen of these were known to the ancient;?, and that what remained to be explored was occupied by the eastern countries of Asia and the sea seen by Marco Polo, which he believed to be identical with the Atlantic. He was therefore firmly assured, that, by proceeding westward across this ocean, he would arrive at the shores of the Asiatic continent and its neighbouring island of Zipangu, of which the glowing description leit by the Venetian traveller seems to have constantly haunted his thoughts. After many years of doubt and disappointment spent in soliciting various princes to engage in the enterprise, he at length set ssiil from Spain on the 3d of August 1492, and the 12th of October following landed on San Salvador, one of the Bahama Islands. After cruis- ing for some time among this cluster, believed by him to be part of the great archii)elago mentioned by Marco Polo, he discovered the island of Cuba, which he con- cluded to be a portion of the continent of Asia. He next visited the beautiful island of Hayti or St Domingo, DISCOVERY OF TOE SOUTH SEA. 23 and, having loaded his vessels with specimens of the CHAP. I. ii)habitants and productions of this new country, re- pigcJJ^y of turned to Europe. In his third voyage, Columbus dis- the continent covered the continent of America, and looked upon it ^ ^^'^^^^ as the Aurea Chersonesus of the ancients, — the penin- sula of Malacca in modern maps. As he sailed along its shores, he received tidings of a great water situated to the soutli, and, conceiving tliat it must be connected with the Gulf of Mexico, determined to search for the strait or channel of communication. His last voyage was dedicated to this fruitless attempt ; and he died in the firm conviction that this southern sea was the Indian Ocean, and that the land" he had visited be- longed to the eastern boundary of Asia. How very far did he under-estimate the grandeur of his acliievemcnts ! He thought that he found but a new path to countries Mi,t„];pri known of old, while he had in truth discovered a con- estimatL' of tinent hitherto uninip.gined, yet rivalling the ancient coveiy. world in extent. Who will not share in the regret which has been so eloquently 'xpressed, that the gloom, the penury, and disappoihtment which overcast his latter years, were visited by none of those bright and consoling l"^pcs which would have flowed from the re- velation of the future glory of " the s])lendid empires which were to spread over the beautiful world he had discovered ; and the nations, and tongues, and languages, wliich were to fill its lands with his renown, and to revere and bless his name to tlie latest posterity ! " * To secure the possession of the vast countries dis- p, , jf^ ^^^ covered by Columbus, the King of Sjjain applied foi tiicNow the sanction of the Pope. Martii. V. and othei |, mtiffb had granted to Portugal all the countries whieli it might discover from Cape Bojador and Cape Nun to the Indies ; and the Portuguese monarch now com- World. * History of tlie Life and Voyages of Cliristoplier Columbus, by Wasliint^ton Irving-, vol. iv. p. 01, — an adniiiahle book, i . wliioh jflustry of rosearcli, elegance and loftiness of tlioiif;lit and diction, liave combined to rear a work, whicli, surpssiny' uli others in the subject, will itself probably' never be surpassed. 24 DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH SEA. t \ CHAP. I. plained that his neighhoiir in visiting America had violated the rights conferred on him hy the Holy Father. While this complaint was undergoing investigation, the court of Castile exerted its influence with Pope Alex- ander VI. ; and on the 4th of May 1493, a Bull wa« issued, which most materially influenced the future Niitnrcof the coursc of maritime discovery. By this important docu- Papai Bull, ment, the head of the Catholic Church, " with the plenitude of apostolic power, by the authority of God Omnipotent granted to him through blessed Peter, and of the vicarship of Jesus Christ, which he exercises upon earth," assigned to the Spanish sovereigns " all the islands and main-lands, with all their dominions, cities, castles, places, and towns, and with all their rights, jurisdictions, and appurtenances, di.-covered, and which shall be discovered," to the west of an ideal line drawn from pole to pole, at the distance of a hundred leagues westward of the Azores. Thus did Spain at once ac- quire " an empire far more extensive than that which seven centuries of warfare obtained for the Romans ! " * This munificent grant was accompanied with one im- portant injunction : Alexander adjured the sovereigns ** by the holy obedience which you owe us, that you appoint to the said main-lands and islands upright men and fearing God, learned, skilful, and expert in instruct- ing the foresaid natives and inhabitants in the Catholic faith, and in teaching them good morals, employing for that purpose all requisite diligence." The terrors of Divine wrath were thundered against those who should infringe the papal grant. " Let no person presume with rash boldness to contravene this our donation, decree, inhibition, and will. For if any person pre- sumes to do so, be it known to him that he ill incur Important injunction. • Memoir of Columbus, hy D. G. B. Spotorno, Profpssor of Eloquence in the University of Genoa, published in " Memorials of Columbus, or a Collection of authentic Documents of that cele- brated Navijfator, now first published from the ori|rinal Manu- scripts, by order of the Decurions of Genoa. Translated from the Spiinish and Italian." London, 1823. 8vo. mSCOVERY OP THE SOUTH SEA. 2i"j the indignation of Almighty God, and of the blessed CHAP. I. apostles Peter and Paul." * Even by orthodox princes, cont"^,^ of however, these threatenings were held light. As has the rapui been remarked by Purchas, "the Portugalls regarded '^'*^^" them not ; and not the Bull, but other compromise stayed them from open hostilitie." By an agreement between the two nations of the Peninsula, concluded in ] 494, it was covenanted, that the line of partition describ- ed in the ecclesiastical document should be extended 270 Apreemont leagues farther to the west, and that all beyond this ';i'tweei> l)oundary should belong to Castile, and all to the east- "['ortujlaL ward to Portugal.t Thus their territories were defined with sufficient certainty on one side of the globe ; but the limits on the other were left perfectly vague, and became a fertile subject of dispute. * Tlie original Bull may be consulted in Purchas, vol. i. p. lJi-15. A translation from a copy exhibiting some variations, but i'i no ^eat consequence, is inserted in the " Mi'morials ol' (Colum- bus" above quoted, document xxxvii. p. 17'2-1>!3. This last has been followed in the ({notations given ni the present work. The copy in Purchas is accompanied by a chapter of '' Animadversions on the said Bull of Pope Alexander," which cannot fail to gratify the curious in abuse and invective, in which it will scarcely yield the palm to any of the " Hytings " of our earlier Scottish poets, or to the controversial writings or Scaliger, Milton, or Salmasius. In one sentence Alexander is called " Heire f)f all the Vices of all the Popes," — " the Plague-sore into that Chayre of Pestylence," — "the Alonster of Men, or indeed rather an incarnate J)evill," — so necessary did Purchas consider it " not to suffer this Bull to passe unbaited !" f This agreement (sometimes called the treaty of Tordesillas) was concluded on 7th June, but was not subscribed by Ferdinand till 2d July 14y;{, and by John not till 27th February 1494. It was confirmed by a Bull in 15U6. The late Adnural Burney, whose work we will have occasion so often to mention with re-ipect," writes of this agreement, — '• At the instance of the Portuguese, with the cou- M-'Ht of the Pojie, in I4ij4 tiie line of )>artition was by agreement removed 270 leagues more to the west, tfiat it niu/ht accord with their possensions in the Brazils." — Chronological History of the Discoveries in the South Sea, vol i. p. 4. It is impossible to admit the existence of the motive here assigned ; for Brazil was not discovered by Cabral until six years after the date of the agree, men t— Purchas, vol. i. p. 30. Robertson's Hist, of America, book ii. Irving's Columbus, iii. 147, and authorities there quoted. — It is proper to mention that Burney is by no means singulai in Uiis mistake. 26 DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH SEA. CHAP. I. Passage of tlie Cape of Cuod Hope. Brazil. Meantime, the Portuguese had achieved the grand ohject which they had so long laboured to attain. In 1486, Bartholomew Diaz reached the southern extre- mity of Afi'ica, which he named the Cape of Storms ; but the Portuguese monarch gave it the more auspicious title of Good Hope. Eleven years after, Vasco de Gama doubled tliis dreaded promontory, and conducted a fleet to the rich shores of India, — an event which was destined to exercise on the career of American discovery more than an indirect influence, powerful as that was. The vast treasures which Portugal drew from countries where the harvest of the adventurer was prepared before he visited the field, mightily inflamed the avidity of Spain, and breathed a new spirit of ardour into her enterprises. Nor did the former kingdom fail to contri- bute her exertions towards extending the knowledge of Discovery of *'^® *^^^ continent. In the year 1500, the second expe- dition which was fitted out for India, under the com- mand of Pedro Alvarez de Cubral, standing westward to clear the shores of Africa, discoverc'l the coast of Brazil, and took possession of it in name of the Portuguese crown. It has been well observed by an eminent writer on this subject, " that Columbus' discovery of the New World was the effort of an active genius, enlightened by science, guided by experience, and acting upon a regular plan, executed with no less courage than pt•^^e(U)ytilis perseverance. But from this adventure of the Portu- discovery. guese, it appears that chance might have accomplished that great design which it is now the pride of human reason to have formed and perfected. If the sagacity of Columbus had not conducted mankind to America, Cabral, by a fortunate accident, might have led them a few years later to the knowledge of that extensive con- tinent." * * Uobert.son'.s Historj' of" America, book ii. Care must be taken not to overvalue tlie merits of Cabral. It sboiild be recollected that his discovery was the result of chance; and farther, that Brazil had been visited some months previously by Diego Lepe, and still earlier by Vicente Yanez Pinzon, who was tlie first to cross the equator in the Atlantic. Ideas su?- DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH SEA. 27 We have seen that even Portugal yielded but a chap. i. scanty deference to the right which the Pope had EnEiisiT usurped of bestowing the world at his will ; and Eng- adventure. land was still less inclined to acquiesce in such an assumption of power. So early as 1497, an armament sailed from this country, conducted, under letters-patent from Henry VII., by John Cabot, a native of Venice settled at Bristol, and by his three sons, Louis, Sebastian, and Sanchez.* The object appears to have been to find a western passage northwards of the new Spanish dis- coveries, and by this route to reach India. In prosecu- voynpc of tion of this great scheme, Cabot, on the 24th of June Joim Cabot. 1497, approached the American continent, probably at Newfoundland ; and his son Sebastian, in two successive voyages, performed in 1498 and 1617, explored a large extent of the coast, from Hudson's Bay on the north as far as Florida on the south. Although unsuccessful in the attainment of their immediate purpose, these expe- ditions have justly entitled the English to the high distinction of being the first discoverers of the mainland of America, — Columbus not having seen any part of it Discovery of till the 1st of August 1498. In 1500, three years after tiieinainiiina the first voyage of Cabot, Caspar Cortereal, a Portuguese gentleman, under the sanction of King Emanuel, pur- sued the track of the Cabots with the same views. Sailing along the east coast of Newfoundland, he reached the northern extremity of that island, and entered the mouth of the St Lawrence, which, with no small show of proluibility, he concluded to be the open' ng into the west that he was seeking. He proceeded a) jo along the coast of Labrador, and appears to have advanced nearly as far as to Hudson's Bay. * A late acute writer has started a question as to the compara- tive ajjency of John and Sebastian Cabot. (Memoir of Sebastian Cabot. London, 1831 ; p. 42, et sen.) This point lias been amply considered in a previous volume of this Library, to which reference is made for a minute relation of the discoveries of the Cabots. — His- iorical View of the Progress of Discovery on the more Northern Coasts of America, eliap. i., and Append* x. Edinburgh Cabinet Library, No. IX. 28 DISCOVERY OP THE SOUTH SEA. CHAP. I Zeal nnd nctivity of Nntional entlinsiusm excUed. i \ Spanish Aoyiigerat While England and Portugal were thus examining the coasts of the New World, Spain, which had first opened the path, pursued it with unabated zeal and activity. The peculiar circumstances of that country afforded much encouragement to the spirit of adventure. The long war she had waged with the Moors, and the high and romantic feelings wliich animated that contest, fostered a strong desire of excitement, and an ardent love of enterprise, which found in the regions discovered by Columbus an ample and inexhaustible field. " Chi- valry left the land and launched upon the deep ; the Spanish cavalier embarke""- appearing in the New World as a mere soldier of for- tune, of dissolute habits and of desperate hopes, had, b / courage and intrigue, raised himself to the government of a small colony established at Santa Maria in Darien. In one of his forays against the native inhabitants, when in this command, he procured a large quantity of gold. While he was dividing the treasure among his followers, ni^povny much disputing took place in the presence of a young di goui cacique, who, disdaining brawls for what seemed to him bo mean an object, struck the scales with his hand, and scattered the gold on the ground, exclaiming, " Why should yon quarrel for such a trifle \ If this gold is indeed so precious in your eyes, that for it you forsake your homes, invade the peaceful lands of strangers, and expose yourselves to such sufferings and perils, I will tell you of a province where you may gratify your wishes to the utmost. Behold those lofty mountains !" ho said, pointing to the south, " beyond these lies a mighty sea, which may be discerned from their summit. It is navigated by people who have vessels not much less than yours, and furnished like them with sails and ofirs. All the streams which flow down the southern side of those mountains into that sea abound in gold ; and the kings who reign upon its borders eat and drink out of golden vessels. Gold is as plentiful and common among these people of the south as iron is among you Spaniards." From the moment in which he heard this intelligence, ^ew object the mind of Vasco Nunez became occupied with this ofanibitiou one object, and he steadfastly devoted all his thoughts and actions to the discovery of the southern sea indicated by this chief. Many difficulties, however, retarded the undertaking, and it was not till the 1st of September 1613 that he stt forth, accompanied by no more than a hundred and ninety soldiers. After incredible toil ii DISCOVERY OP THE SOUTH SEA. CHAP. I. Discovery oi tlie Pacific Ucuun. Pcliffions c'litliusiasm and avarice. Bay of San Miguel. marching through hostile trihcs, he at length approached the base of the last ridge he had to climb, and rested there for the night. On the 26th of September, witli the first glimmering of light, he commenced the ascent, and by ten o'clock had reached the brow of the moun- tain, from the summit of which he was assured he would sec the promised ocean. Here Vasco Nunez made bis followers hjilt, and moimted alone to the bare hill-top. What must have been his emotions when he reached the summit ! Below him extended forests, green fields, and ■winding rivers, and beyond he beheld the South Sen, illuminated by the morning sun. At this glorious sight he fell on his knees, and extending his arms towards the ocean, and weeping for joy, returned thanks to Heaven for being the first P^uropean who had been permitted to behold these long-sought waters. He then made signs to his companions to ascend, and when thoy obtained a view of the magnificent scene, a priest who was among them began to chant the anthem " Te deum laudamus," all the rest knetling and joining in the solemn strain. This burst of jpious enthusiasm is strangely contrasted "with the feelings of avarice to which, even in the mo- ment of exultation, their leader surrendered his mind, Avhen he congratulated them on the prospect " of becom- ing, by the favour of Christ, the richest Spaniards that ever came to the Indies.*' After this he caused a tall tree to be felled, and formed into a cross, which was erected on the spot whence he first beheld the western deep. He then began to descend from the mountains to the shores of the new-found ocean ; and on the 29th of September reached a vast bay, named by him San Miguel, from the festival on which it was discovered. Unfurling a banner, whereon was painted a figure of the Virgin with the arms of Castile at her feet, he marched with his drawn sword in his hand and his buckler on his shoulder knee-deep into the rushing tide, and, in a loud voice, took possession of the sea and of all the shores it washed. He concluded the ceremony by cut- ting with his dagger a cross on a tree that grew in tlio DISCOVERY OP THE SOUTH SKA. 31 water ; and his fonowers, dispersing themselves in the chap t. forest, expressed their devotic hy carving siniihir marks with their weapons. Vasco Nunez then hetook hin)silf "^poi'sof the to pillage : he exacted from the natives contributions in gold and provisions ; and being told of a country to the south, where the people possessed abundance of gold, and used beasts of burden, the rude figure of the lama traced on the beach suggested to him the camel, and confirmed him in the opinion that he had reached " the gates of the East Indies." From the circumstance of Nnmo of the tiie ocean having been first descried from the Isthmus of ""^ "'^'''"'' Darien, which runs nearly east and west, it received the name of the South Sea, — a title which, however accurately applied to the part first seen, is employed with little propriety to designate the M'hole vast expanse of the Pacific. Tidings of this great discovery were imme- diately transmitted to Spain, and received with delight and triumph. But instead of rewarding so important a service, the court despatched a governor to supersede Balboa, who, by the pei-fidy of his successor, was publicly executed in 1617.* Meantime the colony on the Davien continued to ex- Darion tend their knowledge of the western ocean, to make ex- ^"'ouy. cursions in barks, and to form small settlements in the vicinity. Larger vessels were soon const, ctcd ; and violently taking possession of some small islands in the Gulf of San Miguel, which they named the Pearl Islands, the Spaniards extorted from their conquered subjects a large annual tribute drawn from the treasures of the deep. As the hope decayed of finding a passage to India Settlement through a strait in the American continent, the design "'^ i'**"'^""*- Avas formed of establishing a regular intercourse by the Isthmus of Darien ; and a settlement was accordingly fixed at Panama, whence vessels were to visit the eastern * The extraordinary career of Vasco Nunez de Balboa has of ate been invested with a new interest by the elej^ant memoir of Don Manuel Josef Quintana. — an English translation of which, by Mrs Hodson, appeared at Edinburj^h in IU32. 32 DISCOVERY OF THE SOUTH SEA. CHAP. 1 Cnuscs of failure. Timid navi- iriition of tlie I'ucitic. shores of Asia. This scheme, however, failed of success. Within a month after the ships destined for the voyage liud been launched, their planks were so destroyed by worms as to render them quite useless. No better suc- cess had followed an attempt which was made in 1515 to find an opening into the Austral Ocean, in more southern latitudes. The commander of the expedition, Juan Diaz de Solis, in exploring the country at the mouth of the Rio de la Plata, fell into an ambuscade and lost his life. Upon this disaster, the undertaking was abandoned, and the vessels returned to Spain. Such was the knowledge obtained of the South Sea prior to the year 1619. Its waters had indeed been discovered, and the highest hopes formed of its treasures as well as of the rich lands washed by its billows. But all attempts to explore its vast expanse had failed ; and the seamen who boldly crossed the broad Atlantic were content to creep cautiously along the gulfs and creeks of this newly-reached ocean. No strait had yet been found to connect its waves with those of seas already known and navigated ; it seemed to be hemmed in by inaccessible barriers ; and the great continent of America, which had been regarded as a main object of discovery, was now in some degree considered as an obstacle in tlie ^•ath to further enterprise. CmCUMXAVIOATION OF MilOELLAN. 33 CHAPTER II. Ch'cumnaviyation of Mayellan. Maj^ollan's Birth and Services — Proposals to tlie Spanish Court ac- cepted — Sails on hi^iVoyajj^e -Anchorsat Port San Julian — Tmns- actions there — Description of the Natives — Discovers the Strait — Enters the South Sea — The Unfortunate Islands — The La- drono^ — The Island of Maza^^ua or Limasava — Ztbu— Inter- coifrst with the Natives — Death of Ma^rellan — His Character — Fleet proceeds to Bo»-neo,— Arrives at Tidore — The Ship Vitoria reaches Spain — Fate of the Trinidad — Results of the Expedition. The glory of dhcovcring a path to tlie South Sea, and CHAP IL of overcoming the difficulties which had hitherto im- Fernando do peded the navigation of its waters, is duo to Fernando MugciijuL de Magalhanes, Magalhaens, or, as it has hcen more commonly written in this country, Magellan.* He was hy birth a Portuguese, and sprung from a nohle family. He had served in India with much honour under the standard of the famous Albuquerque, and had there made considerable acquirements in practical sea- manship. To these were added no mean scientific at- tainments, and much information, derived from a cor- respondence with some of the first geographers and most • In Hawkeswortli's account of the first voyaj^e of Captain C(M>k (Hawkes. Coll , vol. ii. p. 41, London, 1773), appears the following note : — " The celebrated navijjator who discovered this strei^ht was a native of Portugal, and his name, in the lanj^uaji^e of his country, was Fernando de Magalhaens; the Spaniards call him Jlernundo Mu(/alhanes, and the French Magellan, which is the orthoy^raphy that has been {^^enerally adopted : a jjentleman, the iifth in descent from this great adventurer, is now living in or near London, and communicated the true name of his ancestor to iVIr [Sir Joseph] Banks, with a request that it mi^lit be inserted in this work." [CHAP, II ^lotlves for lili uiiilor- tuUititf. 'I i t f Snpposcii ili^covuries uf Mttrtlii Luliein. Rejection of MiiSelliiii's pi'opui-alS' 34 CIHCUMNAVIOATION OF MAGKLLAN. successful navigators of those days. The grounds on which he projected liis groat undertaking have not been accurately rcconled. It has l)een supposed he was struck with the circumstance that the South American continent trends still more to the westward in proportion as the higher latitudes are attained ; tlmt he concluded from this, that in shape it was probably similar to Africa ; and that its southern extremity must be washed by an open sea, through which there would necessarily be an entrance into the ocean beyond. There have not been wanting persons, however, to ascribe the honour of this discovery to Martin Beheni, — a distinguished geographer of that age, to whom also has been given the merit of having anticipated Columbus in finding the New World. But the pretensions sot forth in be- half of this individual have been traced to an error in attributing to him the construction of a globe made many years after his death, which took place in 1606.* This date is fatal to his claim, as at that time the South Sea itself was not discovered. It must be remembered, likewise, tlmt for many yeai-s afterwards, the best mariners of Spain searched unsuccessfully for the strait in question, which they could hardly have missed, if, as is alleged, it had been laid down in the charts of Behem. Magellan first made an offer of his service to his own sovereign, who, says Fray Gaspar,-J- " did not choose to * Irviiii^'s Columbus. Appendix, No. xii. vol. iv. p. 205-212. See also Biirney's Discov. in the South Sea, i 4r)-4J{. f Ctinquest of the Phi!i;piiie Islands. The principal authorities for the voyage of iVlauollan are Herrera, Barros, and Pij>af'elta. This last autlior, a nativi> of Vicenza in Italy, accompanied the ex- pedition. From an imperCcct copy of his narrative, an account was compiled by Purchas, vol. i. book i, chap. ii. The first })erfect edition was published from a manuscript in the Ambrosian Library, by C. Amoretti : — " Prime Viag^io intorno al ^lobo terraccpieo. Milano, IJJOO." This has since been translated into the French and English lanjruaj'es. In the "Historical Cullection of the several Voyajjes and Discoveries in the South Pacific Ocean, by Alexander Dalrymple," London, 17^9, will be found translations of Herrera, Barros, and Caspar, arranged in a manner that much facilitates a comparison between their varyini;^ statements. It is to be regretted tliat Dalrymple has only treated of th»» voyage \ CIRCUMNAVIGATION OP MAOKLLAN. %') lu'ur it, nor to give it any confidence, but dismissed him with a frouii and singulftr disu'raco, very dirtennt from whiit was due to the ])roposal of Magalhanes, and the reptitation he had nc(|uiriMl for his vnlour." Thus did I'ortugal, after having njcctcd the greatest honour in the career of discovery, — the finding of America, — siiurn away the second, — the glory of tlje first circum- navigation of the globe. — Magellan, accompanied by Ruy Falero, a native astrologer who was associated with him in the enterprise, then determined to go to the Spanish court anout 1517, and his proposals were listened to with attention and respect. We are told by Ilerrera that he brought with him a globe fairly painted, on which he had described the lands and seas, and the track he meant to pursue, but carefully left the strait blank, that they might not anticipate his design. This precaution (if the tale is to be credited) was a bitter satire on the little faith to be reposed in the honour of princes, but it was not used without good reastjii ; for Magellan had before him the example of John II. of Portugal, who, having gathered from Columbus the theory of his great project, with singular meanness, secretly despatched a vessel to make the attempt, and rob the discoverer of his honours. The emperor, on considering the proposals of Magellan, was so much gratified as to confer on him several dis- tinctions. Articles of agreement were drawn out to the following etfect : — The navigator, and his countryman, Ruy Falero, agreed to reach the Moluccas by sailing to the west ; it was stipulated that they were to enjoy a ten years' monopoly of the track which they explored, and to receive a twentieth part of all the revenue and profits, which, after deducting the expenses, should of Mag^ellan down to his entry into the Pacific. Burney has dili- irently examined all the autliuritics with his usual acumen and pei- suverunce, and has woven the wliule into a comprehensive and dis- criminating narrative. q CHAP. II. Dlstnlssnl fioin I'or- tttgaL Visit to thj Spaiiisli court. i'tispiclnns prucuutions. Articles of agreement ^p ill \SltM CIIAl'. II. Title and privilutres conceded. ^Tnproll.".n'3 &quiidi'uii. Moan jen- luisy of tlic Poitugueso ki.ig. P^pjivturo oi M..;iclluii. ClIICrRlNAVIGATION OP MAGELLAN. accviie from their discoveripfj. He was ah* to enjoy the title of Adt'lantado over the seas and Jands he should hajipcn to make known. Certain privileges of mer- chandise were conceded to him and his associate, includ- ing a fifth i)art of all that the 8hii)s should bring home in the first voyage : the emperor agreed to furnish lor the expedition fivi^ vessels, two of 180 tons, two of ninety, and one of sixty ; and this fleet was to be victualled for two years, and provided with 2o4 men. These articles were concluded in Saragossa, and Ma- gellan then njiaircd to Seville, where, in the church of Santa Maria de la Vit(iria de Triana, the royal standard of Spain was fojnially delivered to him ; and he took a soleii.n oath that he would perfoim the voyage with all faithfulness as a good vassal of the emperor. His squad- ron was composed of the Trinidad, the San Antonio, the y itoria, the Concepcion, and the Santiago ; but the period of sailiiig was retarded by the interference of the Portuguese king, who thre\v every obstacle in the way of the enterprise which he hi'useli had not either the spirit or the generosity to encourage. He even endea- voured to entice Magellan from the Si anish service by promises of more advantageous tcims. Failing i.i this, he is supposed to have countenanced various reports which we^e circulated against the lame of the adven- turer ; while others among his countrymen ])redicted, thiit " the King of Spain 'vould lose the expenses, for Fernando Magalhanes was a chattering fellow, and little reliance to be placed in him, and that he would not execute what ht' pvomised."* At length this renowned leader sailed from San Lucar on th>? 20th, or, according to some acccv.nts, on the 21st of September 1519. His first destination was the Canary Islands, where he stojipod to take in wood and water ; and on tlu IStli December following he came to uncl.or in a })ort, which was named Santa Lucia, in 23^ degrees of soutii latitude, and on the coast of Brazil. * Jleriera, dci-. ii. lib. iv. cap. x. 7 \ ^ CIRCUMNAVIGATION OP MAGELLAN. 37 f 'i liis has someiimt'd been supposed the Rio de Janeiro of chap. ii. the Portuguese ; but modern observation docs not con- j^^.^j"^ „( firm the opinion. The natives appeared a confiding, south credulous, good-heurted race, and readily gave provi- '^'"*'' ^"' bions in exchange for trifling wares ; half-a-dozen fowls were obtained tor a king of spades, and the bargain was considered to be equally good by both parties. Piga- fetta siiys, — " They were very long lived, generally reaching 105 and sometimes 140 years o; age." Weighing anchor on the 27th, the squadron sailed pio ,13 i^ southward, and or. the 11th January 1520, reached i'^^'-*- Cape Santa Maria on the Rio de la Plata, where they took in sujiplies. Near this place Juan Diaz de Solis about five yeaie before had been murdered by the natives, .n which account they kept at a distance from their visiters. Putting again to sea, and touching at diff^orent places, the fleet, on Easter Eve, came; to anchor in a port which was named San Julian ; and there Magellan remained five months. Discontent, and at last oiJcn mutiny, broke out in his shi})s, the ringleaders being Mutiny in certain Sjiani-h officers, who felt mortified at serving thesqiuiiiim. under a Portuguese commander. The first step taken to restore ordei', however much it might accord with the character of that rude age, cannot be reconciled with our notions of lionouraole conduct : a pei'son was de- spatched with a letter to one of the captains, with orders to stab him whilst he was engaged in reading it. This commission being unscrupulously execut'Hl, and followed up by measures equally prompt in regard to the other mutineers, the authority of the captain-general was soon fully re established. "While the fleet l;iv in this harbour, the SfUitiago, one ri . » 1 " ' ~ ' Cruise &x\<\ 01 the ships, made an exploratory cruise ; and on the 8d wm k oi tiio May, the anniversiry of the Finding of the Holy Cross, ''^"''"S"- discovered the river named Santa Cruz. Having ad- vanced about three leagues farther to the south, the vessel was wiecked, though the crew, after suffering very great hardsjjips, ultimately rejoined the squadron. The long period which they passed on that coast enal d 38 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. ciiap. II. the Spaniards to form an intimate acquaintance with — the natives. Tliey had at first concluded that the coun- Tntprvicw try was uninhabited ; but one day an Indian, well made Willi a native. ^^^ ^j gigantic size, came capering and singing to the beach, throwing dust upon his head in token of amity. A seaman was forthwith sent on shore, and directed to imitate the gestures of this merry savage, who was of such immense stature, says Pigafetta, that a middle- sized Castilian only reached to his waist. He was large Personal np- ^^ proportion, and altogether a formidable apparition ; iicaiaiice. his broad face being stained red, save p. yellow circle about his eyes, and two bcart-shaped spots on his cheeks. His hair was covered with a white powder. His cloth- ing, formed of the skin of the guanaco,* covered bis body from head to foot, being wrapped round the ar > and legs, and sewed together all in one piece, like the dress of the ancient Irish. Shoes fabricated of the hide of the same animal, which made the feet ajipear round and large, procured for his whole tribe the name of Pata-gones, or clumsy-hoofed. The arms of this indivi- dual were a stout bow and arrows, — the former strung with gut, the latter tipped with flint-stones sharpened. He ascended the ship of the captain-^,eneral, where he appeared quite at his ease, ate, drank, and made merry, till, seeing his own image in a large steel mirror, he started back in alarm, and threw down four Spaniards. The good reception of this giar. .; brought more to the beach, who were taken on board and feasted, six of them eating as much as would have satisfied twenty seamen. The first Indian liad pointed to the sky, as if to inquire whether the Europeans had descended thence ; and they all wondered that the ships should be so large and the men so small. They were in general dressed and armed alike. They had short hair, and carried their arrows stuck in a fillet bound round tbeir heads. They ran • The camelus huanacns of IJnnaeu.s, a species of luma. This aniiiiiil, described by Pigafetta as iiavin^ the body of a camel, the legs of a stag, the tail of a horse, and the head and ears of a mule; excited great amazement among the S])anish seamen. N.'Uivcs on board tlio sliii)S. i ! I I ! ! CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. 