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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 ! ^ f 6 " or THt II LISBBD It ■JOCIETl LARDNIR' BLC, AND AaslSTANC HISTORY Mackln lUhed. " In tbe ( lory of Engl pation« of tl pfay will difT ill) History.' ' In this V llioae great p have long gi' mentary thai of tbe most i —Jitlat. •• Worthy i author's high with big hig occasional si Oazettt. •• ir talents litics. and ye and the col'lei urity in a hist readiiif; this v tory of this c that tliiise wl not rcckonfNl author."— Con 'Oiirantici I highly raised, I th^y bive not I a nervous styl I quired liy coi ■ ceding chronii I this popular al to univcrsnl a{ has begun, Sir lit on his coun " Of its gem impossible to i and after a cat umea which hi Clare that, so the duty t* wl that wa to be ments, his labo lent judgment, principles "— /; " We shall | the rcforiiiatioN has been handl professing }'rot( ' The talents deeply letpected Cited with regat writer may thill as in all nthnrs Oihtleman'i Ma ' The wciind ing the sixth o been st'i\t nbruai its predecessors, the important tr ■a conspicuous i great clearness a BIOtiRAPH' containing Cardinal ^ and Iiord I " A Tery deligt increase in inten commend tbe wo l»»d. Lit. Ottzttti LARDNER'S CABINET CYCLOPEDIA. ' or THE M4NY WORKS WHICH HAVE BKIN LATCLT PITB- LIBBED IN IMITATION, OR ON THE PLAN ADOPTED RT THE JOCIETT rOR THE DIPFD8ION OP USEPUL KNOWLEDOE, DR. LARDHER'l crCLOPiEDIA 18 BT MOCH THE MOST VALUA- BLE, AND THE MOST RECOMMENDED BT DIITINODIIHED ASSiaTAMCE, SCIE^.irnC AND LITERARY." £diHiurgh Revino, HISTORY OF KNOXjAND. By Sir James MaeUntoBh* In 8 Vols* III Tola, pub- Ilahed. " In tbe flrat volume of Sir James Mackintosh'!* His- tory of England, we find enough to warrant the antici- pationii of the public, that a calm and luminouD philoso- phy will diffuse itself over the long narrative of o'lr Urit- isb History." — Edinburgk Review. "In this volume Sir James Mackintosh fully dcvplopes those great powers, for tbe possession of which the public have long given bim credit. Tbe result i» the ablest com- mentary that bns yet appeared in our language upon some of the most important circumstances of English History." —JtUat. ' Worthy in tbe method, style, and reflections, of tbe author's high reputation. We were particularly pleaseil with hJ9 high vein of philosophical sentimpp;, ami his occasional survey of contemporary annab. '— A'iKiaiia/ QatfUi. '■ If talents of the highest order, long e.Tperience in po- litics, and years of application to tbe stut'y of history and the collection of information, can comn-and superi- ority in a historian, Sir James Mackintosh ma/, without reading this work, be said to have produced the best his- tory of this country. A perusal of the work will prove that tliiise who anticipated a superior production, have not reckoned in vain on the high qualifications of tbo author."— Ce«rtfr. " Our anticipations of this volume were certainly very highly raised, and unlike such anticipations in general, th^y have not been disappointed. A philosophical spirit, a nervous style, and n full knowledge of the subject, ac- quired liy considerable research into tbe workn of pre- ceding chroniclers and historians, eminently distiiiEuii>h this pxpiilar nbridgni'-nt, and cannot fail to reconimi>nd il to universal approbation. In continuing his work as he has begun. Sir James Mackintosh will confer a great bene fit on his country."— JUn4. Lit. Oatette. " Of its general merits, and its permanent value, it is impossible to epeak, without the highest commendation, and after a careAil and attentive perusal of the two vol- umes which have been publislied, we are enabled to de- clare that, so far. Sir James Mackintosh bas performed the duty t* which he was assigned, with all the ability that wa to ba expected from his great previous attain- ments, his laliorions industry in investigation, his excel- lent judgment, his superior talents, and bis honorable principles " — Inquirer. " We shall probably extract tlie whole of his view of the rnnation, merely to show buw that important topic has been h.indled by to ablu and pbilusophical a writer, profeiisiiig I'rott'stantism.— A'afiona/ GaiUie. " The talents of Sir James Mackintosli are so justly and deeply respected, that a strong interest is necessarily ex- cited with regard to any work which such a distiii|,'uishod writer may think fit to undertake. In the present inNtancc, as in all othnrs, our exiiectations are fully gratitied."— Oentleman'i Maga-.ine. " The second volume of the History of Rnglnnd, form, ing the sixth of Ciirey & l^a'sC'abinut Cyciupiedia. has been sent abroad, ar.d entirely sustains tbe reputation of its predecessors. The various factions and dimensiims, the important trials and battles, which render this period so conspicuous in the page of history, are all relati.Ml with great ctsarnuss and masterly power."— Bosfaa TrarttUr. BIOURAPHY OF BRITISH ST ATKSBIKN | containing the Iilvea of Sir Thomas IMorr^ Cardinal 'WoUey-f Archbishop Cranmcr, and Lord Burleigh. " A very delightful volume, and on a subject likely to increase in interest as it proceeds. • * * We cordially commend the work botb for its deaign and azecution."— Lend. Lit. OciMte. HISTORY OF SCOTI.Ain>. Bjr Sir Walter Scott. In a Vols. " Tbe History of Scotland, by Sir Walter Scott, we do not hesitate to declare, will be, if possible, more exten- sively read, than the most popular work of Action, by the same prolific author, and for this obvious reason : it com- bines much of the brilliant coloring of the Ivanboe pic- tures of by.gone manners, and all tlM> graceful fiscility of style and picturesqnoness of description of his other charming romances, with a min*ite fidelity to the facts of history, and a searching scrutiny into theii authenti- city and relative value, which might put to tlic blush Mr. Hume and oilier professed historians. Such is tbe magic charm of Sir Walter Scott's pen, it lias only to touch the simplest incident of uvery-day life, and it starts up invested with all the interest of a scene of romance ; and yet such is his fidelity to the text of nature, that tha knij^its, and serfs, and collared fools with whom bis in- ventive genius has peopled so many volumes, are regarded by us as not mere creations of flincy, but as real flesh and blood existences, with all the virtues, feelings and errors of oommon-place humanity,"— Lit. OaicUs. HISTORY OF FRANCE. By Eyro Erans Cro«ve. In 3 vols. HISTORY OF FRANCE, from the Restorap tlon of the Bonrbons, to the Revolution of 1830. By T. B. Mstcamlay, Esq. M. P. Nearly ready. " The style is concise and clear ; and events are sum- med up with imich vigor and originality."— Zit. Oa:el«. " His history of France is worthy to figure with the works of his associates, the best of tlieir day, Scott and Mackintosh."- ^oafA/y Mag. " For such a task Mr. Crows is eminently qualified. At a Ejlance, as it were, bis eye takes in the theatre of centuries. His style is neat, clear, and pithy ; and his |Hi»er of condensation enables bim to say much, and cO'^tively, in a few words^ to |iresent a distinct and lifrfi'ct picture in a narrowly circumscribed space "—La Bttle Aasembtte. ' The style is neat and condensed ; the thoughts and conclusions sound and Just. The necessary conciseness of ihe narrative is unaccompanied by any baldnecs; on the contrary, it is spirited and engaging."— fia/t, Jlmeri- can. ' To compress the history of a great nation, during a period of thirteen hundred years, into three volumes, and to preserve sufficient distinctness as well as interest in the narrative, to enable and induce the reader to possess himself clearly of all the leading incidents, is a task by no means easily executed. It has, nevertheless, been well accomplished in this instance."— J\f. Y. American. "Written with spirit and taste."— 17. S. Oatette. "Could we but persuade our young friends to give these volumes a careful iierusal, we should feel assured ' . their grateful ncknowledgmsnts of profit and pleas- ure."— JV. Y. Mirror. "At once concise and entertaining."— Safurday £■{- Utin. THE HISTORY OF THE NETHERLANU!. to the Battle of Waterloo. By T. C. Grat- tan. " It is hut justice to Mr. Grattan to say that he has executed his laborious task with much industry and pro- porlionate effect. Undisfigured by pompous nolhingncati, and without any of the nff'ectation of philosophical pro. fundity, his style is simple, light, and frcsb— perspicuous, smooth, and harmonious."— i^ Belle Mtetmhlee. " Never did work appear at a more fortunate period. The volume before us is a compressed but clear and im- partial narrative."— /' CABINET LIBRARY. No. 1.— NARRATIVE OP THE LATE WAR IN GERMANY AND FRANCE, By the Marqi'ess of Lomw.tDKRRT. With a Map. No. 2.— JOURNAL of a NATURALIST, witli plated. No. a— AUTOBIOGRAPHY of SIR WAL- TER SCOTT. With a portrait No. 4.— MEMOIRS of SIR WALTER RA- LEGII. By Mrs. A. T. Thomson. With a portrait No. 5.— UFE of BELISARIUS. By Lord Maiion. No. (5.— MILITARY MEMOIRS of the DUKE OF WELLINGTON. By Capt MoYLE Sherer. With a portrait. x\o. 7.— LETTERS to a YOUNG NATU- R A LIST ON THE STUDY of NATURE AND NATURAL THEOLOGY. By J. I. Drvmmond, M. D. With numeroua en- gravings. IS PREPAnATIOX. LIFE OF PETRARCH. By Thoma.s Moore. CLEANINGS in NATURAL HISTORY, being' a Companion to the Journal of a Nat- uralist " The Cabinet Library bills fair lo be a neriei" of grpat vali'e, and is recoRimciidpd to public anil pri\a(e libraries, to prnu;;i;iini.-llaiiiM>iis rfadcr.s seni-rally. It is heautirully primed, and tiirni»!i<'i| at a price whith will place it within the reach of all clastsei) of society."— Ameritan TrcvfUcr. " The scriea of instrnctive, and, in llieir original form. c.\pt>nMive works, which these enlerpri«in:; publinhers are now ibsning under the title uf the "Cabinet Library." is a fonntainuf ubefiil, and almost nnivers.-il knowledge; the advantages of which, in forniins the opinions, taiten, and manners of that portion of .inrielv, to which this varied information is yet new, cannot be too highly uxtiniated."— A*a(io«a/ Joarna/. " Messrs. Carey and liea linvi- rommenceil a series of piiblirations under the nlK>vr tille. wiiirli an- to apfiear monthly, and which seem likflv. fnnn the sperimen liefuri- us, to acquire a lii^h degree of popularity, and to alfjrd a mass of various information and rich entertainment, at once eminenliy useful and "trongly attractive. Tlie mechaniinl ex.Tution is line, thf paper and typoi;raphy excelletit."— A-UKAfi/ZeBoaBfr. ItlRinOIRS OF THE MPE OF SIR IVAL,- TER RAIjEC'II, with aomc Accoiuat of tbe Period In which he llred. By MRS. A. T. THOMSON. With a Portrait. " Such is the outline of • life, which, in Mrs. Thom- son's hands, is a mine of interest ; from the first page to the Inst the attention is roused and sustained, and while we approve the manner, we still more applaud tbe spirit in which it is executed." — LtUrarj/ Oazetu. JOURNAI. OF A NATURALIST. PUtra. and more particularly of our rnuntrf reiders. It will induce them, we are Kure, to examine more closely than they have lieen accustomed to do, into the objects of ani- inateil nature, atui such examination will prove one of tlie most iniioo!iit, and the most satisfactory sources nf iratificntion and amusetnent. It is a hook tliat ought to find its way into every rural drawinc-roum in the kingdom, and one that may safely be placed in eve.-y lady's boudoir, be Iter rank and station in life Tk'hat they may.'— v»«»ter/jr Review, No. LXXVIIL "We think that tlierc are low readers who will not lie delighted (we are certain all will lie instructed) by the 'Journal of a Naturalist.' "—Mmtkl) Revieto. " Tliis is a most delightful book on tlie most ilelightfii) of all studies. We are acquainted with no previous wnik which Ix-ars any resemblance to this, excpt ' White's History of Selborne,' the most (bscinaling piece of rural wriiini; and sound English philosophy that ever issued from the im'M."—Atkeniruiit. "Ttie antlior of the volume now before us, has pro. ducrd one of the most chnriiiing voliiines we n-mcmber to have seen for a long time."— JVcv Mo»tkl}i Magatine, June, lt»!». " A ilclightful volume— perhaps the most so— nor less instructive and amusing— qiven to Natural History since White's Selborne."— A/artwood's Magmine. " The Journal of a Naturalist. Iieini the second nam- lipr nf l.'arey and Lea's beautiful edition of the Cabinet Library, is the best treatise on subjects connected with this train of thought, that we have for a long time pc- ruscd. and we are not at nil surjirised that it slmuld have rfi-eiveil so high nnd tinltering encomiums from the Eng- lish press generally."— BiM/o« VVai't/Zcr. ' Furnishing an interesting and familiar account of the various .ilijccts of niiiinati-d nature, lint calculated to afford both instruction aiul entertainment."— A'uA- rille Banner. "One of '1k! most nereenhle works of its kind in the language."— CoMrifr ie la Louitinne. " It nlmunds with numerous and curious farts, pleas- ing illustrations n''the secret opi-rnlions and economy of iintun-. and sruisl'nctory displays of the power, wisdom and guodiies.'', of tlie great Creiitor. "— PAi/aJ MiuvL. IVith Plants, trees, and stones we note ; Birds, insects, beasts, and rural things. " We again mott strongly recommend this little nnpre- Unding volume to the attention of every lover of nature. THE I«ARq,I'ISSS OF liONDONDERRT'S NARRATIVE OF THE I.ATE WAR IN GERMANY AND FRANCE. "With a Map. " No history of the events to which it n!late8 can be corn'ct without reference to its staiemcnts."- /.iterarji Oazfite. "The events detailed in this volume rannot fliil to excite an intense interest."— />uMin Literary Oautte. "The only connected and well nutlienticated account »ve liave of the spirit-stirring scenes which preceded the fall of Napoleon. It introduces us into the cabinets and presence of the allied monarchs. We observe the secret policy of each individual : we see the course pursued hy the wily Ilernado'io, th': temporixing Mettrrnirh. anil the ambitions Alexander. TIh; work deserves a place in every historical library."— 0/o6e. " We hail with pleasure the appearance of the first volume of llie Cabinet Library." " The author had sin- gular facilities for obtaining the materials of bis work, and Ik- lias introdiiceil us to the movements and measures of cabinets which have hitlierto been hidden from tlie world."— jJmerican Traveller. "It maybe regarded ns the most authentic of all the publications which profess to detail tlie events of th< important campaigns, terminating with that whicb se- cure the capture of the Fa>ncli metropolis."- vVat. Juar- %al. " It is in fact tlie only authentic account of the meao- rable events to which it refers."— A'asAtiHs Banner. " The work deserves a place in every library ."-nw/a- dttpUa Jlllnm. I CA ' It is not or TRINO THE MOS' CaTED CL AND PRAI ■raaoLS ADD nasi AMD IIPI or oauiNi PRELIM JECTS, ITRES PHILOfl A. M. Cambrl "Without ing and insi and (hmily I at the licad < information, pby in Dr. Li 'The fine age has seen " By far Ih competition i enterprise ha ' Mr. Ilersi I scattered thr( I illustration, ' I so as BOineti I which crowd I Review. ' It is the I met with."—. ' One of tl I have ever per A TREAT Kater^ ■ U^ith nil " A work 1 useful inform gible forra."- "This volui a part of Dr. ceived the ui men of scienc reviews, in t popular and roatical symb technical phr " Admirabii especially fel jects." — Jllonti • TI'.ouBh r( highest order ties in a way lar. "—/.»(. Oe ' A work 01 not oiilv to th enco."-A'. Y. A TREAT PNEITM/ With uu "It fully sai expressed as t ence."— Lit. C " Dr. tarda with the timi science."— .Mb "It is writ and in a pop lions of the i eaces."— i;. S X LARDNER'S CABINET CYCLOPEDIA. tden. It will e clmely than tbjcclsof an I prove one of dry source* of ik tluit ought I-roum in the Bred in eve;y life n'hat they who will not ructed) by the nost ilelightftil I no previo'.ii I thl!<. uxri'pt — nor less itural History jaiini. e second nam- uf the Cabinet onnccteri with loni; time pc- it Hliould have I froui the Eng- lar account of liut calculated iment."— JVSw*- ts kind in the farts, pleas nd economy of ^>wer, wisdoni fai< Jllhum. IVDERRT'S "WAR IN VlUa a Map. lates can be iita."—lAterarti ■annot fail to iry Gaiette. icated account h preceded the cabinets end rvc the secret rse pursued by ettrriiich, snil rves a place in ;e of the first iithor had nin- of his work, and measures Iden from tlie ntir of all the events of the hat which se- —^fat. Jtur- of the roeno- Bannir. rary,"-P«/«- " It is hot east to divisk a coaa roR soon a stati or TniNos (THE DicLiHiNO TASTE ro« sci«kck;) bot TBI MOST OaVlOl'S BIMKDV IS TO PKOVIDE THE EDU CATED CtASSKS WITH A SEEIES OF WORKS OR POPULAR AND PRAITICAI. SCIENCE, FREED FROM MATHEMATICAL ■TMBOLS AND TECHNICAL TERMS, WRITTEN IN SIMPLE AND PERBPICDOns LAHOUAOE, AND ILLUSTRATED »V FACTS AND EXPERIMENTS, WHICH ARE LEVEL TO THE OAPAglTT OF ORDINARY MINDS."— Quarttr/y Rniiw. PRKIiIBinirARY DISCOUR8K OM THK OB- JBCT8, ADVANTAGES, AND PLEAS- IIRES OF THE STUDY OF NATVRAJL PHILOSOPHY. By J. T. "W. Hcrachel, A. H. Ute Fellow of St* John's College, Cambridge. " Without disparaging any other of the many interest- ing and instructive volumes issued in the form of cabinet •nd (kmily libraries, it is, perhaps, not too much to place at the head of the list, for extent and variety of condensed information, Mr. Herchel's discourse of Natural Philoso- |iby in Dr. Lardner's Cyclopedia."— C*ri««iaii Okttrvtr. " The finest work of philosophical genius which this age has seen."— JtraciintiuA't Knfland. '■ By fhr the most delightful book to which the existing competition between literary rivals of preat talent and enterprise has given tiae."— Monthly R$vuib. " Mr. Herschcl's delightful volume. * » • We find scattered through the work instances of vivid and happy illustration, where the fhncy is usefully called into action, so as soinetinies to remind us of the splendid pictures which crowd upon us in the style of Bacon."— QNortsr/y Aerisie. " It is the most exciting volume of the kind we ever met }xM\."— Monthly Magazine. " One of tlie most instructive and delightful books we have ever perused."— I/. S. Journal. LARDNER'S CABINET CYCLOPiEDlA. A TREATISE ON MECHANICS. By Capt. Kater, said the Rev. Dlonyslus laardner. IVlth numeroas cngrarlngs* " A work which contains an uncommon amount of useful information, exhibited in a plain and very intelli- gible form."— O/sufed's JVaC. Phihiophy. " This volume has been lately published in Encland, as a part of Dr. Lardner's Cabinet Cyclopiedia, and has re- ceived the unsolicited approbation of the most eminent men of science, and the most discriminating Journals and reviews, in the British metropolis.— It is written in a popular and in;elligible style, entirely free from mathe- matical symbols, and disencumbered as far as possible of technical phrases." — Boston Traveller. " Admirable ir. development and clear in principles, and especially felicitous in illustration from familiar sub- jects." — Monthly Mag. '• TI:ou(rli replete with philosophical information of the highest order in mechanics, adnptod to ordinary capaci ties in a way to render it at once intelligible and popU' lar."— /.!(. Oazette. " A work of great merit, full of valuable information not only to the practical ineclinnic, hut to tlie man uf sci encc."— A". Y. Courier and Kuquirer. A TREATISE ON HYDROSTATICS AND PNEUMATICS. By the Rer. D. Gardner. With numerous engravings. " It fully sjitains the favorable opinion we have already expressed as to this valuable compendium of modern sci- ence." — lit. Oazette. " Dr. Lardner has made a good use of his acquaintance with the familiar flicts which illustrate the principles of science."— ,MiiR(A/y ^a^atias. "It is written with a full knowledge of th<> subject, and in a popular style, aboiioding ir practical illiistra. lions of the abstruse operations uf thase impurant sci- ences."— IT. S. Journal. HISTORY OF THE RISE, PROGRESS, AND PRESENT STATE op the SILK MANUFACTURE; with numerous En- gravings. " It contains abundant information in every depart- ment of this interesting branch of human industry— in the history, culture, and manufacture of silk."— .MmMfy Magazine. There is a great deal of curious inforniation in this little volume."— Literary Gazette. HISTORY OP THE ITALIAN REPUBLICS; being a View of the Rise, Progress, and Fall of Italian Freedom. By J. C. L. Db SiSMONDI. 'The excellencies, defects, and fortunes of the gov- ernments of the Italian commonwealths, form a body of the most valuable materials for political philosophy. It is time that they should be accessible to the American people, as they are about to be rendered in Sismondi's maHterly abridgment. He has done for his large work what Irving accomplished so well for his Life of Colum bus."- AVitioan/ Oazette. HISTORY OF THE Rr ; PROGRESS, and PRESENT STATL cp the MANUFAC- TURES OF PORCELAIN and GLASS. With numerous Wood Cuts. " In the design and execution of the work, the author has displayed considerable judgment and skill, and has so disposed of his valuable materials as to render the book attractive and instructive to the general class of readers."— sat. Ke. Post. The author has, by a popular treatment, made it one of the most interesting books that has been issued of this series. There are, we hrlievc, few of the useful arts less generally underniMid than those of porcelain and glass making. These are completely illustrated by Dr. Lardner, und the various procvfses of forming differ- ently fashioned utensils, are fully described." HISTORY OP the RISE, PROGRESS, and PRESENT STATE of the 'RON and STEEL MANUFACTURE- (In press.) " This volume np|iears to rontain all useful informa- tion on the subject of which it treats."— Air. Oazette. SPAIN AND PORTU- The HISTORY or GAL. In 5 vols. 'A general History of the Spanish and Portuguese Peninsula, ia a great desideratum in our language, and we are glad to see it bep'jn under such favorable aus- pices. We have seldom met with a narrative which Axes attention more steadily, and bears the reader's mind along more pleasantly.' ' In the volumes Itcfore ue, there is unquestionable evidence of capacity for the task, and research in the e.xecution." — U. S. Journal. HISTORY OF SWITZERLAND. " Like the preceding historical numbers of this valu- able publication, i'. abounds with interesting details, illustrative of (ho habits, character, and political com- plexion of the people and country it describes; and af- fords, in the small space of one volume, il digest of all the important facts which, in more elaborate histories, occupy Ave times the space."— Erenia^f Po::t. { r I TRAVELS, ANNUALS, &c. NOTES ON ITAI.V, during the years lt«9-;30. By Rkmbranut 1'i:ai.e. In 1 vol. 8\o. "ThiH nrtim will grBtify nil rcaannalilc i-tper«ation ; h't ia iiviilwr onlentJitiniia, nor ilogmaticnl. nur Iihj iiii- iiiitu; 111- is ii'it n parliaari imra car|HT; l:i' ailiiiiri-ii with- out wrvilily. lie criticises without malcvnli-iirr ; his Iraiikiii'^s mill K<''>>i hiiiiior liivi' an ugimmble color unil KtVeri icijill liix ili'ri li:ivi> made a ro|iiniiac.xtrnrt in preceding cnliimna fnnii thisinlcn'^tiii; wurkoroiirnMiniiyniHii, Uuuil)riiiidt I'.'.'ili', riwently puliliiine«liat di.Tiir^ive iiiituiv, wjiicli we have felt iinich pliusiire in |Kriisiiir.'' ' Tlie title page to these vuliiincs indicatea lliiir l>eiiii! cliielly iiiteiiiieil fur youiiu' inTsmis. Iiitl we are niiieli nii.<- taken if tlii! rarr of cr.iybearda will lie anioiii; the lea^^t iiiinieroiM of Ih'; readers if ' inidsliipmon's pranks ami llH! huniurs of the j;reen room.' '—Lit. Oii:eite. A TOUR IN AMERICA. Bv Basil Hall, Capt. R. N. In -^ vol.-?. 1-,'nio. SKETCHES OF CHINA, with Ilhistrations from Original Drawings. By W. \V. Wood. In 1 vol. l"2nio. " Tlie reaiiteiir? of the author in China, ilnrln!r the years Irfitl-*-^ ami '.'. has enabled liiin to rollerl much very curious inforinalioii relative to this sinsular jn-ople, which he has embodied in his work; and will M-rve to gratiiy the curioaity of many whose time or dispoailiona do not allow them to seek, in the voliiininoiia writin::s of the Jesuita and early travellers, the iiifurination cmilaiiied in the present work. 'J'he recent discuasiuii relative to the renewal of the lllai-t India Company's Charter. Iiaa e.xcited much interest; and amoe.g ourselves, the desire to lie further acquainted with the subjects of 'the Celes- tial Knipire,' lias been considerably augmented." EXPEDITION to the SOURCES op the MISSISSIPPI, Executed by order of the Government of the United States. By Ma- jor S.I I. Lo>o. In2vols.8vo. With Plates. HISTORICAL, CHRONOLOCJICAL, GEO- GRAPHICAL, AND STATISTICAL AT- LAS OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERI- CA, AND THE WEST INDIES, with all their Divisions into Stnte.s Kingdoms, &c. on the Plan of Le Sage, and intended as a companion to Lavoisne's Atlas. In 1 vol. folio, containing 54 Maps. Third Edition, improved and enlarged. to render it worthy of the purpoec for which it is intended. EMnELLisHMENT-s. — 1. Thc Himgarian Prin- ccfis, engraved by Illinan and Pillbrow, from n jjiicfure by Iloli.ies. — 2. Thc Bower of i'aphos, cngnived by Ellis, from a picture by Martin.— 3. The Duchess and Sancho, engraved by Du- rand, from a picture by Leslie. — 4. Richard and Saladin, engraved by Ellis, from a picture by Co«jpcr. — 5. The Rocky Mountains, engraved by Hatch and Sniilie, from a picture by Doughty. — (». Lord Byron in I'iirly Youth, engraved by Ellis, from n-picture by Saunders. — 7. Tiger Island, engraved by Neagle, from a picture by Stunfield. — H. The Blacksmith, engraved by Kelly, from a picture by Neagle. — 9. The Tight Shoe, engraved by Kelly, from a picture by Richter. — 10. Isadore, engraved by lilinan and Pillbrow, from a picture by •Inckson. — 11. The Dutch Maiden, engraved by NtMgle, from a picture by Newton. — li Tiio Mother's Grave, engraved by Neagle, from a picture by Schaffer. ATLAJfTIC SOUVENIR, FOR 1832. This volume is superbly bound in embossed leather, and ornamented with numerous plates, executed in the best style, by the first artists. No expense has been spared in the endeavor ATIi.VNTIC .SOVVEXm FOR 1831. EMiiKi.LisH>iK.vr.s. — 1. Frontispiece. The Siiipwrocko;! Family, cngmvcd by Ellis, from a picture by Burnet. — 2. Shipwreck off Fort Rouge, Calais, engraved by Ellis, from a pic- ture by Stanficld. — 'i. Infancy, engraved by Kelly, troni a })ictnro by Sir Thomas Law- rence. — I. Ijady Jane Grey, engraved by Kelly, from a picture by Leslie. — 5. Three Score and Ten, engraved by Kearny, from a picture by Burnet. — <». The Hour of Rest, engraved by Kelly, from a picture by Burnet. — 7. The Min- strel, engraved by Eilis, from a picture by Les- lie. — ^^. Arcadia, engraved by Kearny, from a picture by Cockerell. — 9. The Fisherman's Return, engraved by Neagle, from a picture by Collins. — 10. The Marchioness of Carmar then, granddaughter of Charles Carroll of Car rollton, engrave Monthly Magfint. " The Book of tlie Seasons is a delightful bock, and recommended to all lovers o( aaiate."—Blaekwi0U'$ Mag- aiint. jc for which it injrarian Prin- II brow, from a I'cr of Paphos, ; by Martin.— Bfraved by Du- L Richard and a picture by tins, engraved 1 picture by Early YouUi, ! by tinunders. Neagle, from e Dlacksniith, re by Neagle. by Kelly, troBi ore, engraved a picture by ien, engraved Newton. — I'i. ! Neagle, from on 1831. spiece. Tlie by Ellis, frwii reck otf Fort s, fronii a pic- engraved by rh.onias Law- ived by Kelly, ree Score and a picture by ensrraved by -T.^TheMin. icture by Les- jarny, from a Fisherman's am a picture « of Carmar- irroll of Car- illbrow, from •ning among im a picture engraved by [C SOUVE- 50NS. Bv a \aturali8t, active ns the to tlie public, (leiign, or the mply merit the deed, cheering ful vnluine, m an and ex|)erl vhkh we are nake it dnuht- rselrei all the Mag^-int. fill bock, and ktcttd'i Mag- PRIV.\T MEMOIRS of NAPOLEON JUST PUBLISHED BY CAREY, LEA, & BLANCHARD. HON.M'All'ri;, from the French of M FAivKi->rr OK Boukiiienne, Private Secre- Inry to tlie Emperor. SKrosD American EnVnoN. complete in one volume. This edition cuatains almost a fourth mort" mutter than the previous one, as in order ti) render il as perfect as po.ssible, extracts h.ive The bravo, by the author of tlie " Spy." " Pilot," " Red Rover," &c. In 2 vols. PJmo. " I By Henry Wliea- t«fk>, Menaber of the Scandinavian stnd Icelandic Literary Societies of Copcnha* gen* Tliis work embraces the ^eat leading features of Scan- dinavian history, conimcncinL' with tlic heroic age, and advancing from the earli(>st dawn of civilization to 'he introduction of ChriHtianitv into the Norlli— itx long and blootly strife wiih Paganism- tlie diMoovvry and coloniza- tion of Iceland. Grranland, and North America, by the Norwegian navigators, btflbre tlie time of Columbus— tlM? military and muriiime expeditions of tlio Northmen— their early intRrrnursc of commerce and war with Ciin- ulantiiinplp and IIm; Kastern empire— the cstnblishmeiit of a \orninn Htate in F'rancc, under Rollo. and the sub- jugation of Eii!,'laiid, first by the Danes, under Canute tile Great, and suhseqiiently by the Normnns, under Duke William, the founder of the English monarvhy. It alHO routaiiis an account of the mythology and litora tore of the ancient North— the Irrlundlc language pre vailing all over the Hcandinavinn countries' until tbe fiirination of the present living InngiieM of Sweden and Ditnniark- an aiinlysiH of the foldas. Saeas, and various chronicles and songs rclntine to the NorilH^rn deities and lieroi>!<, constituting the oriziiiul nie.teriuls from which the work has been |iriiiripnll> compoiicd. It is intended to illustrate the history of France and Kngland during the middle aeea, ami at tlio same time to serve as an introduction to ttiu modern liii>tory of Uennmrk, Nor%vay, and S»eden. LETTEHS TO A YOV'NG NATCRALIST, on the Stndy of Nature, and Natural The- ology. By JAMES 1a. DRUMMOND, M. D. 4ic« With nuineroufi cngravlnga* "We know of no work, compressed within (he same limits, which seems so happily calculated to generate in a young mind, and to renovate in the old, an ardent love of nature in all tier forms." — Monthly Review. . " We cannot but eulogize, in the warmest manner, the endeavor, and we must sny tlie successful endeavor, of a man of science, like Ur. Drummond, to bring down ao exalted a pursuit to the level of youthful faculties, and to cultivate a taste at once so useful, virtuous, and refined." — Ain* MontUy Mef. PRIVATE MEMOIRS or NAPOLEON BO NAPAllTE, from the French of M. Fauve- Lrr DK BouBBiBNNE, Private Secretary to the Emperor. | The peculiar advanlagea of position in reninl lo his present subject, solely enjoyed by M. de Bourn. enne. his literaiy nccomplishmenta and moral quiii- ficalions, have already obtained for these memoin thti first rank in contemnorory and authentic history, hi France, whore they had Ix-en for years expected wiihl anxiety, niid where, sinre the revolu'ion, no work! connected with that period or its consequent evenii has created so great a sensation, the volumes of Bour rienne have, from the fiisi, been accepted us the only trustworthy exhibition of the private life and polilical principles of Napoleon. " We know from the best political authority now liv ing in England, that the writer's accounts are perfect!; corroborated by facts."— /.it. Ov.. ANNALS OF THE PENINSULAR CAM- PAIGNS, By the Author of Cyril Thokk. TON. In 3 vols. 12mo. with plates. The HISTORY OP LOUISIANA, particu. larly of the Cession of that Colony to the United States of North America ; with an Introductory Essay on the Constitution and Government of the United States, by M. di Marbois, Peer of France, translated from the French by an American Citizen. In 1 vol. 8vo. The PERSIAN ADVENTURER. By the Author of the Kvzzilbash. In 2 vols. 12ino. " It is full of glowim; descriptions of Eastern life."- C»ari«r. MORALS OF PLEASURE, Illustrated bj Stories designed for Younf; Persons, in 1 vol. 12mo. " The style of the stories is no /ess remarkable fbr iu ease and graa'fUlnoss, than for the delicacy of its humor and its lieautiful and at times affecting 'simplicity. ,A lady mutt have written it— for it is from the bosom of woman nionc, that sach tenderness of fueling and sucli delicacy of sentiment— such sweet lessons of morality- such deep and pure streams of virtue and piety, guih forth to cleanse the juvenile mind from the grosser impii rities of our nature, and prepare tlie young for lives nf usefulness hcie, and happiness hereaflcr."— A*. Y. Co» Adterliaer. CLARENCE; a Tale of our own Times. By the Autiior of Redwood, Hope Leslie, &c. In 2 vols. AMERICAN QUARTERLY REVIEW, pub- lished on the first of March, June, Septem ber, and December. Price jjS per ann. */ A few complete Sets of the Work are still fur sale. CONSIDERATIONS ON THE CURREN- CY AND BANKING SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES. By Albert Galla- tin. SONGS OF THE AFFECTIONS. By Feucta Hbmaiw. Royal 18mo. •ooTT, cyoomE, ajkd w. OTOM IRTXirO. BY sir VALTER SCOTT. UNT ROBERT OP PARIS, a Tale of the Lower Empire. By the Author of Wa- ^ivcrley. In 3 vols. The reader will at once perceive that the iubject, charactpra and tlie iicenei of action, could nut have m bettnr nnlpctcd for the diaplay of the varioua and un- •lied powers of tlie author. All that ii (lorioua in aria ' splendid in anna— the flitter of urmor, the ponDp of . and the aplendor of chivalry— the gorgeous scenery the Uoaphorus— the ruins of Byzantium— the inagniti- ce of the Urecian capital, and tlie richness and vulup- lusness nf tlM! imperial court, will rise before the reader a surcvHaion of beautiful and daatling images."— Com- lai jUttrtutr. JTOBIOGRAPHY OF SIR WALTER [SCOTT. With a Portrait I' This is a delightful volume, which cannot fail to sat- f every reader, and of which llie contents ought to be own to all those who would be deemed conversant with I lit«...ture of our era."- AVitiraa/ Oatettt. ISTORY OF SCOTLAND. In 2 vols. 'The History of Scotland, by Sir Walter "Vott, we do |t hesitate to declare, will be, if (wssible, mure exten- «ly read, than the most popular work of fiction, by Ihe ne prolitlc author, and for this obvious reason : it com- es much of the brilliant coloring of the Ivanhoc pic- es of by .gone manners, and all the grnceOil facility of he and pictureaqueness of description nf his otlier ■rining rumancvs, with a minute fldetity to the facts f hinlory, and a searching scrutiny into their nuthenti- ly and relative value, which might put to the blush T. Hume and other prof(ieciive manner, hy awakening the desire of it; and by < nlistiiig tlie lively and liiioyunt feelincit in the cause of useful and improving study; while, hy its preg- nant brevity, it is more likeiy to Hiimulate than to super- sede more profound and extensive research. If tlien, as it is avowcilly intended fur the use of tlie younger readers of llonier. and, as it is im|H>Ksible not to discover, with a more particular view to the great utIkk)! to which the au- thor owes his education, we shall he much miblaken if it diK'S not liecome ns popular a it will be iiaefUl in that celebrated estaklislinient."— Qaarler/y Hevieio. " We sincerely hope that Mr. Coleridge will favor us with a continuation uf his work, which he promises." — GtHt. Mag. " The author of this elegant volume has collected a vapt mass of valuable information. To tlic higher classes of the public schools, and yoiin:; men of universities, this volume will be eH|iccially valuable ; ns it will afford nn agri^eable ri'lief of light readinc to more grave stuilies, at onrc instructive and entertaining."— ircWcyoN Melhodiat .Magaiiiit. ATLAS OF ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY, con- sistinnr of 21 Colored Maps, with a complete Accentuated Index. By S.\.mi;el Butler, D. D., F. R. S. (fcc. Archdeacon of Derby. By the same Author. \ GEOGR.'KPHIA CLASSICA: a Sketch of Ancient Geograpiiy, fur tJie Use of Schools. In dvo. Extract of a Letter from Professor Stuart of Andovor. " I have iis'd Butler's Atl!i» Classict for 12 or 14 yeors. and prefer it on tli.^* score of convunience and correctness 10 any alias within the conip.iss of my knowliHlec. It is evidently a work of much cure nnd taiite, and most happily .idaptcd tncla^sical readers and indeetl all others, whii ronsnlt the history of past ase«. I liuve long clK'rish- ed a strong desire to hc MILLWRIGHT and MILLEP'? GUIDE By Oliver Evans. New Edition, with ac ditions and corrections, by the Professor c: Mechanics in the Franklin Institute &: Pennsylvania, and a description of an in. proved Merchant Flour-Mill, with engrav ings, by C. & O. Evans, Engineers. THE NATURE and PROPERTIES of tk ^ SUGAR CANE, with Practical Directiotl for its Culture, and the Manufacture of \-< various Products; detailing the improvK : Methods of Extracting, Boiling, Refininj and Distilling; also Descriptions of thelfe, Machinery, and useful Directions for thr' g' eiieral Management of Estates. ByGEORuu .iciiardson Porter. "This volume contains a valuable nin!>s of scienlii and practical informatioii, and is. indwd, a lompendiuil of everything interesting relative to colonial ugricultuitl and manufacture." — liiteUigtnctr. "We can altogether recommend this vnliiine ns a nii«| valuable addition to (he library of ili" luiiiii' Wi-st Iiidiij merchant, as well as that of the reyiiJent pluntrr."— It Oa-.tue. "This work may In- considered one nf the most valii.r lile books that has yet i.isiied from llie \,\v>» comreclF': with colonial interests; inilecd. we know of no grenlri service we could render West India prnprietors, than in recommending tlie study of Mr, Porter's volume."— j^iet Itttor. " Tlie work before ns contains such valuable, scientific. and practical ir. 'Urination, that we have no doubt it wiil find a place in the library of every planter and prr$i)ii connected with our sugar colonies."— .iVanfA/y Jtfof a:is(. A TREATISE on MECHANICS. By James Renwick, Esq. Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy, Columbia College, N. Y. In dvo. with numerous engravings, f V ACTURESt 4t,| nSE on RAIL OR COMMUM iL— conlaininff :cB of the differpj ind subsequent upwanls or tt| munts with TabM >f Canals and IU.1 le present Locom? AS Wood, Collier nstitution of Civ j h plates. ufht uphii trpatiK'j iln III lliii nationt volume to be one reader to the w«r | hcthitr he be a man i-il with it* terhiiK. ^ (ruction and pleoiu? iieeu united before. . i [VE AND FIXEI iPUKNRON and . I. With an At) Manchester Rai- 3. with plateo. iLEP"^ GUIDE Edition, with ac-) the Professor ki :lin Institute «< iption of an in. ' ill, with engra. igineers. :RTIES of th! Ictical Directior.. nufacture of r.. the improvec iling, Refininj Itions of thelte.i ections for tini Ites. ByGEORciJ ninss of scientij' |nlonjiil agricultuitl I volume no a mml liuiiii' VVust iiitliil bit (iluntiT."— JLk] J>f thp most valiia ic [.if.-n coiinettM |i>«' of no erentrr iiprieliirs, than in Is volume."— f/jef jiliiablv, .irientifir. ' no doubt it will ^iiti-r and person VnlAly Jttagtt-.int. Is. By James J Natural and |inbia College, engravings. ^ N A U II A T I V E VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC AND HEEUING'S STRAIT, TO CO-OPEBATE WITH IHE POLAR EXi iiDITIONS % PERFORMED IN Ills MAJESTY'S SHIP BLOSSOM, UNDER THE COMMAND OF CAPTAIN F. VV. BEECHEY, R. N. F.R.S. cr-c. IN THE YEARS 1825, 20, 27, 28. PIJRLISHED CV AUTHORITY OP THE LORDS COMMISSIONERS OP THE ADMIRALTY. PHILADELPHIA : CAREY & LEA-CHESNUT STREET. 1832. ; i; S^ /O / AMHERST: PRINTED BY J. s. U C. ADAMS. CONTENTS. CHAPTER 1. Departure from England — Tencriffe — Sun eclipsed — Fernanda Norhona — Make the Coast of Brazil — Rio Janeiro — Passage round Cape Huru — Conception — Valpa- raiso ...... ... Page 13 CHAPTER II. Leave the Coast of Chili — Visit Sala-y-Gomez — Easter Island — Hostile Reception there — Description of the Inhabitants, Island, &c. — Enter the dangerous Arcliipela- go — Davis' Island — Elizabeth or Henderson's Island, its singular Formation — See Pitcairn Island ... ..... 33 CHAPTER III. Pitcairn Island — Adams and natives come off to the Ship — Adams' Account of the Mutiny of the Bounty — Lieutenant Bligh sent aflrill in the Launch — Mutineers pro- ceed to Tobouai — Hostile Reception there — Proceed to Otahcite — Ret urn to Tobouai — Again quit it, and return to Otahcite — Christian determines to proceed to Pitcairn Island — Lands there — Fate of the ship — Insurrection among the blacks — Mutineers — ^Adams dangerously wounded — Fate of the remaining Mutineers . 53 CHAPTER IV. Bounty Bay — Observatory landod — Manners, Customs, Occupations, Amusements &c. of the Natives — Village — Description of tlie Island — Its produce — Marriage of Adams — Barge hoisted out — Departure — General Description . . 70 CHAPTER V. Visit Oeno Island — Description of it — Lot ^ of a Boat and one Se.amen — Narrow escape of the Crew — Crescent Island — Gumbicr Groupe — Visited by Natives on Rafts — Discover a Passage into the Lagoon — Ship enters — Interview with the Na- tives — Anchor off two Streams of Water — Visited by the Natives — Theft — Commu- nication with them suspended — Morai — Manner of preserving the Dead — Idols and Places of Worship ........ 95 CHAPTER VI. Second interview with the Natives — Visit to the principal Village-Bodies exposed to dry — Areglie or Chief — Lieutenant Wainwright attac''edby Natives — Advantage of the Port — Further Description of the Island, its Soil and productions . 114 201477 ^'''^J^Tf' IV CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. Quit Gambicr Islands — Visit Lord Hood's Island — Wr.tcr-Spout — Clermont Ton- ncrc — Description of tlio Tsliuid iind Natives, Canoe, &c. — Scrlc Lsland — Whitsun- day Island — Lagoon Island — Thrum Cap Island — Egniont Islanl — Discover Har- row Island ; Description of it — Carysfort Island — Discover Cockbnrn Island — Osna- burgh Island — Find the Wreck of the Matild.a — Bligh's Lagoon Island — Discovery of Byam Martin Island — Meet a Party of Chain Islanders there — Mystery attached to their History — Take two of thcni onboard the Ship — Gloucester Island — See Bow lalund. 131 CHAPTER VIII. Boat sent to examine the Channel into Bow Island — Lag'oon — Unexpected Inter- view between Suwarri and his Brother. — A Pearl Brig at anchor in the Lagoon — Mystery attached to the Byam Martin Islanders dispelled — Their interesting History, extensive Wanderings and sufferings — Sequel of Tuwarri's History — Ship enters the Lagoon — Description of the Island — A short Account of the Natives — Visit several other coral Islands, and discover Melville and Croker Islands — Remarks on the Dis- coveries of Cook, Wallifl, Carteret, &c. — Peculiarities of the coral Islands — Arrival at Otaheitc ........ UO CHAPTER IX. Proceedings at Otaheitc — The Ship visited by the Queen Regent, the Royal Fam- ily, and several Chiefs — Short Account of the Chiefs since Captain Cook's Visit — Successful Issue of a Dispute with tiic Government 'especting the Detention of a trading Vessel — Visit to the Queen Regent's House — Present Conditiimof the Chiefs and of the Inhabitants — Superstitions — Trial of Natives for Theft of the Ship's Store — The King visits the Ship — Lake and Moral of Mirapaye — Dance exhibitad by a Party of New Zeulauders — Considerations on the Effect of Christianity . 175 CHAPTER X. Departure from Otaheitc — Arrival at Woahoo, Sandwich Islands— Contrast between tho two Countries — Visit the King and Pitt — Departure — Oneehow — Passage to Petropaulski — Bcering's Island — St. Lawrence Island — Esquimaux — King's Island — Diomede Islands — Pass Becring's Strait — Arrive in Kotzebue Sound — Anchor off Chamisso Island — Ice Formation in Escholtz Bav . . . I'JK Pi PI Zl d1 Pr ee to vii CPAPTER XI. Quit Kotzebue Sound, and jvrocecd to survey the, coast to the Northward — Inter- views with the natives — Cape '1 homson — Point Hope — Current — Capes sabine and Beaufort — Barrier of Ice — Icy Cape — Advanced Position of the ship — Discover Cape Franklin, Wainwright In!et, Shoals off Icy Cape, &c. — Boat sent on an Expedition along the Coast— Return of the Ship to Kotzebue Sound — Interviews with the Esqui- maux — Boat rejoins the Ship — Important Results of her Expedition . ^24 CHAPTER XII. Interesting Narrative of the Boat Bxpedition — Point Barrow — Near Approach' to Captain Franklin — Beset by tiie Ice — Perilous Siluotiun and fortunate Release of the Barge — Terrific Gale — Rejoin the Shij) — Further Examination of Kotzebue Sound — Discover Buckland River — Mammoth Bones — Ice Forniation — Approach of ih on its of bi pn S( tl) til CONTENTS V Winter oWig'cs the Ship to quit the Sound — Rrpass Bcering's Strait — Gale — Pro- ceed t o the Southward — FuturePlans — Make St. Paul's Island — Aleutian lalands — Pass throgh Oouemak Channel — Arrive off San Francisco in California . 2G0 CHAPTER XIII. Arrive at San Francisco — Description of the Harbour, Presidio, and the missions — Occupations — Dissatisfied State of the Garrison and the Priesthood — Contempla- ted Plan of settling tiic Indians in the Missions — Occupations of the converted Indi- fing — Manner of making' Converts — Expcditon against the Tribe of Coscmcns — Official Dcsptach — Overland Journev to Monterey — Scarcity of Provisions at that place — Plan of the Voyage altered in consequence — Departure . . 202 CHAPTER XIV. Observations on the Country of California and its Trade — Climate — Meteorolog- ical Remarks — Short Account of the Wild Indians — Natural Productions — Monte- rey — Mission of San Carlos — Departure ..... 331 CHAPTER XV. Passage to the Sandwich Islands — Woahoo^Historical Sketch of the Islands — Progress in Civilization — Sandal Wood — Resources of the Government — Slow Progrcs of Education — Efforts of the Missionaries — Unsuccessful Result of their Zeal — Sentiments of the King and Chiefs — Entertainment given by the King — Death of Krymakoo — Wailing Scene — Departure of Kahumana for Owyhee 345 CHAPTER XVI. Further Remarks on the Inhabitants — Treaty of Alliance — Climate — Medicina' Properties of the Ava — Supplies — Departure — Passage to China — Ladrone and Bash cc Islands — Arrival at Macao — Transactions there — Departure — Botel Tobago Xima — Arrival at the Great Loo Choo . . . . , . 3C'« CHAPTER XVn. Appearance of Loo Choo— Visits of the Natives — Deputation — Permission given to land — Excursions into the Country — Discover Money in circulation — Mandarin visits the ship — Departure of a Junk with Tribute — Visit of the Mandarin returned — Further Intercourse — Transactions of the Ship — Departure — Observations upon the Religion, Manners, and Customs of the People ; upon their Laws, Money, Weap- ons, and Punishments ; their Manufactures and Trade — Remarks upon the Country its Productions, and Climate — Directions for entering the Port — Historical Sketcli of the Kingdom of Loo Choo ...... 370 CHAPTER XVIII. Passage from Loo Choo eastward — Arrive at Port Ll6yd in the Yslas del Arzo- bispo — Description of those Islands — Passage to Kamschatka — Arrival at Pctro- paulski Notice of thai Place — Departure — Pass Beering's Strait— Enter Kotzebuc Sound — Prosecute the Voyage to the Northward — Stopped by the Ice — Ri'turn to the Sout'~ward — Discover Port Clarence and Grantlcy Harbour — Description of these Harbours — Return to Kotzebuc Sound — Ship strikes upon a Shoal . 430 v*4.: f VI CONTENTS CHAPTER XIX. Arrive at Chamisso Island — Find the Barge Wrecked — Lieutenant Belcher'a Proceeding's — Conduct of the Natives — Approacli of Winter — Final Departure from the Polar Sea — Observations upon the Probability of the North- West Passage from the Pacific — Remarks upon the Tribe inhabiting' the North- West-Coast of America — Return to California — Touch at San Bias, Valparaiso, Coquimbo, Rio Janeiro — Cunclusion ......... 458 \. [ Bnant Belcher's Departure from 8t Passage from oaat of America I, Rio Janeiro — 458 Note. In presenting to the public a new edifinn ^r *u;. ■ . popular work, the PubHshe^ feel bound™ Lf^t.T""^ T^ I I I TO THE KING. In availing myself of Your Majesty's gracious permis- sion to dedicate this work to your Majesty, I feel that I am performing a most pleasing duty. The claims of Your Majesty's family on the gratitude of the nation, for the efficient patronage they have afford- ed to maritime discovery, require merely to be alluded to, to ensure the attention of every well-wisher to his countiy. Under a less powerful Sovereign than your Royal Father, the voyages of Cook and Vancouver, in all prob- ability, would never have been projected, and could hardly have prospered ; while it is certain that the ex- peditions of rarry and Franklin owed their chief distinc- tion to the enlightened encouragement of His late Majesty. But these great enterprises — so productive of national renown — so extensively useful in diifusing the blessings of civilization over distant and savage lands — and so emi- nently beneficial to the cause of science and of commerce, could never have been successfully accomplished, had not VOL. I. 1 11 DEDICATION. the character of the Navy been habitually maintained at, perhaps, the highest level which human exertion is capa- ole ol reaching. To produce this generous spirit, ho.wever, and to pre- serve it entire wiien once created, there was required, on the part of the Royal Family, some signal example of personal sacrifice to the popular service of the country. And although it would be very presumptuous in any one to pretend to estimate the advantages which the profes- sion has derived, in our own days, from Your Majesty having condescended to become one of its working mem- bers, there can be no doubt, that in all future times, the British Navy will retain the salutary impression, and cher- ish the remembrance of this high honour. May it please Your Majesty, Your Majesty's most dutiful servant, most grateful and most faithful subject, FREDERICK WILLIAM BEECHEY. I I if '^f intained at, ion is capa- and to pre- equiied, on xample of he country, in any one he piofes- r Majesty king mem- times, the I, and chei- 'if ^HEY. INTRODUCTION. The discovery of a north-west passage to the Pacific had for some j'ears occupied the attention of the British government and of the public at large, and several brilliant attempts had been made both by sea and by land to ascertain the practicability of its navigation, which, though conducted with a zeal and perseverance that will transmit them to the latest posterity, had, from insurmountable difficulties, fail- ed of success. In 1834. His late Majesty having commanded that another attempt should be made by way of Prince Regent's Inlet, an expedition was equipped — the last that sailed upon this intciesting service — and the command again conferred upon Captain Parry, whose exploits have so deservedly earned him the approbation of his country. At the same time Captain Franklin, undaunted by his former perilous expedition, and by the magnitude of the contemplated undertaking, having with the promptness and perseverance peculiar to his character, proposed to connect his brilliant discoveries at the mouth of the Coppermine River with the furthest known point on the western side of America, by descend- ing the Mackenzie River, and, with the assistance of his intrepid asso- ciate, Dr. Richardson, by coasting the northern shore in opposite direc- tions towards the two previously discovered points. His late Majesty was also pleased to command that this expedition should be simulta- neously undertaken. From the nature of those services it wa<^ nearly impossible that either of these expeditions could arrive at the open soa in Beering's Strait, without having nearly, if not wliolly, exhausted their resources ; and Captain Franklin's party being, in addition, destitute of a conveyance to a place whence it could return to Europe. To obviate these antici- ■* .is I •1 IV INTUOIJU'CTION. 4 (■^ li 1, \' . li- I i pated diflicullics, Itis Majesty'H government determined upon sending a Bhip to Becring's Strait to await tlic arrival of tlic two expeditions. As tiiis vessel would traverse, in her route, a portion of the globe hitherto little explored, and as a considerable period must nece. rily elapse before her presence would be required in the north, it was inten- ded to employ her in surveying and exploring such parts of the Pacific as were within her reach, and were of the most consequence to naviga- tion. The vessel selected for this service was his Majesty's ship Blossom, of twenty -six guns, but on this occasion mounting only sixteen ; and on the 12th of January, 1825, I had the honour of being appointed to the command of her. The following o/Rcers, most of them men distin- guished for their abilities, were placed under my orders, viz. — Lieutenant, Ditto, Lieutenant, Mastei; SuT'ffeon, . Purser, Adm iralty Mates, Midshipmen^ George Peard. Edw. IJelcher, Sn- pernnmeranj and Asxi'ilmit Sitrvcyor. John Wainwright. Thomas Elson. Alex. Collie. George Marsh. ■ J. F. Gould,* William Smyth, James Wolfe. John Kendall, Richard IJ. Beochy. Naturalist, George T- Lay. Assistant Surgeon, Thomas Ncilson. Clerks, . . Volant. \st Class Ditto, 2d Class, Gunner, Boatswain, Carpenter, . ^ John Evans, \ Chas. H. Osmcr. John Crawley. John Hockley. J. C. Barlow. Charles Lewis. John Richardson. James Clarkson. Thos. Garrett. To these were added such a number of seamen, marines, and boys, as, with the exception of the supcrnumciaries, would form a complement of a hundred and ten persons ; but in consequence of the weakness of our crew when collected, I was permitted to discharge ten of the most inefficient ; a reduction which, without sensibly diminishing the strength of our crew, materially increased the duration of our stock of provisions, and in the sequel proved of the most happy consequence. The ship was partially strengthened, and otherwise adapted to the service, by increasing her stowage. A boat was supplied, to be used as a tender, and for this purpose she was made as large as the space on the deck would allow. She was rigged as a schooner, decked, and fit- ted in the most complete manner, and reflected great credit upon Mr. Peake, the master-shipwright of Woolwich dock-yard, who moddelled and built her. ♦Tliis valuable young officer was obliged to quit ihe ship at Rio Janerio on ac- count of his health. i ' II m 'liw w i INTROUl'CTlON. I sending a itions. the globe iiece. rily was inten- the Pacific ! to naviga- p Dlossom, en ; and on ntcd to the len distin- c T. Lay. las Neiison. Evans, H. Osmcr. Crawley. Hockley. Uarlow. es Lewis, lichardsoii. Clarkson. [jiarrett. boys, as, implement ;akncs3 of the most [hing the stock of luence. id to the ^e used as [space on |, and fit- iipon Mr. loddelled lio on ac- * 4B To the usual allowance of provision was added a variety of anti- scorbutics. Cloth, beads, cutlery, and other articles of traffic, were put on board ; and two fowling-pieces, embossed with silver, and fitted in the most complete manner, were supplied as presents to the kings of the Society and Sandwich Islands. The College of Surgeons sent bot- tles of spirits for the preservation of specimens, and the Horticultural Society enhanced our extra stores with a box of seeds properly pre- pared for keeping. The seaman were furnished with two suits of clothes gratis, and were allowed the further privilege of having six months' wages in advance. In the equipment of all the expeditions of this nature it has been the good fortune of the oflicers engaged in them to meet with the utmost courtesy and attention to their wishes from the departments which have the power so materially to contribute to their comfort ; and I take this opportunity of expresjing my sincere thanks to Sir G. Cockburn and the other Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, to Sir Thomas Byam Martin, and the Commissioners of the Navy and Victualling Boards, for the readiness with which they at all times complied with my requests. Being in every respect ready, on the 19th May I received the follow- ing instructions from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty : — *' By the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Ad- miral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland &c. " Whereas it is our intention that his majesty's sloop Blossom, under your command, should be at Beering's Strait in the Autumn of 1826, and, contingently, in that of 1837, for the purpose of affording such as- sistance as may be required, either by Captain Pairy or Captain Frank- Jin, should one or both of those officers make their appearance in that neighbourhood. You are hereby required and ('•- cted to put to sea in the said sloop, so soon as in every respect ready, and observe the fol- lowing instrutcions for your guidance : — " You are to proceed with all convenient expedition to Rio Janeiro, where you are to complete your provisions and water ; after which you are to make the best of your way round Cape Horn, and endeavour to make Easter Island ; from whence you are to take your departure, steering for tlie Society Islands, and passing near the spot where Gomez Island appears in the charts, in order to ascertain whether such island has any existence ; and, in like manner, whether Ducle's and Elizabeth Islands be not one and the same. You will then proceed to Pitcairn's Island at the south-eastern extremity of the groupe of the Society Isl- ands, or, as they are sometimes called, the Georgian Islands, where you will commence a survey of this gioupe, proceeding north-westerly to . rir' •«• • w ;-. fr. i i^ \ M-"^ N(l h: 'i , VI INTROOL'CTION. Otalioite. In the execution of this survey it may be found most ad vianblc to nnclior, if ])ructicublc, every evening, under one of the ishmds, in oidcr tliut tlie jituution of tlie ship niuy, by tiiese nieuns, be more secure, and that you may be ccrtu' "•iit none of them are passed by you unobserv- ed. If, however, you ... dd experience any diflicully in pursuing the route herein pointed out from the prevailing wiiuis, you will make the best of yout way to Otaheite, and proceed from thence in your survey to Pitcairn'a Island. " During your slay among these or any other of tlie islands of the Pacific which you may visit, you arc to use every possible endeavour to preserve an amicable intercourse with tiic natives, and to caution your officers and ship's company to avoid giving oflencc or engaging in dis- putes with them ; and you are to show them on all occasions every act of kindness that may be in your power, taking care that when any pur- chases, by barter or otherwise, arc made, an officer of the ship may al- ways be present to prevent disputes : and you are particularly to im- press on the minds of your officeis and men the necessity of being ex- tremely guarded in their intcreoiirsc with the females of those places, 80 as to avoid exciting tiie jealousy of llie men. " Having completed tlie survey of this groupe of islands, if you find that your time will admit of it, you are to direct your course to the Navigator's Islands, settling in your way thither the true position of Suwarrow's Islands ; from whence, in your progress to the northward, you will touch at Owhyhee, to deliver the despatches and packages address- ed by the Foreign Office for his Majesty's consul at that island, and to procure refreshments and water. " You are however, to be particularly careful not to prolong your stay at any of those islands, so as to retard your arrival at the appoint- ed rendezvous in neering's Stiait later than the lOlli July, I82() ; which period, together with the rendezvous, has been fixed by Captain Franklin and yourself, by a nienioraiidum, a copy of which is annexed, and we desire and 'Urect you to i)ay particular attention to the the va- rious matters contained therein. " You arc to remain at the said appointed rendezvous until the end of October; or to as late a period as the season will admit, without in- curring the risk of being obliged to winter there, provided you shall hear nothing of Captain Franklin or his party ; but in the event of his joining, you are to receive him and his party onboard, and convey him either to Kamtschatka, the Sandwich Islands, Panama, or to China, as he may determine, in order to procure a further conveyance to England. If, however, you should receive certain intelligence of Captain Parry having passed through Beering's Strait into the Pacific, you are in that case to proceed with the Blossom round Cape Horn, and bring Captain Franklin and his party to England ; touching at Callao, and such other ports on the western coast of .South Ameiica as you may deem proper for refreshments, intelligence, &e. " In the foriuer event, namely, of your leaving Bcering's Strait with Captain Franklin hv.* M-ithout having obtained any intelligence of Cap- tain Parry, you arc to comjnete your water and provisions at the place %, ^/i I] ' ■ ! ■ ^M m j -w -^ " ■ iiii L ipii Iff- iNTnont'cTioN. VII lostadvisnblc uids, ill Older i secure, and on unobsorv- piirsuing tlie Mil innkc the your Hiirvey lands of the endeavour to caution your iging in dis- na every act icn any pur- diip may al- larly to im- )f being cx- lose places, if you find urse to the ! position of thward, you ^'cs addross- itnd, and to :)long your [he appoint- ily, 1820; Captain annexed, he the va- 1 the end ithout in- you shall cut of his )nvcy him -hina, as S^ngland. in Parry in that Captain ich other m proper rait with of Cap- he place to whicli you convey Captain Franklin ; or in the event of your hearing nothing either of Captains Franklin or Parry, previous to the seiisoa obliging y(»u to leave Ucering's Strait in iN'-iO, you are to proceed to Bueh place nn you may deem most eligible and convenient for complet- ing your provisions and water ; taking care in either of the lust men- tioned cases to be again in Heering's Strait by the Ist August, 1827, calling in your way thither again at Owhyhee, at wbich place Captain Parry has l)een directed to give the preference of touching in his way homeward, for the purpose of affording you intelligence of him. " If you should find that Captain Parry has passed, or should he pass after joining you, and that you have heard nothing of Captain Franklin, you are, nevertheless, to proceed to, or remain at (as the case may be) Beeriug's Strait, in the autumn of 1827, as already directed, following in all respects the directions already given for your conduct in the au- tumn of 182(J. " In order that you may be put in full possession of that part of our instructions to Captain Parry which relates to his arrivnl in Beering'a Strait, we enclose you herewith an extract from them, as also a copy of a ' Memorandum,' drawn up by Caj)tain Parry, and dated ' Hccia, Davis' Strait, June, 1824 ;' to both of which "ve desire to call your par- ticular attention, in order that you may govern your proceedings accor- dingly. " Having remained in Beering's Strait as late in the autumn of 1827 as the season will admit, and withou* risking the clianee of being oblig- ed to winter on account of the ice, ^ou are to proceed to England by the route before directed ; reporting to our secretary your arrival, and transmitting the journals of yourself and officers for our information. " In the prosecution of your voyage out, and during your stay in the Pacific, you are to be particular in noticing the dijf'erencea of longi- tude given by your chronometers, from any one place to another, which you may visit in succession. " As we have appointed Mr. Tradescant Lay as naturalist on the voyage, and some of your ofllcers are acquainted with certain branches of natural history, it is expected that your visits to the numerouo islands of the Pacific will aflTord the means of collecting rare and curi- ous specimens in the several departments of this branch of science. You are to cause it to be understood that two specimens, at least, of each article are to be reserved for the public museums ; after which the naturalist and oflicers will be at liberty to collect for themselves. You will pay every attention in your power to the preservation of the va- rious specimens of natural history, and on your arrival in England trans- mit them to this oflSce ; and if, on your arrival al any place in the course of your voyage, you should meet with a safe conveyance to Engl«>nd, you are to avail yourself of it to send home any despatches you may have, accompanied by journals, charts, drawings, &e., and such specimens of natural history as may have been collected. And you will, on each of your visits to Owhyhee, deliver to his Majesty's consul at that place duplicates of all your previous collections and documents, to be transmitted by him, by the first safe opportunity, to England. '1^' -^ .*. tt".^«.-. V nr* VIU INTRODUCTION". I -I "In the event of England becoming involved in hostilities with any other power during your absence, you are, nevertheless, clearly to i.nder- stand that you are not on any account to commit any hostile act whatso- ever ; the vessel you command being sent out only for the purpose of discovery and science, and it being the practice of all civilized nations to consider vessels so employed as excluded from the operations of war: and, confiding in this general feeling, we should trust that you would receive every assistance from the ships or subjects of any foreign power which you may fall in with. " On your return home you will proceed to Spithead, informing our secretary of your arrival. " Given under our hands, the 11th of May, 1825. " MELVILLE. WM. JOHNSTONE HOPE. G. COCKBURN. G. CLERK. \V. R. K. DOUGLAS. "To Frederick William Bcechy, Esq. Commander of his Majesty's Sloop Blossom, at Spithead. " By Command of their lordships. "J. W. CROCKER." I : '•I ; 'i fro th( h f the ship will also have arrived there ; and Captain Franklin will proceed to the same place should he not have mot either the ship or launch be- fore. " During the time the Blossom remains in Kotzebue Soimd, a party will be directed to proceed inland on a north course, if practicable, in order that should the coast oi' the Polar Sea be within reasonable dis- tance, signals may be erected upon the heights for Captain Franklin, whose pany may by this means be spared a long journey round the N. W. promontory of America. At this and every other station where information is deposited of Captain Beechey, it is advisable that a re- quest in the Russian language be also placed, that this information be not taken away, or the signals disturbed. " Since the transmission of tlie above, Captain Franklin has received his instructions from Earl Bathnrst, the contents of which have been made known to Captain Beechey, and the only addition which we think necessary to make is, that in tlie event of Captain Franklin arriving at an early period at ley Cape, or at the N. W. extremity of America, or in the longitude of Icy Cape (l()l" 42' W.) and returning the same season to his former winter quarters, he will, in the above-mentioned meridian, erect, a signal, and bury a bottle containing the information of his having done sc for Captain Beechey's gui Jance. (Signed) " JOHN FRANKLIN, Captain. F.W. BEECHEY, Commander, His Majesty's Sloop Blossom. Woohcich, lOth February, 1825." h P n I US After the receipt of these instructions, I took an early opportunity of communicating to the oflicers under my command the sentiments of their lordships, contained in the twelfth paragraph. How satisfacto- rily these expectations were fulfilled, must appear from the manner in which their lordships have m; eful information on the above- i5 '■'■>: i if i H y«ip^" KNTRODLCTION. XI will proceed r launch be- nd, a party iclicable, in sonable dig- in Franklin, y round the ation where e tiiat a re- ormation be las received have been ch we think arriving at America, or [ the same 3-nientioned information in. lander, His ossoni. jopportiniity sentiments satisfacto- manner in ir conduct, opportuni- essing my their exer- eard, upon tention be- loLieuten- attention n, for his ht for his llt(Mition to jife, for liis nd, lastly, their leis- id papers nih direc- \{ Messrs. le above- *u mentioned branches of science, and m other respects I have derived much assistance from their remarks, and also from those in tne journals of Messrs. Evans, Smyth, aiul IJeechey. I have in grncral noticed these obligations in the course of my n;irnillvc: but as tliis could nut ahv.;ys be done without inconvenience lo tiic rcadf.r, I lake this opportunity of more fully rxprcssiiis luy ackuowledgemcuts. In the compilation I have endeavoured to combine information use- ful to the philosoplicr with remarks tliat I irust may prove advan- tageous to the seaman, and to convey to tlie general reader the imjires- sions producedupon my mind at the moment of eaeh occurrence. Ilnw far I have succeeded in aequiitinu myself of the tiisk my duty eomiielled me to undertake, I must leave to the i)ublic to decide, and sliall conclude with expressing a liopc that my very early entry intu the service may be taken in extenuation of any faults tliey may discover. The collections of botanical and other s;iecimens »f natural history have been reserved for sepaiate vohiines, being far too numercus to form part of an Appendix lo tiie present narrative. His .Maie^ly's gov. if ment having liberally appropriated a sum of money to their publication, I ho|)e, with the assistance of several eminent gcutlemei., who have kindly and generously ollered to describe them, shortly to be able to present them to the public, illustrated by engraving^! iiy the first artists. The botany, of which the first number has already been published, is in the iiands of Dr. Hooker, professor, of Botany, at Glasgow, who in addition to having devoted the wlnde of his lime to our collection, has borne with the numerous difliciilties and disiijjpointments which have attended the progress of the publication of this branch of natural his- tory, and my thanks on this account arc the more especially due to him in particular. The department wliich he has so kindly undertaken will extend to ten numbers 4lo. ; making, in the whole, about 500 pages, and 100 plates of plants, wholly new, or such as have been hitherto imperfectly described. The other branches of natural history are under the care of Messrs. N. A. Vigors, Edward Bennelt, J. I'], (.ray, Richard Owen, Dr. Rich- ardson, R. N., and Mr. T. Jiay, the naturalist to llie expedition, and the geology of Professor IJucklund and Captain nehdier, R. N. ; to all of whom I must express my warmest thanks, for their cordial assistance, and for the ready and handsome manner in which thry liavc taken upon themselves the task of describing and of superintending ttie delineation of the various specimens. Their contribiilious will form another 4to. voh:me of species entirely new, or, as before, of such a-i have been im- perfectly described. The public in general are not aware how much is due to these gentlemen, witliMut whose zeal nnd aid they would be deprived of much useful knowledge: for, notwithstanding the liberal as- sistance of his Majesty's government, there is so little encoiiiagenient for works of the above mentioned description, that they could not be published unless the contributions were gratuitously ottered to the pub- lishers. w ■■■IMMI mmmmmm ( , I n| ^rH ^Ia N '.i ■ «.. ?r ^- m ivtl" l#. (-■J 4 .1 i -ii*' [June, 18'25. ANll BKERINU b STRAIT. 15 lie fact as a Voiii a quar- IVak, wliicli four o'clock there found Sir G. E. Excellency t of Uiazil. e landed to J ; and met 3 was acting the govern- twed lue to hsoivations, nstiunients. : when lie memory of )f the ureal ed to Lord sciimed a the , matron- inducement 1 he will be The Plaza criticism )le tliero ious fresh- a more of Santa forward _t!;rct liav- Teyde is of travel- tification (led our ometrical c ire uni- te justi- sole our- known, nployed. )utwar(l- I *•■', !■■ hound ships from Europe, and most \oyagers have touched at it: heinu; the first object of inter(;s;t they meet, their zeal is naturally more excited there, than at any sul)sc'f|uent |)erio(l of their voyage : it is coiise(|uently better described than almost any other island in tlie Atlantic, and nothing is now left for a casual visiter, hut to go over the ground of his |)r(Mieccssors for his own gratilicution or im- j)rovement. iMy observations for the tletermiiuition of the latitude and longitude of the place, Jk,c. were made in the Saluting Battery, but they are omitted lierc, as J |)ropi)sc, throughout these volumes, to avoid, as far as possible, the insertion of figures and calculations, which, by the majority of readers, are considered interruptions to the narrative, and are interesting only to a few. On the lhi\, His Majesty's ship VVallesley sailed for Ilio Janeiro with Ills Excellen- cy Sir Oharles Stuart ; and on the 5th, having procmed w hat supplies we required, we weighed, and shaped our course for the same place. From our anchorage we had been daily tantalized w ith a glimpse only of the very sunnnit of the Peak, peeping over a nearer range of mountains, and the hazy state of the weather on the day of our departure made us fearful we should pass on w ithout beholding any more of it; but towards sunset, when we had reached some miles from the coast, we were most agreeably disappointed by a fair view of this gigantic cone. The sun set i)ehiml it; and as his beams withdrew, the mountain was thrown forward, until it appeared not half its real distance. Then followed a succession of tints, from the glowing colours of a tropical sky, to the sombre jiurple of the deepest valleys; \arying in intensity with every intermediate range, until a landscape was produced, which for beauty of outline, and brilliancy of colour, is rart;ly surpassed ; and we acknowledged ourselves amply repaid for our days of sus|)ense. Night soon closed upon the view ; and directing our comj)ass to a well-known head- land, we took our last look at the islaiul, which was the only one of the Canary groupe we had seen : not on account of our dis- tance from them, but owing to that nrass of clouds which " naviga- tors behold incessantly piled over this Archipelago." The breeze was fair, and we rolled on, from day to day, with our awnings spread ; passing rapidly over the ground with a fresh frade-winil, and daily increasing the heat and humidity of our atmosphere ; anuised occasionally by day, with shoals of llying-fish starting from our path, followed by their rapacious jjursuers ; and by night, with the phosphoric (lashing of the sea, and the gradual rising of con- stellations not visible in our native country. Toward the termination of the trade, the wind veered gradually to the eastward, and became fresh until noon of the ir>th, when it suddenly ceased, and the sea, foaming like breakers, beneath a black thunder-cloud, warned us to lake in our lighter sails. We \v| ''j li, w ,V' i M ■ i Ih I Ifi VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [June, were presently taken aback with a violent gust of wind from the southward, and from tliat time lost the north-east trade. As we approached its limit, the atmosphere gradually became more charged witli humidity, and the sky thickened with dark clouds, which, lat- terly, moved heavily in all directions, pouring down torrents of rain. On the Ifith, the sun was eclipsed; and we made many obser- vations to determine the moment of conjunction. In doing this, my attention was arrested by a very unusual appearance. It con- sisted of a luminous haze about the moon, as if the light had been transmitted through an intervening atmosphere. I made a sketch of it very soon afterwards, of which I was very glad, as a similar phenomenon, I found, had been observed by M. Dolland in another eclipse ; and as the subject has since received much interest from the circumstance of Aldebaran, and Jupiter and his satellites, hav- ing been seen projected upon the disc of the moon. About the time of the greatest obscuration, Leslie's photometer stood at 27°, exactly half what it afterwards showed. Between the intervals of observation, we amused ourselves with making experiments with a burning glass upon dificrently coloured cloths, in imitation of those recorded in the Memoirs of the Astronomical Society, and which will convey to the general reader a more intelligible idea of the decrease of intensity in the sun's rays at the time of the greatest obscuration, than the observations with the photometer, as well as of the readiness with which some colours ignite in comparison with others : for instance. Black Blue Scarlet, burned instantly ; required Sa, 7, 153,7: Pea-Green would not ignite. After the eclipse, and when the sun was shining bright. Black burned instantlj'^ ; Blue Scarlet, Pea-Green, instantly ; 23 ; 7^, 8 ; Yellow, 4b, 3. The results are the mean of several observations ; and the intervals, the number of seconds between the rays being brought to a focus on the cloth, and its ignition. After losing the trade-wind, we went through the usual ordeal of baffling winds and calms, with oppressively hot moist weather, and heavy rains; and then, on the 19th, in latitude 5° 30' N., got the south-east trade, with which we pursued our course towards the equator, and crossed it on the 24th, in longitude 30° 2' West, much further from the meridian of Greenwich than choice would have dictated. Some anxiety was in consequence felt lest the current, \vhich here ran to the westward at the rate of thirty miles a day, should sweep the ship so far to the leeward, as to prevent her »« b^ INI thi o' bt J* [June, 18525. AND nr.I'.RINM. S STIIMT. 