39 with amazing swiftness, and devoured their meat raw as CHAI-. ii. soon as it was obtaiiied. These savages practised bleed- iug by rudely cupping the part affected, and produced vomiting by thrusting an arrow pretty far down the throat of the patient. Magellan wished to carrj' home i\>rfi,iinns some of this singular race; and European craft was ^'''''f'"'' "^ basely opposed to Indian confidence and credulity. Fixing on two of the youngest and most handsome, lie presented to them knives, glass beads, and mirrors, till their hands were filled ; then rings of iron were offered ; an; about tlie h(Kiie of the dead, and seeme to have tlieir bodies painted with divers colours, and that amonj^ otliers there is one scene bi^r^er than the residue, who niaketh |j;reat mirth and rejoycing. This great Devili they call Selebos, and call the iesse Clieleule " — Pur- chas, vol. i. p. o5. It lias been supposed that from this passaji^e Shakespeare borrowed the demon Setebos, introduced iu the Tem- pestj act i. scene ii. : — " I must obey : his art is of such power, It would control my dam's j^od, Setebos, And make a vassal of him." There are other passajjes in the play of which the hint may have been taken from the narrative of r igsifetta ..J J 1J>.. -' ' '•"■Tlp'^^^ff ^WWI Deparhire fiiim San Julian. CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. CHAP. II. in spite of every effort to detain him ; and in the end EscinTIifa *'^^ P^^" failed, for the other made his escape, and captive. MagelUm lost one of his own men, who was shot with a poisoned arrow in the pursuit. His companions, who fired on the runaways, " were unable," says Pigafetta, " to hit any, on account of their not escaping in a straight line, but leaping from one side to another, and getting on as swiftly as horses at a full gallop." On the 21st August, the fleet left Port San Julian, after taking possession of the country for the King cf Spain by the customary ceremonial of erecting a cr ^f he symbol of salvation, so often degraded into an ei< i of rapacity and cruelty in the fairest portions of the New World. Two months were afterwards passed at Santa Cruz, wliere the squadron was well supplied with wood and water ; and, on the 18th October, standing southward, they discovered Cape de las Virgines, and shortly afterwards the desired strait. After careful examination of the entrance, a council w£is held, at which the pilot, Est^van Gomez, voted for returning to Spain to refit ; while the more resolute spirits recommended that they should proceed and com- plete their discovery. ■" Magellan heard all in silence, and then firmly declared, that were he, Instead of the slighter hardships already suffered, reduced to eat the hides on the ship's yards, his determination was \o make good his promise to the emperor. On pain of death, every one was forbidden to speak of the short- ness of provisions or of home, — which, though a some- what unsatisf The strait discovered. Ill sfactory stifling the pangs of hungei ♦Gomez was by birth a Portuj^uese; and it has been alle^red, that the in'?e on the which Magellan landed with ninety men, plundered natives. their provisions, and burnt fifty or sixty of their houses,* which were built of wood, having a roof of boards covered with leaves about four feet in length, probably those of the bananier (musa pisang). lie also killed some of the natives, to whom the arrow was an unknown weapon, and who when pierced by the shafts of the Spaniards, excited pity by vain attempts to extract them. incffcotniii 1'bt'y had lances tipt with fish-bone ; and when the retaiiutioii. invaders retreated, they followed with about 100 canoes, variously painted, black, white, or red, and showed fish, as if disposed to renew their traffic ; but on getting near they pelted the people in the ships with stones, and then took to flight. The boats of these savages re- sembled gondolas, and were furnished with a sail of i \ * P. le GoSien, in liis History of the Ladroneor Marian Islands, has asserted, tlmt at tlie lime jMajyellan arrived, the natives were altogether ignorant of fire, and that, when for tlie first time they saw it consuming their houses, they rega«"ded it as an animal which attached itself to tlie wood, and fed u|K)n it. This tale has been jidopted by the Abbe U.iynal, in his Ilistorj' of the F.ast and West Indies, and has sewed him as a topic for ample declamation: and tlie Abbe Prevost, in his " Histoire generale des Voyages," has also given it credit, quoting as his authority the narrative of Piga- fctta. As, however, was very early remarked by the President de Brosses, in his " Histoire des Navigiitions aux Terres Australes," Pigafetta, credulous and fabulous as he is, has made no mention of this circumstance. This alone mif'ht be held sufficient to disprove the unsupported assertion of Le Gobien. But, as Malto-Brun has observed (Knglish Translat. vol. iii. p. H18), ^^ these inlands are filled with volcanoes,^' — a circumstance of which Raynal was not aware, as he accounts for this supposed ignorance of fire, by assum- ing the fact that here there are " none of those terrible volcanoes, the destructive traces of which are indelibly marked on the face of the globe." Nor is this all; a later French navigator remarks, " Les insulaires chez qui on assure que le feu etoit incimnu avoient dans leurs langues les mots fev, hiulei\ churbon, hraise, four^ piiller, hoiiillir. Sec, et fahriquoient, avant Vaniree des Evro- fieens dans leurs iles, des pnteries cvidemment souvtises a Faction du feu.** — Voyage autour du Monde, execute sur les Corvettes de S. M. I'Uranie et la Physicienne pendant les anm es 1817-18-19 et '20. Par M. Louis de Freycinet — His;orique, tome ii. p. 106. See also pp. 322, 4<^i. CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF .MAGELLAN. 45 pnlm-leavcs, which was hoisted at the one si.'c, while, CllAr ri. to halance it, a heam oi* out- rigger was fastened to the K,itiu^ other. Vessels of the same construction were af'terwavds vcsscb. ohserved in the South Sea hy Anson and Cook, who very much admired the ingenuity of the contrivance. From the 16tli to the 18th of Marcli, other islands were discovered, forming the group then called the Archi- pelago of St Lazarus, hut now known as part of the Disrovory d Philippines. The inhahitants were found to he a friendly pi',^Ji'^',',',\'i^ and comparatively civilized people. They wore orna- ments of goM ; and, though otherwise nearly naked, displayed cotton head-dresses embioideied with silk. They were tattooed, and had their bodies perfumed with aromatic oils. They cultivattid the land and form- ed stores of spices ; they nsed harpoons and nets in fishing ; and Vza cutlasses, clubs, lances, and bucklers, some of them ornamented with gold. On the 26th, the fleet left Humunu, the principal member of the group, and afterwards touched at some others in the same archipelago. At a small island named Mazagua, and supposed to be Communir.i- the Limasava of modern charts, a slave on board, by '"'" ^^'^'' ""* name Enrique, and a native of Sumatra, was able to make himself understood by the savages, lie accord- ingly acted as the interpreter of Magellan in explaining the reasons of this visit on the part of the Spaniards, and in imfolding the terms of comm.crce and friendly intercourse which they wished to establish with them. Mutual presents were made, and ceremonial visits exchanged ; the captain-general doing every thing likely imprcssJona to impress the Indian king with the power and superi- produced on ority of Europeans and the dignity of the emperor his master. For this purpose he caused a sailor to be clothed in complete armour, and directed three others to cut at him with swords and endeavour to stab him. On seeing the mailed man remain unharmed amid this shower of steel, the island-prince was greatly surprised, and remarked, that a warrior so protected would be ablu to contend with a hundred. "Yes," replied the into 46 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. CHAP. II. preter, in the name of the cftptiiin, " and each of th<» tliree vessels has 200 men armed in the same manner." l{(!ccption on With this chief Magelhm formed a close friendship; and two Spaniards being invited on sltore to inspect the * curiosities of the country, the chronicler of the voyage was sent as one of them. They partook of an entertain- ment with tile Rajah CoLimbu, as he was called, and were served in vessels of porcelain. The king's manner of eating was to take alternately a mouthful of pork and a spoonful of wine, lifting his hands to heaven before he helped himself, and suddenly extending his left fist towards his visiter in such a manner that, on his first performing the ceremony, Pigafetta expected to receive a blow on the face. Seeing all the rest of the company go through tiie same gesticulations, the polite Vicentinc conformed to the customs of the place, and having finished his repast, was otherwise very graciously treated, being introduced to the heir-apparent, and left at night to repose on a comfortable matting of reeds with pillows of leaves to support his head. Among the luxuries of Mazagua were candles made of gums, rolled up in the foliage of the palm-tree. The sovereign was a remarkably handsome man, of olive complexion, with long black hair ; his body elegantly tattooed, and per- fumed with storax and gum-benjamin. He was adorned with gold ear-rings, " and on each of his teeth," says the narrator, " were three golden dots, so placed one would have thought his teeth had been fiistened with this metal." * About his middle he wore a tunic of cotton cloth embroidered with silk, which descended to the knees ; around his head was wrapped a silken tur- ban or veil ; while a dagger at his side, having a handle of gold and a scabbard of exquisitely carved wood, completed the costume of this barbaric ruler. It was Tlic Rove- ri'ij,'!! I If • Peron montions small s[)ots of silver on the fore-teeth of some of the people of Timor, fixed to the enamel by a kind of mastic, so firmly that he cotild not pick them off with his nails ; and the man who wore them ate before him without seeming to feel any inron« vcuience from their whimsical finery. CIRCUMNAVIGATION OP MAOELLAV. 47 observed that liis subjects enlivened tl)eniselves by con- ciiAP II. stantly chewing betel and arcea, mixed with a portion of lime. They acknowledy;ed one Supreme Being, liiens of a whom they called Abba, and worshipped, by lifting ij"j',^g"'" their hands towards heaven. At this time was Magellan first seized with the violent desire of making proselytes, in which he easily succeeded. On Easter Day, a party landed to say mass, and all their ceremonies were exactly imitated by the natives. Some of the Spaniards afterwards received the communion ; which being ended, " the captain," says Pigafetta, "exhibited a dance with swords, with which the king and his brother seemed much delighted." A large cross garnished with nails and a crown of thorns was then erected on the top of a hill, and the Indians were told that, if duly adored, it would defend them from thunder, tempests, and all calamities. The men then formed into battalions, and having astonished the savages by a discharge of mus- ketry, returned to the ships. Such were the first mis- sionary labours among these islands! Gold was seen in some abundance ; but iron was obviously much more Value nt- valued, as one of the natives preferred a knife to a l"^'"^*^ ^^ doubloon in exchange for some provisions. Tiie com- modities brought to the ships were hogs, goats, fowls, rice, millet, maize, cocoa-nuts, oranges, citrons, ginger, and bananas. At the request of the rajah, part of the Spanish crew went on shore to help him in gathering in his crop of rice ; but the poor prince, who had assisted on the previous day at mass and afterwards at a banquet, had yielded so far to intemperance that all business was deferred till the morrow, when the seamen discharged this neighbourly office, and shortly afterwards saw harvest-home in Mazagua. On the 5th of April the fleet sailed, the king attena- snninRof tha ing it in his pirogue. Being unable to keep up with ^''^'• the squadron, he and his retinue were taken on board ; and on the 7th of the same month they entered the harbour of Zebu, — an island rendered memorable by the first settlement of the Spaniards in the Philippines. CHAP, Tsliiiid of ZuUu. 4n CIRCUMNAVIGATION OP MAGELLAN. Kcccptlon of MiiKflian by thu king. The accounts wliicli the captain-general had received of the riches and power of the sovereign, made it a point of good policy to impress him and his suhjects with tlie greatness of their visiters. The ships therefore entered the port with their colours flying ; and a grand salute from all the cannon caused great consternation among the islanders, ahout 2000 of whom, armed witii speara and shields, stood at the water-side, gating with astonish- ment at a sight so new to them. An ambassador, attended by the interpreter Enrique, was sent on shore, charged with a message importing the high consideration which " the greatest monarch on earth," and his captain- general, Magellan, entertained for the King of Zebu. He also announced that the fleet had come to take in provisions, and give merchandise in exchange. The prince, who actod through his ministers, made the strangers welcome, though he insisted on the payment of certain dues. These, however, were dispensed h, in consequence of the representations of a A » merchant then in the island, who had heard of the Portuguese conquests in the East ; and in a few days, every requisite ceremony being observed, a treaty of- fensive and defensive was formed. In manners and in social condition this people did not appear to differ from the natives of Mazagua. Their religion, it is true, version wi iiie whatever it was, sat but li^'htly upon them ; for in a few days Magellan converted and baptized half their number. The rite was administered on shore, where a rude chapel was erected. Mass was performed, and every ceremony was observed which could deepen the impres- sion of sanctity ; among wliich, tlie firing of guns from the ships was not forgotten. The royal family, the Rajah of Mazagua, and many pei-sons of rank, were the first converts ; the king receiving the name of Carlos, in honour of the emperor. Among these sudden Chris- tians were also the queen and ladies of the court. Baptism was likewise administered to the eldest princess, daughter of his majesty and wife of his nephew the Ucir-apparent, a young and beautiful woman. She Sudden cfin- l; CIKCUMNAVIGATION OF MAQKLLAN. ^ usually wore a robe of black and white cloth, and on cii.\P ii.' htr luad a tiara of date-lcavi-s. " lit-r inouth ft*id .,. "T",. nails," adds PigatVtta, "were of a very lively red." or theqneiii One day the queen came in state to hear mass. She "' """*''*• was dressed in a garment like that of her daughter, with a silk veil strijjcd with gold flung over her head and shoulders ; and three young girls walked before her, each carrying one of the royal hats. The attendants were numerous, wearing small veils and girdles, or short petticoats of palm-cloth. Her majesty bowed to the altar, and having seated herself on a cushion of em- broidered silk, was with the rest sprinkhd by the captain-general with rose-water, — " a scent," says the writer already quoted, " in which the women of this country much delight." A cure performed on the king's brother, who after oaro effcotci being baptized recovered of a dangerous illness, com- ''^ ^i»«''""»« pleted Magellan's triun^ph. Pigafetta gravely relates, " we were all of us ocular witnesses of this miracle." By way of help, however, to the supernatural agency, a restorative cordial was immediately administered, and repeated during live days, until the sick man was able to go abroad. The fashionable religion of the court spread rapidly. The cross was set up, idols were broken, amid zealous shouts of " Viva la Castilla!" in honour of the Spanish monarch, and in less than fourteen days from the arrival of the squadron the whole inluibitants of Zebu and the neighbouring islands were baptized, save those of one infidel village, which the captain-gemral burnt in punishment of their obstinacy, and then erected a cross amidst the ashes and ruins. Among other customs, the Zebuians drank their wine Cntertain- by sucking it through a reed. At an entertainment iJI""f„f'^^" given by the prince, the heir-apparent, four singing girls imucc. were introducer^ One beat a drum, another the kettle- drum, the third two smaller instruments of the same description, and the fourth struck cymbals against each other ; and as they kept excellent time, the effect was ]deusing. The kettle drum was of metal, and in form 50 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. Native music. Exnction ol iiibute. CHAP. II and tone somewhat like European bells. Other j'ounj^ women played on j^ongs ; and the islanders had a miisieal instrument resembling the bagpipe, as well as a sort of violin with copper strings. Their houses were raised on 2*03ts, and divided into chambers, tlie open space below .lorving as a shed for domestic animals and poultry. Provisions were plentiful, and the Indians everywhere showed hospitalit}' to their visiters, constantly inviting them to eat and drink. Tliey appeared indeed, to place much of their enjoyment in the pleasui'es of the table, at which they often remained four or five hours. Magellan availed himself of the submissive and re- spectful demeanour of these people, and exacted from them and the chiefs of the neighbouiing islands a tribuie, which seems to have been willingly paiJ. The King of Matan alone refused . "> acknowledge this new sovereignty, and with much spirit replied to the demand, tliat as strangers he wished to show them all suitable courtesy, and had sent a present, but he owed no obedience to those he had never seen ])efore, and would pay theni none. This answer greatly incensed the captain-general, now above measure elated'with the success which hadat- a'uack on the tended his late labours. He forthwith resolved to punish natives. the refractory chief, refusing to listen to the arguments of his officers, and particularly to those of Juan Serrano, who remonstrated with him on the impolicy of his de- sign. Accordingly, on the 27th of April, being a Satur- day, wliich Magellan always considered his fortunate day, he landed with forty-nine of his people clotluM^. ij mail, and began an attack on about 1500 Indians. Tii6 King of Zebu attended his ally with a force ; but his tictive services; were declined, and his men remained in their boats. The battle between crossbows and mus- ketry on the one side, and arrows and wooden lances on the other, raged many hours. The natives, brave from the onset, rose in courage when they became familiar- ized with the Spanish fire, which did comparatively little execution. A party of the latter was detached to burn a village, in the hope that the destruction of their CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. 51 houses would overawe and induce them to disperse ; ')ut CHAP. IT. the sight of the flames only exasperated them the more, c.,„r^ ane and some of them hastening to the spot, fell upou their skill of tiio enemies and killed two. They soon learned to take aim at the legs of the assailants, which were not protected by mail ; and pressing closer and harder upon their ranks, threw them inco disorder, and compelled them to give way on all sides. Only seven or eight men now remained with their leader, who, besides, was wounded in the limbs by a poisoned arrow. He was also re- peatedly struck on the head with stones ; his helmet was twice dashed oflF ; a lance thrust between the bars wounded him in the temple ; and his sword-arm being disabled, he could no longer defend himself. The fight continued till they were up to the knees in water ; and at last an Indian struck Magellan on the leg. Ho fell Death of on his face, and as the islanders crowded about him was ^^ i^"""'- seen to turn several times towards his companions ; but tliey were unable either to rescue him or revenge his death, and made for the boats. " Thus," says Pigafetta, "perished our guide, our light, and our support !" Though the rash warfare waged with the unoffending ciianu tev of cliief of Matan cannot be vindicated on any principle ol "'® Aaniu\ii. justice, the premature and violent death, in the very middle of liis career, of a navigator and discoverer second only to Columbus, will ever be a cause of regret. Magel- lan was eminently endowed with the qualities necessary to a man engaged in adventures like those in which he spent his life. He had a quick and ieady mind, ever fertile in expedients, and never wanting in self-posses- sion. He possessed the rare tdent of command ; being no L'ss beloved than respected by his crews, though Spanish pride and national jealousy made the officers sometimes murmur against liis authority. He was a skilful and experienced seaman ; prompt, resolute, and inflexible ; having a high sense of his own dignity, and maintaining it with becoming spirit. When, on one occasion, certain of the pilots re jnstratcd with him on the direction of i\is course, his only answer was, that CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. CHAP. II. Pors'inul ap- pearance. III ' Hatred of Mm liy tlic Tortuj^uese. their duty was to follow him, not to ask questions. In personal appearance, he was rather mean ; his stature was short, and he was lame from a wound which he had received in battle with the Moors. His former voyage to India, which he extended to Malacca, and the success- ful one he had just made, entitle him to be named the first circumnavigator of the globe. The unfortunate circumstances which led him to abandon his native country, in order to serve her foe and rival, long ren- dered his memory odious in Portugal. The only land, indeed, in which his fame was not acknowledged was the country which gave him birth. " The Portugall authoio," says Purchas, " speake of him nothing but treason, and cry out upon him as a traitor for sowing seeds likely to produce warre 'twixt Castile and Por- tugall : Nor doe I in those thingcs undertake to justifie him. But out of his whatsoever evill, God produced this good to the world, that it was first by his meanes sayled round : Nor was his neglect of his countrey ne- glected, or rcvengefull mind unrevenged, as the sequele manifested by his untimely and violent death." It is impossible to condemn Magellan for carrying his rejected services to the Spanish court ; though the necessity of such a step must for ever be deplored, both for his own and for his country's sake.* • A {i;'enoroii.s feelinjif has hiirrieil iraiiy the Kiny: of Portiitral. tlie iuslice of which i writers into censures on m^ cit Portugal, tlie justice ot wliicli maj' perliaps he doubted. It must he recollected, that the proposal of Magellan to Emanuel went no farther than to undertake the douhtfid search of a danger- ous passage to the Moluccas ; and that the Portuguese already en- joyed the monojwly of a safe iind shorter route than that which he eventually explored. His majesty miist also have been aware, that the discovery of a western passage to the Spice Islands was likely to give SjKiin an opportunity of asserting a right to those valuable possessions under the treaty of Tordesillas. These power- fill reasons of state-jmlicy, in an age when self-interest only was con- sulted in undertakin|};s of discovery, ought surely to have heen al- lowed some weight m favour of the Portuguese court, and, at any rate, to have ooviated such obloquy as that of Dalrymple in (he following sentence : — " Every pisblic-spirited Portuguese must lar lueut tliat oblivion has concealed the names of those ministers who CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. 53 Kight Spaniards fell with their leader, and twenty- two were wounded. During the heat of the engagement the King of Zebu sat in his balanghay, gazing on the combat, which had doubtless produced a considerable change in his notions as to the prowess of his new allies ; but towards its close he rendered some assistance which iacilitated their re-embarkation. Though tempting offers were made to the people of Matan to give up the body of the captain-general, they would not part with so proud a trophy of victory. The result of this fatal battle put an end to the friendship of the new Christian king. He wished to make his peace with the offended sovereign of Matan, and by means of the treacherous slave Enrique, wlio, on the death of Magellan his master, refused, until compelled by threats, to continue his services as inter- preter, formed a plan for seizing the ships, aims, and merchandise. The officers were invited on shore to a banquet, where they expected to receive, previous to their departure, a rich present of jewels, prepared before the death of Magellan for his Most Catholic Majesty. A party landed accordingly to tlie number of twenty- four ; but from certain appearances which met their eyes, Juan Carvallo tli f)ilot, and another Spaniard, suspected treachery, and j. turned to the ships. Tin y had scarcely reached them, wlien the shrieks of the victims were heard. The anchors bein? instantly raised, the vessels were laid close to the shore and fired several shots upon the town. At this time Captain Juan Serra o was seen dragged to the edge of the water, wounded and tied hand and foot. He earnestly em eated his countrymen to deslat from firing, and to ransom him from this cruel and treacherous people. They tuined a deaf ear to his prayers ; and he was thus hl^ ., the mercy of the islanders. Pigafetta relates that, nnding all his entreaties were vain, he uttered deep imprecations. merit the eternal execration of their countr},', for hv'ms Instnimonta in depriving it of the services of" so jfreat a man as Alagaihanes." — Hi&t. Collect, of Discov. in the South Sea, vol. i. {% 4. CHAP. IL Loss of tlie Spaaioi'UA. Treachery of the kiny of Zebu. ^tiissaprc of ihc Span- 54 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. 1; i: ■ yi chap. n. Heartless de- sertion of their com- rades. Fate of the captives. Kcduction of tile anna- uient. DimcuUy of olraininjj Viovisions. and appealed to the Almighty on the great day of judg- ment to exact account of his soul from Juan Carvallo, his fellow-gossip. His cries were, however, disregarded," continues the narrator, " and we set pail ^ ithout ever hearing afterwards what hecame of him." This cruel abandonment of a friend is imputed to the hope which Carvallo entertained of succeeding to the command on the death of Serrano, the captains of the other ships being already massacred. It is but justice to the people of Zebu to mention, that one narrative of the voyage imputes the indiscriminate slaughter of the Spaniards to a quarrel arising between them and the natives, for in- sulting their women. Some years afterwards it was incidentally learned that, instead of being all murdered, eight of the Europeans were carried to China and sold as slaves. But the truth was never clearly ascertained. The armament of Magellan next touched at the island of Bohol, where, finding their numbers so much reduced by sickness and the battle of Matan, they burned one of the ships, first removing the guns and stores into the others now commanded by Carvallo. At Zebu they had already heard of the Moluccas, tlieir ultimate destina- tion. They touched at Chippit in Mindanao on their way, and afterwards at Cagayan Sooloo, where they first heard of Borneo. In this voyage they were so badly provided with food, that several times hunger had nearly compelled tliem to a])nndon their ships, and establish themselves on some of the islands, wheie they meant to end their days. This purpose appears to have been particularly strong after leaving the last-mentioned anchorage, where the people used hollow reeds, through which by the force of their breath they darted poisoned arrows at their enemies, and had the hilts of their pon- iards ornamented with gold and precious stones. The trees, moreover, grew to a great height, but none of the necessary supplies could be obtained. They therefore sailed with heavy hearts and empty stomachs to Puluan, where provisions being very abunlant, they acquired fresh courage to persevere in their ^'oy^ge. Here a pilot I! \ 1 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. 55 wfts procured, with whose assistance tl y steered towards chap. li. Borneo, which island they reached on the 8th July . .-— 1521, and anchored three leagues from the city, which bonieo. was computed to contain 25,000 families. It was built within high-water-mark, and the houses were raised on posts. At full tide the inhabitants communicated by boats, when the women sold their various commodities. The religion of Borneo was the Mohammedan. It abounded in wealth, and the natives are described as exhibiting a higher degree of civilisation and refinement than has been confirmed by subsequent accounts. Let- ters were known, and many of the arts flourished among them ; they used brass coin in their commerce with one another, and distilled from rice the spirit known in the East by the name of arrack. Presents were here exchanged, and after the ceremo- deception of nial of introduction, permission to trcide was granted, tiic Spanish Elephants were sent to the water's side for the Spanish '^'"""^^y embassy ; and a feast of veal, capons, several other kinds of fowl, and fish, was placed before them on the floor, while they sat on mats made of palm. After each mouthful they sipped arrack from porcelain cups. They were supplied with golden spoons to eat their rice ; in their sleeping-apartment two wax flambeaux in silver candlesticks, and two large lamps with four lights to each, were kept burning all night, two men being appointed to attend to them. The king was a stout man about forty. When admitted to an interview, the deputation first pnssed through a large saloon thronged Uoruea with courtiers, and then into an ante-room where were 300 guards armed with poniards. At the extremity of the apartment was a brocade curtain, and when this was drawn up the king was seen sitting at a table with a little child, and chewing betel, while close behind him were ranged his female attendants. No suitor was per* mitted to address his majesty personally, but communi. cated his business in the first place to a courtier, who told it to one of a higher rank, who again repeated it to a still greater dignitary, who, in his turn, by means of a Productions of Borneo. Attack bythc Spaniai'da. Piratical pro ceudings. CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. hollow cane fixed in the wall, breatlu/d it into the inner chamber to one of the principal officers, by wiiom it was ultimately conveyed to the royal ear. The monarch received the Spanish gifts with merely a slight move- ment of the head, discovering no eager or undignified curiosity, and returned presents of brocade, and cloth of gold and silver. The courtiers were all naked, save a piece of ornamented cloth round their waists. On their fingers they wore many rings ; and their poniards had golden handles set with gems. The curtain of the royal saloon, which was raised when the ceremony began, dropped at the conclusion, and all was over. Pigafetta was told that the king had two pearls as large as pullets* eggs, and so perfectly round that, placed on a polished table, they rolled continually. The productions of Borneo were rice, sugar-canes, ginger, camphor, gums, wax ; fruits and vegetables in great variety ; and among the animals were elepliants, camels, horses, and buffaloes, asses, sheep, and goats. The people were peculiarly skilful in the manufacture of porcelain, which constituted a principal article of their merchandise. Theiv pirogues were ingeniously formed, and those used for state pur- poses had their prows carved and gilt. The Spaniards, who seldom or never left any port they visited on good terms with the people, in real or affected alarm for an attack, seized several junks in the harbour, in which they knew there was a rich booty, and kidnapped some persons of quality. The authority of Carvallo, which had never been respected, was now set aside by the choice of Espinosa as captain-general. Sebastian del Cano, a Biscayan, was also made a commander ; and the squadron fortli- with commenced what more resembled a privateering cruise than a peaceful voyage of discovery and traffic, pillaging all the small vessels they met, and holding the passengers to ransom. Between the north cape of Borneo and the island of Cimbubon, they found a com- modious port for careening, — a labour which occupied them forty-two days. They were destitute of many i^^k^J^Ji CIRCUMNAVIGATION OF MAGELLAN. 57 things necessary for ninking repairs ; but the most cilAP n. serious ineonveuience was the difficulty of procuring — timber, whicli, altliougli barefooted, they were obliged to drag from among the tangled and prickly bushes. It was among these thickets tliat Pigafetta found the Extroordi- famous animated leaf, the account of which tended so "'""y ?''<-'"<>- much at first to stamp his narrative with the character served. of fable. " What to me seemed most extraordinary," he says, " was to see trees, the leaves of which as they fell became animated. These leaves resemble those of the mulberry-tree, except in not being so long. Their stfilk is short and pointed ; and near the stalk, on one side and the other, they have two feet. Upon being touched they make away ; but when crushed they yield no blood. I kept one in a box for nine days ; on -j |,g „„(. opening the box at the end of this time, the leaf was mated leaf. nlive and walking round it. I am of opinion they live on air." Subsequent travellers have observed a similar phenomenon, and some conjecture that it is moved by an insect within ; while others describe it as a species of bat, the wings of which exactly resemble a brown leaf with its fibres Continuing their piratical voyage, they encountered a dreadful storm, and in their alarm vowed to set free a slave in honour of each of the three saints, Elmo, Nicholas, and Clare. The desired lights, pjectiic the tokens of safety, having appeared on the mast-heads, Ugiits. and continued to shine two hours, the storm abated, and the promised oflFering was made.* Touching at Sarran- gan, they seized two natives, whom they compelled to act as their pilotsto the long-sought Moluccas, which they at length reached, and on the 8th November anchored at Tidore. They met with a hospitable and kind re- • It may be proper to explain, that tlie electric li^jlits, which in stormy weather are frequently seen flickering- on the tips of the masts, were believed to represent the body of'Siiint Elmo, and regard- ed as a sure sign that there was no danger in the tempest. When the lights were three in number, two of tliem were supposed to mark the presence of Nicholas and Clare. The appearance of these lambent fiauies was hailed with the chanting of litanies and orisuniii. * 58 CIRCUMNAVIGATION OP MAOBLLAN. CHAP. II. ception. Arrival nt tlio Mdluccas. suveroign Prndnctlon.s oflhcitjhiiuU I I Abandon- ment 01 tho Trinidad. The ships were visited by Ahnanzor, the of tho inland ; a traffic in spices was com- menced, and a factory establislied on shore, where trade soon became brisk, the native productions being readily given in exchange for red cloth, drinking-glasses, knives, and hatchets. This king was a Mohammedan, to which faith the Moors, at a period comparatively recent, had converted as many of the native princes of the Efist Indian Islands as they had stripped of their power. The Moluccas, which had been discovered by the Portuguese in the year 1611, were found to be five in number, lying on the west coast of a large island called Gilolo. They were named Tidore, Ternate, Motir, Biichian, and Maquian. Their best spices were nut- megs, cloves, ginger, and cinnamon, which grew almost spontaneously. The houses were built on piles or posts, and fenced round with cane hedges. The King of Bachian sent as a gift to the emperor two dead birds of cxqaislte beauty, which, the natives called " birds of God," saying they came from Paradise. These animals, as well as the clove- tree, of which Pigafetta gives a description, are now well known. By the middle of December the cargoes were completed ; and the Span- ish commander, ready to depar. . was charged with letters and presents, consisting of the rarest productions of the island, sent to the emperor his master by the King of Tidore. When about to sail, the Trinidad was found unfit for sea ; and t'le Vitoria proceeded alone on the homeward voyage, with a crew of forty-seven Europeans, thirteen Indians, and also Molucca pilots. These native mariners entertained tlie Europeans with many a marvellous legend. While steering for Min- danao, before coming to the Moluccas, Pigafetta had heard of a tribe of hairy men, inhabiting a cape on the island Benaian, very fierce and warlike, and who were said CO consume the hearts of their prisoners with lemon or orange juice ; and he was now told of a people whose ears were so long, that the one served them tor a mat- " ZTTMiumt!^' "-' ""' CmCUiMNAVIGATlON OF MAGELLAN. 69 !\ i I tress and the other for a coverlet.* He was also informed of a tree, vvliich gave shelter to birds of suffi- cient size and strength to pounce upon an elephant, and bear him up into the air. The Vitoria touched at different places in the voyage to Spain, and, after a mutiny and the loss of twenty-one men, paased the Cape of Good Hope on the 6th May 1522. Being reduced to the greatest extremity for want of provisions, the officers anchored in the harbour of Santiago, one of the Cape de Verd Islands belonging to the Portuguese, on what, according to their reckon- ing, was Wednesday the 9th July, but which, in fact, proved Tliursday the 10th — a difference which was ex- ti'emely perplexing at first, though a little reflection soon enabled Pigafetta to perceive the reason.+ Some provisions were obtained before the quarter whence the ship had come was suspected ; but the truth being at length discovered, in consequence of a sailor offijring some spices in exchange for refreshments, the boat was seized, and the people on board seeing preparations making for an attack, crowded sail and escaped. On Saturday the 6tli September 1522, after a voyage of throe years' duration, in which upwards of 14,000 * The classical reader will be amused bytlie coincidence between tlie narratives of the Molucca pilots and the wonders related by Straljo, who recounts this amon^ other lefjfcnds broujjht from the Kast by the soldiers of Alexander the Great. f To illustrate the fact mentioned in the text, let us suppose a ship sailintf westward keeps pace with the sun, it is evident that the crew would have continual day, or it would be the same day to them during their circumnavigation of the earth ; whereas the people, who remained at the place the vessel departed from, would iuive a tiight in the mean time, and conseciuently must reckon a day more than the voj'agers. If the ship sailed eastward, an opposite effect w:"IiOyaM(i — Discovery of Papua or New Guinea^ Voy- age of Saavedra— of Villalobos — Of Legaspi— Of Juan Fernan- dez — Expedition of Mcndann, and Discovery of the Solomon Islands — Jolin Oxenhani, the first Englishman that sailed on tim Pacific — Circumnavigation of Sir Francia Drake — Expedition of Sarniiento — Circumnavigation of Cavendish — His Second Voy- age — The Falkland Islands discovered — Expedition of Sir Richard Hawkins — Second Voyage of Mendanu — The Manpie- sas— Santa Cruz — Expedition of five Dutch Vessels — Circum- navigation of Van Noort— Iletrospect. Altj the seas and lands discovered by Magel'un were declared by Spain to be her exclusive possession, — an assumption which the other European States, especially Portugal, were unwilling to acknowledge. The privi- lege of sailing by this track to the Moluccas, as well as those islands themselves, the principal advantages gained by the recent discoveries, were claimed on the double title of the papnl grant and the alleged cession by the native princes. But John III., the Portuguese monarch, was equally tenacious of his rights. The old dispute as to a boundary and partition line was renewed, and referred to a convocation of learned cosmographers and skilful pilots, who met near Badajos, and parted as they met ; the commissioners of both crowns being alike obstinate in their claims. The respective governments were thus left to establish their rival pretensions as they should find most convenient ; and Spain, accordingly, lost no time in fitting out an expedition to secure the full benefit of Magellan's labours. } :U... OF THE SIXTl-KNXn CENTUIIY. 63 This nrniaincnt consisted of seven vessels, of which CHAP. III. Garc'ft Jofre de Loyasn, n kiii;>ht of St John, wns np- Nov.- armn- pointed captain-general ; Sehastian del Cano and other '"'^"' '^"'-'^ hurvivors of the former enterprise poing ont under his command. Tl'c squadron sailed from Corunna on the 24th July 1625. Every precaution havinrr hrjn taken to ensure the success of the voyage, the fleet at first proceeded prosperously. But accidents soon occurred, P.',^il^,*,^ ","/* and to the still imperfect state of nautical science we the voyage, must impute many of the suhsequent disasters of Loyasa. The captain-general was separated from the other ships ; the strait so lately discovered had already hecome uncertain ; Sehastian del Cano's vessel was wrecked near Cape de las Virglnes ; the others were injured ; one of them was forced to the southward,* and two, after suffering much damage, appear to have been conducted back to Spain. In short, it was April before they entered the sound ; the passage proving tedioub and dismal, and the crew having suffered much from the extreme cold. Few natives were seen, and ^''Pfrt',""^y those who appeared showed signs of a hostile disposition, probably from recollecting how their confidence was abused by their former visiters. On the 26th May, the fleet reached the South Sea, but was almost immediately dispersed in a storm. Two of the vessels steered for New Spain, and in their course endured much from Wnnt of pro- want of provisions ; the sailors having little else to subsist on than the birds which they caught in the visions. Of the two remaining ships, one ran aground * Tho Spaniards claim an important discovery in consequence of tliis accidental circiimsiance. Tlie San Lesmcs, a bark commanded by Francisco de Hozes, is reported to have been driven to 65° south in the j?ah?, anrl the laptain affirmed tiiat he had seen the end of Tierra del Fiiej^o. This a Spanisii writer supposes to have been Cape Horn ; while Burney thinks it more probable that it was Sta- ten Land, the certain discovery of which is, however, of much later date. The extent of projectinj^ land between the eastern entrance to the strait and Cape horn makes it unlikely that it could have been seen by the crew of the San Lesmes. — ChiiJii. Ili.t. of Discov. in South Sea, vol. i. p. 134. 64 FROM MAGELLAN TO THE END llutiny and deaths. SufferinRs and priva- tiuns. CHAP. in. at the island of Sanghir, after the crew had mutinied and thrown overboard the captain, liis brotlier, and the j)ilot ; while the other, which carried the admiral and his second in command, held north-west. Both these officers were now sick ; and, four days after crossing the line, being the 30th of July 1626, Loyasa died, and Del Cano, who had weathered so many dangers, expired in less than a week. Alonzo de Salazar, who succeode*^ to the charge, steered for the Ladrones, and, in 1^*^' north, discovered the island which he named San Bar- tolome, the native appellation of which has been lately ascertained to be Poulousouk.* Between Magellan's Strait and the latitude now specified, thirty-eight of the seamen perished, and the survivors were so enfeebled that they thought proper to entrap eleven Indians to work the pumps. Salazar, the third connnander, died ; and it was November before they came to anchor at Zamafo, a port in an island belonging to their ally the King of Tidore. On reaching the Molucqis, disputes immediately arose between the Spaniards and the Por- tuguese governor settled at Temate ; and a petty mari- time warfare ensued, which was prosecuted several years with various degrees of activity and success, — the people of Tidore supporting their former friends, while those of Ternate espoused the cause of their rivals. In the course of this j^ear, 1626, Papua was dis- covered by Don Jorge de Meneses, in his passage from Malacca to the Spice I4ands, of which he liad been ap- pointed governor by the court of Portugal. About the same period, Diego da Rocha made himself acquainted with the islands De Sequcii'a ; believed to be a part oi those which in modorn times bear the name cf Pek w, and belong to the extensive archipelago of ttie Caro- lines.t In the course of the following summer, the DiscoTcry of I'apua. * Voyage aiitoiir du Monde, pa- M. L. de Freycinet. Hislorique, tcrme ii. pp. d9, 7<>' f " Leslies qu'il [Dio^'o du Rocha] norama Seqiieira, ne j)arois. sent etre aiitres, eii eft'el, que les Matelotas^ sitnecs dans I'E. N. E. des Palaos." — Freycinet, bi op. cit., tome ii. p. 7tJ. OP THE SIXTEENTH CENTCRY. 65 fourth captain-general of Loyasti's squadron died, as was alleged, by poison administered at the instigation of the Portugueae governor ; and shortly afterwards, liis ship, wliicli had been much damaged by repeated actions, was declared unfit for the homeward voyage. In the same season, the celebrated Ilernan Cortes equipped tiiree vessels for the Spice Isles, which sailed from New Spain on the eve of All Saints under the command of his kinsman Alvaro de Smivedra. Two {)f them were almost immediately separated from tlie admiral, who, pursuing his course alone, after leaving the Ladrones, discovered on Twelfth Day a cluster of islands, to which, from this circumstance, he gave the name of Los Reyes, or The Kings.* The men were naked, Sfive a pL'ce of matting about their middle, — tall robust, and swarthy, with long hair, and rough beards They had large canoes, and were armed with cane lances. When Saiivedra, after a run of little more than two months, reached the Moluccas, he was immediately attacked by the Portuguese, but supported by his countrymen, the residue of Loyasa's fleet, who had now built a brigantine. Having completed his cargo, he sailed for New Spain on the Sd June 1528, — an eastward voyage that for a series of years baffled tlie most skilful navigators. Land was reached, which the Spaniards named Isla del Oro, in the belief that it abounded in gold. TJ^ere is, however, reason to con- clude that it was Papua, afterwards called New Guinea, fron, the resemblance between the natives and the negroes on the coast of Africa. They were black, with short crisped hair, and had the featuies of that dis- tinctive race of Polynesia, since termed Oceanic negroes, who are found in many of those groups which are scattered throughout the vast Pacific, sometimes mixed with the other great family by which these islands are CHAP. III. Treafliury of the Tditu- guese. Hcmnn Curtes eqiiipj an cxpeiii- tion. Arrival at the Koluccas. Pnpna or New Guinea • They are included in tlie Carolii'e ranpi. and are supposed to be identical with tin; K^oi IsUnds oi the jjreMiut iuuj>!>. — i' nycinet, tome ii. p. 7i>> ->.^,f>»V* MRMIIP m PROM MAGELLAN TO THE END Second voyiiKC for New Spain, Islaiult). CHAP. III. peopled, but generally apart. Saavcdra, finding the — wind unfavourable, was obliged to return to the Mo- luccas ; nor was his second attempt to reach New Spain, in the following year, more fortunate. In this voyage he once more touched at Papua. When formerly there he had made three captives, two of Avhom, on again seeing the beloved shores of their native land, plungid into the sea M'hile the ship was yet distant ; but the third, who was more tractable, and had by this time been baptized, remained as envoy from his new friends to his ancient countrymen, and to establish an amicable traffic. When the vessel neared the beach, he also left htr, in order to swim ashore ; but, without being allowed to land, he was assailed and murdered, as an outcast and renegade, in presence of his Christian pa- Thti Cnvoiine trons. A group of small islands (part of the Carolines) in 7° north, were, from the circumstance of the natives being tattooed or painted, named Los Pintados. To the north-east of this cluster, several low ones, well peopled, were discovered, and named Los Buenos Jardines.* At this place Saavedra dropped anchor, and the inhahitants drew near the shore, waving a flag. A number of men came on board accompanied l>y a female, who touched each of the Spaniards in succession, and was from that circumstance supposed to be a sorceress brougiit for the purpose of discovering what kind of beings they were. Both sexes were light-complexioned and tattooed. The women were beautiful, with agreeable features and long black hair, and wore dresses of fine matting. Saavedra, on landing, was met by a promiscuous band advancing in a certain order, with tambourines and festal songs. To gratify the curiosity of their chief, a musket was fired, which struck them with such terror that the greater part immediately fled in their canoes to a station Appearance fit the women. * " Nous recnnnoissons dans les prnmicros [Los Piistados] iiiie portion des iles Ralik, et dans les secor.des [Los Buenos Jardinrsj iV'xtremito noid des liadak, jrroupe explore long-ti-irps apres [nnO-17] par le capitaine russe Kotzebue." — Froycinot, Lome ii. OP THE SIXTEENTH CENTl'RY. 07 three leagues distant, whence they were with difficulty chap. iir. induced to return. These islands afforded abundance of ^isn^s of cocoa-nuts and other vegetable productions. The com- tiie Spmiish mander died soon after leaving the Good Gardens ;* ^'^y"^"'^^'*- and, after vainly attempting to reach New Spain, the sliip once more returned to the Moluccas. After sus- taining many varieties of fortune, the Spaniards, finding that they could procure no reinforcements from their own country, consented to abandon the settlement, on condition of being furnished with means to convey tl'cm home. They accordingly departed fur Cochin in Return to 1534, but did not reach Europe till 1537, after an ^"''^i'*-'- absence of twelve years. " 'J'hough the honour," says Barney, " of sending forth the second ship that en- circled the globe cannot be claimed by the Spanish nation, it is nevertheless a justice due to the memory of the few of Loyasa's and Saavedra's men who reached their native country, to notice them as the navigators who the second time performed tliat tour." 'I' Several voyages had in the mean time boon attempted Privnto i u by private adventurers ; but they all proved abortive, ^'^'^'^^"''■"i"* • To Saavedra is ascribed the bold idea of ciittiii!^ a canal from sea to sea ihroii^li tlie Istiimus of Daricn. Tins project, which has been often nnived, V(*ry eur.y enj^aned the attention of Spain. It is discussed in Jos. Acosta's Ilistoiy of the Iiuiies, — wIjo ur^es against the desitrn an opinion, that one sea beinj^ hi^lu-r than the otl>er, the undcrtukinj^ must be atter.di'd by soino awl'nl calamity to the ji^lobe. Observations made under the patrona;^e of Bolivar, and completed in 182!i, seem to show that ihe levels of the two oceans are different ; but as our ideas of a canal no l'in>>-er imply a channel through which the waters ot the one sea should f!()W into the other, the approhens^ions that occurred to tlio Spani>
  • ^ays an old author, " is a most "/« ti.ipe of stately thing, and the fairest cape we m\v in the whole ^^ ^^' circumference of the earth ;" * and on the 20th of Sep- teniher anchored safely at Plymouth, after an absence of two years and nearly ten months. In geographical dis- covery Drake's voyage was barren, but it gave a new spirit to the maritime enterprise of Britain, and brought wealth and fame to its commander. Queen Elizabeth iiononmbio honoured him by dining on board his ship, where she n^'i"''" "*" also conferred the distinction of kniglithood ; for many years his vessel was preserved at Deptford ; and a chair, made from one of her planks and presented to the Uni- versity of Oxford, lias been celebrated by the muse of Cowley.t Tiie unexpected appearance of Drake in the South Aiiim of tiie Sea was a matter of serious alarm to the Spaniards. Si.auiaids. Their exclusive navigation of that ocean was now gone ; and instead of gathering in peace the treasures which the islands in its bosom, and the opulent empires on its margin, might afford, they perceived that henceforth they would have to contend for their riches with a powerful and ambitious enemy. In fact, they soon saw the English successfully penetrating the Magellanic Renpwcd Straits, — a channel so difficult as to have given rise to a attention to saying, "that the passage had closed up.'* It had, lauicsfn ■'« indeed, been little frequented by the Spaniards, who, it may be conjectured, found a more profitable employ- ment in the colonization of their lecent conquests. But the havoc which Drake carried along their coasts once more attracted their attention to the Straits, and, in 1579, Pedro Sarmiento do Gamboa was despatched Lamnleao Ouron. I^'ile Yap est nominee aussi Eup par quehiuea auteurs." — Freycinet, tome ii. p. 77» • Ilakluyt, vol. iii. p. 742. ■f A copious narrative of the Life and Voyafi^es of Drake has already appeared in the Edinburj;h Cabinet Library, No. V. Lives and Voyages of Drake, Cavendihh, and Dainpier. ^PBWsniBS 76 CHAP. III. Kxpedltion of Do Glim- buu. Piifferlnps Hlld fililUl'C ot the colony. I Expedition of Cuveuilisli. Plunclorinff of tlie Spaul- uidd. I ■• i' PROM MAGELLAN TO THE END from Lima to survey them, ond report the result of his observations. In pursuance of his advice, it was deter- mined to fit out a powerful armament, with a design of fortifying the narrows, and thus closing against hostile intrusion what they considered the only portal of the Pacific. The fate of this expedition was singularly disastrous ; nor was it until after making repeated attempts and sustaining much loss that they effected an entrance. Two cities were founded, named Nomhre de Jesus and San Felipe, and peopled hy Europeans, who had a supply of provisions for only eight months. On his voyage to Spain, the captain was token prisoner by an English cruiser belonging to Sir Walter Raleigh. II is unfortunate colony was speedily reduced to the greatest miseries ; no attempt was made to send them succours from home ; and, being thus abandoned to want and the frightful inclemencies of the weather, sad ravages were made among them. Only two who sur- vived these dreadful suiferings returned to their native country. The path to the South Sea once laid open, no long time elapsed ere it again became the scene of English adventure. In 1586, Mr Thomas Cavendish, a gentle- man of the county of SuiFolk, fitted out, at his own expense, an expedition to the Pacific, and sailed from Plymouth on the 21st July. He reached the Straits of Magellan on the Gth January following, and cleared their farther outlet on the 24th of February. Like Drake, the object he had in view was plunder ; and, like that navigator too, he stood along the western coast of America, cp.rrying fire and sword wherever he went. At Icngthj in November, glutted with spoil, he steered across the ocean, and in January 1588 made the Ladrone Islands. In the passage homeward he touched at St Helena, and first communicated to England its capabilities and advantages. He arrived at Plymouth on the 9th September, having circumnavigated the globe in two years and fifty days, — a period shorter than that required by either of his predecessors. OP THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. 77 The chief contrlbut which iscovcry " '^ ik' to CHAP. IJo.- of ing, was marked by an incident of some imjjortnnce. tiu! FaikhuiJ After repassing the Straits, one of the vessels under the command of Captain Davis, was aeparated from the squadron, and having met with adverse gales, was " driven in among certaine Isles never before discovered by any knov en relation, lying fiftie leagues or better from the shoare, east and northerly from the Streights, in which place, uulesse it had pleased God of his won- derful) mercie to have ceased the winde, wee must ot necessitie have perished." * On this group he seems to have bestowed no name ; but they are now known by the designation of the Falkland Islands.t After this occurrence Davis succeeded in reaching tlie South Sea ; but, returning almost immediately, his sliip eventually (aptain arrived at Bearhavcn in Ireland, in June 1593, with J^Jivis. only sixteen persons remaining of seventy-six who left England. Of the expeditions now briefly noticed, which constitute so important an era in the naval history of this country, and abound with spirit-stirring adventures, a copious narrative has been given in a preceding volume of the Edinburgh Cabinet Library. J • Haklryt, vol. iii. n, tu 8,6. •)" Burn y seems to have been amontr the first to vindicate Davis' claim to tlie discovery of this {^ronp, wnicli it was supposed was for- irerlyseen by Sir Ricliard Hawkins. — Chron. Hist. Discov., vol. iu p. 103. ;}: Lives and Voyages of Drake, Cavendish, and Danipier. For a further account of Davis, one of England's most intrepid seamen, t 78 FROM MAGELLAN TO THE END Capture of his vessel. CHAP. IIL We hav shortly to mention yet another expedition fitted out in the reign of Elizabeth. This was under- Expeditionof taken by Sir Richard Hawkins, who sailed from Ply- .sir ijiciuud mouth on the 12th of June 1593. In his passage towards the Strait, he observed the islands formerly seen by Davis, though he appears to have considered them as r.ltogether unknown. " The land," he says, " for that it was discovered in the "ligne of Queene Elizabeth, my souereigne lady and mistris, and a niayden queene, and at my cost and aduenture, in a perpctuall inen^.ory of her chastitie, and remembrance of my ende- vours, I gave it the name of Hawkins' Maiden- land."* Si>' Richard reached the South Sea, and began to follow the example of his more illustrious predecessors, Drake and Cavendish ; but his fortune proved very different. On the 22d of June 1594, his ship was cai)tured near Cape de San Francisco, and carried into Panama, in honour of which event that city was illuminated. This was the last voyage in the Pj>oitic made by English navigators for many years Tlie course of our narrative accordingly turns again to the expeditions of the Spaniards. In 1594, Philip IL, in a letter to the Viceroy of Peru, recommended " the encouragement of enterprises for new discoveries and settlements, as the best means to disembarrass the land Irom many idle gentry ;" and, in compliance with this suggestion, an armament was prepared next year to effect a settlement in the island of San Christoval, one of the Solomon archipelago, visited, as has been already narrated, in 15(57. Tlie fleet con- sisted of four vessL'ls supplied with 878 men, of whom 280 were soldiers ; it was commanded by Alvaro de Mend ana, by who n the islands had been discovered, under the title of Adelantado, and the chief pilot was Plans of Philip iL who, having pflPected discoveries in the extreme refriona of the north and the south wliich have imniortahzed his ninve, was doomed to uerish in a quarrel in tiie Kast Indies, the reader is referred to the K arr.itive olDiscovery and Adventure in tlie Polar Seas and Uegions. • Turclias, vol. iv. p. 1384. i!!l^ r'i lie ilS, OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTLUY. 7t Pedro Fernandez de Quiroo, — a name whicli afterwards chap. Iif. became famous in the annals of nautleal adventure. „ "" . mi 1 1 1 • 1 1 I • -r" 1 lA PlO]iMratl"i'..'J Ihe adelantado was accompanied by Ii;s wite, tlic Donna lo: coioniza- Ysabel Berreto, and, as was usual in those days, a cer- '^°"' tain number of priests sailed on board tlie armada. On the 16th of June 1595, Mendana, leaving Payta, pursued a course nearly due west until the 21.st July, when he was in bititude 10° 60' S., and, by the reckon- ing of Q,uiros, 1000 leagues distant from Lima. On that day an island was di-jcvercd and named La Madalena ; Discovery nnti\ Cr;iz (U . SCO ve roil. n rosary evr in his Imnd, wearing an air of devotion CHAP, ill, and severely veprchcnding all profanene.ss of speech. On tiie night of tlie 7th of September, land was at length perceived; and on that same night one of the vessels disappeared and was no more seen. At snnrise the land was ascertained to be an is]anji borne on tlie shoulders of eight officers, and tlie soldiers marched with, muskets reversed, and dragging their colours in li»e dust. Penth i!f {he. Shortly after, tlie new captain-general was wounded new cHptaiu- j^j g^ skirmish with the natives, and died on the 2d November. The vicar soon followed him, — " a loss," savs Figueroa, "such as the sins of these unfortuna!:e pilgrims deserved ; it served as a stroke to tell them tlu'y were displeasijig to God, when,, after so maJiy cor- poreal aiHictions, he took from tlicm their spiritu:il * I3uniey scenss to have been disposed to inolv only on the ilaik siJo of ;MeH(lana\s cliaractcr; " His nicrit.s," it is ohservefl, "as a navi,,;atvir, or as a couunaricier. liave not coiiti'il)iiti''d towards itni- tieiinjj; liiin conspicuous; i.i/id it is remarked in liijueroa thai I'lis death nuis htnwnled ONLV bi/ hig r(latio»s and his J'avoiirilet'." — Cliron. Flist. Disoov., vcif ii. p, H'y2, Tliis cortaiaiv i-, not a iair n'piesfiitaii of Fii.>;oonia''« statenunit, which T\\n-< tluis: — "'Tlie 'j^'oveiiioss and licr fiscMids \veii> nr.icli allVcted by iiis diatii, oihiT.s \v(>re {;la(! cf it. Ji is fo ha .ytijijioscti titti^i; were liie u-u/tounds of Europe, nii'i to attack the possessions of their fvrmer tyrants in India and the South Seas'. * ll \.i lUiiH ||(»(|i'>'H I'V iM. t]p Fr.-^ycinet, apparently on (he an- itiority (if 'if xi'iru : — " In Iftilf), (Jniroc, siiccesscur de Mendana, fit la decouveitf dn I'ile Hopnleu, (jui d'almrd re iif des I'^spagnols le nnni (Ic QiiiiO'-n, puis ocliii de Torrc'!, (1^10 ca[)itiiiii(> de rotte nation." — VoyiiffP iiiitpur i\\\ IMonde. Ilistoriqiie, V>mi.' ii. p. 77* f haliyiiiple, Hist, (loll., vol. i. j). 5U, note. ^ m I ^ i f i : ;i!ll ,M!i ii H 84 FllOM MAfJELLAN TO THE END CHAP. III. First Dutch t*.\itedition. I' 'I' III June l/;f)B, five vessels left Holland for the pur- pose of suilin^^ to the East Indies by the Straits of Magellan, and crnising against the Spaniards on the coasts of Chili and Peru. On the 6th of the following April, they entered the Straits ; but in consequence of some unforeseen difficulties, thoy were obliged to winter in Green Bay, where they suffered much from cold and want, many of the men dying of hunger. They had also repeated conflicts with the natives, who are de- scribed as being of formidable stature, with red bodies and long hair, and animated with such implacable hatred against the Dutch, that they tore from their graves the bodies of some sailors, which they mangled nisporsion of or altogether removed. On the 3d of September, the tiiu >(iua- squadron reached the South Sea, but was soon dispersed in a storm, and never again met. Sibald de Weert re- passed the Straits, and after seeing some of the islands discovered by Davis, and which now received the name of Sibald de Weert, brought home to the Maes, in July 1600, the only ship that returned to Holland. Dirck Gherritz, in the yacht comnianded by him, Avas driven to 64° south latitude, where he got sight of land, sup- posed to be the South Shetland Isles.* An English- man, named William Adams, acted as chief pilot in the squadron, and the vessel in which he sailed stood over to the const of Japan, where they were detained, but kindly treated. Adams built two ships for the emperor, and became so great a favourite, that he granted him a living " like unto a lordship in England, with eightie or ninetie husbandmen " for servants ; but he failed to ob- tain permission to return home, though he greatly desired to " see his poore wife and children, according to con- science and nature." t Finding that he could not pre- vail for hi Hi self, he interceded for his companions, who, William ,Ailams tlie cliiel" pilot. • This fiict sconis to liavo been little remarried, and does not af- fect tlie merit of Captain Smith s discovery in 181M. f " Wilham Adams, — his Voyaj^e by tlie Magellan Straits to Jajian, written in two letters by himselfe." — Purchas, vol. "u p. 12». tl t^r^mm^mmm lit'. Its u III OF THE 6IXTKEM1I CENTl'HV. 85 being allowed to depart, joined a Dutch fleet under chap. iif. General Matelief. Their caT)tain was killed in an en- ... :~" , ' Ills rtcatli Ht gagenient with tlie Portuguese oIt Malacca, after which riiancio. all trace of them is lost. News of the death of Adams, at Firando in Japan, was brought to this country in 1C21. Almost contemporaneously with this expedition, some Socnmi Dutch merchants fitted out four ships under Olivier Van aitiou. " ""' Noort, who sailed from Goree on the 13th September 1508, with objects similar to those contemplated by De Weert. A voyage of a year and seven days l)r(»u,L',ht them to I'ort Desire, where they careened their three vessels, having previously burned one as unserviceable ; and, according to Purchas, they took in this jdace pen- guins to the number of " 50,000, being as bijzge as geese, with cgges innumerable, which proved very re- freshing to the diseased."