17 J from tho e. As wt" ore charged which, lat- iits of rain, lany ob.ser- doing this, Q. It con- t had been le a sketch i a similar in another erest from Hites, hav- About the 3d at 27°, ntervals of 3nts with a m of those md which dea of the le greatest as well as irison with •een ignite. Yellow, 4b, 3. intervals, a focus ordeal of tlier, and got the ards the St, much jld have current, s a day, rent hei- € weathering Capo St. Ko(|ue, the nnrlh-oastorn promontory of the Hrazilian coa.st, whitli would niatcrialty protract the passage, by making it necessary to return to the variable winds about the equa- tor in order to regain the casting, iis it is almost impossible to make way against the rapid current wiiir-Ii sets past Cape St. Roquc. During the Uironoon of the 2Gtli, we observed an unusual num- ber of birds. To our rompanions, the tropic bird, shearwaters, and Mother Carey's cliii-kens, were added gannets and boatswains : they were conjectured to be the forerunners of land ; and, at three o'clock, the island of Fernanda l\orliona was seen from the deck, bearing south-west, twelve leagues. When we had neared this island witiiin six leagues, there was an irregular sea ; but wc had no soundings at 351 fathom's depth. Our observations reduced to the Peak, jilared it eighteen miles to the eastward of its position in the East India Directory. Some squally weather, which occa- sionally broke the ship off her course, increased our anxiety ; but wc kept clean full, to j)a.^s as ([uickly as po.ssib!e the current, which here runs with great rai.'rlity. On the iiOtli we had the satisfaction to find ourselves to the southward of the promontory, and that it would not be necessary to make a tack. The wind, however, led us in with the coast of Brazil, whicli was seen on the morning of the 8th. The same eve- ning we passed the shoul off Cape St. Thomas — a danger which until very lately was erroneously placed upon the charts, and not sufficiently marked to warn ships of the peril of approaching it.* Thence, our course was for Cape Frio, a headland which all ves- sels bound to Rio Janeiro should, on several accounts, endeavour to make. In fine weather the south-east winds blow home to tlie cape, and gradually fall into either the land or sea breeze, according to the time of day, though the prevailing wind off it is from the north-east : with either of these winds, a ship can proceed to hoi- port. The southerly monsoon, which, while it blows, materially facilitates the navigation along the coast to the northward, .scarcely affects the wind close in with the cape. The greatest interruptions to which they are liable are from the pamperos, which in the win- ter blow with great violence from the River Plate, sweep past Rio Janeiro, extend to the before-mentioned cape, and often beyond it, to a considerable oliing. It was during the influence of one of these gales that we a])proached Cape Frio, and had no sooner opened the land on the western side of the promontory, than we were met by a long rolling swell from the south-west, gusts of wind, ♦ A nierchnnt-vcs3cl on hnr way from Rio .faiK iro to B;iliiii, when .T.tioiit tt over it, fortuiiaidy with tiic loss of ht^r rnddrr oidy. Slip afit rwnrds slood f(,r live hours aloiifr the shoal, to the east- ward, and her master stated tliat the sea broke upon it out of siirlit of land. viu,. I. ;} f l«' , t fi \\y w 'i m 18 VOYAOK T(» THF. PACIFIC [July, find unsettled weather ; and at noon cnronnlored a violent squall attended by thunder and liu;litninj!;, whicli ol)li2;ed us to take in every sail on the instant. Towards sunset the weather cleared up, and wc saw Cape Frio, N. W. hy W., very distant. Calms and baffling winds succeeded this boisterous weather, so that on the morning of the lltli wc were still distfint from our port ; and the daylight was gone, and with it the sea-breeze, before we could reach a place to (ho|) our anchor. It, however, some- times happens, fortunately for those who are late in making the en- trance of the harbour, that in the interval between the sea and land breezes, gusts blow oft" the eastern shore, and ships, by taking ad- vantage of them, and at the same time l)y keeping close over on that side, may succeed in entering the port. This was our case ; and at nine at night we anchored among tlic British squadron, un- der the command of Rear-Admiral Sir George Eyre, who was the following morning saluted with thirteen guns — a com[)liment which would have been j)aid by the ships to the authorities of the place, had it not been suspended in consequence of his Imperial Highness requiring certain forms on the occasion, with which his Britannic Majesty's government did not think it right to comply. The ship being in the want of caulking, and the riging of a refit, previous to encountering the boisterous latitude of Cape Horn, tliese repairs were immediately commenced, and the few stores ex- pended on the passage were replaced. While these services were going forward, and observations were in progress for detennining the geographical position of the port, and for other scientific pur- poses, excursions were made to the various places of interest in which Rio Janeiro abounds : — Bota-Fogo, Braganza, the Falls of Tejuca, and the lofty Corcovado, were successively visited, and af- forded amusement to the naturalist, the traveller, and the artist. Few places are more worthy the description that has been given of them by various authors, than those above mentioned ; and they have been so fre([uently described that th y arc familiar to every reader, and, as well as the picturesque scenery of Rio Janeiro it- self, are quite proverbial. Indeed there is little left in the vicinity of this magnificent port, of which the description will possess the merit of novelty. The observations which were made during our stay in Rio Ja- neiro will be found in the Appendix to the quarto edition. It may, however, be interesting to insert here the height of the Peak of Corcovado, a singularly shaped mass of granite which overlooks the ])lacid waters of Bota-Fogo, as the measurements hitherto given are at varian( e with each other, and as it is a subject whicli has caused many discussions among tlie good pef)])le who live in its vicinity. ijr^, k cii fei ci' w n [July. iolont squall to take in cleared up, weather, so It from our eeze, before ever, soine- \i\\v*, the en- iea and land taking ad- >se over on s our case ; uadroii, un- lio was the inent which the place, il Hijilincss is Britannic ig of a refit, 'ape Horn, V stores ex- 'viccs were fletermining 'ntific pur- interest in le Falls of ed, and af- the artist. Jn given of and they to every Janeiro it- 10 vicinity ossess the Rio Ja- It may. Peak of overlooks M'to given liicli has ive in its It f lH-25. ANT) nEKRINr. S STUAIT. I<) ^K \ Onr I'lrat meaflurcnicnt wnR witli biiniinctrrH, wliicli, i alculntrd by Mr. DiiiiifrH new funnulii, fuvo (lie hi\»v nf the Ilii.'r-rftiiH' on the Frak, ulMive lialf-ticl.' . , 'J3(>H feet. The next, liy trigDuuiiictiical iiieii.iureiiicnt, gave .... '<2U3ti On my return to the same place three years afterwards, 1 re- peated the observations, w hich gave the height as follows : — l!y liarnmctrical mraHnrcmont liy liig-oiioniitiical nu'a.surcmcnt Tin; Siig-ur Loaf \>y the first ba.su in IH'J.'i was t)y the second base in 1838 waa 22914* feet. 23(»5it 1280 129l)t The astronomical observations were u'ade at an observatory erected in Mr. JNIay's garden at Gloria, an iiididgence for which 1 feel iiarticuhirly inilebted to that gentleman, as well as for other civilities which I received from him (iuring my stay in the place. On the ].'3th of August wo sailed from Rio Janeiro for the Pa- cific : a ])assage interesting from the difiicultics which sometimes attend it, and from its posses.sing the peculiarity of i)roducing the greatest change of climate in the shortest s|)ace of time. The day after wc left the port, we encountered a dangerous thunder-storm, which commenced in the evening, and lasted till after midnight : during this time the sheet lightning was vivid and incessant, and the forked frequently passed Ijctween the masts. The wind varied so often, that it was with the greatest difliculty the sails were pre- vented coming aback ; and it blew so hard that it was necessary to lower the close-reefed topsails on the cap. Shortly after midnight, a vivid flash of lightning left five meteors upon the mast-heads and topsail yard-arms, but did no damage : they vveio of a bluish cast, burnt about a quarter of an hour, and then disappeared. The weather almost immediately afterwards moderated, and the thun- der cloud passed away. We had afterwards light and var'ablc winds, with which we crept down to the southward, until the night of the 25th, when being nearly abreast of the River Plate, a succession of pamperos || be- gan, and continued until the 2nd of September, with their usual * This diflera sixteen feet from the first result, wliich may partly be owing' to the barometers, on tliia occasion, nut being' in euch g-ood order as at first : the aniotmt, however, is so small as almost to need no apuloyy, particularly as the observations were made on days as opposite as possible to each other — the first in drizzHng rain, the last on a clear sunshining day — whereby the formula was put to the severest trial. t In this operation I was assisted by the late Captain Henry Forster, R. N. an ofliccr well known to the scientific world, with whom I hud the pleasure to become acquainted at this place. tThe dillcrence in these measurements is, no doubt, owing to there being no ob- ject on the summit of the hill sufticicntly defined for the purpose of observation, and it is almo.^t impos.siblo to ascend it. II Thc^c arc heavy gust.« of wind which blow otV the heated plains (or pampas) lying between tin,' foot of ihc Coidillcra Mountaiii:= and the sea. In the River Plate, 'f f •«^- ^ ,^ 90 VOYAdC. T(» TIIK PACIKIC [SVpt t (t ii |t I'- H ■ I "I cimractcristics, of lliimdir iiiid liiililiiing, with liail and sim<5liinc' ho- twcfii. On the i)tli, sonndiniis wvvc oljlaimil in 75 fatlionis od" the Falkland Islmids ; l)ut no lami was simmi at the lime, in ronso (jnencc! of misty weather. We here again cxpeiieneed a short though liea\ y gale. As it was against us, we turned our proximity to the land to good account, by seeking shelter under its lee, stri- king soundings upon a sandy bottom, iVoni .')(> to 80 fathoms, t!ie de|tth increasing with the distance from the coast. The weather moderated on the day following, and we saw the land, from S. ^25' VV. to S. 5G° W., eight or nine leagues distant ; the wind, at the same time, became favourable, and carried us past the Islands dur- ing the night. The eastern point of these Islands (Cape St. Vin- cent), by such observations as we were able to make, apjjcars to be correctly placed in the charts. The position 1 have assigned to it will be seen in the table at the end of the work. From the Falkland Islands we stood to the southward ; and after two short gales from the westward, made Cape Horn en the Kith, bearing N. 40° W. six or seven leagues. This was (juite an unex- pected event, as a course liad been shaped the dny before to pass it at a distance of seventy mile-. It nppeari d. lio\v(!ver, by the noon observation, that a current had drifted the ship fifty miles to the northward in the twenty-four hours, a circumstance w hieh might have been attended with very serious consequences had the weather been thick ; and slii])s in passing the Strait le iMaire will do well to be on their guard against a like occurrence.* Tiie view of this cele- brated promontory, which has cost navigators, from the earliest period of its discovery to tlic present time, so nuich difFicvdty to double, was highly gratifying to all on board, and es[)ecially so to those who had never seen it before ; yet it \^ as a pleasure we would all willingly have esf-hanged for the adximtage of being able to pur- sue an uninterrupted coiu-se along the shore of Tierra del Fuego, which the flattering prospect of the preceding day led us to expect, and which, iiad it not been for the noitiierly current, would have been effected with ease. The flisappointmenl was of course very great, particularly as the w ind at the moment v. as more favourable lor rounding i]ui cape than it usually is. In the evening, tlie Islands of Diego I^uiiire/, were seen on the weather bov : and nothing remained but to pursue the iimer route. at the risk of oeing caught upon a lee-shore v.itli a uale of wind, or stand back to the south-eastward, and los<' in one day what it ami near the coast, they arc very violent aiul daiiL'-ordii:^, Inin (Ik stulilen manner in which they occur. Their force diniiuiblici as' (lie dir-tuncc from the coast in- creiis,ea. * Fcir remarks on the cm rem.-, and ohservationa on llie whuU, in the vicinity ..l Oapc Horn, the reader i.- referred to tlie Nautiial Uemark.< in (lie quarto edition. * ;l 3 ^■ w| a I dil dil li Wi b(« C br Sij)t |H.i5.| AND URF.HINO « sTR.MT 91 SllIlSlllllC l)('- fallioiiiH oir ne, ill consc- icod ii short iir proximity its Ice, stri- fiitlioiiis, t!ie riie woatlicr lioin S. '23" Ainrl, at the Islands dur- pe St. Vin- , appears to ive assigned d ; and after II the 16th, itc an unex- ro to pass it )y the noon niles to the I inii!;lit have eatlier hcon 3 well to he )f this eele- ihc earliest linindty to fially so tr) '■ we would l)le to piir- lel Fuego, to expect, ould liuve oursc very favoiirahle ocn on the uier route. of wind. V wliat it 4 would require perhaps a week to recover. We adopted the lijrnier alli'riiali\(', and passed the Islands us close as it was prudent, in a dark niii^ht. strikinj; soundings in deep water upon an uneven bottom. 'J'he next morning, the small groujfe of lldefon/o Islands was distant six Piiles on the lee-heam, and the mainland of Tierra del Fueiio appeared hehind it, in lofty ranges of mountains streaked Willi snow. The cape mistaken for Cape Horn hy Fjord Anson hore N. '11)° K., and the promontory designated York Mil ister hy Captain Cook, VV. hy J\. The coast was hold, rocky, and mucli broken, and every here and there deeply indented, as if purposely to allbrd a refuge from the pitiless gales which occasionally heal n|)on it. The general appearance of the laiuLscape was any thing but exhilarating to persons recently removed from the delightful scenery of Kio Janeiro ; and wc were particularly struck with the contrast between the romantic and luxurious scenery of that place and the bleak eoast before us, where the snow, filling the valleys and fissures, gave the barren jn-ojections a darker hue and a more rugged outline than they in reality possessed. As we drew in with the land, the water became discoloured, and speciri';ally lighter than that in the oirmg, whence it was concluded that some rivers emptied themselves into the sea in the vicinity. In the evening it became necessary to stand off the coast ; and wc experienced the disadvantages of the ofling, by getting into the stream of the easterly current, and by the increase of both wind and sea.* We stood to the westward again as soon as it could be done ; and on the '^Gth were fifty leagues due west of Cape Pillar, a situation from which there is no difiiculty in making the remain- der of tiie passage. We now, for a time at least, bade adieu to the shores of Tierra del Fuego, whose coast and climate we quitted with far more fa- vourable impressions than those under which they were approach- ed. This, I think, will be the case with every man-of-war that jiasses it, excepting the few that may be particularty unfortunate in their weather ; for early navigation has stamped it with a char- acter which will ever be coupled with its name, notwithstanding its terrors are gradually disappearing before the progressive improve- ment in navigation. It must be admitted we were much favoured : few persons, probably, who effect the jiassage, will lia\e it in their power to say they were only a week from the meridian of Cape Horn to a station fifty leagues due west of Cape Pillar, and that i!cn m.Tiincr lie coast iii- xiiiiiity .■! t" I'dilion. * It is a curiou.^ fiirt, that on tliis clay, at a distance of only fifty Icagrucs from where wc were, it blew a strung- jrale of wind, with a liijrli sea, which washed away the bulwark of a fine bri.;-, the }Icllc.-:punt, commanded by Lieutenant Charles I'arker, 11. N., to whom I ana indcbteil for this andntliei inttrcstinL"^ information on the winds and current:' encountered by him in liis pussape. # P\ 23 VOYAOE TO THE PACIFIC [ Sc])t . m f It ' ■ ■ "■ \ vlf rH (luring thai time there was more reason to complain of light winds and calms, than the heavy gales which proverbially visit these shores. Navigators distinguish the j)assages round Cape Horn by the outer iind inner ; some reconnnending one, some the other ; and doubtless both have their advantages and disadvantages. It would be very uninteresting here to discuss the merits of either, as the question has been sufficiently considered elsewhere ; and it would, in my opinion, be equally useless, as very few persons follow the advice of their predecessors in a matter of this nature, but pursue that course which from circumstances may seem most advantageous at the moment ; and this will ever be the case where such differ- ence of opinion exists. What I had to say on this subject has been published in the Nautical Remarks to the quarto edition. In dercribing the passage round Cape Horn, I have omitted to mention some particulars on the days on which they occurred, in order that they may not interrupt the narrative. As we approach- ed the Falkland Islands from Rio Janeiro, some penguins were .seen upon the water in latitude 47° S., at a distance of three hun- dred and forty miles from the nearest land ; a fact which either proves the common opinion, that this species never stray far from land, to be in error, or that some unknown land exists in the vicin- ity. As their situation was not far from the parallell in which the long-sought He Grande of I^a Roche was said to have been seen, those who are wedded to the common opinion above alluded to, may yet fancy such an island has existence ; although it is highly improbable that it should have escaped the observation, not only of those who purposely went in search of it, but of the numerous ships also which have of late made the passage from tlie Atlantic to the Pacific. Another opinion, not quite so general, (but which I have heard repeatedly expressed with reference to the coast of California), is, that of aquatic birds confining their flight within cer- tain limits, so that a person who has paid attention to the subject will know by the birds that are about him, without seeing the land, what part of the coast he is off. ]My own experience does not enable me to offer any remarks on the subject, except in the in- stance of the St. Sawrencc Islands, in Beering's Strait, the vicini- ty to « Inch is always indicated by the Crested Auk (^alca cresta- tcllo). But the following fact may be serviceable in adding weight to the opinion, provided it were not accidental ; and if so, it may still be useful in calling the attention of others to the subject. Off the River Plate, we fell in with the dusky albatross {diomeiHa fulginosa), and as we proceeded soutl wi;rd, they became very numerous; but on i caching the latitude of 51^ S. they all quitted us. Wo rounded the cape ; and on regaining the same pal ,anl oul of I call m the reel falll will 5 U [Sept. ' light winds r visit these lorn by the other; and 5. It would ither, as the nd it would, IS follow the , but })ursuo dvantageous such differ- subject has edition, onnitted to occurred, in e approach- nguins were f three hun- /hich either ay far from In the vicin- n which the been seen, alluded to, it is highly n, not only numerous 10 Atlantic (but which le coast of within cer- ;he subject |g the land, does not in the in- he vicini- 'ca crcsta- ng weight 10, it may iect. Oft" (liomedia iTiue very they all It he same 1825. AND nEERINO S ^^TRAIT. 23 parallel of 51° S. on the opposite side, they again cpmc round us, ,and accompanied the ship up the Chili coast. Tiie pini.-..loes were our constant attendants the whole way. From the time of leaving England, the temperature of the surface of the sea had been registered every two hours. OffTJaiJC Horn, I caused it to be tried every hour, under an impression that it might ajjprise us of our approach to floating ice, when, from the darkness of the night, or foggy weather, it could not be seen ; a plan I would recommend being adopted, as it may be useful, notwithstanding its fallibity ; for though ice in detached masses, when drifting fast with the wind, extends its influence a very sliort way in the direc- tion of its course : yet on the other hand, its effect may be felt a considerable distance in its wake. We had only one warning of this nature, by a decrease of temperature of four degrees, which lasted about an hour. The temperature of the sea, at the greatest depth our lines would reach, was not below 39°, 2. Off" the Falkland Islands, it w-as the same at 854 fathoms as at 603 fathoms. The lowest temperature of the air was 26°. The current, which at a , distance from the land runs fast to the eastward to the discomfiture of ships bound in the opposite direction, near the coast to the west- ward of Cape Horn, at first entirely ceased, and afterwards took a ^contrary course. There is much reason to believe that it continues this north- .vesterly course, and ultimately falls into the northerly current so prevalent along the coast of Chili. The wind was now favorable for making progress to the north- ward. My instmctions did not direct me to proceed to any jiort on the coast of Chili, but circumstances rendered it necessary to put into one of them, and I selected Conception as being the most de- sirable for our purpose. ,* The weather had for a long time been cloudy ; but on this night ;; a clear sky presented to our view a comet of unusurl magnitude and ji brilliancy, situated to the southeast of the square formed by btcctq Ceti. i.noheadhada blueish cast towards its nucleus, where in- deed it was so iiright, that with our small telescopes it appeared to be a star ; buL ihis was evidently a deception, as Mr. Herschell, who made some interesting and satisAictory observations on the ,^ same comet, found on turning his twenty feet reflector upon it, that f the star-like appearance of the nucleus was only an illusion.* The f, tail extended between 9° and 1 0° of arc in a N. W. direction, and gradually increased in width from the nucleus till near its termina- tion. We made a number of measurements to ascertain its place, and continued thom every night afterwards on which the comet ap- peared ; but as its orbit has been calculatc(» from far more accurato ♦ See Memoir Ast. Hoc. vdI. ii. p- *-2. ■0 ^ .% y y m ■■'i f \ I 24 VOYAOF Tn TTIE PACIFIC [Oct observations, and ours were necessarily made with stars unequally ^iFected i)y refraction, which involves a laborious reduction, bcsiilp^ the abstnise calculation for determining its orbit, I have rot given them a place. On the following night we noticed distinctly the bifurcation of the tail represented in the Memoirs of the Astronomical Society. The branches were of unequal length, and the lower one diverged from the nucleus, at an angle of about 40°. On the 6tli we made the island of Mocha, on the coast of Chili, a ))lace once celebrated as a resort of the Buccaneers, wlin anchored oft" it for the useful supplier which in their days it fw- nished. Its condition was then certainly very different from tli(> present : several Indian chiefs and a numerous population resided there, and it was well stocked with cattle, sheep, hogs, and poultry. At present it is enti.ely deserted, except by horses and hogs, both of which. Captain Hall states, arc used as fresh stock by whalini; ships in the Pacific. The Indians appear to by c been generally very cordial with their visiters, exchanging the ^.'duoe of the island for cutlory and trinkets. Tiiey, liowc '', ;u!i..; 'cntly Avitli- out provocation, attacked Sir Francis Drake, aiii' wotnuled him and all his boat's crew. In 1GJ>0 the ..land was found deserted by Captain Strong, and it has since remained uninhabited. The cause of this is not known, though 1 was informed in Chili, that it was in consequence of the frequent depredations committed by vessels that touclied at the island. Wc quitted Mocha, passed the island of St. Mary, which muji not be approached on account of sunken rocks, and anchored at Tul- ^ahuana, the sea-port of Conception, on the 8th, fifty-six days from Rio Janeiro. Here we found the British squadron, under the com- mand of Captain jNlaling, from whom I received every assistance and attention. Our arrival oft' the port was on one of tho'c bright days of sunshine which characterize the summer of lir temperate zone on the western side of America. The cUlls ol Quiriquina, an island situated in the entrance of the barb- ui .ii:; covered with birds, curiously arranged in rows along tin \. '.Oi strata ; and on the rocks were numberless seals basking in the su , either making the shores re-echo with their discordant noise, or so unn:!iidful of all that was passing, as to allow the bi'-ds to alight up- on them and peck their oily skin without oftering any resistance. The sea-|)ort of Conception is a deej), connnodious bay, woll protected from notherly winds by the fertile little island above-men- tioned, lying at its entrance : there is a passage on either sido of it. but the eastern is the only one in use, the other being very narrow and intricate. The land on the eastern and western siii, of llio bay is iiigh, well wooded, and on the la''.-! ■, sry stceii 'iidu' It foj dil sicl •dill coj riel byl coll she [Oct tars uncquallv Liction, besides ave r.ot givoii bifurcation of nical Society. one diverged 1 the coast of ^cancers, wlio r clays it fur- rent from tile ilation resided 3, and poultry, nd hogs, both k by whalini; ecu generally '(luce of the . ontly with- ' uuled him and I deserted by I. The cause that it was in id by vessels , which niu?i lored at Tul- •six days from dcr the com- y assistance )no of thnso uner of ■lir The cVilis oi arVui .<'':■ .^ the V. •■".Oi. , in the su , noiso, or so to alight up- resistance. s bay, well above-nicii- I'l' '^ido of it, very narrow sii ,■ of the ("'* ■ •■a flic 18:^5.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT, 35 former it slopes from the mountains toward the sea with gentle un- dulations. Several villages are situated along the shore on both sides, but principally on the eastern. Around these hamlets, some * diminutive patches of a more lively green than the surrounding country, show the very limited extent to which cultivation is car- ried ; of which we had further proof as we proceeded up the bay, by witnessing groups of both sexes up to their middle in the sea, collecting their daily subsistence from beds of chores and other shell-fish. Talcahuana we found to be a miserable little town, extending along the beach, and up a once fertile valley ; divided into streets and scpiarcs, but much dilapidated, dusty, and in some places over- grown with grass. A thousand inmates occupied these wretched dwellings, who acknowledged the supremacy of a governor, poor, but independent; .'od intrusted their spiritual concerns to the care of a patriot priest. in the principal square stood a church, in character with the rest of the buildings ; and in front of it a belfry, which for some time past nmst have endangered the life of the "l.bellman. His occupation, however, was less laborious than in other cat/iolic countries, as it was here called into action but once in seven days ; and was then attended to only by the female part of the in- #iabitants. It was painful to compare the present circumstances of this place with the prosperity that once prevailed, and impossible to look upon the unhappy inhabitants without feelings of p'iy at the state to which they were reduced. The other villages m the bay were m a very similar condition ; and one, Tombe, where there was for- merly an extensive saltpetre manufactory, was entirely deserted. The day after my arrival, I accompanied the captains of the Isquadron, and Mr. Nugent the consul general, to Conception, pur- suant to an invitation we received from the Intendente to visit that I city. Its distance from Talcahuana is about three leagues. The ! road, at first, leads over a steep hill to the eastward of the town, ! the summit of which commands an excellent view of the natural f advantages of defence which the peninsula of Talcahuana pos- sesses, and shows how formidable it might become under judicious management. The royalists were not ignorant of this, and during the turbulent times of eiv.oncipation, sfjught shelter amongst them, cut ditches, and threw up te'uporary works of defence, all of which are now nearly effaced by the !'R:ivy rains that visit this country at particular periods of the year. At the back of this range of hills, the country is flat and occasionally swampy, and continues so, with very little interruption, to the Colle de Chepe, a small eminence, whence a stranger obtains the first view of the river Bio Bio and the city. The intendente met us about a mile outside the town, VOL. I. 4 5 lb in I '7 26 VOYAOE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct and accompanied us to his residence, where we experienced a most cordial and hos})itable reception. Conception, (huing its prosperity has been described by tlii' able pens of Juan de UUoa, La Perouse, and others ; and since its misfortunes, by a well-known naval author, who has admirably pic- tured the ruin and desolation which the city at that time must liave presented. Mhch of his description would have correctly applied to the time of our visit, but generally speaking, there was a decided improvement in every department. The panic occasioned by the daring associates of the outlaw Bcnavides, Peneleo, and Pinche- ro. was beginning to subside. These chiefs, unable to make head against the people when united, had of late confined their depre- dations to the immediate vicinity of their strong-holds among llie mountains : the peasants had returned to the cultivation of the soil ; looms were active in various parts of the town ; and dilapidations were gradually disappearing before cumbrous brickwork and mason- ry. Commerce was consequently beginning to revive ; there were several merchant-vessels in the port ; and the Quadra, once " silent as the dead," now resounded with the voices of muleteers con- ducting the exports and import of the country. The tranquil and improving condition of the state was further evinced by the equipment of an expedition against the island of Chiloe, which still maintained its allegiance to the mother country. The preparations appeared to give general satisfaction in Concep- tion, and recruits were daily enlisting, and training in the Presidio. I peeped through the gate one morning, and saw these tyros ii; arms going through the ordeal of the awkward squad. They were half Indians, without shoes or stockings, and with heads like mush- rooms. Their appearance, however, was immaterial : they were the troops on which the j)eople placed their dependence, which the result of the expedition did not disappoint ; and the effect upon their minds was equally exhilarating. Hitherto obliged to act on the defensive against a few piratical Indian chiefs, they now found themselves lending their troops to carry on a warff-e in a distant province. Such was the prosperous state of affairs at the time of our arrival ; and the highest expectations pervaded all classes of society. The town of Conception occupies nearly a square mile of ground. It is situated on the noth side of the river Bio Bio, and is distant from it about a quarter of a mile. Its site was chosen in 1763. about twelve years after the old city of Penco was destroyed by an earthquake or rather by an inundation, occasioned by a tremendous reaction of the sea. Such a catastrophe, it might be supposed, would be sufficient to deter tlie inhabitants from again building on low ground ; nevertheless, the present city is erected on a spot al ai na Pi :i '^"^^^^ [Oct srienced a most cribed by tlie ; and since its idmirably pic- me must liave rrectly applied was a decided sioned by tlie , and Pinche- to niake bead 1 tbeir depre- ss among tbo on of the soil ; 1 dilapidations trk and niason- e ; there were I, once " silent luletcers con- e was further the island of ather country. 1 in Concep- the Presidio. lese tyros ii; They were ds like musli- they were ce, which the effect upon ;ed to act on now found in a distant the time of all classes of le of ground, id is distant 3n in 176.J. troyed by an tremendous 3 supposed, building on on a spot 1 825. J AND BEERINc's STIIAIT. 27 ;l scarcely more elevated than the other, and the river, when high, washes the threshold of the nearest houses. It has no defences ; and is also very badly situated in tliis respect, being commanded by a range of hills close behind it. Benavidcs was fully aware of this, and constructed a battery upon the eminence, which still bears his name : but the guns are spiked, and the fort is in niins. During the late incursions, we were told, that the mode of re- pelling an attack was to cjilect the inhabitants into squares, and barricade the streets leading out of them, with whatever came first to hand : the musketry and the muzzles of the field-pieces were then thrust through these temporary bulwarks, and a fire opened upon the assailants. This was a sufficiently secure defence against the Indians, but it is easy to imagine what would have been the effect of a few well-placed cannon upon a crowd of persons so collected. In the selection of the site of the new city, the advantage of the .river Bio Bio was, no doubt, the great consideration ; and when in- land navigation is as well understood in that country as in some others, it will be of the greatest importance, though its numerous shoals must occasion serious difliculties. Part of the produce of the interior is now brought down upon rafts, which, not being able to return, 'are broken up and sold for timber. There is a ferry-lioat over the river for the accommodation of persons who wish to pass from Con- ception to the Indian country, and sufficiently large to carry cattle or horses. The natives cross in punts, but have so much difficulty in stemming the current and avoiding banks and shallows, that, though the extreme distance is only a mile, they are sometimes an hour and a half performing the passage. Although the Spaniards nominally ])ossessed territory far to the southward of this river, yet it in reality formed their boundary, and until very lately it was un- safe for an European, to venture far upon tliat side, on account of straggling parties of the Indians.* The mouth of the Bio Bio is circumscribed by banks, which have progressively risen, to 210 yards ; and even this narrow stream is divided by a rock one-third of the way across it. If the plan of the entrance be correct in the chart annexed to La Perouse's Voyage, the formation of these banks has been very rapid, and has altered the channel of the river. The population of Conception is about 6500 persons. The in- habitants, the labouring cla.'