* Some natives being ob- served on the north shore, the general landed with twenty men, and as the savages had disapjieared they proceeded into the country. Five sailors left in charge of the boats straggled to some distance ; upon which Connift about thirty Patagonians, tall, fierce, tawny, and "paint- )|,',['i'^ J^^' ed to the degree of terror," attacked them, murdered three, and wounded another with an arrow. By the time the general and his party returned, the assailants had all lied, and none were again seen near the place. After entering the Straits, the ships were appioached from the south coast by a single man, who was pursued and ineffectually fired at. A more convenient oppor- tunity, as the Dutchmen conceived, for revenging the death of their three comrades occurred at the smaller of Oonirrrroo the Penguin Islands. As the boats nenred the land, "' •' "j^/I'f, about forty natives, thinking; they came in search of the birds which abound there, threw some from the top of a cliff, made signs for them not to land, and discharged arrows when these intinifitions were disregarded. Tbo Hollanders were not slow to retaliate with musketry : * Purchas, vol. i. p. T^ \ li 86 FROM MAGELLAN TO THE END Sill 11" liter of thu uativcd. i ^\ iiiiiiatioii. ! ;; iiii'iMli It i CIIaP. tit. which soon drove the savages from the rock. They again rallied, however, on the side of a hill at the mouth of a cavern, and fought with the utmost determination until the destructive fire of the Dutch left not one man alive. In the interior of the grotto were found huddled together the women and children ; mothers had placed their own bodies as a protection before their offspring, and many of both were wounded. The invaders com- mitted no farther outrage, except carrying off four boys Cinci extcr- and two girls. One of the former having been taught to speak Dutch, afterwards informed his captors that they had exterminated the males of a whole tribe, — a deed which, as it is related without any expressions of regret or pity, was probably never regarded by the per- petrators as being in the least more atrocious than if they had cut down so many trees for the use of their squadron. Sibald de Weert's ship was seen in the Straits, and that commander made a request to be sup- plied with some biscuit ; but his countryman coolly answered, that he had no more than was sufficient for his own use, and if he should exhaust his stores, this was not a part of the world where bread could be pur- chased. Along the west coast of South America some prizes of little consequence were made, and when near the equator they stood across towards the Philippines. At Guahan, in the Ladrones, about 200 canoes came off to barter, the people in them shouting, " Hierro, hierro ! " (iron, iron!) aud in their eagerness oversetting each other's boats, — a catastrophe which occasioned much confusion, but no loss of life, as they were all expert swimmers. The Dutch did not find them honourable in their transactions, as they covered baskets of shells with a thin layer of rice at top, and if they had an op- portunity, pulled a sword from the scabbard, and leap- ing into the sea, eluded, by diving, the bullets of the enraged owners. The women were no less expert in such exere. than the men, as was ascertained by dropping bit^ iron, Avhich they fetched up fiom the Visit t" the riiiliiipiiics. Tl'oft o- tho IllltlVUfi. OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTl'RV. «7 bottom. Thence Van Noort proceeded in a leisurely chap, in manner, capturing trading vessels, burning villages, and captures and carrying off provisions as occasion served. His force spoliation. was now reduced to two ships, the Mauritius and Een- dracht. He learnt from some Chinese that the capital of the Spanish settlements was well fortified, and the harljour sufficiently protected. He therefore anchored off the entrance of the bay to intercept the craft bound thither. After some tiuic, tlie colonists sailed out to attack them ; when their admiral, Do Morga, con- fident in a large superiority of numbers, ran directly aboard of the Mauritius, and, getting possession of the deck, pulled down the flag. The Hollanders, however, Fiffhtwith continued to fight, though in a skulking manner, when iiiaVu':i! Van Noort, tired of this tedious and ineffectual warfare, lold his men, that if they did not come out and en- counter the enemy more vigorously, he would set fire to the magazine and blow up the ship. They did so accordingly, and drove the Spaniards back into their own vessel, which, having been damaged in boarding, soon after went down. Most of the seamen were saved by the country-boats ; but numbers also were shot, knocked on the head, or killed with pikes by the Dutch, who refused quarter. The Eendracht, seeing the colours of the Mauritius lowered, and thinking the captain-general had surrendered, took to flight, but was pursued and captured ; upon which the pri- soners being conveyed to Manilla, were immediately executed as pirates. Without any farther adventure npttim lo of consequence, and having added nothing to the know- ^ '^" " ledge of the South Sea, Van Noort brought his ship to anchor before the city of Amsterdam on the 20th of August lf)01. This was the first circumnavigation performed by the Dutch, and was remarkable for the rigour with which discipline was enforced. In many of the Spanish ex- peditions mutinies broke out which could not be sub- dued without the sacrifice of several lives ; but here, although a spirit of insubordination was repeatedly (i I 'M rfn FllOM MAGELLAN TO THE END ]{i)^oi'ous severity of clLci])liiit'. Siimmnry of ry, CifAP. III. displayed, it seems to liave bicn uniformly checked 1)i'fore spnading to any considerable extent. Indi- viduals who had been found guilty were put ashore at various points ; and, among others, the second in com- mand was left in Patagonia with a little bread and wine. Every thing of this nature was done with the sanction of a council of war,* whose sentences were occasionally marked by no little severity : in one case they caused a seaman's hand to be pinned to the mast with a knife, where ho was condemned to remain till he could release himself by slitting it open. This cruel punishment was formerly usual in cases where an assault had been committed upon the pilot or com- mander. The voyage of Van Noort closes the long list of enter- !;f uibcovery! P^'i^^'^ made in the sixteenth century ; and, before passing on to the events of the seventeenth, it may not be improper briefly to glance at the progress of discovery among the islands and along the coasts of the South Sea since the iime when Vasco Nunez, from the mountain- peak of iJarien, beheld "below him extended a vast chaos of rock and forest, and green savannas and wander- ing streams, while at a distance the waters of the promised ocean glittered in the morning sun." + * Bnrnoy (Cliron, Hist. Discov., vol, ii. p. 209) sajs, it does not appear who composed this tribunal ; but the original account of the voyaj|;e mentions that the "council of war" jrave a judgment which it also attributes to the " j^enoral and his officers." This makes it sufficiently plain of whom the council in a Dutch fleet consisted ; and further, one of the letters of William Adams states, that all the pilots in the squadron expressed in the council an opinion which so displeased the captains that they excluded them for the future from their deliberations. — Purchas, vol. i. p. 129. •j- Voyajies of the Companions of Culnmbus, p. 173. Wasliihff- ton Trvin;^' has described this evi«t, "one of the most beautiful and strikiu';' incidents in the history of the New World," with even more than his usual eleirance. It is in itself so picturesque as to !)e liarely susceptible of farther embellisliment from poetry, thoujrh ]Mr Irving considers that the fate of Nunez "nii^ht furnish a theme of wonderful interest for a noem or a drama." His great dis- covery has been happily alluded to in a beautiful sonnet by a jounfT poet, who, however, has confounded him with the conqueror of JNlcjcico : — 111 in ill OF Tlin SIXTF-KNTII CKNTURY. 89 Islands dia- covcred. The continent of Ainerici, constituting the western chap. hi. boundary of this vast ocean, had already l)cen explor- jrxtcnTof cd from tlic white clill':i of New Albion, in 48° nurtli iimi ix- latitude, to Cape Pilaris on Tierra del Fuego, in 64° '''°''-'*^ south. Some imperfect kuowlodge had been obtained of lands even still farther south : Drake had seen the promontory which afterwards received the dreaded name of Cape Horn, and the Dutch bad descried tlie bleak islands now called New South Shetland. Magellan had laid open the strait which bears his name, and was then looked on os the only entrance from the Atlantic into the South Sea. Along the coast had been dis- covered several islands, the principal of which were Chiloe, Mocha, Mas-afuera, Juan Fernandez, San Felix, San Amber or Anibrosio, Lobos, Los Galapagos, Cocos, San Tomas, and the Pearl Islands. The eastern bound- ary of the South Sea was less accurately known. Yet on that side the Japan Islands, Formosa, the Phi- lij)l)ines or Archipelago of St Lazarus, Borneo, the Moluccas, Papua or New Guinea, had all been more or less minutely examined, and might be held to define with sufficient accuracy the eastern limits of the Pacific, from the latitude of 40° north to that of 10° on tho ojiposite side of the equator. Southward of this all was luiknown and unexplored ; and the geographers of the period, bold in their ignorance, delineated the capes, the gulfs, the promontories, bays, islands, and coast of a ^"'"!''""''>' great continent extending from the vicinity of Guinea to the neighbourhood of Tierra del Fuego, under the name of Terra Australis nondum cognita. Of the innumerable clusters of islands with which the South Sea is studded, very few had been at this time discovered. Las Desventuradas, the Ladronos or Ma- si.utheni New coutiuenr. " Then felt I like some watcher of the skies When a new planet swims int<» his ken.. Or like stout Cottez, when witli esif^le eyes He stared at the Pacific, and all his men Looked at each otiier witii a wild surmise, Silent, upon a peak in Darien." - 1 1 m IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // Co ^ *^^ 1.0 I.I 12.8 m m •»». I£ u U4 £ kS, 12.0 11:25 HI 1.4 I' i 1.6 Photographic Sciences Corporation 7 ; WiST MAIN STRUT WHSTIR.N.Y. 145M (716) 872-4503 ^\ •SJ ^v \ :\ '^ ^ fl ' 90 FROM MAGELLAN, Ace. CHAP. in. nans, the Sequeira or Pelew, and several others of the Carolines ; the islands of San Bernardo, Las Marquesas, Solitaria, the Solomons, Santa Cruz, and a few smaller groups, were all that were known of those countries and islands, the extent and number of which have at length claimed for them the rank of a fifth division of the globe. During this period the earth had been sailed round four times. Of these circumnavigations, the first was effected by Spaniards under a Portuguese commander ; the second and the third by the English^ and tho fourth by the Dutch. Islands di!>- covered in the South Sea. CircnmnaTl gallons of the globe. Ill •-*:gt*-:jt.-: " 'wMw he M, [er nd th lie CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES, Stc 91 ad as p; CHAPTER IV. Circumnavigations and Discoveries of the Seventeenth Century. Voyage of Quiros — La Sanitaria — Australia del Espiritu Santo — Luis Vaez de Torres discovers the Strait between New Holland and New Guinea — Circumnavigation of Spilbergen — Of Schouten and Le Maire — Discovery of Staten Land and Cape Horn — CocoH, Grood Hope, and Horn Islands — New Ireland — Expedition of the Nodals— Discove yof New Holland by Dirck Hatichs — Cir- cumnavigaiion of the Nassau Fleet — Voyage of Tasman — Dis- covery of Van Diemen's Land, of New Zealand, and the Friendly Islands — Voyages of Hendrick Brower and La RiKhe — Expedi- tions of the Buccaneers — Discovery of Davis* or Easter Island — Voyage of Strong, and Discovery of Falkland Sound — Retrospect. There had long been an abatement in the ardour of chap. IV. that passion for adventure which formerly inflamed the causeTof hearts of the Spanish nation, afforded to her chivalrous abatement of youth so many harvests of gain, and extended her for adveil- sceptre over regions of great extent, wealth, and beauty. *'*''*• Avarice had become sated with the gold already obtained, - or, chilled by the frequent disappointment of its eager hoprs, had become suspicious and distrustful of future promises. Enthusiapm had been quenched by the mis- fortunes of those wh(>8e beginning had been the most prosperous and seemed most certain of success. Reli- gious zeal had found, in the lands already explored, ampler bounds than it could occupy. National policy memsTif required rather the permanent security and improve- policy. ment of conquered countries, than a search after new regions. There had even arisen a superstitious feeling against the discovery of the South Sea, as if it had been m CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES CHAP. IV. Sup rititious tcui& Pi'ilro Tor- ii uidez do (^uiros. Arpuments for tlie exist- ence of a fi'Mitliern coutiutiut. an impious intrusion into the secrets of nature. The untimely fate of all who had been principally concerned ir. this great event was now recollected. It was told, that Vasco Nunez had been beheaded, — that Magellan had fallen by the hands of the infidels, — that his com- panion, the astrologer Ruy Falero, had died raving mad, — ^and that the seaman De Lepe, who had first descried the Strait from the topmast,, had abandoned Christ to follow Mohammed. But the spirit which had glowed so long was not wholly dead, and we have yet to record the actions of one of the most distinguished navigators whom Spain has produced. Undaunted by the hardships and ill success of the last voyage of Alvaro de Mendana, the pilot, Pedro Fernandez de Quiros, returned to Peru, eager to engage in fresh adventures, and, as one of his memorials expresses it, " to plough up the waters of the unknown sea, and to seek out the undiscovered lands around the antarctic pole — the centre of that horizon."* Arguing upon grounds which were received by many, even down to our own day, he asserted the existence of a vast southern continent, or at least of a mass of islands, the antipodes of the greater part of Europe, Africa, and Asia. The viceroy, to whom he detailed his views, heartily approved of the project ; but the limits of his authority hindered him from furnishing means for its execution, and he therefore sent him to Spain with letters of recommendation to the king and his ministers. These were successful. Quiros left the court " with the most honourable schedules which had ever passed tho • Dalrymple, Hist. Coll., vol. i. p. 98. The chief authorities for the voyage of Quiros are his own memorials (which are inserted in Dalrymple, vol. i. p. 145-174; and in Purchas, vol. iv. p, 1427), together with the relations of Fi^iieroa and Torqnemada (Monar- chia Indiana, Seville, Uil5, and Madrid, 1723), botii translated by Dalrymple, vol. i. p. 95-144. In Burney's Citron. Hist. Discov., vol. li. p. 467-478, Appendix, No. i. was printed, for the first timet the " Relation of Luis Vaer. de Torres, concerning' the discov- eries of Qiiiros as his almirante. Dated Manilla, I2th July 16(>7;" translated by Mr Dalrymple from a Spanish M S. in his possession. ^ Z^^^J^SVtl^^^^^^- <4MBBaMMMa OP THR SEVKNTEENTIl CENTURY. 93 council of state," and arriving at Lima and " throwing chap, iv into oblivion all that he had endured for eleven years i>..„J~ir* ... 1 • « ji, t 1 Preparations .n the pursuit of so important an object, * he began to for new dis- prepare for his long-cherished enterprise. covery. Having built two vessels and a zabra (a kind of vessels pro- launch), the strongest and the best armed, says Torque- viifiti for tim mada, of any that had been seen on either sea, on *^^^^ tho 2ist of December 1605, he set sail from the port of Callao, having under him, as second in command, Luis Vaez de Torres.+ Six Grey or Fran- ciscan Friars accompanied the expedition ; and, in con- formity with their wonted respect for religion, guns were ^red on the 25th during the day, and the ships were illuminated during the night, in honour of the solemn festival of the Nativity. On reaching the lati- tude of 26° south, Quiros considered it proper to pursue a more northerly track, in oppos a to the advice of Torres, who thought that by advancing to SO" south there was greater probability of finding the desired continent. On the 26th of January 1606, between the First di-w parallels of 24** and 25'' south latitude, and 1000 leagues [^^J^ "' west from Peru, land was seen. It was a low flat island, with a sandy surface, here and there diversified by a few trees, though apparently without inhabitants, and it received the name of La Encarnacion. Three days after another island was discovered ; it was " plain and even a-top,*' might contain about twelve leagues, and was called San Juan Bautista.J From this Quiros sailed in a north-westerly direction, and on the 4th of February saw an island or group of islands, encircled by • Torqnemada. Dalrymple, Hist. Coll., vol. i. p. 104. •f" Cook, in the introdnrtion to his second voy.nge, falls into tlie siniriilar mistake of representinfr Torres as commander of t!»e expe- dition, and Quiros oniy as pilot. Vovau:e towards the South P'>l' :ind round the World, in the Years 1772-1775. 3d edition. London, 177y> — Gen. Introd. p. xii. :}: It may be proper here to state, that the memorial of Torres has preserved a totally different nomenclature of the lands from that given by Quiros, and that for obvious reasons we hare adopteil the names bestowed by the latter. mL LJ.- fSBm^^mm ■NPV 94 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES CHAP. IV. Group of Islands dis- covered. La Dcccna. Appearance of the nutives. \§'\ m Reception of the voyagerSi \i a reef and having a lagoon in the cencre. This land, which was ahout thirty leagues in circuit, received the name of Santelmo. The next day four other islands were seen ; they were barren and uninhabited, and resembled in all respects those previously discovered. They were called Los Quatros Coronadas ; and two of a similar character, observed in the vicinity, were named San Miguel Archangel and Conversion de San Pablo. On the 9th of February an island was seen in the north-east, and, from the circumstance of being the tenth which had met their eyes, received the appellation of La Decena. It appeared to be like those previously in- spected, and the ships passed on. The next day a sailor on the topmast gave the cry of " Land a-head ! " to the great joy of all on board. " It was," says Torres, " a low island, with a point to the south-east which was covered with palm-trees ;" * and the columns of smoke which rose from different parts showed that it was in- habited. The zabra was directed to search for an an- chorage, and having found it in ten fathoms the boats were sent to effect a landing. About 100 Indians were seen upon the beach making signs of joy ; but so great was the surf which broke upon the rocks, that the crews, with heavy hearts, abandoned their intention of landing and resolved to row back to the ships. " They were thus returning quite disconsolate," says Torque- mada, " when a brave-spirited young man, Francisco Ponce, a native of Triana, slighting the danger, got up, saying, that if they should thus turn their faces from the first perils which their fate presented, what hope could there be of success in the event V* and with this threw himself into the sea and swam ashore. The islanders welcomed him with much apparent affection, frequently kissing his forehead, and encouraged by the example now set them, some others leapt into the sea and swam to land. The natives were in colour mulat- toes, well limbed, and of good carriage ; they were * Burncy, Cliron. Hist. Discov., vol. ii. p. 408. OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. m raked, and armed, some with la ces of thick wood, burnt nt the ends and about twenty-seven palms in len^j^th, some with swords of the wood of the palm-tree, and not a few with great clubs. They lived in thatched houses, situated by the margin of the sea among groves of palms. A person who appeared to be a chief had on his head a kind of crown made of small black feathers, but so fine and soft that they looked like silk. In one of the woods was discovered what seemed to be an altar, rudely formed of stones ; and " our people," says the Spanish chronicler, *' solicitous where the Prince of Darkness had dwelt to place the royal standard whereby the Prince of Light gave life to us, with Christian zeal cut down a tree with their knives, which they formed into a cross and fixed in the middle of the place."* The island was found to be divided by a narrow isthmus which was overflowed at high water ; its latitude was between 17" 40' and 18° 30' south, and its longitude, as computed from the different accounts, has been fixed by Barney at 147° 2' west from Greenwich, t This dis- covery was named La Sagitaria, and ha-, by the most eminent geographers, been generally considei'ed as iden- tical with Otaheite. This opinion has been founded on the coincidence of position, on the similarity of the iUhmus, on the resemblance in extent and form, and, above all, on the circumstance that no other island, widely as the Pacific has now been searched, is known to which the description will at all apply. But it must not be concealed that there are many and material ob- jections to this theory. Torres expressly describes it as a " low island," — a remark which is quite irreconcilable with the mountain-peaks of Otaheite ; and even the account of the isthmus, in so far as regards its being overflowed at high water, does not agree. The other discrepancies are, that the shores of Sagitaria afforded no anchorage, and that its smaller peninsula must have been at least CHAP. IV. Arms and (IwellinKS of the Islanders. Cliristian zeal of the voyagers. Supposed to be Otaheite. Discrepan- cies now ob- servable. • Torqiiemada. Dalrymple, Hist. Coll., vol. i. p. 113. f Chron. Hist. Discuv., vol. ii. p. 2U2. 96 CIUCUMNAVIOAllUNO AM> DISC'OVERIKS CHAP. IV. LHter con- clusions. VoynRc I'eiiunicd. J'li iny niiiong the bcuiuen. N' w Itind discovered. 1 ;; eight Spanish leagues in extent, — facts which ore alto- gether inapplicable to Otaheite. * Little weight, how- ever, has been given to these remarljs, and the identity of the two islands is now generally admitted ; though, when all circumstances are considered, doubts may still be entertained as to the soundness of the conclusion. On the 12th of February, Quiros resumed hb voyage, and, while yet in sight of La Sagitaria, saw a very low island, which he named La Fugitiva. On the 21st, an- other discovery was made of a plain and uninhabited spot, which was called El Perogrino. About this time a mutiny broke out on board his ship, headed by the chief pilot ; it being the intention of the disaffected to make themselves masters of the vessel and sail in a direct course to the Philippines. The only punishment which Quiros inflicted, was to send the pilot as a pri- soner on board the vessel commanded by Torres. On the 2d of March, a level island was seen to the west- ward ; and on a nearer approach it was found to be inhabited. The intercourse with the natives was unfor- tunately hostile, and much blood was shed ; but the beauty of their forms so struck the Spaniards, that they gave them the appellation of La Gente Hermosa. There is reason to believe that this is the same with the San Bernardo of Mendana. Quiros continued to sail westward in the parallel of 10° south upwards of thirty days. Towards the end of that period frequent signs of land were observed, and on the afternoon of the 7th of April a high and black coast was discovered. They failed to reach it, however, be- fore the 9th, when it was found to be inhabited : many houses were descried on the beach and among the woods ; and on a small islet, which had been converted into a rude fort, were about seventy dwellings. This island-fortress was taken possession of by the Spaniards * Wales' Remarks on Mr Foster's Account of Captain Cook's Last Voyaire round the World io the Years 1772-1775. London, 1778. Pp. 24,25,26. OP THE SKVENTEENTH CENTURY. 97 without opposition, — the vicinity of Santa Cruz, and a knowledge of Mendana*8 transactions there, having taught the savages the fatal efficacy of fire-arms. The appellation of this country was Taumaco, and its inhab- itants were apparently of diflFerent races, — some having a light copper-colour, with long hair, — others resem- bling mulattoes, — while a third class had the black skin and frizzled hair of the Oceanic negro. Their arms were bows and arrows, and they had large sailing canoes. From the chief, whose name was Tumay, Quiros obtained information of upwards of sixty islands, and, among others, of a large country called Manicolo. He determined to sail in quest of these, and on the 19th quitted Taumaco ; and, changing his course to the southward, reached an island, which in appearance nnd in inhabitants resembled the one he had just left, and was by the natives denominated Tucopia. The voy- agers still proceeded southward till they passed the lati- tude of 14', at which point they pureued a westerly direction ; and after one day's sailing, discovered a vol- cano surrounded by land, about three leagues in circuit, well wooded, and inhabited by black people with large beards. When near this island, which was named Nuestra Senori de la Luz, land was perceived to the westward ; while in the south, and " towards the S.E." was seen " other land still larger, which seemed to have no end, and was full of great mountains." After some deliberation it was resolved to make for the island in the west, which received the name of Santa Maria ; but, after touching there, Quiros determined to steer towards the high regions that lay to the south. On the 2d of May, he moved the vessels into a large bay, and, believing that he had at length discovered the great southern con- tinent, gave it the name of Australia del Espiritu Santo. The bay, in honour of the festival on which they had entered it, was named San Felipe y Santiago ; while a port far within, where they anchored, was called La Vera Cruz. This hai'bour, which could have con- CHAP IV. Appearancu 01 the imtiveH. Information obt.iined of oUier Islands Snpposed discovery of the Southuni contiuunt. I PB CIRCUMNAViaATIONS AND DISCOVERIES CHAP. IV tttined above a thousand ships, was situated between iiHibtTuT aud *^^o streams, one of which was named Jordan and the iivuis. other Salvador. Of these rivers one was equal in size to the Guadalquivir at Seville. " The strands of this bay," says Torquemada, " are broad, long, and clear ; the sea is here still and pleasant, for although the winds blow strong, within the bay the water Is scarce moved. There are in all parts in front of the sea pleasant and agreeable groves, extending to the sides of many moun- tains which were in sight ; and also from the top of one, to which our people climbed, were perceived at a distance extremely feiiile valleys, plain and beautiful ; and various rivers winding amongst the green mountains. lT!«h esHma- f j^g whole is a country which, without doubt, has the uuw laud, advantage over those of America, and the best of the European will be well if it is equal." * — " From the breaking of the dawn," says Quiros, " is heard through all the neighbouring wood a very great harmony of thousands of different birds, some to appearance night- ingales, blackbirds, larks, and goldfinches, and infinite numbers of swallows, and besides them many other kinds of birds, even the chirping of grasshoppers and crickets. Every morning and evening were 'enjoyed sweet scents wafted from all kinds of flowers, amongst them that of oiange-flowera and sweet basil." t As the boats rowed towards this second Eden, the isl- anders crowded to the beach, and endeavoured, by friendly signs, to prevent their landing. The Spaniards, however, leapt on shore ; upon which a native chief drew a line on the ground with his bow, and made signs that the strangers should not pass beyond it. But Luis Yaez de Torres, thinking this would appear cowardly, stept across the boundary, and strife instantly ensued. A flight of arrows, on the one side, was re- sponded to by a discharge of musketry on the other, which killed the chief and several of his followers. • Torquemada. Dalrymple, Hist. Coll., vol. i. p. 137. + " Relation of a Memorial presented by Captain Pedro Fernan- dez de Quiros." Dalrymple, Hist Coll., vol. i. p. 170. Collision with the nutivea. OP THE SEVENTEENXn CENTURY. 90 From this time all peace was at an end ; the savages re- ciiAP. iv. jected every offer of conciliation, and by sudden ambus. y^,,a,Jdon- cado and open attack sought revenge for the blood of mcnt of the their leader. This ceaseless enmity, and the failure of *="'*"*'T^- provisions, determined Quires to quit the place before a month had elapsed. He had, however, previously taken possession of the country in the name of the king, and founded a city under the title of La Nueva Jcrusalen. The natives are described as black, cor- pulent, and strong. Their houses are built of wood and thatched, and they have plantations enclosed with pali- sades. They are possessed of musical instruments re- sembling the flute and drum ; they manufacture some sort of earthen vessels, and build large canoes adapted to long voyages. In endeavouring to quit the harbour of San Felipe y Departiive Santiago, much stormy /eather w^iis encountered, and *"'" ^^""•'''co. for some reasons, which cannot now be nscci'tained, Quiros parted company with his consort. After a vain search for the island of Santa Cruz, he agreed, in com- pliance with the opinion of his officers, to sail for Mexico^ where he arrived in the middle of October. Still thirsting after discovery and adventure, he once' Return to more repaired to the court of Spain, and continued Spain. there several years, beseeching the throne for assistance to pursue the starch of new lands. So great was his importunity that he is said to have presented no fewer than fifty memorials. One of these, after discussing in glowing language the beauty and fertility of the Australia, thus concludes:— "Acquire, sire, since you Enffemess if can, acquire heaven, eteraal fame, and that new world lincwed ' with all its promises. And since there is none who ^^venture solicits of your majesty the rewards for the glad tidings of so groat and signal a blessing of God, reserved for your happy time, I, sire, supplicate them, and as such my despatch, for the galleons are ready, and I have many places to go to, and much to provide and to do. If Christoval Colon's conjectures did make him perti- nacious, what I have seen, what I have felt, and what I CHAP. IV Dentil of Qui 108. rrocccding ol Torres. * Position occupied by the Dutch. 1 Reconcile- ment and union of Simin and Foitu»;aL ! i 100 CIUCUMNAVIOATION8 AND DISCOVERIES oflfer, mu8t niuko me so importunate." * The solicita^ tions of Quiros were at last crowned with success, and in 1614 he set out on his way to Lima, in order to arrange another expedition. But this gratification he was doomed never to enjoy ; he died, while on his journey, at Panama. We now return to Torres, who, during two weeks after the departure of Quiros, remained in the Bay of San Felipe y C^aniingo. On leaving this he sailed along the west side of the Australia del Espiritu Santo, which he found to be well watered and possessed of many ports. He also ascertained that it was no continent, but an island. He continued to steer to the south-westward, till he reached the 21° of south latitude, when he changed his course to the north-east, and in 11 J° en- countered what he believed to be the eastern extremity of New Guinea. Being unable to weather this point, he directed his course to the westward, along the southern coasts, and having sailed through the strait between New Holland and New Guinea, which he was the first to penetrate, arrived at Manilla in May 1607. Holland was now rising fast in the scale of maritime importance, and gradually assuming that station which the Spaniards had so long occupied. Following the example first set by the English, the Dutch had already sent two fleets into the South Sea, as is related iu the preceding chapter ; and, in pursuing the course of the narrative, we now reach a period at which they hold the most distinguished place in the history of navigation and discovery. The cession of the Moluccas by Spain to Portugal put an end for some time to the disputes between these powers in the Pacific, and the union of the two crowns in 1681 prevented any renewal of the contests. The islands themselves, however, never wholly submitted to the dominion of either of those masters ; and when the Dutch, in 1599, first visited Ternate, they found encouragement to establbh a fac- * Oalrymple, Hist Coll., vol. i. pp. 173, 174. OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 101 tory ; where, from that time, they steadily pursued chap. iv. pinns for securing an exchisive trade. Their East India » .7^ » Company (established in 1602) fitted out six vessels, imiia cum- which, under George Spilbcrgen, sailed from the Texel ^""y- on the 8th of Augnst 1614, destined to penetrate through the Straits of Magellan to the South Sea, there to cruise against the Spaniards, and to strengthen the power of their countrymen in the Spice Islands. They were furnished equally for war or for trade ; and so ably was the expedition conducted, that the five largest vessels reached the Moluccas in safety, after defeating Roderigo de Mendoza with . ; greatly superior force near the American coast. The Peruvian admiral had boasted Vain bonst that he would make prisoners or slay the whole of his I'emvinn enemies : — " Two of my ships," he said, " would take admiral. all England ; how much more those Hens of Holland, after so long a journey has spent and wasted them ! " * In the encounter, the Low Country warriors betrayed nothing of the spirit of the fowl to which they were insult- ingly compared ; but the arrogant governor did not sur- vive to encounter the ridicule which he had justly merited, for his vessel, aficr escaping from the conflict, went down at sea. It was not to be expected that a Dutchman, whose orders were to employ himself in fighting and traffic, should deviate from the accustomed thTvoytue. track in search of new lands, or spend much time in investigating the character and manners of the people ; his voyage accordingly presents nothing that is now in- teresting in either of these respects, though the survey of the Straits of Magellan and of Manilla furnished to mariners better charts of these channels than any before executed. On the 29th March 1616, Spilbcrgen arrived at the Moluccas, and till the end of the year continued occupied with the affairs of his employers. He seems then CO have left his own vessels, and, coming home in command of the Amsterdam and Zealand, arrived on the 1st July 1617. * Purchas, vol. i. p. 81. »«^»--»»*fc . ■■ ■■»^fjffU!f muLji T CHAr. IV. Exclusive charter of th Dutch East India com- pany. Southern ciimpany funned. Ti'ie gold 102 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVEltlES By the charter of the Dutch East India Company, no other merchants were allowed to pass round the Cape of Good Hope or through the Straits of Magellan to the Moluccas, — a prohibition supposed to be sufficient to secure to that body an exclusive trade in the spices. Many English pilots were, however, about this time in the service of the United Provinces ; and by their means, it is probable, was the fact made known, that Drake had discovered an open sea to the south of Tierra del Fuego. Accordingly, about the year 1613, some merchants, proceeding on this ground, imagined that a new passage might be found to India, and that they might thus acquire a right to participate in the gainful traffic to these regions. An expedition was accordingly planned, chiefly, as appears, by Isaac le Maire, a wealthy citizen of Amsterdam, and by William Schouten, a native of Hoom, and an experienced mariner. Their object was not openly avowed : they obtained from the States-general the privilege of making the first four voyages to the places which they miglit discover, and formed themselves into an association under the name of the Southern Company ; but as the destination of the vessels was not disclosed to the seamen, who were engaged to sail whithersoever their commanders chose, the other merchants were displeased because they could nat penetrate the designs of their neighbours, and those w^ho engaged in the enterprise were derisively denomi- nated Gold Seekers.* * It Is proper to observe, that the details of the voj'age of r-houten and Le Maire are in many instances involved in doubt. Two accounts oftiieir voyajye were published slmrtly after its com- pletion, written bv the respective friends of the two navigators, and the discrepancies between these narratives, though they do not affect the more important events of the voyage, involve the minuter details in much perplexity. There is sometimes a difference between th' i- reckonings of from twenty-five to forty-five minutes of latitudt ; they vary in their dates to the extent of eight or nine days ; and even while thej^ agree as to the substance of events, they differ as to the order of their occiii rence. In the ff>llowing account, we have en- deavoured to reconcile their conflicting statements so far as possible ; »nd where that was not practicable, have generally given preference OF THE SEVENTKEMll CENTURY. 103 Schouten, accompanied by Jacob le Maire, tbe son chap. iv. of Isaac, in the capacity of supercargo, sailed from the _ ... — . Texel on the 14th of June 161^, with two ships, the somhcm Eendracht and Hoorn. It was not till the 26th ot^^P*'*'"""- October, after they had crossed the line, that the crews w^ei"e informed of the intentions of their leaders ; and when told that they were steering by a new passage to the south of the Straits of Magellan, for the " Terra Australis" (probably the Australia del E^piritu Santo of Quiros), some of them, that they might not forget the name, wrote it in their caps with chalk. The ships were conducted into Port Desire, where, during the Disaster nt process of careening, the Hoorn was accidentally burnt. On shore were found multitudes of birds like lapwings. A man, standing in one spot, could with his hands reach fifty-four nests, each containing three or four eggs. Thousands of these were carried on board and Port Desire. to the authority of the first-published account, the Journal of the Voyage of IViHiam Schouten., which ap[>earcd at Amsterdam in 1617, in the Dutch and French langna^es, hearing in the latter the title of "Journal ou Description du Aleiveilleux Voyag« de Guil- laume Schouten." It was translated into Latin by De Bry in 1619, and an English tran.xlation appeared at London in the fame }'ear, and afterwards in Purchas, vol. i. p. 88-107. The second narra- tive of the voyage was printed at Amsterdam in 1G22, under the title of "Journal et Miroir de la Navigation Australe de Jacques Le Maire, Chef et Conducteur de deu.\ Navires." In addition to these have appeared various other relations, to which it is not ne- cessary to advert, as they are of no authority, and contain nothing but what will he found in the two original uuthorities. But one ex- ception must be made from this judgment,— the "Navigation Aus- trale par Jac. le Maire et par W. Corn. Schouten," said to be compiled from the Journal of Adrian Claesz, and published in the " Recueil des Voyages a I'Ftablissement de la Comp. des Indes Orient " Translations of the Journals of Schouten and of Le M aire, andof parts of that attributed to Claesz, are inserted in Dalrymple's Hist. Coll., vol ii. p 1-64. An able and critical narrative will be found in Burney's valuable work. This author, though he seems fre- quently to have preferred the account given by the friends of Le Maire, states with much candour tiiat "on comparison, the fact appears that the greater portion of the Nuvigution Au.\trule de Lt Maire is taken I'rom the Journal du Merveillevx Voyage de fV. Schouten, and that, the editor has endeavoured to disguise the plagiarism by verbal alterations." — Chron Hist. DiscoV , vol. ii. p. MO. - : • v^Ti ;y,-. vviy « j- . 'v:aifc7sa ia_-g aw«Mt.-& »ic— i CMAP. IV. Game and provi8ion& Sepnlchral piles of Btoneik 1C4 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES used as food, to the no small saving, doubtless, of the five cheeses, and other provisions, which had been ap- portioned to each sailor for the voyage.* On the main- land some pools of fresh water were found, by following the direction in which certain animals with long necks, supposed to be harts, but probably horses, were ob- served daily to repair for the purpose, as was rightly conjectured, of drinking. On the summits of hills and on elevated rocks were observed piles of stones, which some of the people had the curiosity to remove ; and beneath, without any pit being dug, were found human skeletons, several of which, it is alleged, measured ten or eleven feet in length, and " the skulls,*' it is said in the description which accompanies the plates inserted in the " Journal du Merveilleux Voyage de Schouten," " we could put on our heads in the manner of helmets." On the 13th of January 1616, the Eendracht left Port Desire,+ and stood to the southward. On the 18th * " It was ordered tliat every man should have a can of beere a day, fuure pound of bisket, and half'e a pound of butter (besides sweet suet^ a weeke, and five cheeses for the wliole voyajfe.' — Pur- olias, vol. 1. p. Uil. f When Sir John Narboroiigh lay at Port Desire in 1670, he discovered a relic of the visit of Schouten and Le Maire. " One of my men," he writes, "found a piece of sheet lead, which had tlsis inscription engraved on it : — ' MDCXV. EEN SCHIP EKDE EEN JACHT OENAEMT EEN- DRACHT EN HOORN OGARRIVEERT DEEN VIII DECEM- BER VERTROKEN MET EEN SCRIP D'EENDRACHT DEN X. JANUARY; MDCXVI. C I. LE MAIRE. S. W. C. SCHOVTS. AR. CLASSEN. I. C SCHOVTS. CL. lANSEN BA.V.' (t e. MDCXV. A ship and a yacht, named Eendracht and Hooro, arri^o'l here on the 8th December. Departed with the ship Een- dracht 10th January mdcxvi. In a hole of the post lay a tin box, with a siiuet of written paper enclosed in it, but so eaten by the rust of the box that it could not be read. We found several pieces of board of the wreck of some ship that had been burned." — Journal kept by Captain John Narborough. Burney, Chron. Hist. Discov , vol. iii. pp. 334, 335. These fragments must have belon),if- ed to the Hoorn, which, as has been mentioned, accidentally took fire while bein^ careened. Ttiere is a discrepancy of three days between the date of departure in tiie inscription and in the accounts uf the voyage. OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 105 It. tliey saw the islands of Sibald de Weert (the Falk- chap. iv. lands), and two days after, at noon, passed the latitude — of the entrance of the Straits of Magellan. It was now cntnmce of that the most critical part of their voyage commenced, ^'*' straits of and the winds, soundings, and appearances of the land and water, were observed and noted with the greatest minuteness. On the 24th, they came to the most easterly point of TieiTa del Fuego, and saw another country still farther in the same direction, which they nuined Staten Land, in honour of the States of Holland. Passing through the channel, which afterwards in a meeting of their council was entitled the Strait of Le Maire, the coast on the left was found to diverge towards the east, while that on the right turned west- south-west ; and the mariners knew they had a wide sea before them, the colour of the water being blue, and long waves coming from the south-west. At last, on the SOth, they passed the most southerly point of P'f=sn-"e of Tierra del Fuego, which was named Cajo Horn or '^''^ Hoorn, in honour of the town of Hoorn in West Fries- land, the birthplace of Schouten. The land was high and hilly, covered with snow. In some parts of this ocean, whales were so numerous that the pilots were incessantly obliged to alter their course in order to avoid running against them, while in others the sea- wimioa and birds, unused to the sight of human beings, alighted in ^^'^' " ^ the ship and suffered themselves to be taken by the sailors. The weather was frequently tempestuous, and they never wanted rain or mist, snow or hail. On the 3d of February, they were in 69° 30', their greatest southern latitude, from which, standing north-west, they reckoned on the 12th that they had again attained the parallel of the Straits of Magellan, and consequently had effected a new passage into the Pacific Ocean ; for joy of which, an allowance of three cups of wine was dealt out to all the men. At Juan Fernandez they missed the anchorage, but A' tI ^a* obtained a little water, and were most successful in Fernantioz. their fishing, the bait being caught the moment it was 106 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES SuccessUil fishing. CHAP. IV. dropt, 80 that those emploj'ed "continually without ceasing did nothing hut draw up" bream and corcobados. From this island, in a course north-west by north, they crossed the southern tropic, then stood north-west aa far as 18° of south latitude. On the 10th of April was discovered a circular strip of land full of trees, with sea-birds perched on the branches, the interior having the appearance of being overflowed at high water. No in rks of inhabitants could be perceived, but three dogs were seen, which, as the Dutchmen allege, could neither bark nor growl ; and from this circumstance it was itos Island, denominated Honden or Dog Island. On the 14th, they came to another narrow border well covered with wood, surrounding a salt-water lake in the middle, and styled it Sonder-grondt, or Bottomless, because they failed to obtain soundings. A great number of natives, of a copper colour, with long black hair fastened up behind, were seen ; some of whom pushed off in a canoe, and addressed themselves to the Dutch by signs and speeches, in which they became so emphatic as to over- set their bark. Those on shore waved their garments and branches of trees, thereby inviting, as was supposed, the strangers to land. By and by their skilfs ventured nearer the ship, and one of them getting into the gallery, showed that he knew the value of iron, by vlthTmUuna. drawing the nails from the cabin windows and concealing them in his hair. As it was understood that hogs and fowls were plentiful, a party went ashore in the boat for the purpose of trading ; but immediately on their landing, about thirty islanders rushed from the woods and assiiultcd them. The discharge of three muskets soon put them to flight ; but from this inauspicious beginniiig it was thouglit needless to attempt any farther to es ablish a friendly intercourse. The noses of these people are described as flat, " which," as Burney re- marks, " is no part of the general character of the inhabitants of any of the islands at present known in the South Seas." '*^ On the 16th, our navigators filled four ' Cliron. Hist. Discov., vol. ii. p. 381. OP TUE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 107 J CHAP. I v; Fly hluad. casks of water from an island resembling those previously visited, and which thej named Waterlandt. Two days after, another being descried, some of the crew landed and entered a wood, where, seeing a native with what appeared to be a bow in his hand,* and having no arms themselves, they hastened back to the ship covered with black flics, which infested all on board three or four days. The name of Vlieghen or Fly Island was in consequence bestowed on the place. O 1 the 8th of May, when out of sight of land, an J^JJ^ J"'''*" Indian vessel was observed standing to the north, across covered, the course of the Eendracht, from which three guns were fired as a signal that the other should lay to. It was strange that Schouten, who must have been aware that fire-arms were entirely unknown to many of these poor islanders, should have expected such a signal to be understood, or thought that, upon their failing to com- ply, he might justly use violence. The Indian^ at first paid no attention to the summons, and on its repetition made every endeavour to escape. A boat was, however, lowered with ten musketeers, who speedily out-man- ^^*P*"^^J|' oeuvred the fugitives, and, when within half-range, mercilessly fired four shots among them, by which one was wounded, and immediately leapt into the sea. Fifteen or sixteen otliers, in terror, blackened their fm-es with ashes, threw overboard their merchandise, which consisted of small mats and some fowls, and committed themselves to the waves, one man carrying an infant with him. The Dutch found in the vessel eight women with three children at the breast, and several others nine or ten years old, an aged man also, and the * " They saw a savajj^e who seemed to them to hare a bow in his hand," says the Journal of Schouten ; and it is remarked, in the description o\ an island subsequently visited (see below, p. IIH), that *' these were the first bows we saw at the islands in the South Sens." The Navigation Anstrale of Le Maire 8|)eaks positively of having " perceived a sava^^e man with his bow in his hand, as if to shoot fish." But the observations of modern navigators tend, without exception, to establish the fact that bows and arrows aie not in use on Fly Island. 108 CIUCUMNAVIQATI0N8 AND DISCOVERIES Kescueof the survivors. Departure of tliu eunoe. CHAP. IV. wounded youth who had returned on board ; but no weapons of any kind. Wlien the canoe hud been taken alongside of the Eendracht, the boat returned to the assistance of the Indians in the water, of whom only two were saved, who pointed downwards, to signify that all the rest had gone to the bottom. They fell on their faces before their conquerors, kissing their feet and hands ; and on being presented with knives and beads, gave in return two mats and two cocoa-nuts, although tiiey had little provisions left for their own use. Their whole stock of fresh-water being exhausted, they drank from he sea, and supplied their children with the same beverage. Towards evening, the Indians were put on board their canoe, " that were welcome to their wives, which claspt them about the necks, and kissed them ;*'* one of the women, however, appeared to be in much affliction, lamenting the loss of her husband. Their hopes of a prosperous traffic b^'.ng blasted by this cruel disaster, the savages now steered a course the reverse of that they had formerly held, on their return, no doubt, to the place whence they had adventurously sailed, quitting sight of land without any of the aids which render such a navigation safe. On the 11th May, the ship anchored at Cocos Island, cocos Island. gQ named from the abundance of that species of fruit : another island lay about a league to the south-south- west. Canoes soon flocked to the place, and by degrees a few of the natives ventured on board, and being enter- tained with some tunes by a seaman who played on the fiddle, they danced and " showed themselves joyful and delighted beyond measure." Numerous groups speedily resorted to the vessel, admiring every thing they saw, and pilfering whatever they could carry off. " They wondered at the greatnesse and strength of the shippe, and some of them crept downe behind at the rother (rudder), under the ship, and knockt with stones upon the bottome thereof, to proove how strong it was."f Arrival at • Burchas, vol. i. p. 96. t Ibid. p. 97. OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 109 They brought for traffic plenty of cocoas, bananas, chap. iv. yams, and some small hogs, "which were purchased at — an easy rate for old nails and beads ; and so eager were tiie nativeai they, that those in the outer canoes secured their com- modities in their teeth, and dived under the rest, endeavouring to cut them out from the advantage of lying closer to the ship. The king of the southern island had sent a present to the Eendracht, and received one in return. The next day he came with a large assemblage of his people, ostensibly for trade, which was carried on as usual for some time ; but, on the striking Trcnchery of of a drum, the whole of them, amounting to about 1000, "'« Indians, set up a shout, and assailed the Hollandei's with stones. The great guns and musketry soon dispersed these rude warriors in consternation, and Schouten set sail, naming their country Verraders or Traitors' Island. The voyagei-s remarked among them one man perfectly white. On the 14th, in searching for anchorage near an island which they called Good Hope, from its pre- senting a fair promise of supplying their want of fresh water, an affray took place with the natives ; for which reason they again thought it advisable to continue their course. On the 18th May, they were in latitude 16° 6' south, General and on this day a general council was held to decide on ^^o""*'** the future direction of their voyage. Schouten repre- sented, that though they were now at least 1600 leagues westward from the coast of Peru, they had discovered no part of the Terra Australis, and that no indications even of its existence had yet been met with. There was, he stated, little likelihood of their success, and they had besides sailed much farther to the westward than was their original intention. The result of continuing in their present track, he said, must be tliat they would full upon the southern coasts of New Guinea, and in the event of their not finding a passage on that side of the island, they must without doubt be lost, as the constant trade-winds would altogether preclude their return to 1 CHAP. IV. Change of course adopted. nutiTtis. 110 CIRCITMNAVIGATIONS AND DI8C0VERIi:S the eastward.* He bade them remember also that their store of victuals was but small, and that there was little prospect of increasing it-; and concluded by asking, if it were not butter, considering all these things, to alter their course and to sail northward, thus passing by the upper shorts of New Guinea, and reach the Molucca Islands. This suggestion was at once adopted, and their line of motion changi^d to the north-north-west. To- wards evening of the next day, they catne in sight of land, divided apparently into two Islands, distant from each other about a cannon-shot. They directed the ship towards them ; but, owing to contrary winds, it was not until the noon of the 21st that they got within a league's distance. About twenty canoes instantly came off, filled with people much resembling the inha- Conflict witii bitants of Good Hope Island. As they approached the vessel they made a great hallooing, which was inter- preted by the navigators into a salutation of welcome, and answered with the sound of trumpets and shouting. One of the natives, however, having been observed to shake his wooden asaayay or spear in a warlike manner, and the theft of a shirt from the gallery having been discovered, a cannon and some muskets were dischar<5ed against them, by which two of the savages were wounded, and the whole put to flight, the linen (which belonged to the president) being thrown into the sea. A boat which was afterwards despatched to search for a more convenient anchorage was attacked, and, in the conflict which ensued, six of the islanders were killed, several wounded, and one canoe captured. On the 23d, the ship was drawn into a bay, and safely moored at about the distance of a stone's throw from the shore, and so near to a stream of fresh water that a supply could be procured by the boats within range of the guns. Here the adventurers remained seven days, * This rcasonin{r shows that Schouten was i(>nnraDt of the strait hetween New Guinea and New Huliaud, discuveied by Luis Vaez t\i\ Torres. See above p. 100. Bay of lefiige. OP THE SEVENTLENTII CENTURY. HI holding a friendly intercourse with the inhabitants, and chap. IV. receiving provisions from them, in return for knives, prie,i^y beads, nails, and trinkets. Immediately on their an- intercourse choring, these last flocked in vast numbers to the beach, nativea!' and soon after came oiF to the ship in their canoes. Towards night an old man brought four bunches of cocoa-nuts as a present from the ariki or herico, the title by which, here as well as at Cocos Island, the chief or king was distinguished. He refused to accept any gift in return, but invited the Europeans to go on shore. Accordingly, on the morning of the next day, three of ^.^,^''to*ti>o' them landed, six of the natives having been first put on king. board the ship as hostages. Tliey were welcomed with much ceremony, and found the sovereign seated on a mat in an open house or shed, called a belay. On their approach, he joined his hands and bowed his head down- wards, remaining in that position nearly half, an hour ; when the Hollanders having at length put themselves into a similar posture, he resumed his usual attitude. One of his attendants, supposed to be a chief of high rank, kissed the feet and hands of one of the Dutchmen, " sobbing and crying like a child, and putting the foot of Adrian Claesz upon his neck." A present was given Acceptable ..11 /. 1111 11 presentH to to the prmcipal ruler, of two hand-bells, a red bonnet, tiio king. and some trifling articles, all of which were received with much joy, expressed by repeated exclamations of **Awoo!" In return, the visiters were gratified with four small hogs. During the time the sailors were taking in water, " when any of the Indians came neere the boat, the king himselfe came thither and drave them thence, or sent one of his men to doe it." His subjects seemed to yield him implicit obedience, and to hold him in great awe. A native having stolen a cutlass, a com- plaint was made to one of the royal attendants, who in- stantly caused the criminal to be brought back and beaten with staves. The weapon was restored ; and the stran- gera were informed by signs, tliat if the ariki knew of it, the thief s head would be cut off'. After this, says the Journal of Schouten, " we had nothing stolen from Cnptin e of a tliieU CHAP. IV. Terror for fire-ann8. Unsuccessful attempts ut barter. Prosent of flsli to the kiug. Excursion into the interior 112 CIHCUMNAV1GATI0N8 AND DISCOVERIES US, neither on the shore, nor in the ship, nor elsewhere ; neither durst they take a fish that we angled for." Tho report of a musket produced great consternation among the islanders, and caused them to run off quak- ing and trembling. Their terror was still greater at the discharge of a cannon, which was fired at the desi a of the king. They all with one accord, accompanied by his majesty, fled to the woods ; " but not long after they came againe, scarce halfe well assured." * On the 25th, three of the navigators again tried to barter for hogs, but were unsuccessful. The king, how- ever, " after he had said his prayers, which he used to doe every time that they went on shore," showed much kindness towards them. On the 26th, Jacob le Maire landed, and made some trifling presents. He met with much respect, though he failed to procure a supply of stock. The aviki and his son bestowed upon him and his companion a headdress, consisting of feathers of various colours, which they themselves wore. This cap seems to have been a mark of honour peculiar to the king and his family ; while every member of his council was distinguished by having a dove sitting on a perch beside him. On the evening of the 27th, some fish which had been caught during the day were presented to his ma- jesty, who immediately devoured them raw, " heads, tails, entrails, and all, with good appetite." The night closed in festivities, some of the Hollanders remaining on shore, and mingling in the moonlight dances of the natives. Two of the sailons performed a mock fight with swords, — ^a spectacle which excited much admira- tion among the islanders. On the 28th, the voyagers, attended with trumpets, went on shore in state, to visit the king ; when they became spectators of au interview between him and a neighbouring prince. On the 29th, Le Maire, accompanied by three of the seamen, made an excursion into the interior of the country, having a son and a brother of the ariki for * Purckas, vol. i. pp. 99, 100. OF THE 8EVENTEKNTII CENTURV. 113 >ii guides. They saw nothing worthy of remark, except chai*. IV. a red earth used by the natives for paint, and several xppiicatit caves and holes in the mountains, with divers thickets '"r provi- and groves where they lay in ambush in time of war. ''""'" On their return, the young nobles went with the cap- tain on board his vessel, and evinced much satisfaction on being informed, that if a few hogs and yams could be obtained the ship would sail in two days. In the afternoon, the monarch, with sixteen of his attendants, appeared on deck with the donation of a hog and a bas- ket of cocoa-nuts. He delivered these with much cere- mony : having placed the basket on his neck, he pros- trated himself, and in this posture offered his gifts to Le Maire, who raised him up, and sat down beside him. At the command of the ariki, his people lifted the Dutch officer and another, and placed them upon their shoulders as a token of reverence. The chief was then conducted fJ'*"}'',""," through the various parts of the ship, expressing his the king, wonder at what he saw. When led into the hold, " he fell down upon his face and prayed," — a ceremony which he performed when he first came on board. His atten- dants kissed the feet of the seamen, and placed them on their own heads and necks, in sign of an entire submis- sion. In the evening, one of the Europeans having been successful in taking a quantity of fish, went to present some to the king, when he found a number of girls dancing to the music of a hollow piece of wood like a pump, " which made a noyse, whereat the yong wenches danced after their manner, very finely, and with a good grace, according to the measure of the noyse of the instrument.*'* The king, on the morning of the SOth, sent to the Present of ship two small hogs. On the afternoon of the same day j'^*^*" he received a visit from a neighbouring ariki, who was accompanied by 300 men, bringing with them sixteen hogs. As the stranger chief drew near to his brother * Purchas, vol. i. p. lUO. Interview between the kinff and u cliief. Kiiva fcnst lit CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES ciiAr. IV. sovereign, he began at some distance to perform stranf^e ceremonies, and bowing down his body, fell to the ground on his face, and remained there " praying" with a loud voice, and apparently with great fervour. The native prince advanced to meet his visiter, and went through the same forms. ** After much adoe, they both rose up on their feete, and went and sate together under the king's behiff and there were assembled together at least 900 men." In the afternoon the Dutch witnessed a kava-fcost. A number of the people having chewed the kava (a sort of green herb) in their mouths for some time, deposited it in a wooden vessel ; they then poured water on it, and having stirred it, the liquor was par- taken of by the arikis and their attendants. The islanders, says the Journal of Schouten, ** presented that notable drinke (as a speciall and a goodly present) to our men ; but tliey had enough, and more than enough, of the sight thereof.'** On this occasion, like- wise, the discoverers observed the manner in which these savages cooked their hogs. Sixteen were pre- pared for the present banquet as follows : being ripped up, the entrails removed, and the hair singed off, they were roasted by means of hot stones placed in the in ternal cavity. Each of the arikis presented to the foreigners one of the hogs thus dressed, along with a number of the same animals alive ; receiving in return ** three copper beak- ers, foure knives, twelve old nayles, and some beades, wherewith they were well pleased." Early on the morning of the 31st, preparations were made for sailing. After breakfast, the two chiefs came on board with six additional hogs. On this occasion they wore green cocoa-tree-leaves round their necks, which it was presumed was customary with them in taking leave of friends. They were entertained with wine, and received presents of various articles ; while a Jlodo of cuokinf;. rmtlicr pre- Kc-nts of liog» * Purchas, vol. i. p. 100. OP THE 8EVENTEENTU CENTURY. 115 nnil was bestowed on each of their attendants. Le • CIIAP. iv. Muire accompiinicd them on shore, when gifts were onco DepaTiure of more exchanged. At noon the ship proceeded on her ^^ '^^ voyage, and the Hollanders bade adieu to the natives, on whose island they bestowed the name of Hoom, in honour of the birthplace of Schouten. Tlie inhabitants are described as of large stature and well-proportioned limbs. They ran swiftly, and were very expert in swimming and diving. Their complexion was a tawny yellow, approaching to the hue of bronze. Much care was bestowed on the dressing of their hair, and they aiTanged it in several different manners. The ariki had a long lock hanging down to his thighs, and twisted into knots ; his attendants wore two such locks, one on each side ; and some of the islanders had four or five. The females are described as having a very repulsive appear- Appojirnnce ance and being of small stature ; they wore their hair cut o|'|>c females closely to their heads. Such of the habitations as were bitiitutiona. seen along the margin of the land, were of nearly a conical form, about twenty-five feet in circumference, ten or twelve in height, and covered with leaves. Their furniture consisted of a bundle of dried herbs resembling hay, which served for a couch, one or two fishing-rods, and sometimes a wooden club or staff. The hut of the ariki himself could boast no further decorations. ** We could not perceive," says the Journal of Schouten, " that they worshipped God, or any gods, or used any devotion, neither the one nor the other, but lived with- out care like birds in the wood." * It appeared to them ^^^9 f also that the inhabitants subsisted on the spontaneous fruits of the soil : " They neither sowe nor reape, nor doe any worke ; there the earth of itselfe yeelds all that they need to sustaine their lives, .... so that * Purchas,Tol. i. p. 101. On this passa^^e it must be remarked, that the ran^ of their observation was very limited, and can by no means be admitted as pr«>of that these islanders had no religion ; though the "prayers," which the ariki is so often described as iwing, apparently meant, not devotional adorations, but words of ceremony. ! i)\ New group of iiilundd. 