^s at least, have a particularly healthy look. The men have hard features and strong sinewy limbs, and the wo- men and cliildren are fatter than would be agreeable to most per- sons : short stature, dark hair and eyes, and pretty Indian features, * I have been informed that since this period (1825), the Intendente has a magni- firent estate on that side of the river, that the Indians are quiet, and that Concep- tion has undergone great improvement. wmm i i 1:^ .' I' \l\ , 1 ! ■ •I' ^J V « If 28 VOYAfiK 'r(» TIIK I'ACIKIC [Oct. are the characteristics of their persons. They are subject to but few diseases ; and for these they liave their own remedies, consist- ing jH incipally of medicinal herbs, with which the country abounds, and in the preparation of which they are well skilled. Fevers, oc- casioned by cold and dampness, are the most common complaints. In the streets of Conception 1 did not see a single cripple, a very rare circumstance in Spanish towns ; nor were we molested by beg- gars, beyond a few troublesome boys beseecliing alms ; and this arose more from impudence, and a determination to try their luck, than from any real necessity : in secret, iiowever, there are not wanting persons who, if opportunity offered, would not only solicit charity, but enforce their demand with a pistol or a stiletto. On meeting the Indians in an imfrequented part of the country, it is particularly necessary to be on your guard ; for these half-civilized barbarians are generally intoxicated, and care very little about in- sulting or maltreating strangers even in the heart of the town, mucli less when alone in the country. A regiment o. Araucaneans is embodied in the army of the state, and quartered in the town : they retain their own weapons, and continue their own tactics. A specimen of their extraordinary and barbarous warfare was exhib- ited at Conception during our stay. Since the trade of Chili has been thrown open, a remarkable change in the costume of the inhabitants, and also in the furniture of their houses, has taken place ; and an Englishman may now see with pride the inferior manufactures of his ov.n country prized, to the exclusion of the costly gold and silver tissue stuffs of Spain, which, Perouse observes, were entailed in families like diamonds. and descended from the great-grandmother to the children of tlie third and fourth generation. Even the national musical instrument, the guitar, has fallen into neglect, and has been su])planted by the English piano-forte. It would have l>een better for the lower orders of society, of which a large portion of the population of Concep- tion consists, if the use of tliis simple instrument had been retained : for it is well known, in foreign countries, how many hours of inno- cent miith are beguiled in the happy circles it assembles around the cottage doors ; and how many idle characters its fascination deters from indulging in less innocent occupations, to which the Chilians are equally prone with other nations ; though I am by no means an advocate for its being prized to the extent it once was by tlie Portuguese, who, after a battle in which they were defeated, left 14,000 guitars upon the field.* The entertainments most frequented in Conception are cock- fighting and billiards. All classes of society assemble at the pit. ♦ Mengiana, torn. i. pf bil taJ IV lOtv. subject to but iiedies, consist- untry abounds. I. Fevers, oc- )n complaints, cripple, a very alested by beg- Inisj and this try their luck, there are not lot only solicit stiletto. On country, it is 3 half-civilized little about in- he town, nuicli iraucaneans is in the town : n tactics. A ire was exhib- , a remarkable 1 the furniture J may now see try prized, to ufFs of Spain, ike diamonds. ildren of the il instrument. [mted by the lower orders of Concep- en retained ; nurs of inno- Bs around the nation deters the Chilians )y no means was by the efeated, left are cock- at the |)it, IH^j.| AND BERlUNfJ S STRAIT. S9 and if there be no figlit, will light their cigars, and chat whole hours awav, in the hope of a match being made up, and are dispersed only by the approach of night. The English cocks are most esteemed, and are sometimes valued at a hundred dollars a-apiece (twenty guineas). The Chilian sjiurs cut as well as thrust, and greatly short- en the cruel exhibition. Some of the governors are said to have im- posed a tax on these establishments for their own private advantage, but witiiout the authority of the laws. » Of the country round Conception I have little to say, except *-that it has undergone a great chang'^ since tlie days of its prosper- ity. In the parallel of 37" on the western side of a great contin- ent a luxuriant soil may be expected to produce an abundant vege- tation. This district has, in consequence, been famous for its grain, vines, fruits, esculent roots, &tc. and for its pasture lands, on which formerly were reared immense herds of cattle, and horses of the ^finest breed. But the effects of the disturbed state of the country fare as manifest here as in the different parts of the city. At pres- ,ent, as much arable land as is absolutely necessary for the support ■of the inhabitants is cleared, and no more ; and even its produce is but scantily enjoyed by the lower classes on the coast, who are obliged to subsist almost entirely upon shell-fish. The soil, if at- tended to, will give an abundant return : wheat, barley, Indian corn, beans, pease, potatoes, and arrow-root; grapes, apples, pears, cur- ..rants, strawberries, and olives, are the common produce of the country. From the latter a fine oil is extracted ; but the fruit is too rank to be eaten at table, except by the natives. The arrow- root is of a good quahty and very cheap. In the ravines and moist places, the panquc (^gunnera scabro) grows luxuriantly and strong : it is a very useful root, and serves for several purposes ; a pleasant 1^ and cooling drink is extracted from it, which is deemed beneficial in feverish complaints ; its root furnishes a liquid serviceable in tan- ning, and superior to any of the barks of South America ; when - made into tarts, it is scarcely inferior to the rhubarb, for which it is •I'i sometimes mistaken ; and it is eaten in strips after dinner, with r cheese and wine, he. Several European shrubs and herbaceous plants grow here, but more luxuriantly than in our own country ; among these were hemlock, flax, duckweed, pimpernel, water- :" cresses, and a species of elder. -: The wines which were formerly so much esteemed, and carried ■ along the coast to the northward, are now greatly deteriorated, and in the sea-port much adulterated. There is a great variety of them, and in general they are very intoxicating. The only palat- able kind I tasted was made from the vines on the estate of Gen- eral Friere, and for which I was indebted to the liberality of the governor, as there was none to be purchased. This wine, though agreeable to the English palate, is not in such estimation with the \i\ f t.*l: i .u ^I i ' ,'/ i; I •. ;|H'ar to have i (li.stinjfui.slit>(| i Ixjcn solecioil -brown colour. iUioii, and near ion might con- ise timbers had els have been y having been the ishmd, im- n all probabil- ther it was so ikened, though lied over every land, narrowly or to onr inlbr- by sharks and 1 more fortu- ed from their d in the stoin- some of us md thence in- ncc of three omething; le-;s idth. Some n other direc- r of a mile. lis sand and A rofor- of the island. •lie's latitude ypographical he intention ■-^inall (iovp-rnl- ,J8v>5.J ANP BK.KniNC S >' covering them, the marauders darting into the wac', and diving the moment they committed a theft. Tiic women were no less active in these piracies than the men ; for if they were not the ac- ijnal plunderers, they procured the opportunity for others, by en- grossing the attention of the seamen by their caresses and ludi- crous gestures. In proceeding to the landing-place, the boats had to pass a small Bolated rock which rose several feet above the water. As many 'females as could possibly find room crowded upon this eminence, pressing together so closely, that the rock appeared to be a mass of Uving beings. Of these Nereids three or four would shoot off at afctime into the water, and swim with the expertness of fish to the boats to try their influence on their visiters. One of them, a very young girl, and less accustomed to the water than her companions, Wfts taken upon the shoulders of an elderly man, conjectured to be her father, and was, by him, reconmiended to the attention of one ^y practised every artifice, and stole what they could in the most can less and open mannor: soujc wont eviii tii (h sh lh< po tfai the [Not ' liite, in the liuli- 3mon-like inon- to imagine ilio unrestrained l)v hallooing to tliii with all sorts of first intended: ird, followed l)v aided by souk 5 with one hand, It was no easy less practiijable ■ that thronged as irretrievably ( divers. It is ich is the best in Cook's rigid ^ertamod to i;n )itants of Eastci esistance or re- ting the eyes to jverely such as W. , crowned wit ^825.] ANO BEF.niNfi S STRAIT. 41 ed an author- ed attempted careful, how- ot take effect. impossible to ict presented t'clledjand was jystanders by party. that circuni- was escorted ock of lava, , j; ire. An cii- | L it was very plate all in were inipa- lich thev li;i(l r desire tliat nd stole wliai ne went even farther, nrd accomiwniod their demands l)y throats. About this time one of the natives, probably a chief, with a cloak and head-dress of feathers, was observed from i\w. ship hastening from tbe huts to the landing-place, attended by several persons with short clubs. This hostile api)earance, followed by the blowing of tfic conch-shell, a sound which Cook observes he never knew to Boilend good, kept our glasses for a while rivited to the spot. To tJiis chief it is supposed, for it was impossible to distinguish amongst ^e crowd, Mr. Peard made a handsome present, with which ho was very v.ell pleased, and no apprehension of hostilities was en- tertained. It happened, however, that the presents were expended and this oflicer was returning to the boat for a fresh snjjply, when the natives, probably mistaking his intentions, became exceculingl)^ clamorous, and the confusion was further increased by a marine endeavouring to regain his cap, which had been snatched from bis head. Tlie nati\es took advantage of the confusion, and redoubled ijheir endeavours to pilfer, wbicii our ])arty were at last obliged to jjiepel by threats, and sometimes by force. At length they became SO audacious that there was no longer any doubt of their intentions, or that a system of open j)lunder had conunenced ; which, with die ajjpearance of clubs and sticks, and the departure of the wo- Bjen, induced Mr. Peard, very judiciously, to order his parly into Ae boats. This seemed to be the signal ior an assaidt : the chief who had received the present threw a large stone, which struck Mr. Peard forcibly upon the back, and was immediately followed by a shower of missiles which darkened the air. IHe natives in the water and about the boats instantly withdrew to their comrades, who had run behind a bank out of the reach of the muskets, which former experience alone could have taught them to fear, for none had yet been fired by us. The stones, each of which weighed about a pound, fell incredi- Wy thick, and with such precision that several of the seamen were Jtnocked down under the thwarts of the boat, and every person pas more or less wounded, except the female to whom liieulenant Wainwright had given protection, who, as if aware of the skilful- Bess of her cou.itrymen, sat unconcerned upon the gunwale, until one of the oflicers, with more consideri.tioii for her safety than she herself jiossessed, pushed her overboard, and she swam ashore. A blank ciirtridge was at first fired over the heads of the crowd ; but forbearance, which with ravages is generally mistaken for cow- ardice or inability, only augmented their fury. The showers of Stones were if jiossible increased, until the jiersonal safety of all rendered it necessary to resort to severe measures. The chief, still urging the islanders on, very deservedly, and perha|)s Ibrlu- .^aiely, fell a victim to the first shot that was fired in defence. VOL. 1. () P 42 VOYAfiE TO THE PACIFIC [A 01' Terrified by this example, the natives kept closer under their bul- wark ; and thoiii^li they continued to throw stones, and occasioned considerable difliculty in extricating the boats, their attacks weii not so efl'ectual as before, nor sullicient to j)revent the enibarkatioi, of the crew, all of whom were got on board. Several dangerous contusions were received in the aftair, but fortunately no lives were lost on our part ; and it was the opinion of the officer commanding the party, that the treacherous chief \v;b the only victim on that of the islanders, tliough some of the ollicois thought they observed another man fall. Considering the manner in which the party were surrounded, and the inmiinent risk to which they were exposed, it is extraordinary that so few of the ii;i. tives suffered ; and the greatest credit is due to the officers and crews of both boats for their forbearance on the occasion. After this unfortunate and unexpected termination to our inter- view, I determined upon quitting the island, as nothing of import- ance was to be gained by remaining, which could be put in com|U'- tition with the probable loss of lives that might attend an attenipi at reconciliation. The disappointment it occasioned was great to us, who had promised ourselves much n'^velty and enjoyment: but the loss to the public is trifling, as the island has been vciv well described by Roggewein, Cook, Perouse, Kotzebue, and oth- ers, and the people appeared, in all material points, the same now as these authors have painted them. With regard to supplies, nothing was to be gained by staying ; for after Cook had traversed the island, he came to the conclusion that few places afford les? convenience for shipping. " As every thing must be raised by dim of labour, it cannot be supposed the inhabitants plant much moic than is sufficient for themselves ; and as they are few in number, they cannot have much to spare to supply the vv\nts of strangers. " The population of Easter island has been variously stated: Roggewein declares several thousands surrounded the boats : Cook reckoned it six or seven hundred ; Mr. Forster, who was with liiin. at nine hundred ; M. la Perouse, at two thousand : my officers es- timated it at about fifteen hundred. If a mean of these be taken, it will leave 12G0, which is, perhaps near the truth ; for it may In presumed, tliat in an island of such limited extent, and which doi- not increase its productions or personal comforts, and where sexuai intercourse is unrestrained, the |)opulation will remain much tlii same. One of the authors of Roggewein's Voyage represents the ir habitants of this island as giants, which, if his assertion be true, makes it evident that, like the Patagonians, they have degenerated very rapidly. Cook remarks that he did not see a man that would measure 6 feet ; and our estimate of tiio average height of tlii wc tuil ^ Wnl wif hcl ligl is {Nov. nder their bul- ind occasioned i attacks wcif le embarkation the affair, but .'as the opinion erous chief \v;b c of tlie ofliccMs ing the manner iminent risk to few of the n;i- le officers and asion. 1 to our inter- ling of import- put in com po- nd an attempt :d was great to id enjoyment : lias been vcrv ebue, and otii- the same now rd to supplies, i had traversed ces afford les? raised by dint It much moiv ew in number, of strangers." ■iously stated: e boats : Cook was with him, uy officers e<- icse be taken. for it may In: id which iloi- where sexu;ii lin much ilk !sents the in- rtion be true, degenerated an that would H'ight of tin AND DEERINr, S STHAIT. 43 18-25.] •people was 5 feet 7 1-2 inches. They are a handsome race, the women in jjarticular. The fine oval countenances and regular fea- tures of the men, the smootli, high-rounded foreheads, the rather ^ imall and somewhat sunken d.u'k eye, and the even rows of ivory- . %hite teeth, impressed us with the similarity of tlieir features tci the ilieads brought from New Zealand. The colour of their skin is 'IBghter than that of the Malays. The general contour of the body ^B good : the limbs are not remarkable for muscularity, but formed jflttore for activity than strength. The hair is jet black, and worn iboderately short. One man of about fifty years of age, the only (KKception that was noticed, Iwl his hair over the forehead of a reddish-ash gray. The beards of such as had any were black ; but many had none, or only a few hairs on the chin. None of the men had whiskers, which seemed to be rather a subject of regret with them, and they appeared envious of such of our party as had tliem, who were obliged to submit to the ordeal of having lliein Stroked and twisted about for the admiration and amusement of their new acquaintances. Both sexes still retain the hideous prac- tice of peforating the lobes of the ears, though the custom is not $o general with the men as formerly. The ai)erture, when distend- ed, w Inch is done by a leaf rolled up and forced through it, is about 'in inch and a quarter in diameter. The lobe, deprived of its ear- '^g, hangs dangling against the neck, and has a very disagreeable ippearance, jjarticularly when wet. It is sometimes so long as to be greatly in the wry ; to obviate which, they pass the lobe ov(;r die upper part of the ear, or more rarely, fasten one lobe to the . vvitliout demanding any iiumediate return ; taking for granted, ii may be presumed, that they would reap their reward when a dis- tribution of the property obtained should take place. IJut t In- state of society is so unnatural that, however ai)|)earances iiki\ sanction the belief, 1 am disposed to doubt it. One strong faci n m ani qui vis^ iml toi or [\o I' ■•* 18->5.1 AND UKKIllNfJ S STHAIT. 45 h lines siinilnr i, ouriiifr, excoptin. jacli otlier. iM„,i L'nt parts of Uiej, r it was confintc much taste, and very similar to 3 little conuiuini. 3 by it, that w^ ; and the clotli luces so small a aked ; the largw ! Imliaii cloth of species of sea- il form, tai)eriii'' hats mentioiud ;er used. Out uttered felt liai, isiters. A ram- ' way, was ixk, up on the slioic the drawing in to launch tliein, jse people lived one extensive ;r idea was su£- scattered o\c'i 1 it is certain fficient to con- tion that prop- luul would l)( case. Soini' uring our visji, One of ihu )ointed in tin •stander, !('<> y, and jjarted nstrance Iroin ito the I)oal>. )r granted, ii when a (li>- '. Hut fliN Jirances iii;iv 'jtrou'i; fact n; , „,*■ ■% ' fiipport of my opinion was the unceremonious manner in which the apparent pro|)rietor of a piece of j^round planted with potatoes drove away the mob, who, with very little consideration lor tlie owner, were taking tlie crop out of the earth to barter with our party. ''; The island, tliough situated nearer the Continent of America than iny otlier of the archi|)elat;;o to wliich il helongs, has been less fre- ■•uently visited ; and unfortunately for its inliabitants, some of those ?isits liave rather tended to retard than to advance its prosperity, or improve its ujoral condition ; and they afford a striking example of an extensive intercourse with mankind, before a limited comnumity can emerge from barbarism to a state of civilization. One consola- tion for this privation is their exemption from those complaints by which some of the ill-lated natives of these s^as have so dreadfully Butfered. The gigantic busts which excited the surprise of the first visiters Id the island, have suffered so much either from the effects of time, or maltreatment of the natives, that the existence of any of them at present is questionable. At first they were dispersed generally over tjie whole island: when Cook visited it, there were but two on the Western side near the landing-place : Kotzebue found only a square pedestal in the same ])lace : and now a few heaps of rubbish only, oc- cupy a spot where it is doubtful whether one of them was erected or BOt. When it is considered how great must have been the labour bestowed upon these images before they were hewn from the quar- ries with the rude stone implements of the Indians, and before such huge masses of rock could be transported to, and erected on, so many ])arts of the island, it is nearly jjositive that they were actua- ted by religious motives in their construction; and yet, if it were so, y/rhy were these objects of adoration suffered to go to decay by suc- ceeding generations ? Is it that the religious forms of the islanders have cliangcd, or that the aborigines have died off, and been suc- i^eeded by a new race? — Pitcairn Island affords a curious example of a race of men settling upon an island, erecting stone images ujion its heights, and either becoming extinct or having abandoned it; and some circumstances connected with Easter Island occur independent of that above alluded to, in favour of the presimiption that the same thing may also have taken place there. The most remarkable of these facts is, (hat the present generation arc so iif^arly allied in lan- guage and customs to many islands in the South Sea, as to leave no doubt of their Iiiving migrated from some of them, — and yet in none of these places are there images of such extraordinary flimen- sions, or indeed in any way resembling them. The Easter Islanders have, besides, small wooden deities similar to those used by the in- liabitants ol" the other islands just mentioned. I S' 11 i 1 1 -i '< • f hi J I Jl!f^ I r \ \ Iff?! ^s< J f ># *♦ 46 VOYACr. TO TIIF. PACIKIf [.V. or That llicrc had hpcii icroiit miirnitioiis froiii some of the islmul lo lh(.' westward, ahoiit U()i!;,j;(!woiirs time, may ho inferred from ili, natives havini:; rcc();j;Mis('(l llio animals on hoard iiis ship, and I'lon their having iiogs tattooed upon tlieir arms and hroasts; wheii'ii- ihero was not a qna(h'uped npon the ishnid at tlio time, nor has am one except the rat ever heen seen tiiere. Another curious [m- connected with this ishmd is, tiiat wiien it was (Irst discovered n al)ounded in woods and forests, and i)ahn branches were presented as iMuhh-ms of |)eare ; hut fifty years afterwards, when visited li\ Captain Co()i<, there were no traces of tiiem h-ft. The revohitidn that has taken phice in fia Dominica, one of tlie I\lar(|uesa Ishuuk atlords another instance of this kind: when first visited by iVlcndaiKi, in 1595, it exhibited an enclianting aspect: ''vast plains displayni a smiling verdure, and divided hills, crowned with tufted woods,' See: l»ut in 1771 it was found by Captain Cook to have so com- pletely altered its features, that Marchand ascribes the change id one of those great "■convulsions of natiu'e, which totally disfigiin every part of the surface of the globe, over which its ravages extend.' Easier Island is studded with volcanos, and an eruption may have driven the natives into the sea, or have so torn up the soil and voj;- elation, that they cotdd no longer subsist upon it. I cannot say a w'ord on the success that attended the humane tl- forts of the much-lamented Perouso, who planted many useful fniii trees and seeds upon the island ; but there is every reason to lie- lieve they have perished, or shared the fate of the vines at Otaheito, as they brought us no fruits or roots beyond what he found thereon his arrival. Periiaps a tuft of trees in a sheltered spot at the back of Cook's Bay, which had the appearance of orange-trees, are the offspring of his benevolent care and attention. Cook had no op- portunity of benefiting the islanders in this way; but he planted in them a warm and friendly feeling towards strangers, and his usual rectitude and generous treatment taught them a lesson of which 1\'- rouse felt the good eilects, and which possibly might have existoil until now, but for the interference of a few unprincipled masters of vessels, w ho have unfortunately found their way to the island ; ami I fear these communications are more frequent than is generall\ supposed. The island is 2000 miles from the coast of Chili, and 1500 from the nearest inhabited islands, Pitcairn Island cxce))ted, which lin> been peopled by Europeans. A curious inquiry therefore suggosb itself: in what manner has so small a place, and so distantly situat- ed from any other, received its population ? particularly as even thing favours the probability of its inhabitants having migmtcd from the westward, in opposition to the prevalent wind and curr«nt. Captain Cook obtained considerable knowledge upon this subject ai Jik- of tlic isliiiul- iforred from tin ship, and lion; Leasts; wiiercii- no, nor lias am or curious fnr t discovorcd i; vcre presented lien visited In Die revoliitioi] rijuesa IslaiwN, 'd 1)}- Mendaiiii laius dispiiiyni :uftcd \V()()(ls,' liave so coil). the chanj;;e id :)tally disti^un vages extend." :ion may lmv( e soil aiul voi;- he humane ci- iny useful fruii reason to lie- es at Otaheito, found thereon )t at the back trees, are the ik had no o|i- le phmled in nd Ids usiiiil of which IV have existod d masters of [3 island ; ami is genera!!} \i\ 1500 from which li;i- Ifore suggest- tantly sitiiai- ly as oven ligrated from nd currunt. is subject at 18^25.) AND BEKIilNO S STRAtT. support Wateo ; and I shall hercaftt'r be able in otfer something in ^flf the theory entertained by tiiaf celebrated na\igat()r. ' C'oolv and Perouse dilfc'r in a \ory trilling degree from eacli ot!i- <• W, and also from us in the gcographieal position of faster Ishmd. The longitude by Cook is 109° 46' 5iO' VV., and deducting IS' :J0 ', in conse()uence of certain corrections made at Fetegu Island, leaves IOl>^ '27 50"VV. That by Ferouse, allowing the longitiule of Conception to be 7i2° 5()' MO'VV., is \{)\)° :il JO'VV. ; and our own is I0!)°-21' 51"W. The island is of a trianguhu- shape : its length is exactly nine miles from N. VV, to S. E., nine and thnie quarters from VV. N. W. to E. S. E., and thirteen from N. E. to 9. W. The highest part of it isl'200 feet, and in clear weather it may be seen at sixteen or eighteen leagues distance. The geo- graphical description by M. Bernizet, who was engineer in the As- trolabe, is exact: the views of the land are a little caricatured, but the angular measuriucnts are perfectly correct. Further remarks OD the coast and anchorage will be found in the Nauctical Memoir. We (|uitted Easter Island with a fresh N. E. wind, and bore away for the next island placed upon the chart. On the lOtli, dur- iug a calm, some experiments were made on the tenii)erature of tlte water at different depths. As the line was hauling in, a large iSnrord-fish bit at the tin case which contained our thermometer, but, fortunately, he failed in carrying it off. On the 27th, in- hit. 25° 36' S., long. 115o 06' W., many sea-birds were seen ; but there was no other indication of land. From the time of our quitting Easter Island, light and variable winds greatly retarded the pro- gress of the ship, untd the 24th, in lat. 26° 20' S., and long. 116° 80' VV^., when we got the regular trade-wind, and speedily gained the parallel of Ducie's Island, which it was my intention to pur- sue, that the island might by no possibility be passed. In the fore- noon of the 28th we saw a great many gulls and tern ; and at half- past three in the afternoon the island was descried right a-head. We stood on until sunset, and shortened sail within three or four miles to windward of it. Ducie's Island is of coral formation, of an oval form, with a la- goon or lake, in the centre, which is partly inclosed by trees, and partly by low coral flats scarcely above the water's edge. Tlie height of the soil uj)on the island is about tweh e feet, above which trees rise about fourteen more, making its greatest elevation about twenty-six feet from the level of the sea. The lagoon appears to ■ .be deep, and has the entrance into it for a boat, when the water is |sufficiently smooth to admit of passing over the bar. It is situated It the south-east extremity, to the right of two eminences that 'lave the appearance of sand-hills. The ishmd lies in a north-east land south-west direction, is one mile and three quarters long, and \i V I ■1 i 1 •I « \^4 ^*i AS VOYAOF. TO TMF PAriFIC \lh niic mill' wido. No liviiisi; lliiniis, birds oxcopKMl, were seen ii|i(ii the island ; luit its environs appeared lo ahonnd in fish, and sliiiik- ucie very numerous. Tiie water was so clear over tiie coral, ih;i' the i)oftoni was distinctly seen when no soundings could he Inn: with thirty /'athoins of line ; in twenty four fathoms, the shape (,| the rock at the bottom was clearly distinguished. The coral- were of various colours, prnici pally white, sul| liihur. and lilac IIK . ;iiiii isc iiri Inn formed into all manner of shapes, i^ivinji; a lively and variegated appearance to the bottom; but they soon lost thei- colour at'id being detached, Hy the soundings round this little island, it appeared, for a cer- tain distance, to take the sliape of a truncated cone having its b; > could he Ii;i|i \s, tlie shape (,| The coriil-liiii'. •, and hhic, luni and variegated lei.' colour at'lci ared, for a ccr. having; its hux extremities mi less inclinalidii )re ii can reacli is siniiular tlini •s whence their lorth-east, Iioih 1 the other (>\- •west, so previi- ation, that tlii- ipose, is canicil other. ;on(iiiLd to llio Minth western rater. On tlu Ind the sea, lit< 1, and ahove ii )le substances. Ilk, and form ;i present to tin )ucie's Island. htward. 'J'lic miles distMiil ^ lys afterward^ pijress ; and ;i- passed in thi' saw a sii'eiii fliu;ht to llif Lulls and tern lilei'wards \v;b At (laylii;iii d despatclu'il slii|) raiiiied • m ANO HF.F.niNfi's STIIAIT. 10 MtitS norihern shore nt a short distance, and waited for them oH' a Miidy hay at its nort-west extremity. We l()und that the island dilleied essentially iVom all ollicrs in • ili vicinity, and heloniied (o a peculiar formation, \('ry few inslau- Q^of which are in existence. VVali'o and Savage Islands, discov- iled hy Captain Cook, are of this nundier, and perhaps also iVIal- ^n l>fan(l, \isit<'d l)y liord liyron in the Blonde. The island is ifc miles in lenj;th, and one in hreadtli,and has a (hit surface nearly dghtv feet above the sea. On all sides, except the north, it is bounibd by perpendicular (Tills about fifty feet lii,ij;h. composed eii- tifely of dead coral, more or less porous, honeycomljed at tin; sur- face, and hardi'nin<|; into a compact calcareous substance within, pa-sessinii; the fracture of secondary limestone, and has a species of millcpore iiUerspersed throu;j;h it. These dills are considerably undermined by the action of the waves, and some of them appear OH tlie eve of preci|)itutinu; their superincumbent weight into the tela; those which are less injured in this way present no alternate ridges or indication of the diirerenl levels, which the .sea miu;ht have occupied at (Kderent periods, but a smooth surface, as if the island, whicii ijere is every probability has been raised by vol- Otnic ai^ency. had been forced up by one great subterraneous 'convulsion. The dead coral, of which the higher |)art of the isl- aad consists, is nearly circumscribed by ledges of living coral, which project l)eyond each other at different depths ; on the northern side of the island the first of these had an easy slope from the beach tc. "a distance of about fifty yards, when it terminated abruptly .d)out tltfee fathoms under water. The next ledge had a greater descent and extended to two hundred yards from the beach, with twenty- five fathoms water over it, and there ended as abru|)tly as the fcamer, a short distance beyond whicli no bottom could be gained with 200 fathoms of line. INuincrous echini live upon these ledges, tiid a variety of richly coloured fish play over their surface, while gome cray-fish inhabit the deeper sinuosities. The sea rolls in suc- cessive breakers over these ledges of coral, and renders landing upon tbeni extremely difli(;uU. It niay, however, be efieeted by , anchoring the boat, and veering her close into the surf, and then, watching the opportunity, by jumping upon the ledge, and hasten- ing to the shore before the succeeding roller approaches. In doing tliis great caution must be observed, as the reef is fidl of holes and caverns, and the rugged way is strewed with sea-eggs, which inflict j^ery j)ainfiil wounds; and if a person fall into one of these hol- >ws, his life will be greatly endangered by the points of coral featcbing his clothes and detaining him under water. The beach, diich appears at a distance to be composed of a beautifiil wiiite kand, is wholly made up of small broken portions oi' the diftcrenl VOL. I. 7 * •>*• M i a. L/l;f.f^i If 'I II m 50 VOYAflE TO THE PACIFIC [Ih -r. * species and varieties of coral, interniixcd with shells of testacooih and cnistaceous aniniiils. Insignificant us this island is in height, compared with others, i is extreniel)^ dinicull to gain the sunnnit, in consequence of iIk. thickly interlacing shruhs which grow upon it, and form so dense a covering, that it is impossihle to see the cavities in the rock heneuih, They are at the same tin. ? too fragile to afFord any support, and iln: traveller often sinks into the cavity up to his shoulder helbre lii feet reach the hottoni. The soil is a black mould of little depth, wholly formed of decayed vegetable matter, through which poiiu^ of coral every now and then project. The largest tree upon the island is the pandanus, though there i> another tree very common, nearly of the same she, the ivood ui which has a great resemblance to connnon ash, and possesses ilit same properties. We remarked alsoasp.^ies of budleia, wliicli was nearly as large and as common, bearing fruit. It affords but liitk wood, and luis a reddish bark of considerable astringency : seveni! s])ecies of this genus are to oe met with among the Society Isiaiid.v There is likewise a long slender plant with a stem about an inch in diameter, bearing a beautiful pink flower, of the class and onln lie> and«-'a monogynia. We saw no esculent roots, and, with ilii. exception of the pandanus, no tree that bore fruit fit to eat. This island, which on ou' charts berirs the name of Elii^abetl' ought prop(!rly to be calhul Henderson's Island, as it was first nai;;- ed by Ca|)taiji Henderson of the Hercules of Calcutta. Boiii these vessels visited it, and each supposing it was a new discovcn, claimed the merit of it on her arrival the next day at Pitcairii Inl- and, these two places lying close together. But the Hercules [)ic- ceded the former several months. To neither of these vei^sel-. however, is the discovery of the land in (juestion to be attribn;< d as it was first seen by the crew of the Essex, an American whalti. who accidentally fell in with it aficr the loss of theii' vessel. Tuu of her seamen, preferring the chance of finding su^ustence on tlii- desolate spot to risking their lives in an Oj)en boat across iiie widi expanse wliich lies h( tween it ami the coast of Chili, were at tlioir. own desire, left behind. They were; afterwards taken off by ani English whaler that heard of ihtir disaster at Valparaiso fromtlieirj surviving shipmates.* * The oxtraonlina. falo of tlu' Ilst'ox liaa hern recnrdod in ii pamphlet pulihslit; j in New Ycik by tlx' mato of that v[ their vessel ; but found tluwnselves unprovideil with every thing noccs- ry for a «ea-voynpc, ai.d several thousand miles fronj any place whence they could bDpe for relief. The boats, after the catastrophe, determined to proceed to Chili, touchinjj at Ducie'a Isla^id in tlieir way. They steered to the southward, and after Considerable suflerings, 'anded upon an island which tliey supposed to be that ;iWx)ve-nicn(ioiiccl, out >. iiich was, in fact, Eli'nabeth Island. Not beincf able to pro- cure any water here, tliey continued tlieir voyage to the coast of Chili, where two i^at.^ out of Ibe three arrived, but with only three or four jjcrsons in theiii. Tlie fhird was never liciad of ; but it is not inipmbablo that (lie wreck of a l)oat aial ,'fbur Kkelt.lDns wliicji were seen on Ducie's Island, by a niereliant vessel, W(;ie iier ..^cniaios and tliat uf licr crew. Ha ■ m ^ ti 1^ m iiphlet publishciij ell every pi>r.--oi: | liiissessioii nf it, I .'n't of call liiiiL' I the vossij lijj id, cndi :ivuurr' I blow stu>f ill I I I'cfore .■301111 ui ^ "tf^.4\ VOYACi; TO TliK I'ACiKK i)u \:\ ■^'»' CHAPTER III. •I CM I ; , Pitiairn lalaiul— Adams and F lives come oirto the Sliip— Adams' Account of ib Mutiny of the Bounty — Lieutenant Bligh sent adrift in tlie Launcli — Mutincii proceed to Tobouai — Hostile reception tliere — Proceed to Otaheite — Return i Tolwuai — Again quit it ai\d return to Otalieite — CInistian determines to proctt to Pitcairn Island — Lands there — Fate of the Ship — Insurrection anion;'' tij blacks — Murder of Cliristian and four of tlio n^utinccrs — Adams dangeruuih wounded — Fate of the remaining number. The interest wliieli was excited by the announcement of Pit- cairn Island from tlie mast-head brought every person u])on deck and produced u train of re(h:ctions that momentarily increased on; anxiety to communicate with its iidiabitants ; to see and partaki'o; the pleasures of their little domestic circle ; and to learn from tliciii the particulars of every transaction connected with the fate of tin Bounty : hut in consequence of the approach of night this gratifi- cation was deferred until the next morning, when, as we won steering for the sirle of tlie island on which Captain Carteret ii;i; marked soundings, in the hope of being able to anchor the slii|i, we had the [ileasure to see a boat under sail hastenhig toward ik At first the complete e(|uipment of this boat raised a doubt as in its being the property of tlie islanders, for we expected to see oiil\ a well-provided canoe in their possession, and we therefore conclui!- ed tliat the boat must belong to some whale-ship cm the oj)j)osiii side ; but we were soon agreeably undeceived by the singuhir a|i- pearance of her crew, whicii consisted of old Adams and all tin young men of the island. Before they ventured to lake hold of the ship, they inquired i they might come on board, and upon permission being granted, they sprang up the side and siiook every oflicer by the hand wiii: undisguised feeliiigs of gratification. The activity of the young men exceeded that of old yVdaniv who was conse(|ur'ntly almost the last l(j greet us. He was in li!- sixly-fiflh year, and was unusually strong and active for his ai:r. notwithstanding the inconvenience of considerable corpuleiicN He was dressed in a sailor's shirt and trousers and a lovv-crowiiLiI hat, whicii he instinctively held in his hand until ilesired to pui i' on. He still retained his sailor'.s gait, doiling his hat and smouiii- ,fand [I). •*. nis' Account of tb .aunch — Mutiucci. Italieite — Rctui n l ;cnnines to procei; rectiou aiuuu,"- tl.i ilains daiig-ciuu!l; cement of Pit. ^on upon dock ■ increased mi and partake o: earn Ironi tlii'n the iate of ili, iffht tl us gratili- tl, as Ave wen n Carteret ha- ?lior the sliiji, ing toward u<. a douht as to ed to see oiilv 'efore conclui!