116 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES CHAP. IV. there mt u may plainly behold and see the golden world whereof the poets write." * On leaving Iloorn, the adventurers pursued a north- westerly course, and on the 21st of June fell in with a group of small islands covered with trees. Some of the natives came off to the ship in canoes : they are de- scribed as in all respects resembling the inhabitants of the former place, except in their complexion, which was of 3 more dusky hue, and in their arms, which were bows and arrows, the first that the voyagers had seen in the South Sea. Some beads and nails were presented to them, who, having nothing to give in recompense, pointed to the west to signify that their king dwelt there, in a country abounding with every species of wealth. The next day, sailing in the same course, they passed at least twelve or thirteen islands grouped to- gether ; and on the 24th discovered three low ones, which, from their being " very green and full of trees," they named the Green. Another was in sight, on which were discerned seven or eight hovels. This they named St John's, from their having seen it on the 24th of June, the nativity of the Baptist. On the morning of the 25tli, they obtained a view towards the south-west of a high land, which they conjectured to be the point of Coast of New New Guinea, but which in reality was the country since called New Ireland. About noon tliey drew near to it, and sailed along the shore in a north- M-esterly direction. The coast is described as very high and green, and of a pleasant aspect. The inhabitants spoke a language totally different from that used by the natives of all the other places at which the vessel had touched. The • Pnrchas, vol. i. p. 101. This passage m.iv perhaps remind the reader of some lines in Lord Byron's poem of " The Island ;" " The bread-tree, which without the ploughshare yields The unreap'd harvest of unfurrow'd fields. . . . lands .... Where all partake the earth without dispute. And bread itself is jrather'd as a fruit; Where none contest the fields, the woods, the strer.ms :— The ^ddless a^e, where gold disturbs no dreams ! " OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 117 ship's boat, when employed in sounding for an anchor- chap iv age, was attacked by a party in canoes with volley's of — stones thrown from slings ; but a fire of musketry tiie"nativea. speedily put the savages to flight. In the evening, after the vessel had anchored, some others came off^, and addressed the sailors in a dialect which they did not un- derstand. They remained watching the ship all night, and the Europeans perceived signal-fires lighted along the shore. In the morning eight skiffs arranged them- selves round her ; one of them containing eleven, and the others from four to seven men each. The Dutch threw beads to them, and made friendly signs ; but the savages all at once commenced an attack with their slings and other weapons. The assault was returned with discharges of cannon and muskets, whereby ten or twelve were killed. At the same time they captured four canoes, and made three prisoners, one of whom died shortly after he was taken ; and at noon the two others were carried towards the land in order to be ex- changed for provisions. A pig and a bunch of bananas ^ ,^ were thus procured, and one of the captives was set at rausyui! liberty. Two days after, some of them came to the ship, but refused to ransom their countryman ; and on the evening of that day the Eendracht proceeded along the coast in a north-westerly direction. Several islands were seeu to the northwards ; and on the 1st of July she again came to anchor, having an island about two leagues long on the north, and the coast of New Ireland on the south. Here twenty-five canoes commenced an attack, attack of but were repulsed, a number of tli*» '^at'vcs being killed, canoea. and one taken. Here, too, one of the Hoiltinders was wounded, " being," says the Journal, " the first that was hurt in all our voyage ;" and after him the captive was named Moses. They continued to sail along this coast till the 8d, when they lost sight of it : and having passed several small islands, on the 6th they cr me in sight of the northern coast of New Guinea. About the middle of September, they arrived at the Moluccas, whence, in the end of that month, they sailed to Java. ?':J 118 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES CHAP. IV. Confiscation oft)io Eendracht Alarm of the Spaniards. New Spnnish e.\pedition. Discovery of New Holland On the 1st of November, while lying oflF Jacatra, the Eendracht was confiscated by the Dutch East India Company, on the ground that the owners were not partners of that body, and had made the voyage with- out their leave. Their ship being thus taken from them, several of the seamen entered into the service of the Company, and the remainder embarked for Europe on board the Amsterdam and Zealand, which sailed from Bantam on the 14th of December. Le Maire died a few days after leaving Java ; but the rest of the voyagers arrived safely on the 1st of July 1617, having been absent from their native country two years and seventeen days. The finding of this new passage into the Pacific ex- cited much interest in Europe. To Spain it caused more alarm than any of the hostile armaments which Hol- land had sent forth against her South Sea possessions, and no time was lost in fitting out an expedition to ex- plore the new discoveries of Schouten and Le Maire. The command was intrusted to two brothere, Bartolome Gracia de Nodal and Gon9alo de Nodal, who, having engaged several Dutch pilots, set sail from Lisbon 27th September 1G18. They followed the track of the late adventurers, and in passing Cape Horn saw some small rocky islands lying to the south-westward of that pro- montory, and named them the Isles of Diego Ramirez. They then steered northward, and, penetrating the Straits of Magellan, completed. the circumnavigation of Tierra del Fuego, and arrived at Spain in July 1619. Contemporaneously with the discovery of Cape Horn, the Dutch effected another of still greater importance, — that of the vast island or rather continent of New Hol- land or Australia. It does not fall wit- i the limits of this work to enter on the difficult question how far this country was known to the early Portuguese voyagers. Neither is it in our province to decide whether the honour of its discovery is not due to Luis Vaez de Torres, who, in sailing between New Holland and New Guinea, saw land on the south, which must have been part of this OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. ]U) great island.* It may be doubted if the Portuguese CHAP. IV. were aware of the nature of the lands they are said to RpsiiitTof have visited ; it is certain, moreover, that Torres con- previous ceived them to be parts of a large archipelago ; and, at «^»e'^^«t'°"^ all events, these visits led to no beneficial result, and had passed into oblivion. The honour of discovering New Holland, therefore, so far as utility and the advance- ment of science are concerned, may be safely awarded to the Dutch. In October 1616, the ship Eendracht, commanded by Dirck Hatichs (or, as it has been more commonly, but less correctly written, Hertoge), in her passage from Holland to the East Indies, discovered, in latitude 25°, the western coast of Australia, and called it Land Eendracht, — a name which it still retains. Only a few years elapsed after the completion of the NTew Dutch voyage of Schouten and Le Mairc before another arma- cxpcditioiu ment left Holland for the South Sea. The truce which for twelve years had subsisted between Spain and the United Provinces having expired in 1021, both parties hastened to resume active hostilities. Among other measures, the Dutch, early in the year 1023, fitted out a naval armament against Peru ; and it is to the pro- ceedings of this fleet that we have now to direct the reader's attention. It consisted of eleven ships, mount- ing 294 cannon, and supplied with 1G37 men, of whom 600 were soldiers. The command was intrusted to Jacob I'Hermite, an officer who had acquired celebrity in the service of their East India Company ; and the squadron, which, in honour of Prince Maurice of Nassau, one of its chief promoters, was named the Nassau Fleet, sailed from Goree on the 29th April 1623. On the 11th August, they anchored off Sierra Leone, StayatSieiTa and remained there till the beginning of September. During their stay they experienced the fatal effects of that pestilential climate, from which Europeans have since suffered so much. They buried forty-two men, and many more suffered severely, among whom was Lcoiie. * See above, p. 100. 120 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES CHAP. IV. Fatal effects of the flimata Passage of tlie Strait Le Muire. Delay from contrary winds. Nassau Bay. ""le Admiral I'lTermite, who contracted a disease from which he never recovered. After leaving this coast, they visited the islands of San Tomas and Annabon, at the latter of which they remained till the beginning of November. It was in their instructions, that they should not touch at any part of the South American continent northward of the Rio de la Plata, and that they should penetrate into the South Sea by the newly- discovered Strait of Le Maire, which was considered to afford a more certain passage than the Straits of Magel- lan. It was the 1st of February before they made the Cape de Penas on Tierra del Fuego, and on the 2d they entered Strait Le Maire, which the Journal of the Voy- age says they would not have known, had not one of the pilots who had previously passed through it recognised the high mountains of Tierra del Fuego. Some of the ships anchored in two bays near the northern entrance, which thev named VervSchoor and Valentine, and are tlie same with the Port Mauritius of modern maps and the Bay of Good Success. Althougli the whole fleet had passed through the strait just described on the evening of the 2d of February, yet, owing to contrary winds, they were on the 14th still seven leagues eastward of Cape Horn. The next day they doubled that promontory, and saw " a great gulf between that cape and the cape next to the west," which they were prevented from entering by b id weather. On the 16th, Cape Horn lay to the eastward, and they disco- vered two islands, which, according to their reckoning, were distant to the westward fourteen or fifteen leagues. The following morning, they perceived that they had lost ground, and fearing that they should still fall to leeward, they entered a large bay and cast anchor. In this harbour, which was afterwards named Nassau Bay, they remained ten days. On the 23d, some boats, which were sent to procure water, were compelled by a sudden and violent storm to return, leaving nineteen of the crew on shore wholly destitute of arms, of whom next day only two were found alive. The savages, it OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 121 appeared, as Boon as night came on, attacked them with CHAr. rv. clubs and slings, and killed, all except the two, who had FataUttack contrived to conceal themselves. Only five bodies were "^ »a™ges. discovered, some of which were cut into quarters, and others strangely mangled. Not a single native was seen after this unfortunate event. A party which had been sent to examine the neighbouring coast, reported that the Tierra del Fuego was divided into several islands ; that without doubling Cape Horn a passage into the South Sea might be effected, through the Bay or rather Gulf of Nassau, which was open to the east as well as to the west ; and that through some of these numerous open- ings it was presumed ships might penetrate into the Strait of Magellan. Such parts of the Tierra del Fuego Appenrnrco as were seen, appeared decidedly mountainous, though dei'Fuetfo "* not wanting in many fine valleys and watered meadows. The hills were «;lad with trees, all of which were bent eastward, owing to the strong westerly winds which pre- vail in these parts. Spacious harbours, capable of shel- tering the largest fleets, were frequently observed be- tween the islands. The natives are described as differ- ing little in stature from the people of Europe, and as being well proportioned in their limbs. Their hair is long, black, and thick, their teeth " as sharp as the Appearance blade of a knife." They paint their bodies of different ua^yea, colours and with fanciful devices ; their natural com- plexion, however, seemed to be as fair as that cf a European. Some of them were observed to have one side of their body altogether wliite, ard the opposite entirely red ; others were remarked wi h the trunks of their bodies white, and the face, arms, f nd legs coloured red. The males were perfectly nuked ; the females, Drcsi who were painted like the men, wore only a little piece of skin about tbe waist, and a string of shells round their neck. Their huts were constructed of trees, in a conical form, having an opening at the top to let tbe smoke escape ; the floor was sunk two or three feet below the level of the ground ; and the sides of the walls were covered with earth. Their fishing-tackle consisted of lines, stone hooks, and harpoons, and were 122 CIUCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES CHAP. IV. Mnn of Tierra del Fuego, Arms and CUllOCS. Dcpartnro from Nassau Bay. generally fabricated with some degree of neatness. For arms they had sharp knives made of stone ; slings, bows, and arrows with stone heads ; lances pointed with bone, and clubs. Their canoes measured in length from ten to sixteen feet, and about two in width ; they were built of the bark of large trees, resembling in shape the gondolas of Venice. In regard to their manners and habits, the report is very unfavourable : They more resemble beasts than human beings ; " for besides that they tear flien to pieces, and devour the flesh raw and bloody, there was not perceived among them the smallest indication of a religion or government ; on the contrary, :licy live together like beasts." * The fleet left Nassau Bay on the 27tb February, and for some time met with westerly winds, so that they Burney, Chron, Flist. Discov., vol. iii. p. IS. 'Vkiwjf OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 123 or ?s, th )m re le ad re at id St Id y did not reach the island of Juan Fernandez till the chap, i v. beginning of April. Having taken in water here, they jgiandof sailed on the 13th for the coast of Peru, and on the 8th Juan of May were oif Callao, where they remained until the *®™*°"*^^ 14th of August. On the 2d of June, Jacob I'Hermite, the admiral, died of the lingering illness contracted at Sierra Leone, and which was aggravated by the hard- ships and misfortunes of the expedition. He was buried j^^^^^ ^f jj,q on the island of Lima, the Isla de San Lorenzo of acimiraL modern charts ; and the vice-admiral, Hugo Schappcn- Imra, succeeded to the command. On leaving Callao, they proceeded northward, and after various delays arrived at Acapulco on the 28th of October. Here they remained some time, and having at last finally resolved to proceed westwards to reach the East Indies, on the 29th of November they bade adieu to the shores of Mexico, and directed their course across the Pacific. On the evening of the 25tli January 1626, they came Guaiian. in sight of Gualian, one of the Ladrones or Marians, having on the 15th passed some islands supposed by them to be those of Graspar Rico, but wliich more pro- bably belonged to the group San Bartolome, discovered in 1526 by Loyasa.* They left Guahan on the 11th of February, and in the beginning of March arrived at the Moluccas, where the fleet having been broken up. Breaking up the expedition may be said to have terminated. The admiral, Schappenham, embarked in the Eendracht for Holland, but died while off the coast of Java. The vessel proceeded on her voyage, and en the 9th of July 1626 anchored in the Texel ; having the first journalist of the expedition on board, who thus reached his native country after an absence of three years and seventy days. This armament failed in effecting the hostile designs with which it was undertaken, and was nearly as unsuccessful in adding to maritime science. It con- tributed little or nothing to geography but the know- ledge of Nassau Bay, and a more accurate examination of the southern shores of Tierra del Fuego. • See above, p. 04 ; and Burney, Chron. Hist Discov., vol. iii. p. Ji3, ami vol. I. p. lys. of the fleet i i CHAP. IV. Prosecution ot tlio discovery of New IlulUnd Discovery of Van Die- Dicn':i Land. 1 Stntcn LanJ, or New Zealand. 124 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES The discovery of New Holland, which had been commenced by Dirck Hatichs, continued for many years to be occasionally prosecuted by the Dutch ; but not before 1642 was it ascertained what were its south- ern limits, or how far it extended to the eastward. This was effected, at least within a rude degree of accu- racy, by Abel Jansen Tasman, one of the most illustrious of the Dutch navigators, and who found a generous and liberal patron in Anthony Van Diemen, the governor of Batavia.* Tlie expedition, which was fitted out by him and his council, sailed from Batavia on the 14th August 1642. On the 24th November, they discovered Anthony Van Diemen's Land, so named, says Tasman, " in honour of our high magistrate, the governor-general, who sent us out to make discoveries :" they continued to coast along that island till the 6th December, when they directed their coui*se to the eastward. On the 13th, a shore was discovered, to which Tasman gave the name of Staats or Staten Land, from a belief that it was a part of the country of the same name discovered by Schouten and Le Maire, to the east of Tierra del Fuego ; but the name was afterwards changed into New Zealand. Dur- ing his progress along the coast, he was attacked by the Bavages with that courage and ferocity which later navigators have so fatally experienced. For some time after leaving New Zealand the ships pursued a north-easterly course, till, on the 19th of January, they reached a high island, two or three miles * For many j'ears the only account of Tasman's voyajje was to be found in a curtailed abridgment of bis journal, published at Am- sterdam in 1674, and a more copious relation inserted in Valentyn's East Indian Descriptions. About 1771j however, a MS. journal of Tasman (supposed to be the original) fell into the hands of Sir Joseph Banks, and was found to be much more complete than any previous narrative. An English translation, executed in 1776 by he Rev. C. G. Woide, was published by Burney, — Chron. Hist. Discov., vol. iii. p. 63-1 10. The journal thus commences : — "Journal or Description by me, Abel Jansz Tasman, of a Voyage from Ba- tavia for making Discoveries of the unknown South Land, in the Year 1642. May God Almighty be pleased to give His Blessing to this Voyage ! Amen. OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 125 in circumference, on which they bestowed the name of Pylstaart or Ti.)pic-bird, from the number of these fowls which frequented it. On the 21st, two more were dis- covered, distant from each other about a mile and a half. The northern was named Amsterdam, because, says Tasman, " we found plenty of provisions there ;'* and to the southern they gave the title of Middleburgh. By the natives, the latter is called Eooa, and the former Tongataboo ; and the one last mentioned is the principal of the cluster now called the Friendly Islands. Some of the savages approached in a canoe : they are described as exceeding the common stature of Europeans, of a brown complexion, and wearing no other dress than a slight covering round the waist. They called out loudly to the voyagers, who shouted in return, and after show- ing them some white linen, threw a piece overboard. Before the canoe reached the spot, the cloth had begun to sink ; but one of the natives dived in pursuit of it, and after remaining a long time under water brought up the linen, and, in token of his gratitude, placed it several times on his head. They also gave them some beads, nails, and looking-glasses ; these the islanders ap- plied in like manner, and in return presented a small line, and a fishing-hook made of shell like an anchovy. The Dutch in vain tried to make them understand that they wanted fresh water and hogs. In the aiternoon, how- ever, they were observed in great numbers running along the shore displaying white flags : these were con- strued as signs of peace, and returned by a similar token hoisted on the stern. On this, a canoe bearing white colours came off^ to the ship. It contained four individuals with coverings of leaves round their necks, and with their bodies painted black from the waist to the thigh. From the nature of their present, which consisted of some cloth made of the bark of a tree, and from the superior- ity of their vessel, it was conceived that they came from the chief or sovereign. The officers bestowed upon them a mirror, a knife, spikes, and a piece of linen ; a glass was also filled with wine, and having been drank en A p. IV. Further discovery of lan'J. Natives of the Friendly hlanUa. Presents niiidc to tlie nutivca. Gifts sent in return. f * Iliiitcr with the uativeit. \ Bii 126 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES CHAi'. IV. olF, was again filled and offered to the natives ; but thoy poured the liquor out, and carried the glass on shore Shortly after, many canoes arrived to barter cocoa-nuts for nails. A grave old man, who, from the great respect paid to him, seemed to be a leader, also came on board, and saluted the strangers by placing his head upon their feet. He was presented with a piece of linen and several other articles, and conducted into the cabin. On being shown a cup of fresh water, he made signs that there was some on the island. In the evening, one of the natives was detected in the act of stealing a pistol and a pair of gloves ; but the mariners contented themselves with taking the things from him " without anger." To- wards sunset, about twenty canoes came from the shore and drew up in regulai order near the ship ; the people that were in them called out several times in a loud voice, Present from " Woo, WOO, WOO !" Upon which those who were on the King. board sat down, and one of the skiffs came alongside with a present from the king, consisting of a hog, cocoa- nuts, and yams. A plate and some brass wire were given in return. The exchange of provisions for nails continued until night, when the savages went back to the shore, leaving only one of their number. The following morning, they resumed their station, and the barter was renewed. This day, several females appeared, and it was observed that the elder women had the little finger cut off from both hands. The meanmg of this custom the Dutch could not discover ; but, as appeared to them, it was confined to the more aged individuals.* * Later vovai^ers have found that this is by no means the case. '^ The most singular circumstance which we observed ainon^^ these people was, that many of them wanted the Utile finder on one and sometimes on both hands; the difference of sex or a^e did not exempt them from tliis amputation ; for even amongst the few children whom we saw running about naked, the greater part had already suffered this loss. Only a few grown people, who had pre- served both their little fingers, were an exception to the general rule." — Forster's Voyage round the World, vol. i. p. 435. Of the origin of this remarkable usage, Forster s))eaks in the following sen- tence: — *'The native told us that a man lay buried there, and, [^uinting to the place where his little finger had formerly been rut SincTiilar native custuin. OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 127 The wonders of the ship were shown to the natives ; chap. iv. and one of the great guns was fired, wliich at first occa- TenoTof sioned a considerable panic among them ; but, on per- tire-m-ms. reiving that no harm followed, they quickly recovered their courage. The men sent on shore to procure water, found the wells so small that they were obliged to take it up in cocoa-nut shells. Next day, they made signs to the chief that the fountains must be made larger. He instantly ordered this to be done by his attendants, and in the mean time conducted the sailors into a pleasant valley, where they were seated on mats, and supplied with cocoa-nuts, fish, and several kinds of fruit. The people of Amsterdam Island, says the captain, " have no idea of tobacco, or of smoking. We saw no arms among them ; so that here was altogether peace and friendship. The women wear a covering of mat-w^ork that reaches from the middle to the knees : the rest of their body is naked. Thoy cut their hai: shorter than that of the men."* Between the islanders and these tYiaiidiy their first European visiters there seems to have existed w^'^J'tho an uninterrupted feeling of kindly good-will. Before aativea. departing, Tasman records, that he "ordered a white flag to be brought, and w.e went with it to three of their chiefs, to whom we explained that we wished it to be set up in that valley (where they had been entertained with cocoa-nuts, fish, and fruits), and that it might remain there as a sign of peace between us ; at which they were much pleased, and the flag was fixed there." A display of the same kindness on the part of the natives led Captain Cook, a century afterwards, to bestow on away, he plainly si|j^nified, that when his madnas or parents died they mutilated tlieir hands."— Ibid. vol. i. p. 451. The accuracy of this view is doubtful ; it is more probable that the mutilation is made as a propitiatory sacrifice to avert death. — J. G. Dalyell's Darker Superstitions of Scotland, Edinburuh, 1834, p. lUU, and authori- ties there quoted. It may be addeo, that tlie rite is not confined to the natives of the Friendly Isles, but has been observed among the Hottentots of the Cape of Good Hope, the Guaranos of Parajj^ay, and the natives of California. * Burney, Chron. Hist. Discov., vol. iii. p. 84. New cluster of IsIanilH * discuvci'ud. 128 CIUCUMNAVIQATIONS AND DlSCUVEltlES CHAP. IV. their country the name of the Friendly Islands. This visit of the Dutch was brought prematurely to a close, by the winds having driven one of their vessels from her anchorage. A few hours' sail in a north-easterly direction brought the voyagers to a cluster of islands, the largest of which, called by the natives Annamooka, they named Rotter- dam. They remained here some days, maintaining an amicable intercourse with the savages. During an ex- cursion into the interior, they "saw several pieces of cultivated ground or gardens, where the beds were re- gularly laid out into squares, and planted with different plants and fruits, bananas, and other trees, placed in etraiglit lines, which made a pleasant show, and spread round about a very agreeable and fine odour." Tlie inhabitants are represented as resembling those of Am- sterdam Island, and so addicted to thieving that they stole every thing within their reach. They appeared to possess no form of govenimcnt, and to be without a king or chief; but one of them detected in stealing^ was punished by being beaten with an old cocoa-nut on the back until the nut broke.* They are represented as entirely ignorant of any religion ; they practise no worship ; and are without idols, relics, or priests, though they seem to observe some singular supersti- tions. " I saw one of them," says Tasman, " take up a Thievish propensities of tlie natives. • With rejfard to the {government of these islanders, tliere is a discrepancy in the Journal of Tasman, which his translators and commentators ha', o overlooked. In eivin^ a j>;enerai description of the natives, he pv| vessly says, — "llie people of this island have no kinjj^ or chieC."- -Durney, Ciiron. Hist. Discov., vol. iii. p. 89. But, in narratinjT his transactions there, he not only mentions the existence of a cliief, but specifies the name by which the natives culled him : — "• 'i'hey took us," he saj^s, " to the east side of the island, where six large vessels with masts were lyinj^. They then led us to a pool of water, which Wius about a mile in circumference ; but we were not yet come to the aigy or latoun, as they call their chief. When we had rested, we again asked where the aigy was, and they pointed to the other side of the pool of water ; but the day being far advanced, we returned by another way to our boats." — Chron. Hist. Discov., vol. iii. p. 88. Modern discoveries have ehowu that this last passage is correct. wate| respt watcl ous, dent^ princ lie si of thl form] Oi nortll eight and Islan dang< visite OP TUB 8EVENTEENTU CENTURY. 129 water-snake which was near his boat, and lie put it chap. iv. respectfully upon his head, and then again into the cri",' water. They kill no flies, though they are very numcr- uuiivo iaea\ ous, and plague them extremely. Our steersman acci- dentally killed a fly in the presence of one of the prhicipal people, who could not help showing anger at it." lie seems to have formed a viry unfavourable estimate of their character, and styles them " peoj)le who have the form of the human species, but no human manners." On leaving this group, he directed his course west- PHncp north-west, and, after six days' sailing, came to about isi'j[llj |.' ' eighteen or twenty small islands, surrounded with shoals and sandbanks, which were named Prince William's Islands and Ileemskerke's Shoals, and which, from tho dangerous reefs surrounding them, have been rarely visited since their first discovery. The remainder of his voyage possesses little interest, as his track was pretty nearly the same which had been pursued by Schouten and Le Maire. He arrived at Batavia on the 15th June, in the year 1643, after an absence often months and one day. While Tasman was engaged in this voyage, which Iy"*A ,, ascertained the southern boundary of the Terra Aus- company's trails, another expedition, fitted out by the Dutch West "^P»='i'i"^n- India Company to cruise in the South Sea, dispelled the delusive notions which had been entertained regarding the extent of the Staten Land discovered by Schouten and his colleague. The command of this entcrpi ise was intrusted to Ilendrick Brower, who sailed from the Texel on the 6th November 1642, and reached the en- trance of Strait Le Maire on the 6th of March following. The day was very clear, and the whole surface of Staten Land was plainly revealed ; and instead of being part of a large continent extending to New Holland, was found to be a small island, nine or ten of their miles, as they calculated, in length. The winds were unfavour- able for their passage through the strait, and they re- solved to sail to the east of the isle. This they did without meeting any obstacle, and thence pursued the passage by Cape Horn into the South Sea, where no better fortune awaited them than had been experienced CHAP. IV. Browne's Strait Tasman's second voyage. Discovery by La li.che. Adventures of the Lucc-aneers Vci'iJlcjiity. 130 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES by the ill-fated Nassau Fleet. Tlie nc«me of Brewer's Strait was given to the track whic^ he had pursued round Staten Tsland, from a belief that there existed lands to the eastwaid. After this voyage, a long period elapsed, marked by an almost total cessation of maritime enterprise. In 1644, it is true, Tasman was again sent out, with instructions to ascertain whether New Guinea, New Holland, and Va:i Diemen's Land, were one conti- nent, or separated by straits. No record of his voyage, however, has been preserved, and if he made any dis- coveries they soon passed into oblivion. In 1676, a merchant of the name of La Roche, born in London of French parents, observed, to the east of Staten Land, an island which appears to be identical with the New Georgia of Cook ; and these are the only expcuitions on record, from the date of Erower's voyage till we come to the adventures of the Buccaneers, in the latter pari of the century. Many of these rovers became desirous of trying their fortune in the South Seas, and fitted out for that pur- pose a vessel of eighteen guns, in which they sailed from the Chesapeake 23d August 1683. They were commanded by Captain John Cook, and among their number were several who were afterwards known to fame, — William Dampier, Edward Davis, Lionel Wafer, and Ambrose Cowley. On tlie coast of Guinea they captured a ship whijh they christened the Bachelor's Delight, and, having burned their old vessel " that she might tell no i-ales," embarked on board the^'r prize. In January 1684, they saw the islands first visited by Davis, and at that time distinguished by the appella- tion of Sibald de Weert. The editor of the journal left by Cowley, one of the historians of the voyage, anxious to flatter the Secretary of the Admiralty, re- presented these as a new discovery, and gave to them the name of Pepys, — a circumstance which we shall hereafter see occasioned much perplexity and useless soai oh. After passing Cape Horn, the Buccaneers touch- ed at Juan Fernandez, and thence set sail for the coast OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 131 of Mexico, having been joined in their cruise by the ship Nicholas of London, under the command of John Eaton. In July, Captain Cook died, and was suc- ceeded as chief officer by Edward Davis ; and in Sep- tember Eaton and Davis parted company, — the former, with whom went Cowley, sailing for the East Indies, and the latter remaining in the South Sea. Shortly after this event, Davis was joined by tho Cygnet, Cap- tain Swan, as also by a small bark, manned by Buc- caneers ; and with this united force, which was still farther augmented by French adventurers, the rovers continued to carry on their depredations with varying success until August 1685. At that time serious dis- sensions arose, and Swan, leaving his consorts, determin- ed to sail northward to the Californian coast, with the intention of proceeding to the East Indies. In this voyage he was accompanied l)y Dampier, who has left a narrative of the expedition. It was the 31st of March 1686 before they quitted the American coast and stood westward across the Pacific, nor did they reach the Ladrones until May. After departing from these, they visited in succession the Bashee Islands, the Phi- lippines, Celebes, Timor, and New Holland. In April 1688, they were at the Nicobar Islands, and here Dam- pier quitted the expedition, and found his way to England in 1691. The Cygnet afterwards perished off Madagas- car. In the career of Davis, who, as has been mentioned, remained in the South Sea, the most remarkable event was the discovery of an island named after him, and now generally identified with Easter Island. In 1688, this bold mariner returned to the West Indies.* The last ten years o^ the seventeenth century are almost entirely barren in discovery. In 1690, an ex- pedition, fitted out partly for privateering, partly for trading purposes, and placed under the command of Captain John Strong, brought to light, in their course to the South Sea, the passage between the two larger * For a minute narrative of this voyaj^e, and an account of the rise and history of the Buccaneers, the reader is referred 1 tho Lives and Voya>res of Drake, Cavendish, and Dampier. CHAP. IV. Death of Captain Jamea Cook. Nrtrrat'vc of Dumpier. ^-'!scn^•prv hi t!ie South Sea. Fxpertitinn of Ciiptaiii Strong. CHAP. IV. Falkland Sound. Dampler's voyage. Progress ot discovery in tlie seventeenth century. Adv^inces in gcoKi-aphi' cal tiuience. 132 CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES islands of the Falkland group. He named this channel Falkland Sound, — a term v/hich has since been generally applied to the islands themselves. In 1699, M. de Beauchesne Gouin, a French commander, detected an island to the east of Tierra del Fuego, and bestowed on it his own name, which it still retains. The same year was marked by a voyage under the auspices of the British government expressly for the extension of geo- graphical science. It was placed under the direction of Dampier, and its object was the more minute examina- tion of New Holland and New Guinea. It added much to our knowledge of these countries, and is the most import- ant contribution to science made by that navigator. In reviewing the progress of discovery in ti>e sf^ en- teenth century, it will be seen that enterprise Inr ii' I during its latter years, and that almost every addition made to our knowledge was effected in the earlier por- tion of it. During that time were made the important acquisitions of Staten Island, Strait Le Maire, and Cape Horn, and of several harbours and islands of Tierra del Fuego. In the more central parts of the Pacific there were visited the New Hebrides, the groups of the Society and Friendly Islands, and mrny of the smaller isles scattered over the great ocean. On. the Asiatic side, some information had been obtained of New Holland, Van Diemen's Land, and New Zealand. The coasts of New Guinea were more ai curately examined, and many of the islands which stretch along its shores were ex- plored. The existence of a strait between New Guinea and New Holland was ascertained ; though, from acci- dental circumstances, the memory of this achievement was soon lost. Such were the advances made in geo- graphical science during the first forty years of the century ; the remaining portion was undistinguished by any acquisition of great importance. In this long space we have to enumerate only the discoveries of one of the Carolines, which gave its name to the group, of New Georgia, Easter and Beauchesne Islands, Falkland Sounl, and a survey of some parts of Australia. Of the three circumnavigations made in the course of OP THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY. 133 t> Preocciipa- tion of England this age, all were performed by the Dvitch.* Spain had OHAP. iv. now withdrawn from the field of enterprise into which DutciTenter- she was the first to enter ; and during tlie seventeenth prise. century but one expedition for South Sea discovery of any note ^as fitted out from her ports. England, dis- tracted by the great civil war and other events, had neglected to follow up the career so boldly begun by Drake and Cavendish ; and, with the exception of Dam- pier's voyage to New Holland, her only adventurers in the Pacific were the lawless Buccaneers. To the United Provinces is due the honour of having, during this period, kept up the spirit of investigation, and widely extended the limits of geographical knowledge. * We Iiave followed Biirney and Bougainville in not assigninjj the title of circuninavijj^ations to the expeditions of the Buccaneers between 1683 and 1691, above narrated. We may here also state, that we can neither rank Gemelli Careri (1697) nor M. de Pages (1767-1776) among circumnavigators, because that word can hardly be applied to travellers who, mdeed, encircled the globe, but diil so by crossing the Isthmus of Dariun and several pans of Asia. M. de Pages can have been styled a circumnavigator only by those who hi>d read no farther than the titlepage of his book, and were ignorant of the meaning attached by the 1' rench to the word voyage. -"Voyages autour du Monde et vers les deux Poles. Par Ai- de Pages." Paris, 17»2, 2 vols 8vo. J 34 FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAP. V. English CHAPTER V. Circumnavigations from the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century to the Reign of George III. ' '- Tinavijiption of Dampier and Funnel, of Woodes Rogers, Jlipperton and Shelvocke, of Rog^ewein — Easter Island — i ^rnicious Islands — Circumnavigation of Anson — Objects of the Expedition— Passage of Cape Horn — Severe Sufferings of the Crevr — Juan Fernandez — Cruise on the American Coasts — Burn- ing of Payta — Loss of the Gloucester — Tiuian — Capture of the Manilla Galleon — Return of the Centurion to England — Fate of the Wager. The early part of the eighteenth century was marked by numerous privateering voyages to the South Sea, voyages to tlie South Sea. privateering generally undertaken by English merchants ; expedi- tions which, inde< d, served little to advance either ma- ritime science or the reputation of British seamen. Tlie principle which almost invariably regulated them M'as, " No prizes no pay," and this led to continual disorder and insubordination. The commanders, too frequently, were men of no education, of dissipated habits, and of violent and avaricious dispositions. Altogetlier, the narrative of these buccaneering adventures is one of the least creditable in the naval annals of our country. The first of them which we have to notice, was directed by one whom Captain Basil Hall has not unjustly styled " the prince of voyagers," — ^William Dampier. This skilful navigator sailed from Kinsale in Ireland, on the 11th September 1703, in command of two ships, the St George and the Cinque Ports galley, and entered the South Sea in the beginning of the fol- Dami;ier. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TO GEORGE III. 135 lowing year. But even his talents and resolution were chap. v. unable to preserve order among his boisterous crews, nisseiision and the history of their proceedings accordingly is an ft"*! tumult unbroken series of dissension and tumult. On the 10th "I^w?^ of May, these disputes had reached such a height that the vessels agreed to part company. The Cinque Ports, which sailed to the southward, was eventually run ashore, and the people taken prisoners by the Spaniards. In September, anotlier quarrel broke out on board the St George, which led to the desertion of the chief mate, John Clipperton, with twenty-one of the seamen. In January 1705, differences again occurred, and the re- mainder separated into two parties. One of these im- mediately sailed for the East Indies, and, returning to Europe by the Cape of Good Hope, arrived in the Texel in July 1706 : a narrative of their voyage has been left by Funnel. Shortly after this secession, Dampier was Misfortnnus forced to abandon the St George, and to embark in a ^' ^'*"'i'^''- prize which had been taken from the Spaniards. In this he proceeded to the East Indies ; but being unable to produce his commission, which had been stolen from him, it is said, by his mate Clipperton, his vessel was seized by the Dutch, and he himself detained some time a prisoner. In 1708, we again meet this bold seaman as a cir- Posers nnd cumnavigator, in the capacity of pilot to Woodes Rogers, '""^'*'^' who sailed from Cork on the 1st September, in the com- mand of two ships, fitted out by the merchants of Bristol to cruise against the Spaniards in the South Sea. In December, the squadron reached the Falkland Islands, and after being driven to the latitude of 62" south in doubling Cape Horn, arrived in January 1709, at Juan Fernandez, the well-known rendezvous of the Buccaneers. Their visit was the means of restoring to Delivery o civilized life the celebrated Alexander Selkirk, whose Selkirk. residence on this island upwards of four years became, as has been already hinted, the groundwork of Defoe's romance of Robinson Crusoe. After this nearly a twelvemonth was spent in cruising on the coasts of «fl ^?«?=T7srs=!5aRWP»PTEwaBi 13f) FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAP. V. Success of the expedition. New expedi- li ' Peru, Mexico, and California. In January 1710 they sailed across the Pacific, and in March made the Ladrone Islands. They arrived in the Thames on the 14th of October 1711, loaded with a booty which rendered the enterprise highly lucrative to the owners. With this voyage closed the long and checkered life of Dampier ; on his return to England he sunk into an obscurity which none of his biographers has yet succeeded in re- moving.* Tlie success of this expedition led soon afterwards tion pUiuKd. ^Q another of a similar description. In 1718, the war which was then waged between Spain and the German empire appeared to some " worthy gentlemen of London, and persons of distinction," to afford a favourable op- portunity of cruising against the subjects of the former country in the South Sea, under commissions from Charles VI. Accordingly, two ships, the Success of thirty-six guns and the Speedwell of twenty-four, were fitted out in the river Thames. To give some colour to the design, their names were clianged into the Prince Eugene and the Staremberg ; and this latter vessel was despatched to Ostend, under the command of Captain George Shelvocke, to take on board some Flemish officers and seamen, and to receive the commioolon from the emperor. The conduct of this gentleman, while en- gaged in these preparations, was by the owners con- sidered imprudent, and, on his return to England, he was superseded in his office of commander-in-chief by Clipperton (who had sailed as mate with Dampier in the St George), though he was allowed to continue in charge of the Staremberg. During the course of these arrangements. Great Britain declared war against Spain ; the imperial authority was in consequence laid aside, and the Flemish officers and seamen discharged ; the Commission from tlie emperor. • For an account of the voyages and circumnavigations in which Dumpier bore a part, more full and detailed than was compatible with the plan of the present volume, the reader is referred to " Lives and Voynges of Drake, Cavendish, and Dampier." EIOnXEENTH CENTURY TO GEORGE III. 137 ships recovered their original names, and were manned with English crews. Thus fitted out, the Success and Speedwell sailed from Plymouth on the 13th February 1719. Six days after, a violent storm arose, and both ships were obliged to pass the niglit under bare poles. The gale abated on the following evening, when they again proceeded, the former under Clipperton holding a south-easterly di- rection, while Captain Shelvocke in the latter stood to the north-west, — a difference of course which so effec- tually disjoined them, " that from that day they never saw each other till they met in the South Seas by mere accident." It will be necessary, therefore, in the notice of this expedition, to give distinct narratives of the pro- ceedings of the two commanders. When they parted company, the whole stock of wine, brandy, and other liquors, designed for the supply of both ships, was on board the Speedwell ; and this cir- cumstance has generally been admitted as evidence in favour of Clipperton, that the separation could not be designed on his part. It is certain that, after losing sight of his consort, he immediately set sail for the Canary Islands, the first rendezvous which had been agreed on in case of losing each other. He arrived there on the 6th March, and, after having waited ten days in vain, set sail for the Cape de Verd Islands, the second place appointed for their meeting. Having cruised here also an equal period, and hearing nothing of Shelvocke, he directed his course for the Straits of Magellan, at the eastern entrance of which he arrived on the 29th May. During this passage several of the seamen died, and much hardship and privation had been experienced ; and on the 18th of August, when he reached tlie South Sea, the crew were in such an enfeebled condition, " that it was simply impossible for them to undertake any thing immediately." In conformity, therefore, with his instructions, which appointed Juan Fernandez as the third rendezvous, Clipperton immediately proceeded thither, and remained about a month, after which he CHAP. V. Departure ot tlie Success ind Speed- well. i Separntlon of the ships. Good faith of Clippuituii. Hardsliiis and privu^ tions. 130 CHAP. V. Capture of prizes. Loss of Ills booty. Jloeting of tliti cuusorts. Fate of Clipperton. PROM THE BEGINNING OF THE departed for the coast of Peru, which he reached in October. Although he had lost upwards of thirty of his men prior to the time of his quitting the island just named, he was so successful as, in the course of little more than four weeks, to have taken five prizes, some of them of considerable value, besides one which he captured, but which subsequently made her escape. On the 27th of November, he despatched a vessel to Brazil, loaded with booty valued at more than £10,000 ; but she never reached her destination, having, there is reason to think, been intercepted by the Spaniards. From this time to the beginning of 1721, he continued to cruise on the Ameri- can coast with indifferent success. On the 25th Janu- ary in that year, he met with Shelvocke near the island of Quibo, and, after exchanging a few stores, parted company on the succeeding day. During their stay on the Mexican shore, they again met on four different oc- casions. On three of these, they passed each other without speaking ; and on the fourth, a proposal made by Clipperton, that they should sail in company, met with no success. This took place on the 13th of March ; and, four days afterwards, the last-named officer sailed for China. About the middle of May, he made Guahan, one of the Ladrones, his departure from which was hastened by an unfortunate quarrel, which ter- minated to his disadvantage. On the 2d of July, he arrived in China, when the disputes which ensued re- garding the division of plunder were referred to the judgment of the native authorities. These awarded to the proprietors £6000, to the common seamen £97, ISs. 4d. each, and to the captain £1466, lOs. The owners' share was committed to a Portuguese ship, which took fire in the harbour of Rio Janeiro, and not more than £1800 of the property was saved. Clipperton's vessel was sold at Macao, and her crew returned home. The unfortu- nate commander reached Gal way in Ireland, in the be- ginning of June 1722, where he died within a week after his arrival. On parting with his consort, Shelvocke contrived so to EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TO OEORQE III. 139 manage hi8 course that he did not reach the Canaries chap. v. until the l7th of March, two days after the other had proci^nRs departed. Having icmained there more than a week, of sheivocke. he proceeded to the Cape de Verd Islands, where he also waited some time for Clipperton. After plunder- ing a Portuguese vessel on the coast of Brazil, he passed Strait Le Maire, and in rounding Cape Horn experienced such tempestuous weather, that he was driven to a high southern latitude. He seems to have been much struck Driven into ■with the bleakness of these cold and steril regions : ''''^H^""i" ,, __r , , „ , ,, , . , „ « , « cm latitude. " We had not, he says, " the sight of one fish of any kind since we were come to the southward of the Streights of Le Maire, nor one seabird, except a discon- solate black albatross, which accompanied us for several days, hovering about us as if it had lost itself ; till Mr Hatley, observing in one of his melancholy fits that this bird was always hovering near us, imagined from its colour that it might be an ill omen ; and so, after some fruitless attempts, at length shot the albatross, not '"'°*^^**'*°'"' doubting that we should have a fair w^ind after it." * * This incident is believed to have ^\\en rise to tlie late Mr Sanniel Taylor Coleridge's wild and beautiful poem of " The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." <' And now there came both mist and snow, And it grew wond'rous cold, And ice mast high came floating by, As green as emerald. « « « * * Nor shapes of men nor beasts we ken, The ice was all between. « ♦ • » ♦ At length did cross an albatross. Thorough the fog it came. And a good south wind sprung up behind. The albatross did follow ; And every day for food or play. Came to the mariner's hollo ! In mist or cloud, on mast or shroud It perch'd for vespers nine. fl I shot the albatross. * * with my cross-bow 140 FROM THE BEGINNING OP THE CIIAP.V. Arrival at tlie InIuikI of Cliiloe. ^. 'recked on tlic island of . I nan l-'ernandez. Capture of a i^paniiih ship At length, about the middle of November, he made the western coast, and on the 30th of the same month an- chored at the island of Chiloe. His instructions were, that on entering the South Sea he should immediately proceed to Juan Fernandez ; but it was not until the nth of January 1720 that he repaired thither to inquire about his colleague, who Lad been there about three months previously. He remained only four days, and then steered towards the shores of Peru, along which he cruised till the beginning of May, capturing several vessels, and burning the town of Payta. On the 11th of the same month he returned to Juan Fernandez, off which, partly for the purposes of watering and partly detained by bad weather, he remained until the 25th, when his ship was driven on shore and became a wreck. With the loss of one man, the crew succeeded in gain- ing the land, carrying along with them a few of their stores. Little unanimity subsisted among' the seamen ; and hence the building of a new vessel in which they were employed proceeded but slowly. It was not until the 5th of October tliat their rude bark was launched, which even then was considered so insufficient, that twenty-four of them chose rather to remain on the island than trust themselves to the ocean in such a feeble structure. On the 6th, Shclvocke and forty-six others put to sea, and stood eastward for the shores of the continent. After two ineffectual attempts on different vessels, he succeeded in capturing a Spanish ship of 200 ions bur- den, into which he transferred his crew, and abandoned the sloop. Being once more in a condition to commit hostilities, he continued to cruise along the coast, from Chili northward to California, until about the middle of the year 1721. During this period, as has been al- Then all averr'd I had kill'd the bird That broufrht the fo}r and mist ; 'Twas ri^ht, said they, such birds to slay That bring the fog' and mist." Coleridyes Foetical IVorks. Lend. 1834, vol. ii. p. 3-fi. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TO GEORGE III. Ill ready mentioned, he met Clipperton, with whom he chap. v. finally parted towards the end of March. On the 18th -. of August he sailed from California for China, and on from the 2l8t discovered an island to which his own name ^t'l??"!"'.* ' was given, though there seems good reason for suppos- ing it to be the same with Roca Partida, one of the Revillagigedo Isles, seen by Spilbergen and other early voyagers.* On the 11th November he reached his des- tination, and anchored in the river of Canton, where he sold his prize, dividing the plunder which he had acquired among his crew. On this occasion, the able seamen received £440, 7s. 2d. each,and the commander's share amounted to £'2642, 10s. He soon afterwards Arrival In procured a passage to England in an East Indiaman, KuRiand a »l and landed at Dover on the 30th July 1722. He was arrested, and two prosecutions instituted against him, — the one for piracy, and the other for defrauding his proprietors. Of these the first was abandoned for want of evidence, and the second was interrupted by his escape from prison and flight from the kingdom. He afterwards succeeded in compounding with the owners, and having returned he published an account of his voyage. The next circumnavigation was that accomplished by Jacob Jacob Roggewein, a Dutchman.t An injunction to ^^^^gewc n, prosecute the search for southern lands had, it is said, been laid upon him by his father a short time before his death. This last had, in the year 16G9, presented a memorial to the Dutch West India Company, con- taining a scheme for discovery in the South Sea, and * Bnrney, Chron. Hist, Discov., vol. iv. p, fioL •f" Two accounts of Rof^jjewein's vojajj^e exist. The first appear- ed without the author's name at Dort, in 17-'^ under the title of " Twee Jaari^e Reyze rondom de Wereld," — A Two Years' Voyage round the World. The second, written in German, was printed at Leipsic in 1738; — a French translation was published at the Hajijue in 1/39. This work was written by Charles Frederick Behrens, a native of Mecklenburg, who was sergeant and commander of the troops in Rojjgewein's fleet. Both accounts have been translated by Mr Dalryinple (Hist. Coll., vol. iL p. t]a-I2U), who termiuutfs his valuable work with this voyage. r ■ i t \ \ ,;■ , ' ''- .1 ! ■ ': U 1 ^^ ■p 142 FROM THE BEGINNING OP THE Plan of file elder lioggcwcin Expeditious picimrution of vcsaels, . II CHAP. V. his proposals weu so wi'll received, that some vessels were equipped for the purpose ; but the disturbances between the United Provinces and Spain put a btop to the project. In 1721, it was renewed by his son, in an application to the same association, which bore a refer- ence to the memorial of his fatlier. It has been in- sinuated, that the readiness with which the request of Roggewein was conceded, had its origin, less in a desire for the advancement of science than in interested mo- tives. No time, it is certain, was lost in preparing the expedition, which consisted of three vessels, the largest carrying 36 guns, and manned by 111 men. These sailed from the Texel on the 21 st August 1721, and in November were off the coast of Brazil, from which they " went in quest of the island of Auke's Magdeland (Hawkins* Maiden-land), but could find no such place."* Tiiey were equally unsuccessful in another attempt to identify the same island under the different name of St Louis ; but on the 21st December y had the good fortune to see one, to which they the appellation of Belgia Australis, and in which, tiiough they chose not to perceive it, they only re-discovered the Maiiien-land and Isles of St Louis. On the same day, one of the vessels was separated from her consorts in a violent storm. On the 10th March, Roggewein came in sight of the coast of Chili, and on the eighteenth anchored at Juan Ferrandez, where he remained three weeks. On leaving this port he directed his course for Davis* Land, which, like Hawkins* Maiden-land, he failed to trace, or at least affected not to recognise : pretending that he had made a new discovery, he exercised the privilege of a first visiter in bestowing on it a name, that of Paaschen, Oster or Easter Island. While they were sailing along the shore in search of anchorage, a native came off in his canoe, who was kindly treated, and presented with a piece of cloth and a variety oi Arrival lit Juan Fernandez. Assumed discoveries. Dalrj'niple, Hiiit. Coll., vol. ii. p. 88. EIOUTEENTII CENTURY TO OEOROE III. 113 CHAP. V, baubles. Ho was naturally of a dark-brown complex- ion, but his body was painted all over with figures, and his ears were of a size so unnatural ** that they hung nplj^uranro down upon his shoulders," occasioned, as the Europeans "» » nutiva conjectured, by the use of largo and heavy earrings. " A glass of wine," says one of the journals of the voyage, " was given to him ; ho took it, but instead of drhiking it, he threw it in his eyes, which surprised us very much." Ho seemed so fascinated with the strangers that it was with difficulty he was prevailed on to depart ; — " he looked at them with regret ; he held up both his hands towards his native island, and cried out in a very audible and distinct voice, *Odorroga! odorroga!'"* — exclamations which were supposed to be addressed to his god, from the many idols observed along the coast. The succeeding day the discoverers anchored close to inteiTievr the island, and were invnediately surrounded by many with tiio thousands of the inhabitants, some of whom brought with them fowls and provisions, while others " remained on the shore, running to and fro from one place to another like wild beasts." They were also observed to make fires at the feet of their idols, as if to offer up their prayers and sacrifices before them. On the following day, as the Hollanders were preparing to land, the savages were seen to prostrate themselves with their fiaces towards the rising sun, and to light many fires, apparently to present burnt-offerings to their divinities. Several of them went on board the ship, Native pvicst. among whom one man quite A'hite was conjectured, from his devout a'.d solemn gestures, to be a priest, and was distinguished by wearing wl ite earrings of a round shape and of size equal to a man's fist. The sailors, upon returning this visit, commenced an attack, ap- parently unprovoked, on the natives, and by a heavy slaughter taught them the deadly efficacy of the musket. They are desdibed as having " made the most surpris- • Dalrymple, Hist Coll., vol. ii, pp 90, 91. f Hi \4i FROM XnE BEGINNING OF THE I ! CHAR V. Unprovoked slaufrliter of tlie natives. Recrets of tlicir assailants. Appearance of t'le K-ster Ii^ijulers. ing motions and gestures in the world, and viewed their fallen companions with the utmost astonishment, wonder- ing at the wounds the bullets had made in their bodies." Though dismayed, they again rallied and advanced to within ten paces of their enemies, under an impression of safety, which a second discharge of fire-arms too fatally dissipated. Among those wlio fell was the in- dividual that first came on board, — a circumstance, says the journalist " which chagrined us much." Shortly after, the vanquished returned and endeavoured to redeem the dead bodies of their countrymen. They approached in procession, carrying palm-branches and a sort of red and white flag, and uttering doleful cries and sounds of lamentation ; they then threw themselves on their knees, tendered their presents of plantains, nuts, roots, and fowls, and sought, by the most earnest and humble attitudes, to deprecate the wrath of the strangers. The lustorian represents his companions as :o affected with all these demonstrations of humility and submission, that they made the islanders a present " of a whole piece of painted cloth, fifty or sixty yai'ds long, bead^, small looking-glasses, &c." They returned to their ships in the evening with the intention to revisit the island on the succeeding day ; but this design was frustrated by a storm, which drove them from their anchors and obliged them to stand out into the open sea. The inhabitants of Easter Island are described as being of a well-proportioned stature, thou^,J rather slender, of complexions generally brown, but, in some instances, of European whiteness. They delineate on their bodies figures of birds and other animals ; and a great piupoHion of the females were "painted with a rouge, very bright, which much surpasses that known to us ;" and had dresses of red and white cloth, soft to the touch like silk, with a small hat made of straw or rushes. They were generally of a mild flisposition, with a soft and pleasing expression of countenance, and so timid, that when they brought presents to the EIGHTEENTH CtHTURY TO GEORGE 111. 145 CHAP. V. m w Womai. of Easier Island- voyagers, they threw the gift at their feet and made n ExtrcTno precipitate retreat. Their ears, as already noticed, timidity. were so elongated as to hang down to their shoulders, and wefe sometimes ornamented witii large white rings of a globular form. Their huts were about fifty feet Their hutsw lo!ig and seven broad, built of a number of poles cemented with a fat earth or clay, and covered with the leaves of the palm-tiee. They had earthen vessels for preparing their victuals, but possessed few other articles of furniture. No arms were perceived among them, and their sole defence from the cruel hostilities of their visiters appeared to be reposed in their idols. These were gigantic pillar. " stone, having on the top the figure oi u human head adorned with a crown or ; I ( H. 146 FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAP. V. Names of their idola. Nature of their govern- ment Gicantic size. Course of t!io voyagers. garland, fonned of small stones inlaid with considerable skill. The names of two of these idols have been pre- served, — Taurico and Dago ; and the Hollanders thought they perceived indications of a priesthood, the memberi of which were distinguished by their ponderous ear- rings, by having their heads shaven, and by wearing a bonnet of black and white feathers. The food of the inhabitants consisted entirely of the fruits of their land, which was carefully cultivated and diided into en- closures. No traces were found of a supreme chief or ruler, nor was any distinction of ranks observed, except that the aged bore staves, and had plumes on their head?^ .And that in families the oldest member appeared to exercise authority. It would be improper to pass without notice the fabulous account of the immense stature of the natives, given, in one of the accounts of the voyage, with the strongest protestations of its truth: — "AH these savages are of more than gigantic size ; for the men, b^ing twice as tall and thick as the largest of our people, they measured, one with another, the height of twelve feet, so that we could easily — who will not wonder at it ! — without stooping, have passed betwixt the legs of these sons of Goli.ah. According to their height, so is their thickness, and all are, one with another, very well proportioned, so that each could have passed for a liercules." It is added, that the females do not altogether come up to these formidable dimensions, " being commonly not above ten or eleven feet!"* From Easter Island the Dutchman pursued a course nearly north-west, and about the middle of May caine in sight of an island, to which he gave the name of * Dalrymple, vol. ii. p. 113. " I doubt not," adds the Journal- ist, " but most people vvbo read this voyage will give no credit to what I now relat*^, and that this account of the height of these giants will probably pass with them for a mere fable or fiction; but tins I declare, that I have put down nothing but the real truth, and that this people, upon the nicest inspection, were in fact of such a surpassing height as I have here described." EIGHT r.KNTH CENTURY TO GEORGE III. 147 Carls-hofF, which it still retains. After leaving this, one of his vessels suddenly ran aground and was wrecked, on a cluster of low islands, which he distinguished by the epithet of Schaadelyk or Pernicious. These are generally supposed to be identical with Palliser's Islands ; and modern voyagers seem to have observed in the vicinity traces of Roggewein*s visit and shipwreck.* Among these he sailed five days, and on the 2.5th May discovered two small ones, probably the Bottomless and Fly Island of Schouten and Le IVIaire.