- 1 the op])o>ii c singuhu- ;i|i- iis and all tin oy iu(|uir(Ml ii ii.'iiig grante(l,j till! haiitt willil OKI yVdi till?, e was in iiis| '^ for his age, corpulency, low-crowned red to put il| and snioolli- .#H^^-| AND BEK.RIN(i S STUAIT. 53 %,'i' in,i down his hald fcrclicad whenever he was aldrosscd by the ■ olhccrs. It was the first time he had been on board a ship of war since tlic mutiny, and his mind naturally reverted to scenes that could not fail to produce a temporary embarrassment, heightened, jicv- haps, by the familiarity with which he found himself addressed by tiersons of a class with those whom he had been accustomed to obey. Apprehension for his safety formed no part of his thoughts : he had received too many demonstrations of the good feeling that existed towards him, both on the part of the British government imd of individuals, to entertain any alarm on that head ; and as ev- 0ity person endeavoured to set his mind at rest, he very soon made Imnself at home.* The young men, ten in number, were tall, robust, and healthy, with good-natured countenances, which would any where have pro- Cured them a friendly reception ; and with a simplicity of manner and a fear of doing wrong, which at once prevented the possibility of giving offence. Unacquainted with the world, they asked a number of questions which would have applied better to persons yi'ith whom they had been intimate, and wiio had left them but a short time before, than to perfect strangers ; and inquired after •ships and people we had never heard of. Their dress, made up of the ])rc:sents which had been given them by the masters and seamen of merchant ships, was a perfect caricature. Some had on long black coat? without any other article of dress excejil treus gallons to 111; reminded liii innoyed at iL immon withiii aunt of priva lis commanili occurred 1> veneration I'm li •a fcclincr in «' 1«25.J AND nEKRING S STRAIT. 55 tW(!eu Bligh and his ofllcers, about some cocoa-nuts which were missed from his private stock ; and Christian again fell under his COnmiander's disjileasure. The same evening he was invited to tjper in the cabin, but he had not so soon forgotten his injuries as accept of this ill-timed civility, and returned an excuse. I Matters were in this state on the '.iSth of April 1789, when the jjibunty, on her homeward voyage, was passing to the southward of Tofoa, one of the Friendly Islands. It was one of those beautiful Wglits which characterize the tropical regions, when the mildness drthe air and the stillness of nature dispose the mind to reflection. Christian, j)ondering over his grievances, considered thein so intol- enible, that any thing appeared preferable to enduring them, and he determined, as he could not redress them, that he would at least escape from the possibility of their being increased. Absence from ESigland, and a long residence at Otaheite, where new connexions Wflire formed, weakened the recollection of his native country, and pl^pared his mind for the reception of ideas which the situation of tj^ ship and the serenity of the moment particularly favoured. ms plan, strange as it must appear for a young ofliccr to ado|)t, who was fairly advanced in an honourable profession, was to set Miaself adrift upon a raft, and make his way to the island then in sight. As quick in the execution as in the design, the raft was %00n constructed, various useful articles were got together, and he was on the point of launching it, when a young officer, who after- wards perished in the Pandora, to whom Christian communicated hi^ntention, recommended him, rather than risk his life on so haz- ardbus an expedition, to endeavour to take possession of the ship, which he thour^lit would not be very difficult, as many of the ship's company weie not well disposed towards the coinmander, and would all be very glad to return to Otaheite, and reside among their friends in that island. This daring proposition is even more e^raordinary than tiie premeditated scheme of his companion, inP, if true, ccri,ainiy relieves Christian from jiart of tlie odium which has hitlieito attached to him as the sole instigator of the tautiny.* ,» it however accorded too well with the disposition of Christian's mind, and. hazardous as it was, he determined to co-operate with hie friend in effecting it, resolving, if he failed, to throw himself into the sea; and that tliere might be no chance of being saved, le tied a deep sea lead about his neck, and concealed it within his clothes. ^^_^Tlii^ ncronnt, however, (HlTcis materially from a note in Muvr-liall's Naval Riog'- ■pW)liy, Vol. ii. Part ii. p. 778: unfortunately this volume was nut published when ^"^le (llossom lift England, or more satislactory evidence on this, and other points, "Tnipiit have been obiaiucd. However, this ir. the stutemeut uf Adunis. I M • i. V m .^ nl mma ,A I Mm f W ! f ' 1. JW 1 II If- ^ 5G VOYAOn TO TTIE PACIFIC »r, Cliristian liapponod to have the mnrnins; watcli, and as soon :i, !io bad reliovt'd tlic oOirer of the dock, ho ontciod iiilo coiners,, tioii with Quintal, the only ono of the seamen who, Adams sulil had Ibimed any serious attachment at Otaheite ; and after exp'iii,,. ting on the happy liouis they had passed there, disclosed his inh „. lions. Quintal, after some consideration, said ho thought it a d.iii. gerous attempt, and declined taking a part. Vexed at a repnlv in a quarter whore he was most sanguine of success, and panidi. larly at having revealed sentiments which if made known won! bring him to an ignominious death, Christian became despc ate, cv hibited the lead about his neck in testimony of his own resohitioi and taxed Quintal with cowardice, declaring it was fear alone lli; restrainetl him. Quintal denied this accusation ; aiul in n^ply i Christian's further argument that success would restore them ail i the happy island, and the connexions they had left behind, il. strongest persuasion he could have used to a mind somewhat \m, pared to acquiesce, he reconnnended that some ono olso should 1. tried — Isaac Martin for i)istance, who was standing by. Mail!: more ready than his shipmate, emphatically declared, " He v. for it; it was the very thing." Successfid in one instance, C'liii- tian went to every man of his watch, many of whom he found di posed to join him, and before daylight tlie greater ]iorti(m of il, shi])'s company were brought over. Adams was sleeping in his hammock, when Sumner, one of tli seamen, came to him, and whispered tliat Christian was goin^ i take the ship from her commander, and set him and the master i slioro. On hearing this, Adams went upon deck, and found ever thing in great confusion ; but not then liking to take any pan the transaction, he returned to his hammock, and remained tlin until he saw Christian at the arm-chest, distributing arms to ;i who came for them ; and then seeing measures had proceeded > far, and apjn'ohensive of being on the weaker side, he turned i again and went for a cutlass. All those who proposed to assist Christian being armeil, Adan:, with others, were ordered to secure the officers, while Cliri--ii;| and the master-at-arms proceeded to tlie cabin to make a prison j of Lieutenant Bligh. They seized him in his cot, bound his luim behind him, and brought him upon deck. He remonstrated wii them on their conduct, but received only abuse in return, and blow from the master-at-arms with the flat side of a cutlass. II was placed near the binnacle, and detained there, with his an pinioned, by Christian, who held him with one hand, and a bavoi; with the other. As soon as the lieutenant was secured, llie snii nels that had been j)laced over the doors of the officers' caln were taken off; the master then jumj)ed upon the forecastle. ;: M 1h, hl5.] AND BEEniNO S STRAIT. and as sunn ;,, 1 into miivcisi. ho, Ailiiins s;ii(! 1(1 after ('Xj)iiii;i. closed his iiiiii,. liouglit it ii (!,ii. ed at a i'('|m,!- iss, and paiiid. o kii()\vi\ Won' le desjK 1 aU;, cv own rcsolmloii fear alone llr. and in ^•c\^\\ i itore them all i left hehind, li, somewhat pn s else sliould 1. ig by. Marti! lared, '• If.- v. instance, C'liri' )ni he found di portion of il nner, one of ili in was goins; i ,1 the master ( d found evrr scni )flicers' ciilii: forecastle. ;i leavoured to form a party to retake the ship ; but he was quiek- If secured, and sent below in confinement. This conduct of the master, who was the only officer that tried ta.bring the mutineers to a sense of their duty, was the more hij^hly creditable to him, as he had the greatest cause for discontent, Mr. Bligh having been more severe to him than to any of the other ofBccrs. About this time a dispute arose, whether the lieutenant and his party, w hom the mutineers resolved to set adrift, should have the launch or the cutter ; and it being decided in favour of the launch, Chfistian oruered her to be hoisted out. Martin, who, it may be remembered, was the first convert to Christian's plan, foreseeing that with the aid of so large a boat the party would find their way to England, and tiiat their information would in all probability lead to^e detection of the offenders, relinquished his first intention, and exclaimed, "If you give him the launch, I will go with him; you may as well give him the ship." He really ajjpears to have been in earnest in making this declaration, as he was afterwards ordered to the gangway from his })ost of conniiand over the lieu- tenant, in consequence of liaving fed him with a shaddock, and ex- changed looks with him indicative of his friendly intentions. It also fell to the lot of Adains to guard the lieutenant, who observ- ing him stationed by his side, exclaimed, " And you, Smith, are fim against me ?"* To which Adams replied that he only acted as the othcns did — he must be like the rest. Lieutenant Rligli, while thiu secured, reproached C!hristian with ingratitude, reminded him O^Ks obligations to him, and begged he would recollect he had a wire and ianiily. To which Christian replied, that he should have ti^ight of that before. The launch was by this time hoisted out; and the officers and Be$men of Lieutenant Bligh's party having collected what was necessary for their voyagc,f were ordered into her. Among those llHho took their seat in the boat was Martin, which being noticed by Quintal, he pointed a musket at him, and declared he would shoot him unless he instantly returned to the ship, which he did. The armourer and carpenter's mates were also forcildy detained, as they might be required hereafter. Lieutenant Bligh was then conducted to the gangway, and ordered to descend into the boat, where his hands were unbound, and he and his party were veered astern, and kept there while the ship stood towards the island. During this time Lieutenant Bligh requested some nuiskets, to pro- pel his party against the natives ; but they were refused, and four ■*■ .♦ Adams went by tlic name of Alexander Sniitli in t!ie liounty. 1 1 Consisting- of n small cisk of water, IfiOlbs. of liread, a small riuantity of rum pd wine, a quadrant, compass, some lines, rope, canvas, twine, &c. VOL. I. 8 I-* ( ,^ i t 'ii' w ■^H^P .— -' >-' /: V ,i y. 1 ' ! H 58 VOYAfiE TO THE PACIFIC [h cutlasses thrown to tliciu instead. When llioy were about i, leagues from Tofoa, at liieutenaiU Bllgh'.s request, the hiuncli w cast off, and inunediately "■ Huzza for Otaheite!" cclioed throui^Ii,, the Bounty. There now remained in the ship, Christian, who was the nun,. Heywood, Young;, and Stewart, midshipmen, the inaster-at-iin,, and sixteen seamen, besides tlie three artilicers, and the gaideiu; forming in all twenty-five. In the launch were the lieutenant, master, surgeon, a ukisui mate, two midshipmen, botanist, three warrant-ofHcers, clerk, ni eight seamen, making in all nineteen ; and had not the three [n, sons above-mentioned been forcibly detained, the captain wou; have had exactly half the ship's company. It may perhaps n pear strange to many, that \\ith so large a party in his llnoil Lieutenant Bligh made no attempt to retake the vessel ; but il mutiny was so ably conducted that no op])ortunity was aftbnl, him of doing so ; and the strength of the crew was decidedly favour of Christian. Lieutenant Bligh's adventures and sufFeriiii until he readied Timor, are well known to the public, and need:' repetition. The ship, having stood some time to the W. N. W., with avk- to deceive tlie party in the launch, was afterwards put about, ai; her course directed as near to Otaheite as the wind would pcniii In a few days they found some difliculty in reaching that islam and bore away for Tobouai, a small island about 300 miles to tk southward of it, where they agreed to establish themselves, pif- vided tlie natives, who were numerous were not hostile to tlu purpose. Of this they had very early intimation, an attack huii:, made upon a boat which they sent to sound the harbour. Slie however, effected her purpose ; and the next morning the Boiiiir was warped inside the reef that formed the port, and station' close to the beach. An attempt to land was next made ; but i! natives disputed every foot of ground with spears, clubs, and stoip. until they were dispersed by a discharge of cannon and muskcii. On this t'i! y fled to the interior, and refused to hold any lliitli intercours»: with their visiters. The detennined hostility of the natives put an end to tiie mi; tineer's design of settling amont:; them at that time ; and, after tu days' fruitless attempt at reconciliation, they left tlie island and pr • ceeded to Otaheite. Tobouai was, however, a favourite spot uii them, and they determined to make another effort to settle tlieit. which they thought would yet be feasible, provided the isliimi ers could be made acquainted with their friendly intentions. Tl, only way to do this was through interpreters, who might be piociin at Otaheite ; and in order not to be dependent upon the natives T- m boij me I anc whd tianl ven[ XAe\ kdl shii coU acctl •^.4.y 4 t' y were about |, 5t, the laiiiicli u echoed tliroiiglioi ho was the iinn,. le inaster-al-niii,, incl the garduiK; irgeon, a iiiusii; (Hcers, clerk, m lot the three p,, lie captain wou; may perhaps a|. ty in his favou vessel ; hut t|. nity was aftoid, was decidedly res and sutFerin;. blic, and needi . \y., with avii- put about, in; d would pcriiii! ling that islanc 300 miles to tk ihemselvcs, pro . hostile to tli( an attack bcii;, li arbour. Sli? ling the Bonn! , and station^ made ; but ti ' ubs, and stom. and muskcii, M any luidi. nd to the iiii; and, after lu island and piv- iirite spot ui! o settle llieit; ed the ishimi- cntions. T! It be prociii' he natives Tr- 1625.] AND UKERINIJ S STRAIT. 59 touai for wives, they determined to engage several Otaheitan wo- men to accompany them. They reached Otaheite in eight days, and were received w ith the greatest kindness by their lormer friends, Vlho immediately incpiired for the captain and his ofHcers. Chris- tfabi and his party having antici])ated inquiries of this nature, in- f^ted a story to account for their absence, and told them that sutenant IJIigh having found an island suitable for a settlement, landed there with some of his ollicers, and sent them in the i^p to procure live stock and whatever else would be useful to the cdrony, and to bring besides such of the natives as were willing to accompany them.* Satisfied with this plausible account, the chiefs supplied tliem with every thing they wanted, and even gave them a bull and a cow which had been confided to their care, the only ones, I believe, that were on the island. They were equally for- tunate in finding several persons, both male and female, willing to acfompany them ; and thus furnished, they again sailed for To- tx^ai, where, as they expected, they were better received than be- ;, in consequence of being able to communicate with the natives jugh their interpreters. Experience had taught them the necessity of making self-de- ^'fence their first consideration, and a fort was consequently com- menced, eighty yards square, surrounded by a wide ditch. It was "nearly completed, when the natives, imagining they were going to flfestroy them, and that the ditch was intended for their jilace of "♦inDBrment, planned a general attack when the ])arty should ])roceed to work in the morning. It fortunately happened that one of the l&ailves who accompanied them from Otaheite overheard this con- spiracy, and instantly swam off to the ship and apprised the crew ^' their danger. Instead, therefore, of proceeding to their work ai the fort, as usual, the following morning, they made an at- tack upon the natives, killed and wounded several, and obliged the others to retire inland. Great dissatisfaction and difference of opinion now arose among the crew : some were for abandoning the fort and returning to Ota- heite ; while others were for proceeding to the Marquesas ; but the majority were at that Jme for com))leting what they had begun, and remaining at Tobouai. At length the continued state of sus- pense in which they were kept by the natives made them decide to return to Otaheite, though much against the inclination of Chris- * In the Memoir of Captain Peter Heywood, in Marshall's Naval Biography, it is related tliftt the nnitinecrs availing- themsclvc: of a fiction which had been created tty Lieutenant Bligii respecting Captain Cook, stated that th'y had fallen in with aim, and tiuit he had sent the ship back for all the live stock that rould be spared, In order to form a settlement at a place called Wytootacke, which Bligh had dis- »eovered in his ruwfc to the Friendly Islands. V ■ I. .' '> U 'i r^ ■•« 'i '. i^ll »4 i:^ ' 'l'^ (50 VOYA(iK TO THK PACIFIC [Ih. lian, wlio in vain cxpostiilatod willi tiicm on the fully of such rt'solution, and iliu certain detection that must ensue. The iniplenients being embarked, they proceeded therefore second linio to Otalieite, and were again well received by th^ friends, who replenished their stock of provision. During the pa, sage Christian formed his intention of proceeding in the ship ; some distant uninhabited island, for the purpose of permancii! settling, as the most likely means of escaping the punishment wIik he well knew awaited him in the event of being discovered. communicating this plan to his shipmates he found only a few i; clined to assent to it ; but no objections were offered by those wi dissented, to his taking the ship ; all they required was an eqi distribution of such provisions and stores as might be useii, Young, Brown, Mills, Williams, Quintal, M-Coy, Martin, Adan and six natives (four of Otalieite and two of Tobouai) deterniin to follow the fate ol' Christian. Remaining, therefore, only two: ty-ibur hours at Otalieite, they took leave of their own comrade and having invited on board several of the women with the feigiK purpose of taking leave, the cables were cut and they were cani off to sea.* The mutinorrs now bade adieu to all the world, save the few i: dividuals as.-> ated with them in exile. But where that ex should be passed, was yet undecided : the Marquesas Islands we: first mentioned ; but Christian, on reading Ca[)lain Carteret's a count of Pitcairn Island, thought it better adapted to the purpo- and accordingly shaped a course thither. They reached it i; many days afterwards ; and Christian, with one of the seanic landed in a little nook, which we afterwards found very convenie for disembarkation. They soon traversed the island sufliciently be satisfied that it was exactly suited to their wishes. It posses- water, wood, a good soil, and some fruits. The anchorage in i offing was very bad, and landing for boats extremely hazardoi The mountains were so diflicult of access, and the passes so ii row, that they might be maintained by a few persons agaiii:st : army ; and there were several caves, to which, in case of neco-: ty, they could retreat, and where, as long as their provision hbii they might bid defiance to their pursuers. With this intelligoit they returned on board, and brought tlic ship to an anchor in small bay on the northern side of the island, which I have in co: sequence named " B( jnty Bay," where every thing that could ' of utility was landed, and w'herc it was agreed to destroy the .^lii; either by running her on shore, or burning her. Christian, Adaiii' ♦ The greater part of the mutineers who remained at Otaheite, were taken liy ' Majesty's ship Pandora, which was purposely sent out from England after lieui«; ant Bligh's return. 18^^l aiid wenj Qui| the der the . 1 stooJ appi sliou -T «- folly of siicli 10. !cled therefore jceived by tht During the pa, 5 in the ship i of pennamir unishment wIik Jiscovered. (j d only a few i: ed by those w. x\ was an eiji night be uscfi, Martin, Adan Hiai) detenniiK J fore, only two: r own conuadt I with the feigiu ;hey were canii I save the few i where that ex. esas Islands we: in Carteret's a I to the purpo; ^ reached it i; of the seaiiK very convenie nd sufliciently es. It posses- anchorage ill I: raely hazardo' 3 passes so r. isons against , case of ncri-; provision lusk this intelliijeiK an anchor in I I have in cii: ig that could ! estroy the slii; iristian, Adaiir were taken 1 y: Hand after limii. l»i5.J AMI lJEEUIN, tbe \er3- woman on whoso account all the disturhain beiiau, and whose injuries Talaloo felt he was revenging in coniiiiM with bis own. 'J'rancinillity was by these means restored, and preserved f about two years; at the expiration of which, dissatisfaction was ;ts;;i jnand'ested by tbe blacks, in consequence of oppression and ill tivi! ment, j)rinci|tally by Quintal and M'CIoy. INIeetiui;; with no con passion or redress from their masters, a second plan to destroy tlit' oppressors was matured, and, unfortunately, too successfully exoci: ted. It was agreed tliat two of tbe blacks, Timoa and Nehow, slioir desert from their masters, provide themselves with arms, and liii: in tbe woods, but maintain a frequent comnumication with the otiii two, Tetalieite and Menalee ; and that on a certain day they sluii; attack and put to death all the Englishmen, when at work in tin plantations. Tetalieite, to strengthen the p.irty of the blacks on l!: day, borrowed a gun and ammunition of his master, under the pr tence of shooting hogs, which had become wild and very numeioii- but instead of using it in this way, be joined his aocomplices, an with them fell upon Williams and shot hiin. INIartin, who was no great distance, beard the report of tiie musket, and exclaiiiU' " Well done ! we shall have a glorious feast to-day !" supposing tli; a bog had been shot. Tiie party jiroceeded from Williams' towai Christian's i)lantation, where Menalee, the other black, was atwof' with Mills and M'Coy ; and, in order tiiat the suspicions of the wliitt^ might not be excited by tbe report they had heard, requested Mi! to allow him (Menalee) to assist them in bringing home the lio. n|2;ouioiisly coi lie words U(|, )' rill iMiiii. Jhi'ii Ilis i^iin mid wv wint; tlic'iM ill rfi'ionci; iMidca oftlieiu (Olii, the coiispiiiii", , which lie h' ever, iniin;iiiii derided his u liis accomplii eniaininghhid roinising to im, M'wards perfoii vas betrayed m ■r an inelU'ciii f liis friend ;ir the disturhaiii iging in coniiiic [1 preserved f faction was ;ii;;i sion and ill Hva liz; with no cnn to destroy tin essfully execi \ehow, slioii rms, and liii: with the otiii 1625.) Avo nr.F.niNc s smviT. M (la y they si loi:. work in tin e Idacks on lii miller the pr iciy nunieiou- omplices, ar, , who was nd exclaiiiu" supposinsitli; illianis' towai k, was atwoF' IS of the wliiu-. cqnested Mi! louie the lio. they [-irtendcd to have killed. Mills as^reed ; and the four, heiii!; united, pioreeded to Christian, win: was workini; at his yain-plol, and shot him. Tims fell a man, who, iVuin hcinn the reimted liii-;- leaderoftlie iimliiiy, has olitained an imenviable celebrity, and whose crime, if any thinij; can excuse mutiny, may perhaps be con- sidered as in some detrree palliated, by the tyramiy which led to its eonimissioii. M'Coy, hearini; his t^roims, observed to Mills, ''there •^•g surely some person dyinti; ;" but Mills replied, >> It is only "Sfenmast' (Christian's wife) callinj:; her children to dinner." The ^te men beinti; yet too stronj^ for the blacks to risk a conMict with them, it was necessary to concert a plan, in order to separate IMillsand M'Coy. Two of them accordinu;ly secreted themselves in M'Coy's house, and Tetaheite ran and told' him that the two blacks who had deserted were stealinp; thinu;s out of his house. M'Coy n.stantly hastened to detect them, anil on enterini; was fired at ; but the ball passed him. M'Coy immediately comnumieated the alarm to Mills, and advised him to seek shelti-r in the woods ; but Mills, beiiiii quite satisfied that one of the blacks whom he had made his friend wi),ild not sufler him to be killed, determined to remain. IVI'Coy, less confident, ran in search of Christian, but finding:; him dead, joined Quintal (who was already apprised of the work of destruction, and had sent his wife to give the alarm to the others), and Hed with him to the woods. Mills had scarce!) been left alone, when the two blacks fell ujion hun, and he became a victim to his misplr.ced confidence in the fi- delity of his friend. INlartin and Brown w ere next separately mur- dered by Menaleo and Tenina ; Menalee effecting whh a maul what the musket had left unfinished. Tenina, it is said, wished to save the life of Brown, and fired at him with powder only, desiring him, at the same time, to fall as if killed ; but, unfortunately rising too soon, the other black, Menalee, shot him. Adams was first apprised of his danger by Quintal's wife, who, in hurrying through his plantation, asked why he was working at such a time ? Not understanding the ([iiestion, but seeing her alarmed, he followed her, and was almost immediately met by the blacks, whose appearance exciting .suspicion, he made his escape into the woods. After remaining three or four he is, Adams, think- ing all was quiet, stole to his yam-plot for a sujiply of provisions; his movements however did not escape the vigilance of the blacks, who attacked and shot him through the body, the ball entering at his right shoulder, and passing out through his throat. He fell upon his side, and was instantly assailed by one of them w itli the butt end of the gun ; but he parried the blows at the expense of a broken finger. Tetaheite then placed his gun to his side, but it fortunately missed fire twice. Adams, recovering a little from the u m '1 w 1^ 1 :y r " ^' m i f ■'' i 4ii /'«> ■ i lf'1 . G4 VOVACJF. TO Tin: PACIFJC f/)„ sliork of llie wound, spip.nL:; on his legs, tmd ran oil' with as iini, s|)('. (1 as In; was ii!>K\ anc foitunalcly oiilslripiaul his pnrsiUMs, u si't'in;j; him likely to escape, oltcTetl him jiroteclion if he wo\ild sii, Adams, much exhausted by his wound, readily accepted tlKiirti'in, and wi,s conducti'd to (Mi.istian's house, where he was kindly ti. cd. Here this day of bloodshed ended, leaving only Tour Kn^li, men alive out of nine. It was a day of om:nicip;uion to the bhui, who were now masters of the island, anil of huniiliation and r(;til!; lion to the whites. Young, who was n great favourite v\ith the women, and lnid.r ring this attack, been secre'ed by them, was now also takcii ("inisfian's house. Tlie other two, iM'C'oy and QuiiUal, who 1; always been the great ojjpressorsofthe blacks, escaped to the iiim tains, where they supported themselves upon the jjroduce of i g.'f)un(l about them. Tlie party in the village lived in tolerable tranijudity for almir \V(!ek ; at the expiiation of which, the men of colour began to i|ii rel about the right of choosing the women whose nusbands had Ik killed ; which eniled i-i IMenalee's shooting 'J'nnoa as he sal hv ; side of Yoiuig's w ife, accompanying her song wilh bis tlute. Tii,; not dying innnediatcly, iMenalee reloaded, and deliberately d patched him by a second discharge, lie afterwards attacked Tr: lieite, who was condoling wilh Young's wife for the loss of her: vourite black, and would ha' e murdered him also, but for the iiii ference of the women. Afraie to remain longer in the village, escaped to the mouiUains and joined (Quintal arJ j\l"Coy. w: though glad of his services, at first recitwed him with suspici Tliis great accpiisition to their force enabled them to biddefiand the opposite piaty ; and to show their strength, and that they \m provided vvith muskets, they appeared on a ridge ofniouiit;ii within sight of the village, and fired a volley which sc^ alarmed i otiiers tliat they sent Adams to say, if they would kill the lilai man, Menalee. and return to the village, they would all Yh) liii ; again. The terms were so far coni|)lied wilh that ^lenalet' v slut; but, ap|)rehensive of the sincerity of the remaining hiari tliey refused to return while they were alive. Adams says it was not long before the widows of the white i so (I(!eply deplored iheir loss, that they determined to reveii'j;e i' death, and concerted a plan to murder the only two remainini: m of colour. Another account, communicated by the islander^. that it was only part of a plot f()rmed at the same time that Me lee was murdered, which could not be put in execution heloi Howev-er this may be, it was cijually fatal to the poor blacks. T » arrangement was, that Susan sliouKI murder one of lli(>m, 'I'elaJK'' while lie was sleeping by the side of his favourite ; and that Veu 18'. shoj othj fell his and I dea(| III t f/)„ oir willi as nui. liirf pursuors, «; 1 if Iic3 would Ml. cptcd tli(;irt!'ri„ ! was kiiullv til r.ly ibur Kiil;!;. lion to tlio liliui iationand i(;tnl iicn, and Imd. : low also taken ■ Quintal, wlio 1; \\)va\ to the 1)101 |)rodiico of 1 (Liility for alioir nir bewail to i|ii lusbands had In I as he sal, hv \ liis thite. Tn, (kdiberatoly li •ds attacked' T.! ihe loss of \wr: but for the iiii n the \illa^('.' 'Ci INl'Coy, W; 11 with susiiici, to bid defiaiici d that ;hey \\< t!;e of iiioiiiitai. so alaniicd i hi kill the 111 lid all be fridi lal 3[eiial(i' v, Muoinin:::; hlar: I the while v.. to roven i! ■. reinainiiii': ii he islaiidci-. line that !Mi vcnitioii licl'ii 111" blacks. T , 1625.] ANn bf.khino s sthaft. or, lein. claiic should at the same instant, upon a sii:;nal beinp; c;iven, shoot the other, IN'eliow. The unsuspectini;; Tetaheite retired as usual, and fell by the blow of an oxe ; tiie other was lookiic^at Y^Mini; loadiiii^ his gun, which he supposed was for the purpose of shootini; hogs, and requested hiin to put in a good charge, when be received the deadly contents. In this manner the existence of the last of the men of colour ter- Igttuited, who, though treacherous and revengeful, iiad, it is feared, "^ffmu(di cause I'or complaint. The acconi])lishment of tliis fatal scheme \\-as immediately communicated to the two absentees, and their return soficitcd. But so many instances of tr(>acbery had oc- curred, that they would not believe the report, though delivc^-cd by Adftnis hiiiisell',' until the band,; .nd beads of the decca.'^ed were produced, which being done, they returned to the village. This eventful day was the.'Jd October, 17f).'J. There wore now left upon tho island, Adams, Young, M'Coy, and Quintal, ten women, and some children. Two months after this period, Young commenced a manuscriiil journal, which affords a good insight into the state of the island, and the occupations of the settlers. From it we learn, that they lived ])caceal)ly together, building their bouses, fencing in and cultivating their grounds, fishing, and catching birds, andcon- structin'?: jiits for the purpose of entrapjiing hogs, which bad become very numerous and wild, as well as injurious to the yam-cro])S. The only discontent ajipears to have been among the women, who lived promiscuously with the men, fre(|iicntly changing their abode. Young says March 12, 1794, "Going over to borrow a rake, to rake the dust ofFmygromid, I saw Jenny having a .skull in her haad : T asked her whose it was ? and wa.s told it was Jack Wil- liams's. I desired it might be buried : the women who were with Jenny gav(> me for answer, it should not. I said it diould; and de- manded it accordingly. I was asked the reason why I, in particular, should insist on such a thing, when the rest of the white men did not? 1 said, if they gave them leave to keep the skulls above gromid, I did not. Accordingly when I saw IM'Coy, Smith, and Mat. Quintal, 1 actpiainted them with it, and .aid, I thought that if the girls did not agree to gi\e up the heads of the five white men in a peaceable maimer, they ought to be taken by force, and buried." About this time the women appear to have been much dissatisfied; and Young's journal declares that, '"■ since the massacre, it has been the desire of the greater part of them to get some conveyance, to ena])le them to kiavt; the island.*' This feeling continued, and on tile I'llli April. ITO'I, was so strongly urged, that the men be'j;an to build them a boat ; but wanting planks and nails, Jenny, who now ^resides at Otabeite, in her zeal tore up the boards of her bouse, and P 111 ,;'■ M 1 m m I at) land that Y VOi % (Ml'' ()() VOYAffE TO THE PACIFIC [I}(C 1825. \) ' 4 .1 i:«^ i \n omleavoureH, th(niu:Ii without success, to persuade some others to fo]. low her example. On the 13th Akt»tyi.iif. following, the vessel was finished, and or the 15th .she was Ian-. ! : but, us Young says, ''according to ex. peclation she uf>set, iiin; nt was n»ost fortunate for them that slij did so: for had fhey Uunrlied out upon the ocean, where could the, liave g(i>ne ? or »hat i^^ould a few .^I'orant women have dono k iHolvf^-. (h'i ft i ri'i' up()»'i! the waves, but ultimately have fallen j <'c to their folly ? iWowe.'er, the fate of the vessel was a crea! di>;?i).jjointment. and tliey c*.ont'irtued mt»ch dissatisfied with their conrtir^Jion ; probaljly not witl('K«»t .some reason, as they were kept ii'' grf';>t .^*l)ordination, and weiie freifuerrtly beaten by IM'Coy an; Quima'l. rho appear to have beei:i of ven f|uarrels()me dispositions:. Quintal i«tj?articu]ar, who proposed • tk>laugh, joke,or givcaii thing to anft' of the girls." On the J6
  • . closiu'C ensued ; but no punishment appears to have been inflict.; upou them, in consequence of their promising to conduct themsehi- properly, and never again to give any cause "even lo ...-p ^ctdiei, behaviour.'' However, though they were pardoned, 1 ^ung oli. serve';, "We did not forget their conduct ; and it was agreed aiuon; us, cnat the first female who misbehaved should be put to death, and this ))unishment was to be repeated on each offence until w could di.scovcr the real intentions of the women." Yomig appear^ to have suflered much from mental ))erturbalion in consequence c: these distm-bances ; and observes of himself on the two followin. days, that "ho w bothered and idle." The suspicions of the men induced them, on the 15th, to con- ceal two muskets in t''^ bush, for the use of any person who niisil, be so fortunate as to escape, in the event of an attack being made On the 30th November, the women again collected and attackn them ; but no lives were lost, and they returned on being once moiti^ pardoned, but were again threatened with death the next time tlioy|r misbehaved. Threats thus repeatedly made, and as often uncx • cuted, as might be expected, soon lost their effect, and the woim * formed a |>arty whenever their displeasure was excited, and h themselves in the unfiequented parts of the island, carefully provid- ing themselves with fire-arms, (n this manner the men were ke|ii in continual suspense, dreading the rosidt of each (risturbancc. a- the numerical strength of the women was much greater than tin 4 own. f e others to fol. lislied, and or cording to tx, liein that sli,; ere couUl the; have dono !,• Iiave fallen j sel was a n;ica' J(l witli Uio^ were kc\n i i\I-Coy an. ) dispositioiiv . :e, or give an; the bones o; ■y celel)i'atir On tlie Ih: __ I men in ihei, rl, and a di-. een infllcici H thenisclvt. tit-j).>cttiiei[ , 1 ^.iing oli. gi'eed anion: lit to death , k'o until we mg apjicap equence c: "o followin. •th, to mil- who niid; eing made ul attackw 2; once more 1^ ttinie tlipyP ten uncxc- the woiiii:; ^ and li, lly K pi'OVIll- wci'c ki'ji; rhaiifc. ;i- ihan till" 1825.] AND BEERINf) S STRAIT. 67 ; On the 4th of May, 1795, two canoe- were begun, and in two days completed. These were used for ushing, in which employ- ment the people were frequently successful, supplying themselves with rock-fish and large mackarcl. On the 27ti) ol" December fol- lowing, they were greatly alarmed by the appearance of a ship lOlose ni with the island. Fortunately for them, there was a tre- jpendous surf upon the rocks, the weather wore a very threatening pect, and the ship stood to the S. E., and at noon was out of ght. Young ai)per.rs to have thought this a providential escape, «s the sea for a week after was " smoother than they had ever recollected it since their arrival on the island." So liule occurred in the year 1796, that one page records the whole of the events ; and throughout the following y?ar there are but three incidents worthy of notice. The first, their endeavour *o procure a quantity of meat for salting ; the next, their attempt lo make syrup from the tee-plant (drncxvna icrminalis) and sugar- cane; and the third, a serious accident that happened to M'Coy, who fell from a cocoa-nut tree and hurt his right thigh, sprained Iboth his ancles and wounded his side. The occupations of the Itoen continued simil.ir to those already related, occasionally enliv- ened by visits to the o])posite side of the island. They appear to liave been more sociable ; dining frequently at each other's houses, and contributing more to the comfort of the women, who, on their ^|)art, gave no ground for uneasiness. There was also a mutual ac- ■conniiodation amongst them in regard to provisions, of which a reg- ular account was taken. If one person was successful in hu iljng, he lent the others as much meat as they required, to be repaid at leisure ; and the same occurred with yams, tares, &ic., so that they lived in a very domestic and tranquil state. It unfortunately happened that M'Coy had been employed in a distilleiy in Scotland ; and being very much ad ,M^d to liquor, he tried an experiment with the tee-root, and on the ^Olh April 1798, succeeded in producing a bottle of ardent s ■••it. ^J'his success in- duced his companion, Mathew Quintal, to "alter his kettle into a still," a contrivance which unfortunately succeeded too well, as fre- quent intoxication was the coii.se(|uence, with M'Coy in particular upon whom at length It produced fits of delirium, in one of which, he threw himself from a clifT and was killed. The melancholy fate of this man created so forcible an impression on the remaining few, that they resolved never again to touch spirits ; and Adams, I have every reason to Itclieve, to the day of his death kept his \"0W. The journal finishes nearly at the period of M'Coy 's death, which is not related in it: but ue learned from Adams, that about 1799 Quintal lost his wife by a fall from the clilf while in search >L > ki > 1^ ^ i ill!" fe? I li <^ > 4. ' ■( ■ 08 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Ih of birds' eggs ; that lie grew discontented, and, though there up, several (lisjiosahle women on tlie ishind, and he had ah'eady expiMif.,,, ced the I'alal eliects of a similar demand, nothing would satisfy lij, but the wife of one of his companions. Of course neither of ihti felt inclined to accede to this unreasonable indulgence ; aiul |;, sought an o})i)ortunity of putting them both to death. Ho wa fortunately Ibiled in his first attempt, but swore he would repeal |: Adams and Young, having uo doubt ho would follow up his resoli, tion, and fearing lit- might bo more successful in his next attoiin,; came to the conclusion, ihat their own lives were not safe while I was in existence, and that they were justified in putting him i death, which they did with an axe. Such was the melancholy fate of seven of the leading mutineer who escaped from justice only to add murder to their form, crimes ; foi' though some of them may not have actually embiui their hands in the blood of their fellow- jrcaturcs, yet all were ao cessary to the deed. As Christian and Young were descended from respectalii, parents, and had received educations suitable to their birth, it niii;i., be supposed that they felt their altered and degraded situation imic more than the seamen, who were comparatively well off; but if so. Adams says, they had the good sense to conceal it, as not a siiidt murmur or regret escaped them; on the contrary. Christian wa; al- ways cheerful, and his example w-as of the greatest service ii; exciting his com])anions to labour. He was naturally of a lm|!. py, ingenuous disposition, and won the good opinion, and n,- pect of all those who served under him ; which cannot be bel- ter exemplified than by his maintaining, under circumstances i; great perplexity, the respect and regard of all who were associain with him up to the hour of his death; and evf n at the period o our visit, Adams, in speaking of him, never omitted to say '- M Christ ian.'' Adams and Young were now the sole survivors out of the fit- teen males that landed upon the island. They were both, niiii more piuticultuly Young, of a serious turn of mind ; and it woul-^ have bee;' wonderful, after the many dreadful scenes at which tlu\j| had assisted, if the solit'ide and trancjuility that ensued had iio.f disposed them to repentance. During Christian's lifetime they Ini'lk only once read the ciiurcli service, but since his decease this had been regularly done on every Sunday. They now, however, resohci' to have morning and evening family j)rayers, to add afternoon ser- vice to liie duty of the S;\l)l)aih, and to train up their own childini and those of their late unfortunate companions, in |)iety and \iitiii In the execution of this resolution, Young's education iiiahli him lo be of the greatest assistance: hut he was ii«'t lonu; siiiHix 1825. to suii he ha| year ; vivor The was fo| ever, nuncdl hoi)e \ His propitj there had III have ; possib lavora By ad which less, educat exam ifcen, hours 'j^ositio dren al Adams quiries acquire .fcterm elated Adam: ough tiiere wo, Iready cx\Hn-u, Ould SUti.sly |||, nuitJior ol" iln^j §ence ; and |. icatl). Ho vl would repeat i; w up J)i,s rcsoli. ^ next atteiiij,, )t safe wliilo I, putting liiui I ding miuincci. o tJieir fojDi, tually eniljiui., et all were ac. m respectaW, Ijirthjit iiii^;, situation iimc oii'; but if H, as not a siiiirl^ H'istiaii \va; ;i|. ist service it 'j'y of a |jii|!. ion, and a,. inuiot |j(j bci. 'uni5,tance.s i 31-6 associahV tlie period 1/ . to .say '• M ' It of the fii- i'e botii, nil,; inid it woiilii L wiiicli llii'v led Ii;i(| 11,' no tlu'y lia,! . ise this id*' t er, resohci! teniooii SI- WM (llildldl iiiid viriiic oil ('iiahkil ' |)llii Sllli; IV;! 1825. j AND BEEKING S STRAIT. 69 i to survive liis repentance. An asthmatic complaint, under which he had for some time labored, terminated his existence about a year alter the death of Quintal, and Adams was left the sole sur- vivor of the misguided and unfortunate mutineers of the Bounty. TTie I0.SS of his last coinpanion was a great affliction to him, and was for some time most severely felt. It was a catastrophe, how- ever, that more than ever dis})osed him to repentance, and deter- mined him to execute the pious resolution he had made, in the hope of expiating his offences. His reformation could not, perhaps, have taken place at a more propitious moment. Out of nineteen children upon the island, there were several between the ages of seven and nine years ; who, had tliey been longer suffered to follow their own inclinations, might have acquired habits wjiicli it would have been difficult, if not im- possible, for Adams to eradicate. The moment was therefore most ftvorable for his design, and his laudable exertions were attended %y advantages both to the object' of his care and to his own mind, ^hich surpassed his most sanguine expectations. He, neverthe- ipss, had an arduous task to perform. Besides the children to be ^Iwucated, the Otaheitan women were to be converted; and as the i^xample of the parents had a powerful influence or r theii chil- dren, he resolved to make them his first care. Here also his la- %)urs succeeded ; the Otaheitans were naturally of a tractable dis- 'Irosition, and gave hun less trouble than he anticipated: the chil- dren also ac(pnred such a thirst afto- scriptural knowledge, that Adams in a ?hort time had little else to do than to answer their in- quiries and put them in the right way. As they grew up, they acquired fixed habits of morality and piety; thei:' colony improved; Bitermarriagcs occurred: and they now fori\i ahap|)y and well-reg- lllatcd society, the merit of which, in a great degree, belongs to ?Adams, and tends to redeem the former errors of his life. ^1 1. nf m i ' . i I. 70 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC CHAPTER IV. Bounty Bay — Observatory landed — Manners, Customs, Occupations, Amuscinon;: &c. of tlie Natives — Villag-e — Description of the Island — Its produce — Mania-. of Adams — Barge hoisted out — Departure — General description. Having detailed the particulars of the mutiny in the Bounty, an the fate of the most notorious of tlie ringleaders, and havir, brought the history of Pitcairn Island down to the present perioi: I shall return to the party who had assembled on board the ship \ greet us on our arrival. The Blossom was so different, or to use the expression of on visiters, " so rich," compared with the other ships they had seen.' that they were constantly afraid of giving or committing some inji ry, and would not even move without first asking permissioi This diffidence gave us full occupation for some time, as our resi less visitei anxious to see every thing, seldom directed their ai teution long to any particular object, or remained in one positin or place. Having no latches to their doors, they were ignorant the manner of opening ours ; and we were constantly attacked i, all sides with " Please may I sit down or get up, or go out of ili cabin r" or, " Please to open or shut the door." Their applica- tions were, however, made with such good nature and simplidi, that it was impossible not to feel the greatest })leasur'' in pnyii:. attention to them. They very soon learnt the christian nainc < every officer in the ship, which they ah\ays used in conversaii instead of the surname, and wherever a similarity to their own. oi-* attached liiemselves to that person as a matter [A, |§25.1 boats, ftnied I want sil Paul's ibiind 1 1 cKf^s all ed evcrj welcomj distance! landers outside fkinge til all acccf We l) passage we trust m their paid l)y nail Yo iiey l)ei course. It was many hours after they came on board before the ship I could get near the island, during wliicli time they so ingratiutd* themselves witii us that we felt the greatest desire to visit tlini houses ; and rather than pass another night at sea we put olf in iIkS * It wad so IvUjS since the visit of tlie Britou aud Tapus, tliat they had foryuliuj iheir appearance. [^" 1^25.1 AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 71 ins, Amuscinoii; t>d lice— Mania; 3 Bounty, an 1, and havir resent poiio. rd the sliipi ression of oi; 3y had seen,' ng some inji ; permissiof , as our l•e^! !ted their a; one positio; e ignoraiii - ^ attacked i: o out of ill: leir appllc,;. siinplicii; in payii:. an name c fonvcrsaii: leir own in' a matter i id re tlie ^In, ) inp;ratiiitr ) visit ilk'i: lit olFiii ilii had foigotu.. boats tho'igh at n considerable distance h"om the land, and accom- Mpied them to the shore. We followed our guides past a rugged IKUnt suriiiouiited by tall spiral rocks, known to the islanders as St. Pljul's rocks, into a spacious iron-bound bay, where the Bounty Iqlind lier last anchorage. In this bay, which is bounded by lofty " s almost inaccessible, it was proposed to land. Thickly branch- evcrtireens skirt the base of these hills, and in summer afford a f Iconic retreat from the rays of an almost vertical sun. In the tance are seen several high pointed rocks which the pious high- landers have named after the most zealous of the Apostles, and outside of them is v square basaltic islet. Formidable breakers fringe the coast, and seem to present an insurmountable barrier to all access. We here brought our boats to an anchor, in consequence of the passage between the sunken rocks being much too intricate, and we trusted ourselves to the natives, who landed us, two v* a time, Bjf their w'hale-boat. The difficulty of landing was iiiore than re- Ulid by the friendly reception we met with on the beach from Han- flilh Young, a very interesting young woman, the daughter of jiidams. In her eagerness to greet her father, she had outrun her ^ppnalc companions, for whose delay she thought it necessary in the 0St place to apologize, by saying they had all been over the hill i» company with John Buffet to look at the ship, and were not yet iS|turned. It appeared that John Buffet, who was a sea-faring mian, ascertained that the ship was a man-of-war, and without knowing exactly why, became so alarmed for the safety of Adams that he either could not or would not answer any of the interoga- tions which were put to him. This mysterious silence set all the pprty in tears, as they feared he had discovered something adverse % their patriarch. At length his obdur.icy yielded to their en- l|Baties ; but before he exploined the cause of his conduct, the l^ats were seen to put off from the ship, and Hannah immediately tairried to the beach to kiss the old man's cheek, which she did with a fervency demonstrative of the warmest affection. Her apology for her companions was rendered unnecessary by their appearance on the steep and circuitous path down the mountain, who, as they arrived on the beach, successively welcomed us to their island, with a simjilicity and sincerity which left no doubt of the truth of their professions. . They almost all wore the cloth of the island : their dress con- fflsted of a petticoat, and a mantle loosely thrown over the should- ers, and reaching to the ancles. Their stature was rather above Ae common height ; and their limbs, from being accustomed to work and climb the hills, had acquired unusual nuiscularity ; but flieir features and manners were perfectly feminine. Their com- i^mmn V. -\"lant, drove away our troublesome persecutors, we obtaiiit a respite from their attacks. Ha\ing refreshed ourselves, we resumed our journey o\(i more easy path ; and after crossing two valleys, shaded by cikh nut trees, we arrived at the village. It consisted of five hoii-' built upon a cleared piece of ground sloping to the sea, and cni; manding a distant view of the horizon, through a break in an iv tensive wood of palms. While the men assisted to pitch our in the women employed themselves in preparing our dinner, or iiio: properly supper, as it was eight o'clock at night. The manner of cooking in Pitcairn's Island is similar to lluii ' Otaheite, which, as some of my readeis may not recollect, I >ii; briefly describi. i\\\ oven is made in the ground, sufficiently Ini: to contain a good-sized pig, and ib lined throughout with slum nearly # 'possilil the lei ioiside dlnbles a (lark sii|i, na; rontrusi, Mil dors iiiloi, liinu'il 1)11, that positii, (nvly u;atlifiv lobacco |)|;iii' oyes (lark ;ii teeth. isui e, Avhicli H )y the will, 1 tlicin. .\ :^t to tlio \: this was 1 ■tide fouiiil landing-pi;! of the asrci to anticij);!! l)Htarlos : w : dinicult |i;ii have rocdiiiv serious dcla ,nd by swan to have be. rty rested i 1 one si(k' oalod by i: the niodiii nig lcavo< ^, we obtiiiik u'nc^y ovci id by fdcir five lioihi- Da, and con- d< in an i\ tell our l(ir ner, or iin': ir to lliiii ' (M-t, I >li;' icicntl) l;ii- willi slt'ii' 1625.] AND nKKRINO S STRAIT. 7.1 If nearly (niual in size, which have been previously inad(> as hot as # -possilile. These are C'o\ered with sonu; broad leaves, generally of the tee-|)lant, and on them is [ilaeed the meat. If it be a pig, its J|side is lined with heated stones, as well as the oven ; sueh vog- g' « [/I oinoiiy at whir IP tlip fiiM I il witli ihc I, ; tliuir finm.^. ! VOSSOI l)y I ulo with (1()„|| palin-luaf, w, '(I an oxcell, iisi(loral)li; In, •e of the j)(.'i- Jiy coiiiloiia the place, ;i the in(|iiiri(s ic general i, , tliat there the renmiii- lands, whicli imposes di f her liiisl);ii. i not hero f; exclude all : cy of scats. and wroii::, jy have inibil, certanily cm they, I helie: s, that man , s, to be S(>i\ any of the w e island. F gjood-naturoi: ' the flies. ;i: I, reminded ! conchision ■en to prep; led out to t ime the worn- ' shown (0 1 of paliii-iifi same niateiii ere (piile ii- ivas exirciii. e freslllles^ Jfi'25. AND nEEIllNflS STHAIT. 75 the apartment, rendered cool by a free circulation of air through its sides, enabled us to enjoy without any aimoyance from heat or insect'^. One interruption oidy disturi)e(l oiu- lirst sleep; it was the |)leasing melody of the evening hynm, which, after the lights were put out, was chavnited by the whole family in the middle of (lie room. In the morning also we were awoke by their morning hymn and family devotion. As we were nnich tired, and the sun's rtys had not yet found their way through the broad opening of the apartment, we composed ourselves to rest again ; and on awaking found that all the natives were gone to their several occupations, — the men to olFcr what assistance they could to our boats in landing, carrying burthens for the seamen, or to gather what fruits were in season. Some of the women had taken our linen to wash ; those whose turn it was to cook for the day were preparing the oven, the pig, and the yams ; and we could hear, by the distant reiterated strokes of the beater,* that othrts were engaged in the manufac- .ture of cloth. Hy our bedside had already been ])laced some ripe finits ; and our hats were crowned with chaplets of the fresh blos- som of the nono, or flower-tree (worimln citnjhlia), which the Women had gathered in the freshness of the morning dew. On looking round the apartment, though it contained several beds, we fcund no partition, curtain, or screens ; they had not yet been con- sidered necessary. So far, indeed, from concealment being thought of when we were about to get uj), the women, anxious to show their attention, assendjled to wish us a good morning, and to in- quire in what way ihey could best contribute to our comforts, and to present us with some little gift, which the produce of the island afforded. Many persons would have felt awkward at rising and dressing before so many pretty black-eyed damsels assembled in the centre of a sjmcious room ; but by a little habit we overcame this embarrassment ; and found the benefit of their services in fetching water as we required it, and substituting clean linen for such as we pulled ofT. It nuist be remembered, that with these people, as with the other islanders of the South Seas, the custom has generally been to go naked, the maro with the men excepted, and with the wo- men the petticoat, or kilt, with a loose covering over the bust, which, indeed, in Pitcairn's Island, they are always careful to con- ceal ; consequently, an exposure to that extent carried with it no 'feeling whatever of indelicacy ; or, I may safely add, that the Pit- cairn Islanders would have been the last persons to incur the charge. We assembled at breakfast about noon, the usual eating hour of i' e natives, though they do not confine themselves to that pe- * riu:? IK u instrument used for the manufacture of their doth. ». .'^1 -♦ ■' V y^ / V IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I M 125 12^ 11.25 ■ 2.2 IE 1.4 11.6 Hiotograpiuc Sciences Corporation •^ V ^^ :\ \ V 13 WIST MAIN STRiiT WEBSTiR, N.Y. MS80 (716) 873-4S03 ' ^^ o\ s 76 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Dec. riHi' ii-*» c. I k> Um II' lit; :*1 »i^ f^ riod exactly, Inil take their meal whenever it is sufficiently cooked; ami aflerwards availed ourselves of their proffered services to sliow us tiie island, and under their guidance first inspected the village, and wiiat lay in its inunediate \ icinity. In an adjoining house we found two young girls seated upon the ground, employed in the laborious exercise of beating out the bark of the cloth-tree, which they intended to present to us, on our de})arture, as a keepsake. The handet consisted of five cottages, built more substantially than neatly, upon a cleared patch of ground, sloj)ing to the northward, from the high land of the interior to the cliffs which overhang the sea, of which the houses command a distant view in a northern di- rection. In the N. E. quarter, the horizon may also be seen peep- ing between the stems of the lofty palms, whose graceful branches nod like ostrich plumes to the refreshing trade-wind. To tlic northward, and northwestward, thicker groves of palm-trees rise in an impenetrable wood, from two ravines which traverse the hills in various directions to their summit. Above the one, to the west- ward, a lofty mountain rears its head, and towards the sea ter- minates in a fearful precipice filled with caverns, in which tlie dif- ferent sea-fowl find an undisturbed retreat. Immediately round the village are the small enclosures for fattening pigs, goats, and poultry ; and beyond them, the cultivated grounds i)roducing the banana, plantain, melon, yam, taro, sweet potatoes, appai, tee, and cloth plant, with other useful roots, fruits, and shrubs, which ex- tend far up the mountain and to the southward ; but in this partic- ular direction they are excluded from the view by an inunense banyan tree, two hundred paces in circumference, whose foilago and branches form of themselves a canopy impervious to the rays of the sun. Every cottage has its out-iiouse for making cloth, its baking-place, its sty, and its poultry -house. Within the enclosure of palm-trees is the cemetery where the few persons who had died on the island, together with those who met with violent deaths, are deposited. Besides the houses above- mentioned, there are three or four othei-s built upon the plantations beyond the palm groves. One of these, situated higher up the hill than the village, belonged to Adams, who had retired from the bustle of the hamlet to a more q\iiet and sequestered spot, to enjoy the advantages of an elevated situation, so desirable in warm coun- tries ; and in addition to these again there are four other cottages to the eastward whicli belong to the Youngs and Quintals. All these cottages are strongly built of wood in an oblong form, and thatched with the leaves of the palm-tree bent round the stem of the same branch, and laced horizontally to rafters, so placed a« to give a proper pitch to the roof. The greater part have an up- per story, which is appropriated to sleeping, and contain four beds I8i25.| ANn BEKIllNfi S STRAIT. 77 |)uilt in (lie angles of the room, each sufliciently large for three or four persons to lie on. They are made of wood of the cioth-trcc, and are raised eighteen inches above the floor ; a mattress of palm- , leaves is laid upon the ^jlanks, and above it three sheets of the clolh-plant, which form an excellent substitute for linen. The lower room generally contains one or more beds, but is always used as their eating-r(X)m, and has a broad table in one i)art, with several stools placed round it. The floor is elevated above a foot from the ground, and, as well as the sides of the house, is made of stout plank, and not of bamboo, or stone, as stated by Captain Folger ; indeed they have not a piece of bamboo on the island ; nor have they any mats. The floor is a fixture, but the sideboards are let into a groove in the supporters, and can be removed at pleasure, according to the state of the weather, and the whole side may, if reijuired, be laid open. The lower room communicates with the upper by a stout ladder in the centre, and leads up through a trap- door into the bedroom. Froiu the village several pathways (for roads there are none) diverge, and generally lead into the valleys, which afford a less (lifHcult ascent to the upper part of the island than the natural slope of the hills ; still they are very rugged and steep, and in the rainy season so slippery that it is almost impossible for any person, excejjting the natives, to traverse them with safety. We selected one which led over the mountain to the landing-place, on the op- posite side of the island, and visited the several plantations upon the higher grounds, which extend towards the mountain witli a gentle slope. Here the mutineers originally built their summer- houses, for the purpose of enjoying the breeze and overlooking the yam grounds, which are more productive than tiiose lower down. Near these plantations are the remains of some ancient morals ; and a spot is pointed out as the place where Christian was first buried. By a circuitous and, to us, difficult path, we reached the ridge of the mountain, the height of which is 1109 feet above the sea ; this is the highest part of the island. The ridge extends in a north and south direction, and unites two small peaks : it is so nar- row as to be in many parts scarcely three feet wide, and forms a dangerous pass between two fearful precipices. The natives were so accustomed to climb these crags that they unconcernedly skipped from point to point like the hunters of chamois ; and young Chris- tian actually jumped upon the very peak of a cliff, which was so small as to be scarcely sufficient for his feet to rest upon, and from which any other jierson would have shuddered even to look down upon the beach, lying many hundred feet at if biise. At the northern extremity of this ridge is a cave of some interest, as being I lie intended retreat of Christian, in the event of u landing being HV 78 VOYAGK TO THE PAClKIt. [De( y V r "-I ^1 effected by any ship sent in pursuit of him, and where he resolved to sell his life as dearly as he could. In this recess he always kepi a store of provisions, and near it erected a small hut, well conceal- ed by trees, which served the purpose of a watclihouse. So difli. cult was the approach to this cave,that even ifthe party were successful in crossing tlie ridge, as long as his ammunition lasted, he migln have bid defiance to any force. An unfrequented and dangerou> path leads from this place to a peak which commands a view of tlit wes-tem and southern coasts : at this height, on a clear day, a per- fect map of the bottom is exhibited by the different coloured waters, On all points the island is terminated by cliffs, or rocky projections off which lie scattered numerous fragments of rock, rising like S(j many black pinnacles amid the surf, which on all sides rolls in upon the shore. We descended by a less abrupt slope 'han that by which we advanr- ed, and took our way through yam grounds to a ravine which brouglii us to the village. The path leading down this ravine is, in nianv places, so precipitious, that we were constantly in danger of slipj)in; and rolling into the depths below, which the assistance of the na- tives alone prevented. While we were thus borrowing help from others, and graspins: every tuft of grass and bough that offered its friendly support, we were overtaken by a groupe of chubby little children, trudging un- concernedly on, munching a water melon, and balancing on their heads calabashes of water, which they had brought from the oppo- site side of the island. They smiled at our helplessness as they passed, and we felt their innocent reproof; but we were still un- practised in such feats, while they, from being trained to them, had atcjuired a footing and a firmness which habit alone can produce. it was dark when we reached the houses, but we found by a whoop which echoed through the woods, that we were not the lasi from home. This whoop, peculiar to the place, is so shrill, that ii may be heard half over the island, and the ear of the natives is so quick, that they will catch it when we cuuld distinguish nothing ol the kind. By the tone in which it is delivered, they also knowtlie wants of the person, and who it is. These shrill sounds, whicli \n had just heard, informed us, and those who were at the village, that a party had lost their way in the woods. A blazing beacon was immediately made, whicli, together with a few more whoops to di- rect the party, soon brought the absentees home. Their perfection in these signals will be manifest from the following anecdote : 1 was one day crossing the mountain which intersects the island, with Christian ; we had not long parted with their whale-boat on tiic western side of the island, and were descending a ravine amidst a thick- et of trees, when he turned round and said, >• The whale-boat is coiut ^ : I9Q5 ■'■)i- 1925.] AND BEEUINf; 8 STRAIT. 7» s, in luanv round to Bounty Bay ;" at winch I was not a little surprised, as 1 had heard notliing, and we could not see through the wood ; but he iieard the signal ; and when we got down it proved to be the case. In this little retreat there is not much variety, and the descrip- tion of" one day's occupation serves equally for its successor. The dance is a recreation very rarely indulged in ; but as we particularly rccjuested it, they would not refuse to gratify us. A large room in Quintal's house was prepared for the occasion, and the comi)any were ranged on one side of the apartment, glowing beneath a blazing string of doodoe nuts ; the musicians were on the other, under the direction of Arthur Quintal. He was seated upon the ground, as head musician, and had before him a large gourd, and a piece of mu- sical wood (poron), which he balanced nicely upon his toes, that there might be the less interruption to its vibrations. He struck the instrument alternately with two sticks, and was accompanied by Dolly, who performed very skilfully with both hands upon a gourd, which had a longitudinal hole cut in one end of it ; rapidly beating the orifice with the palms of her hands, and releasing it again with unconmion dexterity, so as to produce a tattoo, but in perfect time with the other instrmnent. A third performed upon the Boun- ty's old copper fish-kettle, which formed a sort of bass. To this exhilarating music, three grown-up females stood up to dance, but with a reluctance which showed it was done only to oblige us, as they consider such performances an inroad upon their usual innocent pas- times. The figure consisted of such parts of the Otaheitan dance as were thought most decorous, and was little more than a shuffling of the feet, sliding past each other, and snapping their fingers; I ut even tnis produced, at times, considerable laughter from the female spectators, perhaps from some associat-on of ridiculous ideas, which- we as strangers, did not feel ; and no doubt had our opinion of the performance been considted, it would have essentially differed from theirs. They did not long continue these diversions, from an idea that it v/as too great a levity to be continued long ; and only the three 'jefore-mentioned ladies could be prevailed upon to exhibit their skill. One of the officers, with a view of contributing to the mirth of the colonists, had obligingly brought his violin on shore, and, as an inducement for them to dance again, offered to play some country dances and reels, if they would proceed ; but they could not be tempted to do so. They, however, solicited a specimen of the capabilities of the instrument, which was granted, and, though very well executed, did not give the satisfaction which we anticipa- ted. They had not yet arrived at a state of lefinement to appreci- ate harmony, but were highly delighted with the rapid motion of tlie fingers, and always liked to be within sight of the instrument when it was played. They were afterwards heard to say, that they li 4i ^- 1 T3(c* 80 VOYAflK TO THE PACIFir l)u preferred their own simple imis'cal coiitrivuncc to the violin. TIk did not appear to have the least ear for nuisie : one of the oOid, took considerahle pains to teach them thelumdreth |)sulm,tiiat tin might not chaunt all the psalms and hymns to the same air ; W they did not evince the least aptitnde or desire to learn it. The followinsi; day was devoted to the completion of onr vicwi. the island, of which the natives \\?rc anxious we should see ever part. We arcordinu;ly set out with the same guides by a nwd w liid brought ui? to "the Hope," a steep clifFso called from its beinij iip. ocssary to descend it by a rope. It is situated at the eastern end u: the island, and overlooks a snir 11 sandy bay lined with rocks, wiiui render it dangerous for a boat to attempt to land there. At the foot of " the Rope" were found some stone axes, and ; hone, the mannfaoture of the aborigines, and upon the faoe (if; large rock were some characlerri very rudely en^rraved, which \\i copied ; they appeared to have been executed by the Hountv'. people, though Adams did not recollect it. To the left of-'tln Rope" is a peak of considerable height, overlooking Bounty H;iv Upon this eminence the mutineers, on their arrival, found four im. ages, about six feet in height, placed upon a platform ; and accord- ing to Adams's description not unlike the morals at Easter Islaml excejiting that they were upon a much smaller scale. One of tlic^f images, which had been preserved, was a rude representation ofth human figure to the hips, and '.vas hewn out of a piece of red lava Near this supposed niorai, we were told that human bones am stone hatchets were occasionally dug up, but we could find onli two bones, by which we might judge of the stature of these ahori gines. These were an os femoris and a part of a cranium of an un- usual size and thickness. The hatchets, of which we obtained sev- eral specimens, were made of a compact basaltic lava, not u\\\h clinkstone, very hard and capable of a fine polish. In shape tin' resembled those used at Otaheite, and by all the islanders of tlie^t seas that I have seen. A large stone bowl was also found, siniila to those used at Otaheite, and two stone huts. That this islam should have been inhabited is not extraordinary, when it is reniPiii- bered that Easter Island, which is much more distant from the v\\- tern world, was so, though nothing is known of the Aite of ilit people. From these images, and the large piles of stones on heiglits ii which they juust have been dragged with gi'cat labour, it may l» corcluded that the island was irdiabited a considerable time ; an from bones being found always buried under tliese piles, and nrw upon the surface, we may presume that those who survived (jnitln the island in their canoes to seek an asylum elswhere. Having this day seen every part of the island, we had no finllii 1,92.^ s4 1925.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 81 desire to ranil)lc; and as the weather did not promise to he very fair, I left the ohscrvatory in tlie charge of Mr. Wolfe, and emhariied, accompanied hy old Adams. Soon after he came on hoard ithegan to hlow, and for several days afterwards the wind prevented any communication with the shore. The natives during this period were in great apprehension : they went to the top of the island every morning to look for the ship ; and once, when she was not to be seen, began to entertain the most serious doid)ts whether Adams would be returned to them ; but he, knowing wc should close the island as soon as the weather would permit, was rather glad of jiie opportunity of remaining on board, and of again associating \wtrj his coimtrymen. And although he had passed liis sixty-fifth year, join- ed in the dances and songs of the forecastle, and was always cheerful. On the 16th the weather permitted a l)oat to he sent on shore, and Adams was restored to his anxious friends. Previous to quit- ting the ship, he said it would add much to his happiness if I would read the marriage ceremony to him and his wife, as he couUl not bear the idea of living with her without its being done. He had long wished for the arrival of a ship of war to set his conscience at ! rest on that point. Though Adams was aged, and the old woman : had been blind and bed-ridden for several years, he made such a point of it, that it would have been cruel to refuse him. They I were accordingly the next day duly united, and the event noted in I a register by Jolin Buffet. The islanders were delighted at having us again among them, and [expressed themseh-es in the warmest terms. We soon found, through lour intercourse with these excellent people, that they had no wants [excepting such as had been created by an intercourse with vessels, [which have from time to time supplied them with European articles. jNature has been extremely bountiful to them ; and necessity has Itaught them bow to apply hec gifts to their own particular uses. [Still they have before them the prospectof an increasing population, [with limited means of supporting it. Almost every part of the [island capable of cultivation has been turned to account; but what [would have been the consequences of this increase, had notanacci- [dent discovered their situation, it is not difllcult to foresee: and a iTcflecting mind will naturally trace in that disclosure the benign in- terference of tlie same hand which has raised such a virtuous colo- ny from so guilty a stock. Adams having contemplated the situa- tion which the islanders would have been reduced to, begged, at our list interview, that I would communicate with the government upon the subject, which was done ; and I am happy to say that, through llie interference of the Admiralty and Colonial office, means have been taken for removing them to any place they may choose for VOL, I. 11 ' U »j t I 82 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Dec. M 'n W' t ii ■" iri ihemselvcs ; and a liberal supply of useful articles has recently been sent to them.* Some books of travels which were left from time to time on the j island, and the accounts they had heard of foreign countries from their visiters, has created in the islanders a strong desire to travel, so much so that they one day undertook a voyage in their whale- boat to an island which they learnt was not very far distant from their own ; but fortunately for them, as the compass on which tiiej *1 relied, one of the old Bounty's, was so rusty as to be quite useless I their curiosity yielded to discretion, and they returned before they M lost sight of their native soil. The idea of passing all their days upon an island only two mile; > long, without seeing any thing of the world, or, what was astrongerj argument, without doing any good in it, had with several of tlienj been deeply considered. But family ties, and an ardent affectiojj for each other, and for their native soil, had always interposed to; prevent their going away singly. George Adams, however, bavin: ^^ no wife to detain him, but, on the contrary, reasons for wishing tt employ his thoughts on subjects foreign to his home, was very anx-rji ious to embark in the Blossom; and I would have acceded to liLp wishes, had not his mother wept bitterly at the idea of parting froiii him, and imposed terms touching his return to the island to wliicla I could not accede. It was a sore disappointment to poor Georee y whose case forms a striking instance of the rigid manner in whicli ^ these islanders observe their word. * Wives upon Pitcairn Island, it may be imagined, are very scarce as the same restrictions with regard to relationship exist as in En;- land. George, in his early days, had fallen in love with Poll; Young, a girl a little older than himself; but Polly, probably a, that time liking some one else, and ueliig at the age when youn; ladies' expectations are at the highest, had incautiously said, shfj never ivouhl give her hand to George Adams. He, neverthele<;i indulged a hope that she would one day relent ; and to this end wij unremitting in his endeavours to please her. In this expectation I was not mistaken ; his constancy and attentions, and, as he gms into manhood, his handsome form, which George took every oppor] tunity of throwing into the most becoming attitudes before her. ? i tened Polly's heart into a regard for him, and, had nothing pa.