-}- A few days later, he perceived a group, to which he gave the appellation of Irrigen or the Labyrinth ; and, continu- ing in the same westerly course, on the 1st of June reached an island which he denominated Vcrquikking or Recreation, and which is supposed to be Uliatea, one of the Society cluster, — a conjecture rendered more probable by the tradition prevalent among the natives, of their having been visited by Europeans. The navi- gatore found their landing opposed by the inhabitants, who were armed with pikes, and who did not withdraw tiieir opposition until they were overpowered by fire- arms. On the succeeding day another conflict ensued, wlien the event wa litFcrent; the invaders were ob- liged to retreat, aftci iuiving some of their men killed and many severely wounded. The jH in of this expedition jj was as magnificent as the actual equipment of it was equipment mean. It was intended that two squadrons should he gnil^jjy/^ despatched, the one to proceed directly by the Cape of Good Hope to Manilla, in the Philippines ; the other to double Cape Horn, and, after cruising along the western coast of South America, to join the former, when both were to act in concert. But of this romantic scheme only one-half was put in e\ecution ; and that, too, in a spirit of petty econoir.3; quite inconsistent with the success of the enterprise. The attack on Manilla was abandoned, and the design limited to the fitting out of a few ships to cruise in the South Seas, under the com- mand of Captain George Anson. This officer received his commission early in January Captain 1740 ; but so tardy were the proceedings of the govern, ment, that his instructions were not delivered to him until the end of June ; and when in virtue of these he repaired to his squadron, in the expectation of being able to sail with the first fr.'r wind, he found that he liad to encounter difficulties which detained him nearly three months longer. Three hundred able seamen were wanting to complete the crews ; and in place of those. Commodore Anson, after a tedious delay, was able to inemcient obtain only 170 men, of whom thirty-two were drafted the vessels from sick-rooms and hospitals, ninety-eight were marines, and three were infantry officers; the remainder, amount- ing to thirty-seven, were regular Kiilors. It was part of the original plan to furnish the squadron with an entire regiment, and three Independent companies of 100 men each ; but this design was laid aside, and the ships were ordered to be supplied with 500 invalids collected from the out-pensioners of Chelsea Hospital. These consisted of such soldiers as, from their age, wounds, or other in- firmities, were incapable of serving ; and Anson re- monstrated against the absurdity of sending them on an expedition of so great length, and which must be attended by so many hardships and privations ; but )| 750 FROM THE BEQINNINO OP THE CfiAP. V. hU representations, though supported by those of Sir Ciiarles Wager, only drev forth the answer, "that Unsuccess- ful remon- strance of Anson. Dissatisfac- tion of tlio crews. persons who were supposed to be better jiidges ot soldiers than he or Mr Anson, thought them the pro- perest men that could be employed on this occasion." * This admitted of no reply, and the veterans were ac- cordingly ordered on board the squadron. Instead, however, of 600, there appeared no more than 269 ; for all who were able to walk away had deserted, leav- ing behind them only the very dregs of their corps, men for the most part sixty years of age, and some of them upwards of seventy. The embarkation of these aged warriors is described as having been singularly affecting. Their reluctance to the service was visible in their countenances, on which were seen also apprehension of the dangers they Avere to encounter, and indignation at being thus dragged into an enterprise which they could noways assist, and in which, after having spent their youthful vigour in the service of their country, they were * " A Voyage round the World in the Years 1740-1-2-3-4, by Gcor^;e Anson, Esq., Commander-in-Chief of a Squadron of his Ma- jesty's Ships sent upon an Expedition to the South Seas. Com- piled from Papers and other Materials of the Right Honourable George Lord Anson, and published under his Direction. By Richard Waiter, M.A., Chaplain of his Majesty's Ship the Centurion. London, 1740,'' 4to, p. 6. This is the principal authority for the circumnavigation of Anson, and has ever been popular and highly admired for the beauty of the narrative and vividness of the de- scriptions. In this last point, indeed, there is reason to fear that accuracy is sacrificed to effect. An attempt was made to deprive Walter of the honour of this work, which is attributed to Benjamin Robins, F.R.S,, author of Mathematical Tracts, London, 1 701, 2 vols Uvo, and otiier works. This question has .been amply dis- cussed; but there appears no decisive evidence of Robins claim. Those wlio are anxious to enter into the discussion may be refer- red to the preface, by James Wilson, to the Mathematical Tracts above mentioned ; to Nicol's Literary Anecdotes of the Eigh- teenth Century, vol. ii. p. 20fi; to the Biographia Britannica, voce Anson ; and to the Corrigenda and Addenda to that Article inserted in the 4th volume of the work. Besides Walter's narrative, them appeared " A True and Impartial Journal of a Voyage to the South Seas, and round the Globe, in his Majesty's Ship the Centurion, under the Command of Commodore George Anson. By Pascoe Thomas, Teacher of the Mathematics oa board the Centurion. London, 1745," 8vo. EIGHTEENTH CENTURY TO GEORGE III. 151 le too probably doomed to perish. To expose the cruelty chap. v. of this measure, it need only be stated, that not one of — these unhappy men wiio reached the South Sea lived to procculihiga!" return to his native shores.* To supply tlie room of the 241 invalids who had deserted, raw and undisciplin- ed marines, amounting to nearly the same number, were selected from diflFercnt ships and sent on hoard ; upon which the squadron sailed from Spithead to St Helens, to await a favourable wind. It consisted of eight vesselsofti vessels, the Centurion of sixty guns ; the Gloucester and squadron the Severn of fifty each ; the Pearl of forty ; the Wager of twenty-eight ;t the Tryal sloop of eight ; and two store-ships ; and, exclusive of the crews of these last, contained about 2000 men. After being thrice forced back by adverse winds, they finally sailed from St Helens on the 18th September 1740; and, having touched at Madeira, anchored on the 18th December at the island of Santa Catalina, on the coast of Brazil, where they remained about a month. They arrived at Port San Julian in the middle of Entranpc of February 1741 ; and on the 7th March entered Strait Llfi?"''' Le Maire, where, though winter was advancing apace, they experienced a brightness of sky and serenity of weather which inspired them with high hopes that the greatest difficulties of their voyage were past. " Thus animated by these delusions," says Mr Walter, " we traversed these memorable straits, ignorant of the dread- ful calamities that were then impending and just ready to burst upon us ; ignorant that the time drew near when the squadron would be separated never to unite again, and that this day of our passage was the last cheerful day that the greatest part of us would ever live to enjoy." ij: The last of the ships had scarcely cleared Chamrc of the straits, when the sky suddenly changed, and ex hibited all the appearances of an approaching storm, which soon burst with such violence, that two of them • Burney, Chron. Hist. Discov., vol. v. p. 40. + According to Thomas (p. 2) the Wager can led but 20 gv.as. $ Waher, p. 76 luire. woatncr. CHAP. V. Drciulful btonn. ':i Injuries to tliesuuuii'U. SnfferinRS and extromo Diortiility of the crew. 102 FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE with difficulty escaped being run ashore on Staten Land. From this time to the 25th May, the expedition en- countered a succession of the most tempestuous weather. The oldest mariners confessed that the fury of the winds and the mountainous waves surpassed any thing they had ever witnessed. " Our ship,'* says Thomas, who sailed in the Centurion, " was nothing to them ; but, notwithstanding her large bulk and de<>p hold iii the water, was tossed and bandied as if she had been no more than a little pitiful wherry." * The sails were frequently split in tatters, and blown from the yards ; the yards themselves were often snapped across ; and the shrouds and other rigging were repeatedly blown to l)ieces. The upper works were rendered so loose as to admit water at every scam ; the beds were almost continually wet, and the men were often driven from them by the rushing in of the waves. The rolling of the vessel was so great, that the seamen were in danger of being dashed to pieces against her decks or sides ; they were often forced from the objects they had taken hold of to secure themselves from falling, and, in spite of every precaution, met numerous accidents ; one had his neck dislocated, anoth' who was pitched below, had his thigh fractured, and a I)oatswain's mate had his collar-bone twice seriously injured. To add to their misery, the scurvy broke out with great violence ; at first carrying off two or three a- day, but increasing in virulence till the mortality amounted to eight or ten. Few of the crew escaped its attacks, and on these the labour of managing the ship fell so heavilly, " that," says Thomas, " I have on that account seen four or five dead bodies at a time, some sewn up in their hammocks, and others not, washing about the decks for want of help to bury them in the sea." t The disease at last attained such a height that we are informed there were not above twelve or fourteen men, and a few officere capable of doing duty. On the invalids, who had been * Thomas, p. 21. t Ibid. p. 22. Eir.IITEENTII CENTURY TO GEORGE III. i:>3 so cruelly sent on tliis expedition, the disease prodiuted chap. v. the most extraordinary effects ; wounds wliich had been pccuiia^Riir. healed many years now opened, and appeared as if they fuiini-rsoftiie had never been closed, and fractures of bones wliich had been long consolidated now again appeared, as if the cal- lus of the broken bone had been dissolved l)y the disease. The wounds of one aged veteran, which had been re- ceived more than fifty years previous, at the battle of the Boyne, broke out afresh, and seemed as if they had never been healed.* At length, after a period of intense suffering, on the morning of the 8th of May, the crew of Anson's own ship, the Centurion, saw the west- ern coa.st of Patagonia, the high mountains of which were for the most part covered with snow. The island island of of Nuestra Senora del Socorro, whieh had l)een appointed scljlj^ra'dei as the rendezvous of the fleet, was also visible ; but, Sucono. from the weak condition of his crew, the commodore waited here two days, when he set sail for Juan Fer- nandez, abandoning the design whieh had been formed of attacking Baldivia. Short as was Anson's delay on tliis occasion, he has been severely censured for it by Thomas, who declares, — " I verily believe that our touching on this coast, the small stay we made here, and our hinderance by cross winds, which we should have avoided in a direct course to Juan Fernandez, lost us at least sixty or seventy of as stout and able men as any in the navy." t It was not until daybreak of the A"'val 0th of June that they descried the island now named, rernuudcz. which, notwithstanding its rugged and mountainous aspect, says Walter, "was to us a most agreeable sight." An anecdote whicii has been preserved by Dr Beattie may perhaps present a livelier idea of the distress en- dured than a lengthened description : " One who was on board the Centurion in Lord Anson's voyage, having got some money in that expedition, purchased a small estate about three miles from this town (Aberdeen). I have had several conversations with him on the subject of the 1 Walter, p. lOi + Thomas, p. 27. 154 FHOM THE BEGINNING OP TUB Appearanco of land. CHAP. V. voyage, and once asked hiin whether ho had ever read — the liistory of it. He told me he had read all the of extreme history, except the description of their suflFerings during suffeiinjf. ^jjg y^j^ f^^,,^ Capc Horn to Juan Fernandez, which he said were so great that he duret not recollect or think of them." * On the succeeding day they coasted along the shore, at about the distance of two miles, in search of an an- chorage. The mountains, which at first view had ap- peared bare and steril, they now perceived to be covered with luxuriant woods, and between them they could see fertile valleys of the freshest verdure, watered by clear streams, frequently broken into waterfalls. " Tliose only," says Walter, " who have endured a long series of thirst, and who can readily recall the desire and agita- tion which the ideas alone of springs and brooks have at that time raised in them, can judge of the emotion with which we eyed a large cascade of the most transj)arent water, which poured itself from a rock near 100 feet high into the sea, at a small distance from the ship. Even those amongst the diseased, who were not in tlie very last stages of the distemper, though they had been long confined in their hammocks, exerted the small re- mains of strength that was left them, and crawled up to the deck to feast themselves with this reviving pros- pect." t The succeeding day, the Centurion anchored on the north-eastern side of the island ; in the passage from Brazil 200 of her men having died, and 130 of the remainder being on the sick-list. No time was lost in erecting tents and conveying the sick on shore, — a labour in which Anson assisted in person, and exacted the aid of his officers. He continued here some months to recruit the health of his crew, and to wait the arrival of the rest of the squadron. Of the seven vessels which accompanied him from England only three, the Glou- cester, the Tryal sloop, and the Anna store-ship, suc- Delight of the sullui'd'a Time spent at Juan Fei'Hundez. * Sir William Forbes' Li(e of Beattie, vol. ii. p. 36. t Walter, p. 111. EIGHTEENTU CENTUUY TO OEOUGE III. jr>5 ceeded in reaching Juan Fernandez. The Industry had chap. v. l)ccn dismissed on the coast of Brazil, while the Severn and „ .., ~~<. l*carl, which had separated from the commodore in the the Sivei n passage round Cape Horn, returned homewards without "'"' ^''''''''' having entered the South Seas. The Wager, the only remaining one, reached the western coast of Patagonia, where she experienced disasters and sufferings which will be hereafter noticed. Before leaving Juan Fernan- dez the Anna was broken up, and her crew distributed among the other vessels, which stood much in need of this aid ; for, since leaving St Helens, the Centurion oio«t had lost 292 men out of her complement of 606 ; in the mortality. Gloucester there remained only 82 out of 374 ; and in the Tryal, out of 81 there survived but 39.* In short, of upwards of 900 pereons who had left England on board these three vessels, more than 600 were dead. On the 8th of September, while the expedition was Rich prize still at anchor, a strange sail was discovered and chased, *^"^'""^'*' and though she escaped, the English, duriikg lue jiursuit, were fortunate enough to capture another, which proved to be a rich merchantman, bound from Callao to Val- " paraiso, and having on board dollars and plate to the amount of about £18,000 sterling. Intilligence ^\'as obtained from this prize, that there were several su -h vessels on their voyage from Callao to Valparaiso, and, accordingly, no time was lost in despatching the Tryal sloop to cruise off the latter port. In a few days the P"''''"''* "*' Centurion sailed, along with the captured ship, to join the Tryal, leaving the Gloucester at Juan Fernandez, with orders to proceed to Payta, and cruise there until * These statements are made as the nearest approach to acrn- r»i-v which is now attainahle. The numbers of the crews are so loosely mentioned, that, according); to Walter, in one place (n. 14) the Tryal had 100 men, and in another (p. 160) only 81. Witn him the men on board the Centurion are at one time 525, and at another (p. 159) 506; and Pa>coe Thomas rates them in different places (p. 42) 518, 512, and (Appendix, p. 8) 510. The latter author makes the number alive in the Gloucester considerably higher than Walter. " We found," he says, " in a miserable condition, not many above one hundred p-ople alive."— 1\ 31. J5G FROM THE UEOTNNING OP THE Tlie 'Iryal's prize. Attack on I'.iyta. •1:1 CHAP. V. re-enforced by the others. When the commodore fell Jn with the sloop, he found that she had taken a j)rize ; but, being herself in a shattered condition, sluvwas sunk, and her crew transferred to the foreigner, which was n';w commissioned under the name of the Tryal's )'rize. Having disposed his fleet so as best to command the dilferent cities and their trade, Anson continued to cruise along the coasts of Chili and Peru, until nearly the middle of November, when, from information he obtained from a vessel which he had captured, he determined to make an attempt on Payta. Fifty-eight men"* were selected .< '>r this purpose, who embarked in three boats, and rowed for the harbour, whi(!h they had just entered when they were discovered by a ship's crew, who manned their barges, and pulled towords the town shouting, " The English ! the English dogs !" In a few minutes, the hurrying of liglits to and fro, and 'other signs oi" pi-eparation, gave notice that the inhabit- ants were alarmed, and before the assailants could roach the landing-place a cannon-ball from ihe fort whistled over their heads. But ere a second Jischarge could take place the seamen had landed, r.iid, forming into a body, marched in the direction of the governor's house. The noise of the drums which they carried, " the shouts and clamours of threescore sailors confined so long on shipboard, and now for the first time on shore in an enemy's country, joyous, as they always are when they land, and animated in the present case with the hopes of an immense pillage," joined to the sudden nature of the attack and the darkness of the night, struck such a panic into the inhabitants, that in less than a quarter of an hour, and with the loss of one killed and two wounded, the assailants were masters of the town, the governor fleeing from it half-naked and with such precipitation that he most ungallantly left P.iptnvc ot tlie town. * Accordingly t(. Thomas (p. 5b) there were onlj' forty-nine; and this is confirmed by the description of the " plan of Payta," which accompanies Walter's voyage, p. 189. EIOIITEKNTII CnNTUItY TO GRonnR IIT. 157 C'oniplofo MlCfC! the exception of two churclie.", burned to tile ground ; and, ol' the six ships in the bay five having been sunkt and one cavried olf, " we weighed and came to SCO," says Tjjomas, *' with all our prizes, l)eing six sail, and left this place entirely ruined." The value of the silver coin and plate taken in Payta was reported to jinmenso exceed £30,000,1 and to this there were to be added I'yyty rings, gold watches, and jewels, besides what ])ilhige fell into the hands of the individuals engaged in the attack. Walter mentions a report, that the inhabitants, in their representations to the Spanish court, estimated their loss at a million and a half of dollars. Two days after Success this exploit, Anson was joined by the Gloucester, wliicli (j'i'uLi,^ti, he found had also captured several prizes, having on board bullion to the amount of about .£18,000. It was now resolved to cruise off Cape San Lucas or Cape Corrientes for the Manilla galleon, and the squadron accordingly sailed in that direction. On the .5th De- cember, they anchored at the island of Quibo, where * Thomas, p. .56. Walter, p. 194. From a note in Rmnoy, Cliron. Hist. Discov., .ol. v. p. o7i vve learn that lliis lady was alive in 1791, and acknowledged to an Enj^lish seaman "the lihoral con- duct observed towards prisoners in Commodore Anson's expedition." '|- Burnej', Chron. Hist. Discov., vol. v. p. ftH, states that the five ships were burned; but both Walter fp. 202) and TliomaR (p. ♦•;{) menticm their bein^ sunk. Indeed, one of the illustr. .tions in Wal- ter's voyage (plate 24, p. 201) represents the vessels in the act oF goinij down. ^ This is probably above the truth. IMr Thomas j^ives a spe- cific account of the number ot'ounces ot'bullion captured, and oltheir value, by which ho "makes the whole amount £24,415, 10s. 4(1." He adds, however, as a reason lor his estiniatinjif the value at about £32,000, that though " I know not certainly whether there was any thinj^ in specie farther in this capture, yet I know that j7 was genernllii esteemed to ha near £*J2.000 sterling'' (Ap- pendix, p. 4). The exaggerating effects of a common rumour like this are too well known to be valued as of any bi^h authority. ♦ " 158 FROM THE BKGINNING OF THE ' i Ai : ll OlAP. V. Missing the Manilla galleon. Disappoint- ment oi Ai.son. Setting snil lor Cliinn. they took in a supply of wuler, and remained about three days, wlien they resumed their voyage to the northwards. A succession of unfavourable weather rendered their progress so extremely slow, that they did not make the Mexican coast, a little to the north- west of Acapulco, till the end of January. This was past the usual time of the galleon's app( arance ; hut Anson con- tinued to sail along the coast in hopes of inter. ,;ep'dng her till a late period in February, when he received information that she had arrived the previous month, about twenty days l)cfore he had reached the coast. Tliis intelligence, however, was accompanied with the more gratifying information, that she was to leave Acapulco to return to Manilla in the beginning of March, and with a cargo infinitely more valuable than that which she had brought from the Philippines. The cruise was therefore continued, and with increased strict- ness, every precaution being taken, and the most scru- pulous vigilance observed, until long after the period fixed for her sailing, when the search was abandoned on the supposition, which afterwards proved to be correct, that her departure was delayed for that year, on account of the English fleet. Thus disappointed, Anson formed the resolution of attacking Acapulco, and by that means possessing him- self of the object of his wishes ; but this plan fell to the ground, and, leaving his cutter to watch the Manilla ship, he sailed for the harbour of Chequetan, about thirty leagues westward, to obtain a supply of water. During his stay there, the different vessels which had been cap- tured were destroyed ; and it was resolved that the squadron, which i-.ow consisted of only two ships, the Centurion and Gloucester, should quit the South Seas and sail for China. Various accidents, however, contri- buted to postpone their departure, and it was not until the 6th of May tha*^ they lost sight of the moun- tains ot Mexico. They experienrod much difficulty in getting into the track of the trade-winds, which they e:;pectcd to reach in a few days, but did not meet until ' EKJnXEENTII CENTURY TO GEORGE III. 150 8even or eight weeks after leaving tlie coast. This dis- chap. V. appointment pressed on them the more severely, owing "" to the crazy condition into which their ships had now fallen, more particularly the Gloucester, which sailed very heavily. The scurvy, too, again made its appear- Rpnp\yc(i ance, and raged with a violence little less fatal than that the trews"* which had marked its attacks in the passage round Cape Horn. Though the trade- wind had constantly favoured them from the end of June to the latter part of July, their progress, owing to the distressed condition of the crews, had been so very slow, that by their reckoning* they were still 800 leagues from the Ladrones. At this time they met with a westerly breeze, succeeded by a violent storm, which so damaged the Gloucester as toAbnndon- render her abandonment necessary. Two davs were?.',*;'"' "'^1'.'^ employed in removing her crew and part of her stores on board the Centurion ; and, on the 16th of August, she was set on fire, to prevent her falling into the hands of the Spaniards, to whom the valuable prizo-poods on board would have rendered her a welcome acciuisition. " She burned," says Walter, " very fiercely the whole night, her guns firing successively as the flames reached them ; and it was six in tlie morning, when we were about four leagues distant, before she blew up ; the re- port she made upon this occasion was but a small one, but there was an exceeding black pillar of smoke, which sliot up into the air to a very considerable height."* Though re-enforced by the additional crew, An^on had *^.']i]^'",".^'* Still to struggle with difficulty and distress. The late and distress. storm had drifted him from his course ; there was a leak in his vessel which it was found impossible to btop ; and the scurvy ra^ed with such violence, tliat no day passed in which he did not lose eight or ten, and some- times twelve of the ship's company. At length, at daybreak of the 23d, two islands were discovered to the westward, — " a sight which," says Walter, " gave us all great jo^ , and raif^ed our drooping liiifr \Valt( •r, p HOO. M ]()0 FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE jii. I ■ i 1 1 LaiuUng fha sick. CHAP. V. spirits ; for before this a universal dejection had seized Discovery of 'i^j and we almost despaired of ever seeing land again." land. These proved to be two of the Ladrones ; but the ex- hausted seamen remained in sight of them three days without being able to come to an anchor. On the 2Gth three -others were discovered, and the ship's course was directed towards the one in the centre, which was ascer- tained to l)e the island of Tinian. They moored here on the evening of the 28th, and the next day proceeded to hmd their sick, — a labour in which Anson here, as at Juan Fernandez, personally assisted. The accounts which the journalists have left us of this island repre- !>ent it in the most favourable colours ; they dwell on its sunny slopes and gentle declivities, — the beauty ot its lawns, — the luxuriance of its flowers and vegetation, — the grandeur of its forests, and the richness and variety of its fruit-trees. " The fortunate animals, too," it is added, " which for the greatest part of the }ear are the sole lords of this happy soil, partake in some measure of the romantic cast of the island, and are no small addi- tion to its wonderful scenery ; for the cattle, of which it is not uncommon to see herds of some thousaiuls feed- ing together in a large meadow, are certainly the most remarkable in the world ; for they are all of them milk- white, except their ears, which are generally black. And though there are no inhabitants here, yet the cla- mour and frequent parading of domestic poultry, which range the woods in great numbers, perpetually excite the ideas of the neighbourhood of farms and villages, and greatly contribute to the cheerfulness and beauty Dosci'iption ot the island 01 Tinian. of the place. >j * * Walter, p. 30'J. After tJie lapse of nearly u century, a memo- rial of Anson's sojourn at Tinian has been lately broujj;l)t to light. By the Nautical Mag'azine for July WM (vol. iii. p. 429), it appears that " a whaler lately, on woityhing her anchor at the i.sland of Tinian, hooked np the anchor of the Centurion of 64 j^uns, which was lost by that ship in the year 1742, wiien Commodore Anson touched there to refnvsh his crew. It was comparatively little cor- roded, having on a thick coat of ru.st; the wooiien stock was com- Jileteiv rotted oil." KIGIITLENTII CENTURY TO GEOIIGE III. ICl At this plensiint island Anson remained until the 21st chap. v. of October, when, the health of his crew having been ~" restored and the vessel supplied with fresh provisions, Mncnoin he set sail for Macao in China, where he arrived on tho '^'""'^ 12th of November. The live months which he passed here were employed in refitting his shattered ship and still farther confirming the health of his men. He added also to their number some Lascars and Dutch, and was once more in a condition to resume hostilities. On leaving Macao, he gave out that he was bound Dcsipns of for Batavia, on his homeward voyage for England ; but '^"^""• his real design w'as very different. From the sailing ot the Manilla galleon of the previous year liaving been prevented by his appearance off Acapulco, he calculated that this season there would be two ; and he resolved to cruise off the island of Sanial, in the hope of intercept- ing so rich a prize. This flesign he had entertained ever since he left the coast of Mexico, but had prudently abstained from revealing it. When his ship, however, was once fairly at sea, he summoned the whole crew on deck, and informed them of his intentions. In allusion to some absurd fables wliieh prevailed regarding tho strength of the Manilla ships, and their being impene- trable to cannon-shot, he said he trusted there was none present so weak as to believe , uch a ridiculous fiction ; " for his own part, he did assure tlu in upon his word, that whenever he met with them, he would fight them so near, that they should find his bullets, instead of be- ing stopped by one of their sides, should go through them both."* The station on which Anson had determined to cruise station was the Cape Espiritu Santo, part of the island of Samal, ""fiy crui/a"" and he arrived there on the 20th of May. After a month spent in the greatest impatience and anxiety, a general joy was diffused among the crew by the sight of a sail at sunrise of the 20th June. They instantly (stood tow^ards it, and by mid-day were within a league's Walter, [>. 371. if;2 FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CHAP. V. Fight witli a SfmniHh galleon. Disorder anionj: t!io Spanish crew. iTrmenso booty obtained. Iloweward voyage. distance, — the galleon, to their surprise, continuing in her course, and bearing down upon them. Tlie fight was commenced by Anson, who, in order to embarrass the Spaniards, whom he observed busy in clearing their decks, gave directions to fire, though his previous ordei-s had been not to engage till within pistol-shot. Immedi- ately after he took up an advantageous position, by which he was able to traverse the most of his guns on the enemy, who could only bring part of theirs to bear. At the commencement of the battle, part of the netting and mats of the galleon took fire ; but, upon being ex- tinguished, the fight continued with unabated deter mination. Symptoms of disorder, however, were soon observed on board the merchantman ; their general, " who was the life of the action," was disabled, and the men could hardly be prevailed on to remain at their posts. Their last effort was marked by the discharge of five or six guns with more skill than usual ; when, as a signal that the contest was abandoned, the standard of Spain was struck from the mast-head, — the ship's colours having been burned in the engagement. The treasure in specie found on board the prize has been estimated at upwards of £300,000 sterling. Anson at the siime time learned that the other had set sail much earlier than usual, and was most probably moored in the port of Manilla long before he had reached Samal. As notiiing was now to be gained by remaining among the Philippines, he at once set sail for the river of Canton, where he arrived about the middle of July, and remained until the beginning of December. Tlie homeward passage was not attended with any remark- able event, and on the 15th June 1744, after an absence of three years and nine months, the Centurion anchored at Spithead. General joy was diffused through the nation by the return of the expedition, diminished though it was both in men and ships ; and the treasure tnken from the galleon was carried through the streets to the Tower in thirty-two waggons, in the same man ner as the silver taken hy Blake. EIGIITEEiNTII CENTUVc^f (>' the alluded to. In addition to the sufferings endured by the rest of the ileet in their stormy passage round Cape ilorn, her crew were dispirited by evil omens and superstitious fears. Tlie captain who (commanded them when they left England died ere they reached tlie Straits of Le Maire, and it was currently rumoured, both among officers and seamen, that shortly beiore his death he had predicted, " that this voyage, which both officers suiHrstitiPiw and sailors had enijagcd in with so much cheerfulness i^.i ;"i;iiea- 'a"o and alacrity, would prove, in the end, very far from their expectations, notwitlistanding the vast treasure they imagined to gain by it ; that it would end in poverty, verni'n, famine, death, and destruction." -|- These gloomy forebodings appear to have deeply im- pressed all on board, more especially as the defective equipment of the vessel rendered their fulfilment too • A curious illustration of the Iii;rh o|)inion entertained of the conduct of Anson's expcditioti will he found in the " Jonrual of » Cruise mude to the Pacific Ocean, hy Ca|)tain David I'orter, in the United States frigate Essex, in the Years 1J512, l»i;*), and UU4. 2 vols 8vo. Philadelphia, l!ll.")." Ci ptain I'orter informs us, tliat the fame of Anson served only to " rouse his amhitioii," and as an incentive "to make the name of the Essex as well known in the Pacific Ocean as that of tlu> Centurion;" and he {fives it as his opinion, that "the voyage of tlw; Essex oui^lit not to vield the pahn to those of Anson and C