-n before, she would willingly have given him her hand But the vovp of her youth was not to be got over, and the love-sick couple 1 guished on from day to day, victims to the folly of early resoki,! tions. The weighty case was referred for our consideration ; and ibfj ♦ 1 have been informed since that they have changed their mind, andareatprtt| ent contented with their situation. I Mtft-. 18'25.J AND DEERING 8 STRAIT. 83 landarcatpry the result, which was, tiiat it would be much i)etter to marry than to continue unhappy, in consequence of a hasty determination made before the judgment was matured; they could not, however, be prevailed on to yield to our decision, and we left them unmarried.* Another instance of a rigid performance of promise was exem- plified in old Adams, who is anxious that his own conduct should form an example to the rising generation. In the course of conversation, he one day said he would accom- pany mo up the mountain, if there was nobody else near ; and it so happened, that on the day I had leisure to go, the young men were all out of the way. Adams, therefore, insisted upon per- forming his engagement, though the day was extremely hot, and the journey was much too laborious, in any weather, for his ad- vanced period of life. He nevertheless set out, adtling, " 1 said 1 would go, and so I will ; besides, without example, precci)t will have but little effect." At the first valley he threw olT his hat, handkerchief, and jacket and left them by the side of the path ; at the second his trousers were cast aside into a bush ; and had he been alone, or provided with a maro, his shirt would certainly have followed; thus disencumbered, he boldly led the way, which was well known to hun in earlier days ; but it was so long since he had trodden it, that we met with many difficulties. At length we reach- ed the top of the ridge, which we were informed was the place where M'Coy and Quintal appeared in defiance of the blacks. Adams felt so fatigued that he was now glad to lie down. The breeze here blew so hard and cold, that a shirt alone was little use, and had he not been inured to all the changes of atmosphere, the sudden transition upon his aged frame must have been fatal. During the period we remained upon the island we were enter- tained at the board of the natives, sometimes dining with one per- son, and sometimes with another : their meals, as 1 have before stated, were not confined to hours, and always consisted of baked pig, yams, and taro, and more rarely of sweet potatoes. The productions of the island being very limited, and inter- course with the rest of the world much restricted, it may be readily supposed their meals cannot be greatly varied. However ihoy do their best with what they have, and cook it in different ways, the pig excepted, which is always baked. There are several goats up- on the island, but they dislike their flesh as well as their milk. Yams constitute their principal food ; these are boiled, baked, or made into pillihey (cakes), by being mixed with cocoa nuts ; or bruised and formed into a soup. Bananas are mashed, and made ♦ They have since been united, and have two children. |l ? % -• --*-,- I Hf *i w h ^ s*.i VOYACiK TO TUK I'ACIVlt [Dec. into |)anrakcs, or, like the yam, uiiiteil wiili tlio milk of the cocoa- nut, into pillilu'} , and eaten with molasses, extiacte ■/■ I ' II I r 88 voVaop. to the fACiric [D. some. Their eyes are bright and generally hazel, though in oik i or two instances they are blue, and some liave white speckles o] I the iris ; the eyebrows being thin, and rarely meeting. The nospf somewhat flat, and rather extended at the nostrils, partakes of tlitj Otaheitan form, as do the lips, which are broad, and strongly sulcaf ted. Their ears are moderately large, and the lobes are invarial united to the cheek ; they are generally perforated when youii» I for the reception of flowers, a very common custom among tlie mj lives of the South Sea Islands. The hair, in the first generation, !> j with one exception only, deep black, sometimes curly, but geneiij ly straight ; they allow it to grow long, keep it very clean, and ways well supplied with cocoanut oil. Whiskers are not common i and the beards are thin. The teeth are regular and white ; but anl often, in the males, disfigured by a deficiency in enamel, and bybel ing deeply furrowed across. They have generally large heads, e!| evated in the line of the occiput. A line passed above the eye. brows, over the ears, and round the back of the head, in a line will the occipital spine, including the hair, measured twenty-two inclij es ; another, twenty-one inches and three-quarters ; and in Pollvl Young, surnamed Bighead, twenty-three inches, — the hair woiikj make a difference of about three-quarters of an inch. The corona] region is full j the forehead of good height and breadth, giving ar| agreeable openness to the countenance ; the middle of the coronil suture is rather raised above the surrounding parts. Their com] plexion, in the first generation, is, in general, a dark gipsy line [ there are, however, exceptions to this ; some arc fairer, and otherij Joseph Christian in particular, much da*ltrer.* The skin of these people, though in such robust health, conipirl ed with our own always felt cold ; and their pulses were considcral bly lower than ours. Mr. Collie examined several of them : m tlifji forenoon he found George Young's only sixty; three others, intliei afternoon, after dinner, were sixty-eight, seventy-two, and seventy, six ; while those of the officers who stood the heat of the cliniatf^ best were above eighty. Constant exposure to the sun, and earM training to labour, make these islanders look at least eight ycai ^ older than they really are. The women are nearly as musclar as the men, and taller 'liar the generality of their sex. Polly Young, who is not the talltM _. upon the island, measured five feet nine inches and a half. Acni-^ tomed to perform all domestic duties, to provide wood for cookiii which is there a work of some labour, as it ni'.ist be brought fin the hills, and sometimes to till the ground, their strength is in jiio-l ♦This man was idiotic, and dilTorcd po nmhiially from the others in colour, tlisl Ik' is in all probability llio o(Vr!|)riuEr of the mm of colour who accompanieil iIkI mutineers to the island, and who, unless he be one, have left no progeny. >J \U WK AKD BEERINO's STRAIT. 89 Iportion to their muscularity ; and they are no less at home in the [water than the men. The food of tho islanders consists almost entirely of vegetable abstances. On particular occasions, such as marriages or christen- igs, or when visited by a ship, they indulge in pork, fowls, and sh. Although, as has already been mentioned, they discovered method of distilling a spirit from the tee-root, the miseries it en- ailed on them have taught them to discontinue the use of it, and to confine themselves strictly to water, of which during meals, khey partake freely, but they seldom use it at other times. The spirit, which was first distilled by M'Coy, and led to such fatal con- lequences, bears some affinity to peat-reeked whisky. The treatment of their children differs from that of our own coun- ry, as the infant is bathed three times a day in cold water, and is jmetimes not weaned for three or four years ; but as soon as that akes place it is fed upon "popoe," made with ripe plantains and jiled taro rubbed into paste. Upon this simple nourishment chil- ren are reared to a more healthy state than in other countries, and re free froni fevers and other complaints peculiar to the greater portion of the world. Mr. Collie remarks in his journal, thatnoth- ig is more extraordinary in the history of the island than the uni- jrm good health of the children ; the teething is easily got over, icy have no bowel complaints, and are exempt from those conta- ^ous diseases which affect children in large communities. He of- »red to vaccinate the children as well as all t)ie grown persons ; j»ut they deemed the risk of infection to be too small to render that operation necessary. In rainy weather, and after the occasional visits of vessels, the slanders are more affected with plethora and boils than at other periods ; to the former the whole population appear to be inclined, It they are usually relieved from its effects by bleeding at the nose ; id, without searching for the real ause, they have imbibed a belief lat these diseases are contagious, and derived from a communica- |on with their visiters, although there may not be a single case of le kind on board the ship. The result naturally leads to such a inclusion ; but a little reflection ought to have satisfied them, that deviation from their established habits, an unusual indulgence in linial food, and additional clothing, were ol themselves sufficient account for the maladies. They are, however, unaccustomed to ace effects to latent causes. Hence tliey assert, that the Brltou Bft iliem headaches and flies; a whaler infected with the scurvy ibr which several of her crew j)ursued the old remedy of burying IJe jtpople up to the necks in the earth) left tliem a legacy of boils id other sores ; and though we had no diseases on board the Blos- 3ni, (hey fully expected to bo affected by some cutaneous disorder vor.. 1. 12 ";*•»? 90 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Dec. ■ti" " >■" i >i .( after our departure ; and even attributed some giddiness and head- 1 aches that were felt during our stay to infection from the ship's company. Tlie women have all learned the art of midwifery : parturition ! generally takes place during the nighttime ; the duration of labour is seldom longer than five hours, and has not yet in any case proveii | fatal. There is no instance of twins, nor of a single miscarriage, except from accident. We found upon Pitcairn Island, cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit (artocar- pus incisa), plantains (nmsa paradaisaca), bananas (musa sapUn-] turn), water-melons (cucurbita citrullus), pumpkins (cucurbit a pi.\ po), potatoes (solanum esculentum), sweet potatoes (convohukl batatas), yams (dioscoria sativum), taro (caladium esculentim). peas, yappai* (arum costatum), sugar-cane, ginger, turmeric, tobac-l CO, tee-plant*( w *>i. . ; | chored, and Messrs. Belcher and Collie prepared to land, by vecif ing the boat into the surf, and jumping upon the reef. They lia half filled two life-preservers, with which they were provided, \vlie;| Mr. Belcher observed a heavy roller rising outside the boat, ai desired the crew to pull and meet it, which was done, and succe5>.| fully prssed ; but a second roge still higher, and came with suoij violence that the sitters in the stern of the L'.at were thrown iniij the sea ; a third of still greater force carried all before it, up^tig the boat, and rolled her over upon the reef, where she was ulti- mately broken to pieces. Mr. Belcher had a narrow esca))c, ib boat being thrown upon him, the gunwale resting upon his iied and keeping him down ; but the next sea extricated him, and li«; |i W'ent to the assistance of his companions ; all of whom were foiluj ^ nately got upon the reef, except one young lad, who probably be came entangled with the coral, and was drowned. The accident was immediately perceived from the ship, and all the boats sent K ;| the assistance of the survivors. But tlie surf rolled so furioiislv upon the shore as to occasion much anxiety about rescuing tlieinl At last a small raft was constructed, and Lieutenant Wainwiidii finding no other means of getting a Hue to them, boldly juiiipo(i overboard, with a lead line in his hand, and suffered himself to k thrown upon the reef. By this contrivance all the people were soil off, one by one, though severely bruised and wounded by the tonil and spines of the echini. '•« ■ f-^*^^,.... 11825.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 97 onient tcmiv Mr. Belcher had here nnother escape, by being washed off the ift his trousers getting entangled in the coral at the bottom of a Jeep cliasni. Fortunately they gave way, and ho rose to the sur- face and by great elFort swani tiirough the breakers. Lieutenant Wainuriglit was the last that was hauled off. To this young ofli- cer the greatest praise is due for his bravery and exertions througii- out. But for his resolution, it is very doubtful whether the party eouid have been rclioved from their perilous situation, as the tide iras rising, and the surf upon the reef momentarily increasing. In Ihe evening we made sail to the westward, and on the i*7th saw /rcscent Island ; and shortly afterwards the iiigh land of Gambier's groupe. Both these islands were discovered by Mr. Wilson during a mis- sionary voyage, but he had no communication with the natives. lie first was so named in consequence of its sui)poscd form ; but fact it more nearly resembles an oblong. It is exactly three liles and a half in length, and one and a half in width, and of sim- iv formation to Oeno and Ducie's Islands. It consists of a strip i)f coral about a hundred yards or less in width, having the sea on \>ne side and a lagoon on the other. Its general height is two feet libove the water. Upon this strip several small islands, covered irith trees, have their foundation. The soil, where highest, reaches jst six feet above the sea ; and the tops of the trees are twenty feet higher. Wn saw about forty naked inhabitants upon this small spot ; but from the mast-head of the boat, which overlooked the land, fcould |)erceive no cultivation ; and there were no fruit-trees upon Ihe island but the pandanus, which has not been mentioned in any royagc that I am acquainted with as constituting a food for the na- ives of these seas; indeed, from the fibrous nature of the nut it 3ars, it did not appear to us possible that it could be serviceable food. We were consequently curious to know upon what the tives subsisted, independently of the shell-fish which the reefs ipplied ; but nothing occurred to satisfy us on that head. The irf wastoo high for the boats to land, and our only conmumica- ion was by signs and an exchange of sentences unintelligible on l)oth sides. Upon the angles of the island there were three square stone huts, kbout six feet high, witii a door only to each ; they did not appear T)be dwelling houses, and were probably places of interment or of Forship. Several sheds thatched with the boughs of trees, some )pen on one side only and others on both, which "were seen on dif- jront parts of the island, were more appropriate residences in such ; climate. The natives were tall and well-made, with thick black hair and beards, and were very much tattooed. Their signs intimated a dis- VOL. 1. 13 f *f.i- SM' illVP ,:i i*» If-' Inig I 96 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Du. position to be friendly, and an invitation to land, which wc coii not do ; but none of thoin ventured to swim olFto the boats, pruU ably on account of the sharks, which were very numerous. We quitted Crescent Island at day-light on the 29th, an'' atmu' noon the same day were close off Gambler's groupe. Several oil of these islands had a fertile appearance, especially the largest, ot| which is situated the peak we had seen the day before, and wlin, Mr. Wilson, in passing to tlw northward of the groujjc, niiintij Mount Duff. It was probable, that among these islands we sliuunj find a stream of water from which our stock might be repleuishtil provided an opening througii the reef which surrounds the volcaii/ islands could be found; and as it was of the highest importance ilnj our wants in this respect should be supplied, I determined ciosi!- to examine every part of the groupe for an entrance ; for in ilj event of not being so fortunate as to succeed here, it would bo mM cessary to alter the plan of operations, and proceed direct to Oug heite, the only place where a sup])ly of that indispensable aitic!;] ' could be depended upon. On approaching the island, with tlit^ ship, we were gratified by perceiving that the coral chain, which ii' the northward was above water, and covered with trees, totlitl southward dipped beneath it ; and though the reef could bo tractir*! by the light blue-coloured sea, still it might be sufficiently covcr(?,|^ to admit of the ship passing over it, and finding an anchorage in ilit|_ lagoon. As we were putting off from the ship in the boats to niakfH this interesting inquiry, several small vessels under sail wereobsenl ed bearing down to us. When they approached we found the!| | were large katamarans or rafts, carrying from sixteen to twenty nicij each. At first several of them were fastened together, and cona tuted a large platform, capable of holding nearly a hundred peijoni but before they came near enough to communicate they sepaialecl furled their sails, and look to their paddles, of which there wrffl about twelve to each raft. We were much pleased with the inaii-|- ner of lowering their matting sail, diverging on different courses, aiii|.^ working their jjaddles, in the use of which they had great powej and were well skilled plying them together, or, to use a nauctic;] phrase, keeping stroke. They had no other weapons but loij poles ; and were quite naked, with the exception of a banana ieil cut into strips, and tied about their loins, and one or two persotr who wore white turbans. T'heir timidity in approaching both l\nM ship and the barge was immediately apparent ; but they had no ol>r jection to any of the small boats, which they were probably awarej they could, if necessary, easily upset when within their reacli ; and, indeed, it required considerable caution to prevent any such an oc- currence, not from any malicious intention on the part of the na- tives, but from their tiioughtlessness and inquisitiveness. I ap-j r.n ordcur that made jne drop itinstant- |ly. They made signs that it was to be eaten, and we afterwards Ifoiind it wa:3 the co.nmrji food of the natives. It was what is called luliie at the Mar(jup?.is, but v»llli a higher gout than I ever heard Itliat article possessed in those islands, and very much resembled the first opening of a car;k of sour krout, though considerably more )verpowering. We soon perceived they had a previous knowledge if iron, hut they had no ifica of the use of a musket. When one ms presented to induce them to desist from their riotous conduct, fenstead of evathngthe direction of the fatal charge, they approach- led it; and imagining the gun was oftered to them, they innocently leld out their hand to accept it. Before we came close to them, they tempted us with cocovuuits and roots, performed ludicrous jances, and invited our a|)proach ; but as soon as we were within rcacii, the scene was changed to noise and confusion. They seiz- ied the boat by the gunwale, endeavoured to steal every thing that |was loose, and demanded whatever we held in our hand, without seeniing in the least disposed to give any thing of their own in re- turn. At length some of them grasped the boat's yoke, which was lade of copper, and others the rudder, which produced a scuffle, land obliged me to fire my gun over their heads. Upon the dis- Icharge, all but four instantly plunged into the sea ; but these, though Ifor a moment motionless willi astonishment, held firmly by the rud- Ider, until they were rejoined by their companions, and then forcibly Lmadc it their prize. We could only have prevented this by the ise of fire-arms, but I did not choose to resort to such a measure |for so trifling an end, especially as the barge was approaching, and iftbrded the most likely means of recovering our loss without the acrifice of life on their part, or the risk of being upset on our own. lAs I intended to remain some days at these islands, I wished by all imeans to avoid a conflict : at the same time it was ' ntial to our ffuture tranquillity to show a resolution to resist such unwarrantable [conduct, and to convince them of our determination to enforce a re- [spect of property. As soon, therefore, as we were joined by the [barge, we grapjiled the raft that contained our nidder ; on which [the greater part of the natives again threw themselves into t!ie sea ; [but those wlio remained appeared derermined to resist our attack, land endeavoured to push the boat off. Finding, however, they Icould not readily do this, a man whose long beard was white with [age offered us the disputed article, and we were on the point of re- [ceiving it, which would have put an end to all strife, when one of the natives disengaged the raft, and she went astern. Again free, i '1 .'«"**.- 'nly eatable I bundles o • own break. jeption of i 10 means an- : worn oil!, ' c applied ill Tlie avc."* t-ere, gener-jg5;J sing imiscii. as very ex- mgement of| This gen- ited, besides Gambler Is- sen or liearc! the Nuka- •incipally M 3s so as ma-; 3t, which aii lUer than Ji id we had iii et there was \ our ciiiios- irloin son; e to enga;i' ly to kei', onduct wa- rn pany \va^: ng the i)oiitJ y man iijioii liad riMi- it so near two hun- dred yards of the landing-place, and the smaller ones could approach only by inficate windings between the rocks. The' natives were very numerous upon the shore the usual pop- ulation being greatly increased by parties which curiosity had brouglit from the other islands. The women and children at first formed part of the noisy multitude, all of whom were clamorous for us to effect a landing ; but the females shortly retired out of sight, and the men formed themselveb into tv o lines, and ceremoniously pro- ceeded to a place where their katamarans usually disembarked, hum- ming in chorus a sullen tune not devoid of harmony. Some of them seeing we were greatly impeded by the coral rocks, waded out and laid hold of the boats, while others puf iied ofFupon rafts, and attempt- ed to drag us in, by fixing their poles under the seats of the boat, and pressing upon the gunwale as a fulcrum ; an ingenious contri- vance, from which we found it difficalt to free ourselves, especially as the poles were very large. Others, again, prepared cords to fas- ten the boats to their raft, unconscious of our possessing any instru- ment sufficiently sharp to disengage them. In short, they were de- termined we should land ; but as I did not like the place, anJ as their conduct appeared to be a repetition of what we had experi- enced outside the harbour, we disappointed their expectations, and went to the next island. We were there joined by some of our visiters who had been on board the ship, who reminded us of our former acquaintance, and greeted us with a hearty mb of their noses against ours. This sal- utation, it was thought by some of us, sealed a friendship between the parties ; but we had not sufficient opportunity of ascertaining whether it was considered inviolable. The manner of effecting this friendly comjjact is worthy of description. The lips are drawn in- ward between the teeth, the nostrils are distended, and the lungs are widely inflated ; with this preparation, the face is pushed for- ward, the noses brought into contact, and the ceremony concludes with a hearty rub, and a vehement exclamation or grunt : and in proportion to the warmth of feeling, the more ardent and disagreea- ble is tlie salutation. Finding, from communication with our friends, that water was to be had at Mount Duff, we quitted them and crossed to that point, where we had the satisfaction to see two streams trickling down the sides of the hill, either of them sufficiently ^mple for our purpose, and so situated that the shij) could, if necessary, be placed near enough to cover the parties sent to procure it. This gratifying dis- covery was of the greatest importance, and the ship was inunediate- ly removed to a convenient spot opposite the place. We were late getting across the lagoon from our first anchorage, in consequence of the necessity of proceeding with the utmost caution 7f* 1 !1f «l!- ^^^mmmm .'. «t 104 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jail, to prevent striking upon rocks of coral, which were numerous, and! in some instances rose from twenty-eiglit fathoms to within twehf P feet of the surface ; so that it was dark before the sails were fuikd, j ' and we had no communication with the natives that night. Ont | man only, probably by way of ascertaining whether we kept watch, paddled silently off upon a small katamaran ; but on being hailed, went quietly away. At daylight, the shore opposite the ship was lined with the natives, and katamarans commenced coming off to I her laden with visiters, who, encouraged by their former reception,] fearlessly ascended the side, and in a short time so crowded tlit decks, that the necessary duties of the crew were suspended j Their surprise was, if possible, greater than that of the othei islanders ; but it did not appear to be excited by any particular ol> | ject. It is said that as a people become civilized, their curiosity in- creases. Here, however, it was excited more from a desire to av certain what was capable of being pilfered than from any thirst fori knowledge. Through this propensity, every thing underwent a riirid examination. We had taken the precaution to put all the movea- ble articles that could be spared below, and nothing was stolen lroiii| the upper decks; but in the midshipmen's berth, things had notj been so carefully secreted, and a soup-tureen, a spyglass, and some! crockery were soon missing; the former was detected going over! the side, and one of the tea-cups was observed in the possession oij a person swimming away from the ship. This afforded a favoura-, ble opportunity of showing our determination to resist all such de- predations ; and indeed i*- was absolutely necessary to do so, as every I person appeared to con. Jer he had a right to whatever he coiilil carry away willi him ; and the number of our visiters amounted to double that of our own crew, so that it was impossible to watcli every one of them. Besides, this conduct, if not checked in time. might lead to serious consequences, which I wished by every nleall^ to avoid. One of our small boats was consequently sent in^pursiii: of the thief, who was swimming at a considerable rate towards a lali | with his prize in his hand. His countrymen, observing that hcMva- pursued, would not permit him to mingle with them, lest they sjioiild participate in the blame ; but he eUuled detection by diving under- neath their rafts, until he became exhausted, when he throw tlK'nip to the bowman of the boat, and made his escape. Immediatel) tlio boat was sent off, all the rafts left the sliip, and every man upon the decks jumiied overboard as if by instinct; but when tranquillity wis restored, tliCy returned for fresh plunder. The rapidity with wliiili the news of a theft spreads among such a community has been no- ticed by Captain Cook, and here it was no less remarkable. 1 determined, since the main deck was cleared, that it should l>p 1826. J AND BEERING S STRAIT. 105 kept so, and placed a marine at each oftlie ladders; but astlie na- tives tried evoiy nictliod to elude their vigilance, the sentinels had an arduous task to perform, and (hsturbances nuist inevitably have arisen in the execution of their orders had it not been for our New- I foundland dog. It fortunately happened that this animal had taken ia dislike to our visiters, and the deck being cleared, he instinctively [placed himself at the foot of the ladder, and in conjunction with the 'little terrier, who did not forget his perilous hug of the day before, [most efFectually accomplislicd our wishes. The natives, who had never seen a dog before, were in the greatest terror of them; and j Neptune's bark was soon found to be more efficacious than the point of a sentry's bayonet, and much less likely to lead to serious distur- ibances. Besides, his activity cleared the whole of the main deck [at once, and supplied the place of all the sentinels. Tlie natives [applied the name oi boa to him, a word which in the Otaheitan lan- [guage properly signifies a hog. But it may be observed that boa is [a])plied equally to a bull, or to a horse, (which they call bca-afac- \taata, literally, man-carrying pig), or to all foreign cpiadrupeds. Upon one of the rafts which came alongside there was an elderly Iman with a grey beard, dressed in white cloth. The paddles of his [raft were of superior workmanship to the others, and had the ex- remity of the handle ornamented with a neatly carved human hand. [He carried a long staff of hard black wood, finely polished, widen- led at one end like a chisel. But though he was thus distinguished, [he exercised no authority over his unruly countrymen. Several of [the people upon the rafts had provided themselves with food, which ^consisted of boiled root of the tee-plant, of pearl oysters, and the I sour pudding before-mentioned. We endeavoured to temj)t them J to taste some of our food ; which they willingly accepted, but de- Iclined to partake of it, and placed it upon the raft, with nails, rags, land whatever else they had collected. A piece of corned beef that Iwas given them passed from hand to hand ^\ ith repeated looks of inquiry, until it was last deposited in the general heap. I took some [pains to explain to them it was not human flesh, which they in all Iprobability at first imagined it to be ; and from their behaviour on [the occasion I think it quite certain they are not cannibals. As the curiosity of one party of our visiters became satisfied, they [quitted the ship, and others supplied their place. One of these fa- Ivoured us with a song, which commenced with a droning noise, the [vords of which we could not distinguish; they then gave three Ishouts, to which succeeded a short recitation, followed by the dron- ling chorus and shouts as before. In this manner the song proceed- led, each recitation differing from the former, until three shouts, jlouder than the others, announced the iMialc The dingers arranged themselves in a semicircle round the hatcliwav, and during the per- ' I. H ' r. .* I if ■' VOL. 106 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jail ilf^ 7 / 'Xh' formance pointed to the different parts of the ship, to which thoi;! song was undouhtedly appHcable ; but it was impossible to say J what way, though 1 have every reason to believe it was of a friendlv| nature. Wiiile the decks were so crowded with visiters, the duty of water.j ing the ship could not be carried on, and it was of the greatest co^f sequence that it should be got through speedily, as the boats wcrJ required to survey the groupe, upon which I could not bestow niamf days. My hope was, tliat the natives would quit us as their cinioJ ity became satisfied, especial'y as they had nothing to barter, exceri some sour paste, which, being extremely unpalatable to every obJ on board, was not marketable. After breakfast, two small ])oatJ the only ones we had in repair, were equipped for landing, and M barge was ordered to be in attendance ; for though there was event reason to expect a friendly reception, yet in a country where li language is not understood, and among a barbarous people, wlioc;; principal aim is plunder, it is extremely difficult to avoid dispuit. especially when the force to which they are opposed is greatly j .f ferior to their own. We felt the loss of the cutter at this monic!!|^*| as she was a boat so much better calculated for the service we lu to perform than the gig or whale-boat. As we had anticipated, the boats had no sooner put off from li-^. ship, than all the natives quitted her as before, and joined their con. panions on shore, who were assembled in a wood skirting the bead}' ^ At the approach of th j boats, there was much bustle among t: I '. trees ; every one appeared to be arming himself, and many wlio kj long poles broke them in halves to supply those who had non i These preparations made it necessary to be cautious how the boa; were placed in their power, as they were small, and easily upsi and the natives very numerous. We found the shore, as at U;! other island, surrounded by coral rocks, upon which the boats sroiffil ded about two hundred yards from the beach, and they could advance without imminent danger of being stove. The nativij whose rafts drew so little water that they could be floated over tliesi impediments, could not understand our motives in delaying, or scare;' ing for any other place than that to which they had been acciistoil ed, and kept continually vociferating "Ho-my ! Ho-my !" It «; natural that they, ignorant of the cause, should suppose mo liai other things in view than that of landing; and one ofthem wholiaJ received a bottle as a present from some of our people, iniaginic;! we were come in search of it, ran into the water as far as he coiiliij holding it up at arm's length, and when he could advance no raitlicl threw it towards the boat, and, in spite of our signs for him tokce;| it, he followed the boats, and kept throwing the bottle towards until he found it was of no use. which the! : ble to say i f' asofafriemlll duty of water. ^ ! greatest cos. le boats uct; t bestow man as their curio.. pis barter, exce^.l to every oj: > small boat^ iding, and i': ere was e\er, ry where li teople, wlif.. void dispiik. is greatly >.:■ this monieii: Tvice we ha; t off from M led their coifrl ing the bead' e among i nany wboli;; lo had no:.:' low the Im' easily up^H re, as at i- e boats ,2;roi:.-;l;i^ ey could rj The natii ted over tii. s ng, or seaix;' icn accnstni... y !" It v.- pose we L: ;hem wlioii-. Ic, iiiiaiiin::: as ho colli: ice no rai'llii:. r him to ku toward'^ !:• 1826. J AND BUEBlIfU S STRAIT. 107 A short distance below the place where the multitude were as- sembled, the rocks admitted a freer access to the shore than above, and we effected a landing. '^k^ Directly the boats touched the beach, one of the natives who was near them took off his turban and waved it to his countrymen, who L instantly answered the signal with a shout, and rushed towards the spot. The foremost of their party stopped within a short distance of us until the crowd came up to him, and then advanced and sa- (luied Mr. Belcher, who was unarmed, by rubbing noses. Observ- iing there was some distrust of a fowling-piece which I held in my [hand, 1 placed it against a rock for an instant among our own party {while I advanced a step to salute a person who appeared to be the leading man of the islanders. The opportunity thisaffjrded the na- tives of indulging their lavourite propensity was not overlooked ; land one of them, regardless of all risk, thrust himself between our [people, snatched up the gun, and, mingling with the mob with the [greatest adroitness, succeeded in making his escape. The crowd {instantly fled into the wood, and along the beach, but shortly rallied, land with loud shouts ad\anced upon us, until the discharge of a Icarronade from the barge, which was fortunately near, put them to might. The man who had sealed the compact of friendship, if sp lindeed it be, by rubbing noses, sat quietly upon a large stone close Ito us during this affair, as if he relied upon the pledge that had [been given for his security. It would have been treacherous, and [perhaps pregnant u ith serious evils to them and to ourselves, had any [violence been offered, or any thing done that might appear like an 'infringement of this understanding, or I should certainly have de- :tained his person, in the hope of the gun being returned. As it iwas, I allowed him to go rjv.ietly away. The boats were at this time unavoidably very awkwardly sit- [uated, by being aground upon the rocks, and in a situation from [which it would have been extremely difficult to '^xtricate them, had 'a determined attack been made by the natives. The consecjuences [in that case would have been very serious ; though their weapons [consisted only of long poles and bone-headed spears, yet they were 'sufficiently powerful, fiom their numbers alone, to have rendered [the most determined defence on our part doubtful. As soon a'; we were free, we followed the natives along the beach, [approaching them, whenever the rocks would allow, to offer terms of reconciliation : but our overtures were answered only by showers of stones. This conduct, which we now began to think was only a. ])art of their general character, rendered it extremely difficult, nay almost impossible, to have any dealings with them without getting into disputes. No time, place, or example, made any difference in the indulgence of their insatiable propensity to theft. Explanations \ It 108 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jan. 1 7: I ■■ I I;' .ili'i (•1 ,.- ,;(. s 1 '/ and tlircats, which in some instances will prevent the necessity of j acting, were unfortunati.-ly not at our command, in consequence of our ignorance of their language, and the only option left us was tcl yield up our goods unresistingly, or inflict a more severe chastise. ment than the case might deserve. Captain Cook, who mana;ie(| the natives of these seas better than any other navigator, pursuedal system which generally succeeded, tliough in the end it cost him his life. It was rigid, but I am certain it was better adapted to pre- serve peace than the opposite plan adopted by Perouse, at Eusuil Isla.nd, who, though one of the most enlightened navigators, was,oij all, the most unfortunate. To seize one of the natives, or upon something that wasof mor?j value to them than the goods they had stolen, was the most ellk;. ual way of recovering what was lost, and by adopting this mmle t;,|| proceeding might prevent a recurrence of such a circumstance; consequently took away a net and some rafts that were lying upotj the shore. The net was about forty feet in length, made with tliej bark of the porou tree (Jiibiscus ?i//rtcci/s), precisely in the san.. manner as our seins are, but weighed with stones and rounded piert I of coral instead of lead. To obtain possession of these articlt I without strife, it was necessary to drive away a party that was seat- ed upon a large tree near them, and a carronade was fired ovei their heads : but of this they took no notice, probably consideiic: themselves safe at so great a distance, and having had no experiencil to the contrary^, supposed that such weapons were caculated on!yt(| intimidate by noise. Tha next gun dispersing the sand ainoiuj them, they speedily^ resigned their seats, and with all the inhabitiiiii I went to the upper village. Afier this our comnumicaton was for; time suspended, as the natives kept aloof, and the boats were rcl quired to proceed with the watering. At daylight on the 2d of Januarys we connnenced filling ourcaij from two good streams, which supplied water much faster than i;l could be got off. We perceived the natives collected in a large body at the village I and soon afterwards some v^en stole along the beach to reconnoiutl the watering party ; but they were prevented offering any moliM;' tion by a gun being fired from the ship. On tliis day I observe; l the old custom of taking possession of the groupe, and hoisted tliel English ensign upon the shore, turned a turf, and sowed seveni!ii>e-| ful seeds, which it is to be hoped will spring up to the benefit oflht natives. I named the island on which Mount Duff stood, after iiiyi first Lieutenant, ]\Ir. Peard, and the others in succession, IJelclicr, Wainwright, Elson, Collie, and Marsli, after the other officers, ar/ the lagoon in which fhe ship was anchored after herself. Before our party reached the shore the next morning, one of tin .# [Jen- Im 1896.] AND DhjERINC 9 STRAIT. 109 necessity of sequence of t us was to I ire chastise- 1 lo managed •r, pursuedal it cost liinil iipted to pre. e, at Eastcf itors, was.f:' was of nior^ i-: most clU'r; lis mo: was closed, and the natives were watching us, we would not oxan ine it. Contiguous to it there was a body placed upon boan;. wrapped in thick folds of paper cloth : and, not far from it, aiiotii enveloped in a smaller quantity of the same material. There wii no offensive smell whatever from either of these corpses, tlionji" the one last mentioned did not appear to have been long expo^( The heads of both were lying to the N. E. ; both bodies were mw; abundantly surrounded by cloth than any we had seen here ; ai ( from the nature of the platform on which they were placed, wliii ! must have required considerable labour to construct, we con(lii(!,i» they were the bodies of chiefs ; and we were, on that account, mr tenacious of subjecting them to the scrutiny our curiosity proni|i!i lest the natives should suppose we were offering them some indij;iiii An old man whom we interrogated as to the nature of the biiilili;. gave us no information : but looked very serious whenever he v; referred to the place, and seemed disposed to believe we wereiuL. ' clined to place his body there to keep the others company. Though we were prevented from examining these mummies Iv the watchfulness of the natives, w^e were more successful at tiie iv and to the eastward, off which we first anchored. We there luiiiicl six bodies under a projecting part of a cliff, which overhung tlienj sufficiently to protect them from the inclemency of the weatlierj Above them we noticed a child suspended by a string round its wak, tied to a projecting crag. The bodies of the adults were placec I ])arallel, with their heads to the N. E., as in the other instance ' They were wrapped fust in cloth, then in matting, and again cov- ered over with thick folds of cloth secured by a small cord lasliiii: Mr. Collie, the surgeon, made an incision into the stomach of oiic 1826.] AND BEEniNG S STRAIT. Ill fof the newest mummies, which appeared the most Iiardcned, and {found the membraneous part of tlie abdomen, dried and shrivelled up, enclosing an indurated earthy substance, which at first induced jhim to believe it had underjioiie the process of enbalming ; but find- ling afterwards membranes and earthy matter within a cranium sim- [ilarly dried, and knowing that there was no way in which any ex- Itraneous substance could have been introduced there, except by the [vertebral canal, he was induced to alter his opinion, which, he says, Ihad nothing to support it, but the idea that putrefaction must have Itaken place without some counteracting agent. This complete de- siccation of the human frame is not unfrequent in these seas, nor lindeed in other places ; but requires considerable care and atten- Ition to do it effectually. The method formerly pursued at Ota- leite, was to keep the corpse constantly wiped dry, and well lubri- cated with cocoa-nut oil. Our intercourse with the Gambier Isl- anders did not afford us the opportunity of ascertaining if this were their practice also, but we noticed the precaution of exposing the Ijodies upon frames three or four feet above the ground, that the lir might freely circulate about them, and of keeping them well cov- sred with folds of cloth. It is remarkable that none of these had ly offensive smell, not even those that had been recently exposed ipon the drying-board. Lieutenant Belcher, whose duty carried lim a great deal about the islands, saw some bodies that were ex- posed to dry, covered with a matted shed to protect them from the lin ; and in one he found the head and right arm separated from khe tnmk, wrapped in separate pieces of cloth, and secured by a ^lashing to the body. On no part of the shore did we see skulls or ibones exposed and heaped together, as about the morals common to Polynesia ; and although Mr. Belcher found some human bones jartly burned lying loose upon a rock, together with a body depos- ited in the grave with a wicker-work frame over it, there is every reason to believe that these exposures are very rare indeed, and that almost all the bodies are wapped in cloth, and deposit- fed as first described. This custom furnishes a satisfactory reason [for the cloth being so scarce ; and though we cannot commend their [policy in clothing the dead at the expence of the living, yet they Imust be allowed the merit due to their generosity and respect for [their departed friends. On the 7th I visited a village at the south extremity of Belcher [Island. It was situated in a little bay, at the foot of a ridge of hills which intersected the island. We were received by about a dozen men and women, who behaved in a very friendly manner, and brought down cocoa-nuts (some of which, by the by, had been pre- viously emptied of their contents), sugar-cane, tee-roots, one bunch I of bananas, and several clusters of pandanus nuts ; these they threw / .' « ft ■■ • 1 / 'l ' I y i 112 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jo, into the boat without soliciting; nny return; and, what is nioio .^ tnionlinary, witliout evincini; any desire to steal. All the nitn |i quitted us, execptinj;; one, who was anxious that we should hmj Two of these females behaved in a nuunier which attracted iuii.^ tion, altlioui!;h we could not account for their conduct ; they wiul, ; out to the boats, cryins^ most piteously, strikin}^ their breasts, n- ; j)ulling their hair, which hung loose over their shoulders, with n ry demonstration of the deepest distress; and, toour surpsisi',tliii their arms round our necks, and hugged us so close that we co,; not disengage ourselves form their endnace without violenc(>. \ we were quite unconscious of the nature of their grief, we could .j fer them no consolation beyond that of kindness, and giving tl,, some beads and trinkets. After a few minutes they discn:;., their arms, began dancing, laughing, and saluting us occasioini; with a rub of the nose: in the midst of this mirth they would >,■. denly relapse into grief, and throw their arms about in a frantic w^ until I began to fear they might injure themselves; but this paiov ysm was as short as that of the mirth by which it was succooiku they again began to dance, and were afterwards quite cliecii; The only cause to which we could attribute this extraordinary c% duct, or at least for the melancholy jjart of it, was that they mi; in some way be connected with the man who had been wouiKk upon the raft. And if this were the case, it affords a presuiii|iti,, that the custom of self-mutilation on such occasions, so commc to many of the islands in the Pacific, does not exist here. As tlie sun went down the natives pointed to it, and signifiei us to be gone, exclaiming " Bobo mai." Wc got from them a fa ' articles of manufacture, very similar to those of Pitcairn Isla In return for these we made them useful presents, and took ( I leave with the promise of "Bobo mai," which we understood mean "come to-morrow." We rowed round the rest of the isla,, and soon satisfied ourselves of its extreme poverty. There w: two villages upon its western side, situated in deep sandy bu which would form excellent harbours for shipping, if they could i; entered ; but this is impracticable from the many corol knolls ol the outside. [ Lieutentant Belcher describes a moral, which he visited, in il; following manner. A hut, about twenty feet in length by ten wiili and seven high, with a thatched roof, of which the eaves were tliiel feet from the ground, contained the deity. There were only w\ apertures, about two feet six inches square, furnished with tJiatclvl ed shutters. In froi t of the building, a space about twciit . ft » square was paved with hewn coral slabs, with curbstones at the i"':t as neatly fitted as the pavements in England. Along the wlio! length of the interior of the hut was a trough elevated about three Ik; k..-^ It is more ei| 1 tllO lIU'll Itnicted iiti(„,hl :; they wiulj '« r breasts, i,. J Icrs, with ovkI suq)sise,tlirt,;. lull wo coi:: ' violeiiO(>. \; f, we could (,;| 1 giviiiir tlK,: loy disciiM:( .IS occasional;' )y would s'l:. 1 a IVanlicu, Hit this pani as succofiii: luite clicciil aordinary cotl at they niijtj )een woiin(it: 1 presuinpiiol 5, so comnicl lere. id signified;! m them a tltP itcairn Islar , and tooko; inderstooil : of the isla;,: There w.; sandy Im tliey cniilil- rol knoll^ . isited, in t!; 1 by ten uiilt es were tlirej ere only tw; with tliatd' It twenty ll't at the I'diief. ma; the who!;'' »out three let 182G.] AND BEERINq's STHATT. 113 'from the ground ; in tlie renter of wliich was an idol three feet high neatly carved and pohshed ; the eyebrows were sculptured, but not the ey es and from the manner in which t iV IIMHCleS were defined it was evident that these people were not rr::;ir(lk'ss of the anato- my of the figure. It was placed in an u|)riglit position on the trougli or lor manger, and fastened by the extremities totlie sideoftheiuit : the I head was bound witli a piece of white cloth, as were also the loins, and d, tlie aged those rts which the natives themselves ne) conceal {excepted. In the trough beneath the image were several paddles, [mats, coils of line, and cloth, offerings which had been made to the (deity ; and at his feet was placed a calabash, which the natives said [contained water, " avy." On each side of the nnage was a stand, [having three carved arms, to the hands of whirdi several articles [were suspended, such as carved cocoa-nut she.ls, and pieces of Ibaniboo, perhaps musical instruments ; but INIr. Belcher abstained [from trespassing on this sacred ground, for fear of giving offence to [the natives, who did not nuich like this exercise of curiosity. In- jdeed, the whole time he was there, the women were anxious to get Ihirn away, and the men looked serious, and were very glad when !he left the place. The females accompanied him to the threshold ' the moral ; but the men studiously avoided treading upon the sa- cred pavement, and knelt down the whole time he was there, with- But however, any apparent devotion. Mr. Belcher endeavoured to irchase this idol ; but valuable as his offers must have been to these poor people, the temptation did not prove sufficient. An- Jther image about the same size was found upon one of the coral islands of the groupe, clothed in the same way, but more rudely ^carved, and deficient in the offerings above-mentioned. VOL. 1. 15 £■' »• d » Ill VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jnn, -r?ff CHAPTER VI. L>'> Scronil interview with the Natives — Visit io the principal Villag'c — Bodies cxp.i;, to dry — Arrphc or Chief— Lieutenant Wuinwriffht attacked by Nativen — Advai., age of the Port— Furtlier Description of the Island, ita Soil and Prodnctiuuij. On the afternoon of the 8th, we again landed under Mouiit Diii> to try tlie feeling of the natives. Our party was not large, and v carefully avoided every thing that might appear offensive, caii \ in; , with us a white flag upon a staff. One man only, at first, venti,ii near us, ruhbed noses, and received several presents, with wliicli: was highly delighted. His companions, who, during the interview : had been peeping from behind the trees, noticing his friendly re- ception, laid aside their weapons, came out of the wood, and salut- ed us in their usual manner singing, as they approached, the cliore we had heard on board, which strengthened our opinion of its bein. a song of welcome. The next day I landed with a party in the bay where the piiin- pal village is situated, and was met at the landing-place, which \\i about half a mile from the village, by two or three men who rubl* noses, and seemed glad to see us. They took us by the arm anil conducted us to the village along a narrow pathway, through Ion; grass and loose stones, overshadowed by a wood of bread-fruit aiii J cocoa-nut trees. In this distance we passed a few patches of culti- vation, but they were rare, and indicated very little attention to ag- riculture. The natives increased greatly in numbers as we advanc- ed, and all were officious to pay us attention, and assist us to tlit village : Uiey were armed, yet their manner showed it was, as willi us, only .1 jjrecautionary measure : nothing in appearance could ex- ceed their amicable behavior. We had each two or more fiicndO who officially passed their arms under ours, helped us over the I stones, and conducted us along the right pathway to the village; a species of escort, however, which, by depriving us of the use ol'ourl limbs, placed us entirely in their power. We passed several hut; open on the south side, and one, which was full of fishing-nets, clos- ed up ; near these there were two bodies wrapped in a great many \i'U I92fi.] AND BEGRINo'ii STRAIT. 115 cloths, exposed upon stalls raised about a yard from the ground, anil siip|)ortcd upon forked props. Tlie imlives were unwilliuf; that wo should touch any of these, ni'.d wc did not olicnd them by so doinj;;, but approached within a few feet to ascertain whether there were any ollensive smell from tlic corpse, hut none could be discerned. Fi vther on wc came to an open area, partly ])avcd with blocks of coral, and divided ofl'from tlie cultivated land by large slabs of the same material very evenly cut, and rcsendjliug those at the Friendly Islands. At one end of this area stood the large hut which had before excited our curiosity : it was about thirteen yards in length by six or seven in width, and proportionably high, with a thatched roof On the south side it wjis entirely open, and the gables nearly so, being constructed with upright poles, crossed by .smaller ones, forming an open frame-work, through which the sea breeze circulated, and refreshed the area within. Beneath the roof on tlie o])en side, about foiw feet within the eaves, there was a low broad wall well constructed with blocks of coral, hewn out and put together in so workmanlike a style, and of such dimensions, as to excite oiv, surprise, how, with their rude instruments, it could have been accomplished. The blocks were five feet long by three wide, and one foot thick ; a:ul were placed upon the narrow edge in a manner in which we traced a resemblance to the walls in Hapae, as described by Captain Cook. Upon this eminence was seated a venerable looking person about sixty years of age, with a long beard entirely grey ; be bad well-proportioned features, and a command- ing aspect ; his figure was rather tall, but lassitude and corpulency greatly diminished his natural stature ; he was entirely naked ex- cept a maro, and a crown made from the feathers of the frigate-bird, or black tern ; his body was extensively tattooed, and from the loins to the ankles he was covered with small lines, which at a dis- tance had the appearance of pantaloons. Long nails, and rolls of skin overhanging his hips, pointed out his exemption from labour, and an indulgence in luxuries which in all probability attached to him in virtue of his birthright. He was introduced to us as an areghe or chief; he did not rise from bis seat, but gave the nasal salutation in his squatting posture, which in the Friendly Islands is considered a mark of respect. An exchange of presents succeeded this meeting. Some scarlet cloth, which I had brought on shore for the purpose, was placed over his shoulders, and closed by a buckle in front, which delighted tlie subjects as much as the chief, who, in return, presented me with his crown, and intimated that I should wear it by placing it upon my hat. This friendly understanding I endeavoured to turn to our advantage by making him understand, as well as I could by signs 1 ^$ f I m ^Hfj t,f /^' ■:f t]h ' r f '-1 ;^ 116 VOYAGE TO TUE PACIFIC [J, rtll, and Otalieitan words, that we would barter articles we had brouglu with us for fruit and vegetables ; and in the hope of this being ur. ceded to, we waited longer at the village than we should otherwiv,. liave done; but the only answer we got was "Bobo mai," vvliidi from the Otalieitan vocabulary we should interpret " Here to-nior- row ;" but its application in the Ganibier groupe was so various i, to leave us much in doubt whether they were not disposed to turn our imperfect use of it to their own advantage. Our visit to the village brought a great accession to its usual inhabitants, and seveia; hundred people had collected about us, but the greatest order pre. vailed ; nor did their curiosity to scrutinize our persons once Itaii them to acts of rudeness, notwithstanding we were the first Euro- peans that had ever landed on their island. Indeed, throughout tlii; visit, or at least until we were coming away, there was a nmrk«l improvement in their behaviour ; not a single act of theft was at- tempted, while, on the contrary, one of honesty occurred, whicli as it is the only instance I have to record, must not be omitttii: — it consisted in restoring to one of our officers a handkerchief wliici he left at a place where he had been sitting. This propriety of con- duct no doubt originated in the strictness of the discipline whicli we observed towards them. It certainly did not proceed from the ex- ample of the chief, for the only act ofacquisitivenessfrom whiolnve had reason to apprehend any dispute proceeded from that persoiiaje himself. To oblige him, I had consented to his looking into the bag of presents, with which he became so enamoured that he re- tained it in his grasp, and once or twice endeavouied to appropriiiic it to himself by force. We had not remained many minutes in the hut ^\•here we were first ii^troduced, when the areghe rose, and, taking me with him, weii; to a large stone, in the centre of the paved area, where we botlisi; down, and were inunediately surroimded b}^ some hundreds of lib subjects. The exchange of place was by no means agreeable, a; we quitted a cool and refreshing retreat for a spot scarcely screened from a scorching sun by a few scanty leaves of the bread-fruit tree Alter being seated here a few minutes, a tall good-looking yoiiii: man was introduced, also as an areghe, to whom the old chief tniib- ferred the cloth I liad given him. I made him in addition a siiiiilai present, and distributed others of smaller value to several native> around us, in the hope of quieting their solicitations ; but I soon i)Ci- ceived that this generosity had the opposite effect. The young chief was handsomely tattooed ; he had a turban ol white cloth, and a girdle of bananaleaf as his only covering. He was more anxious to communicate wit'i us than the old man ; i)oint- ed to the road leading over the hill to a village on the opposite ?iele, and made many signs, which we interpreted as promising us tLe Irestora •S plies tr- inity re; '^distanci AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 117 sstoration of tlie articles that had been stolen, and al.'iies befure ii| quilled ihein, but to no jnu'pose. I there!.;' iro' .. )ned ourparf together, and we took leave of the chiefs, both of whom roiiii leaving us in the hands of the mob. On removing the drum wli; had been sold by the areghe, two of the natives laid violent liin, upon it, and demanded something more than had been given. ] avoid distinbance I complied with their request by doubliiii; i > original sum ; but this, so far from securing the drum, rendered ])robability of our obtaining it without force more remote. I broii the old chief back to explain the matter to him, but he showd disposition to interfere ; and foreseeing the consequence of jup ing, I left our piu'chase in the hands of the islanders, disgii with their dishonesty and cunning. On our return, about two o'clock in the afternoon, we ol -,i tiiC meals of the natives laid out iq)on tables, made of sUd uboul a yard from the ground, and standing in the middir ;i i!, ved areas in front of the huts. These tables again r<':' n- !;il ( in the Friendly Islands, and the execrable sour puddinu, V a n: bundles with banana-leaves, of which the fare of the natives sisled, is the same as the maliie used there, at Otaheite, anil ai i j Mar; cuous at a distance, and may be seen fourteen or fifteen leaiiiei All the islands are steep and rugged, particularly Marsh hh: which at a distance resembles a ship. The external form of tiie-^ island at once conveys an impression of their volcanic origin ; an- on examination, they all appeared to have been subjected totlieai tion of great heat. " The general basis of the rocks is a porous basaltic lava, in fn. ; place passing into a tuffacious slate ; in another, into the solid ai angular column of compact basalt, containing the imbedded niinfr rals which characterize that formation, and bearing a close reseiii' blance in this particular to the basaltic formation of the county oi Antrim in Ireland. There is, however, less of the basalt and more of the porous. The zealites, soapstonc, chalcedony, olivine, and calcareous spar, are formed in, and connect the relationship of these m. 'X 182G.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 1'2I distant formations; whilst the dinerent-colourcd jaspers arc peculiar to these islands. There is also another obvious distinctive feature produced by the numerous dykes of a formation differing in compo- sition and texture, and marked by a defined line. They are gene- rally more prominent than the common rock: traversing a great many, if not all the islands, in a direction nearly east and west; generally about eighteen inches wide, nearly perpendicular to the horizon, or dipping to the southward. Their texture is sometimes compact, sometimes vesicular, with few if any imbedded minerals, excepting one on ISfarsh Island, which contained great quantities of olivine. Upon a small Island contiguous to this, the harder dyke crosr.es the highest ridge, and divides on the eastern side into two parts which continue down to the water's edge."* Lieutenant Belcher, whose scientific attainments also enabled him to aj)preciate what fell under his observation, noticed every where the trap formation abounding in basaltic dykes also lying N. E. and S. VV., and seldom deviating from the perpendicular ; or if they did, it was to the eastward. We are indebted to him for specimens of jzealite, carbonate of lime, calcareous spar, crystals, an alcime, oli- ; vine, jasper, and chalcedony ; and had our stay, and his other du- ties admitted, we should, no doubt, have received from him a more [detailed account of this interesting groupc. There are no appearances of pseudo-craters on any of the islands, I nor do they seem to have been very recently subjected to fire, be- ing clothed with verdure, and for the most part with trees. Con- spicuously opposed to these lofty rugged formations, raised by the agency of fire, is a series of low^ islands, derived from the opposite element, and owing their construction to myriads of minute litho- I phytes endowed w ith an instinct that enables them to separate the necessary calcareous matter from the ocean, and with such minute particles to rear a splendid structure many leagues in circumference. [A great wall of this kind, if we may use the expression, already [surrounds the islands, and, by the unremitting labour of these subma- jrine animals, is fast approaching the surface of the water in all its I parts. On the N. E. side, it already bears a fertile soil beyond the i reach of the sea, sustains trees and other subjects of the vegetable \ingdom, and affords even an habitation to man. In the opposite direction it dips from thirty to forty feet benealli I the surface, as if purposely to afford access to shipping to the la- goon within. Whether this irregularity be the consequence of un- equal growth, or of the original inclination of the foundation, is a question that has excited much interest. All the islands we sub- sequently visited were similar to these in having their weather or ISA': i-j • vol.. 1. ♦Mr. CoUic'g Journal. 16 122 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [J, on. IH ■ f I' ii I eastern side more advanced tlian the opposite one. The outer sido of thr wall springs from unfathomable depths ; the inner doscend^ with a slope to abour 120 or 150 feet below the surface. This al- ruptness causes the sea to break and expend its fury upon tlio rey without disturbing the waters in the lagoon. The coral aniina|< consequently rear their delicate structure there without apprulKn. sion of violence ; and form their submarine grottoes in all tlic \,iij. ed shapes which fancy can conceive. They have already enciid^ij each of the islands with a barrier, which they are daily extending; and have reared knolls so closely as almost to occupy all the iionii. ern part of the lagoon. Move independent tribes are in other pm;, bringing to the surface numerous isolated columns, tending to tik same end ; and all seem to be going on with such activity, tlim a speculative imagination migh picture to itself at no very remote pe. riod, one vast plain covering the whole surface of the lagoon, yidi!. ing forests of bread fruit, cocoa-nuts, and other trees, and ultiiiuitf.lv sustenance to a numerous population, and a variety of animals siilj. servient to their use. The general steepness of the volcaic islands ofthisgroupe isj;u(l;, that the soil finds a resting place on a comparatively small portion of them ; and on the coral islands it is scarcely deep and rich enouji, exposed at it is to the sea air, to contribute much to the suppoitoi man. A soil formed from the decomposition of the basaltic loik-, irrigated by streams from the mountains, requires nothing but a due proportion of care and labour on the part of the natives to render it very productive. There is, however, a sad neglect in this respoci. which is the more extraordinary, as the^e are no quadrupeds ot poultry on the islands, and without vegetable productions the na- tives have only the sea to depend upon (or their subsistence. Tiie wild productions are a coarse grass (SocchantinJ'atuum), which cm- ers such parts of the mountains as arc neglected or are too steep for cultivation. Lower down we noticed the caj)paridia, a ])roenm- bent pentandroussin'ub, the nasturtium, sesuvium of Pitcairn Ishiml, the eugenia, and scajvola koenigii ; and close down to the shore a con volvulus covering the brown ro-..v with its clusters ofleaves and piiii; blossoms. The porou and miroe (Thespesia 'popularia) were more abundant, the nono not common. Tiiey must also have the aiiti and amia, as their weapons are made of it, though we did notseiii The timber of which their rafts are constructed is a red wood,snnR- what porous, and of softer grain than the aniai. Some of tlie-e trunks are so large as at first to excite a suspicion of their liaviiii been drifted from a more extensive shore ; but the quantity wlikli they possess, several logs of which were newly shaped out, afl'on!- every reason for believing that it is the produce of their own Mil- leys. Thoy are not deficient in variety of edible fruits and rooi-. 18-26.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 123 1 nor in those kinds which are most pioductivc and nutritious. Be- sides the tee-plant, sweet potato, appe, sugar-cane, watermelon, co- coa-nut, plantain, and banana, they possess the bread-fruit, which in Otaheite is the staff ol' life, and the taro, a root which in utility corresponds with ii in the Sandwich Islands. AVere they to pay but a due regard to the cultivation of the two last of these valuable productions, an abundance of wholesome food might be substituted for tiie nauseous mixture mahie, which, though it may, as indeed it does, support life, cannot be said to do more. Rats and lizards were the only quadrupeds we saw upon the islands. Of the feath- ered tribe, oceanic birds form the grea.or part ; but even these are rare, compared with the numbers that usually frequent the islands of the Pacific, arising, no doubt, from the Gambier Islands being ),,Kibited. The whole consist of three kinds of tern, the white, black, and slate-coloured — of which the first is most numerous, and the last very scarce ; together with a species of procellarria, the white heron, and the tropic and egg birds. Those which frequent the shore are a kind of ])harmatopus, curlew, charadriue, and tota- nus ; and the woods, the wood-pigeon, and a species ofturdus, somewhat resembling a thiush in plumage, but smaller, possessing a similar though less harmonious note. The insects found hero were very few, the, common house-fly excepted, which on almost all the inhabited islands in the Pacific is extremely numerous and annoying. Of fish there is a great variety, and many are extreme- ly beautiful in colour; as well those of large dimensions, which we caught with lines, consisting of several sorts of perca, as the numer- ous family of the order of branchiostigi, which sported about the coral. The largest portion of the natives of the Gambier Islands belong to a class which INlr. J. H. Forster would place among the first va- riety of the human species in the South Seas. Like the generality of uncivilized people, they are good-natured when pleased, and harmless when not irritated; obsequious when inferior in force, and overbearing when otherwise ; and are carried away by an insatiable desire of ap})ropriating to themselves every tiling whicli attracts their fancy — an indulgence which brings them into many quarrels, and often costs them their lives. If respect for tlie deceased be consid- ered a mark of civilization and humanity, they cannot be called a bar!)arous peoj)le ; but they possess no other claims to a \\orthier designation. In features, language, and customs, they resemble the Society, Friendly, Marquesa, and Sandwich Islanders ; but they (lilFer from those tribes in one very important point — an exemption from those sensual habits and indecent exhibitions which there p-v. \;i(le all ranks. It may be said of the Gambier Islanders what few can assert of any people inhabiting the same part of the globe — that w ■ — -"TfiiTrt-'-^r-Ti \H 124 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jnii 'f ^ Iff [FWi.,, m \ .■'- during the whole of our uittreourse witli them we did not witness an indecent act or gesture. There is a great mixture of feature unci of colour among them ; and we should prohably have found a (iitl'it. ence of dialect also, could we have made ourselves masters of tlnit language. It seems as if several tribes from remote parts of the IV cific had here met and mingled their peculiarities. In complexion and feature wc could trace a resemblance even to the Avidely se])anu(.(| tribes of New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Malacca. Their modt of salutation is the same as that which existed at the Friendly, So- ciety, and Sandwich Islands : they resemble the inhabitants of the latter almost exclusively in tattooing the face, and the inhabitants (,i I the former in staining their skin from the hips to the knees. Tliei,- huts, coral tables, and pavements, arc nearly the same as at tlin Friendly Islands and the Marquesas ; but they are more nearly allj. ed to the latter by a custom which otherwise, I believe, is at pre<. ent confined to them, and without a due observance of wliic!]. Krusenstern says, it is in vain to seek a matrimonial alliance at S: Christina.* In the preservation of their dead, wrapping theniin,:! abundance of cloth and mats, they copy the Otalieitans ancl Hapacaih: ; though in the ulthnate disposal of them in caves, and keeping iIki above ground, they differ from all the other islanders. Their l;i;i guage and religion are closely allied to several, yet they difterossen- i tially from all the above-mentioned tribes in having no huge caiveo images surmounting their morals, and no fiatookas or wattas. Ui.. like them also, they are deficient in canoes, though they might PiiMl, ; construct them ; they have neither clubs, slings, nor bows and ;ii. rows ; and are wanting in those marks of selfinutilation which sowt tribes deem indispensable on the death of their chiefs or estoeiiK ; friends, or in cases when the wish to a})pease tlieir oflended dcitv. They are for the most part fairer and handsomer than the Saiiii- wich Isliinders, but less ellbminate than the Otalieitans. The mi- rage height of the men is above tha;tr'of Englishmen, but tliey w: not so robust. One man who came on board measured six feet an! half an inch, and one on shore six feet, two and a half inches. Tk "| former measured round the thorax, under the arms, three feet tin. and a half; and a person of less stature three feet one inch. Tk thickest part of the middle of this person's arm, when at rest, was eleven inches and three-eighths. These dimensions of girth \vi!l,l believe, be found less in proi)ortion than those of the labouring rk" of our own countrymen, though the general appearance of tlie.-e islanders at first leads to a different conclusion. They are upiidii in figure, and round, but not robust. In their muscles there i^a| flabbiness, and in the men a laxity of integument, which allow s lliiir I *Scc Krusenstcrn's Embassy to Japan. 1826.] ANO BEERINO S STRAJT. 125 skin to hang in folds about the belly and thighs, to a greater degree than those I afterwards noticed at Otaheite or Woahoo. Two caus- ies may be assigned for this; the nature of their food, and their in- idolcnt habits. In general the Gambier Islanders have a fine Asiatic countenance, [with mustachios and beards, but no whiskers; and when their heads [are covered with a roll of white cloth, common custom, they might [pass for Moors. It is somewhat remarkable that we perceived none of jthe fourth class, or those nearly allied to negroes thus habited, but jthat it seemed to be confined to those of the lightest complexion. The [colour of their eyes is either hazel or dark brown : they are small, [deep in the head, and have generally an expression of cunning. [Their eyebrows are naturally arched, and seldom meet in front ; the [cheek bones are not so prominent as in the fourth class, and the lips [are thinner ; the ears are moderately large, and the lobes attached jto the cheek, as in all the Pitcaim Islanders, but not perforated : [tlie nose in general is aquiline ; the teeth, in the fourth class espe- Icially, not remarkable for evenness or whiteness, and seem to fall lout at an early period ; the hair is turned back and cut straight, and Iwould be quite black, were it less subjected to the sun, or like^that jftlie islanders just mentioned, well oiled ; but, exposed as it is to a scorcliing sun, it becomes dried up and of different hues on the same liead; and combs being unknown, it is bushy and impervious; the lustachios grow long, but the beards, which are kept from three to [four inches in length, are sometimes brought to a point, at others [divided into two; one man, however, was observed with a beard [which hung down to the pit of the stomach : the hands are large, [but the feet small and elegant, and the toes close together, from ?hich it is probable that they pass a great portion of their time upon Itheir rafts, or idly basking in the sun, — perhaps in lying upon their stone pavements like the Hapaeans. The women are below the common standard height, and in personal shape and beauty far in- ferior to the males. The wife of the chief, who has been already [described, was the finest woman I saw among them. Her dress [may be considered a fair specimen of the general covering of the [women, who have no ornaments of any kind, and appeared quite ' iditforent to the beads and trinkets w^hich were offered them. Tattooing is here so univ^ersally practiced that it is rare to meet la man without it ; and is carried to such an extent that the figure lis sometimes covered with small checkered lines from the neck to [the ankles, though the breast is generally exempt, or only orna- Imented with a single device. In some, generally elderly men, the [face is covered below the eyes, in which case the lines or net- work laie more open than on other parts of the body, probably on account of the pain of the operation, and tenninate at the upper part in a 'I' '■*'~'T-T Tnt N< M 1-26 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Ji>n. ■M Iv straight lino, from ear to car, passing over the bridge of tho no<,, Witli tliese exceptions, to whicii we may add the fashion, wiUisnnie few, of bhie lines, resembhng stocliings, from the liddleoftiio tlii.ri, to the ankle, the effect is becoming, and in a greui measure dcstiov, the appearance of nakedness. The patterns which most ini|m,vp the shape, and which appear to me peculiar to this groupc, jf^ those which extend from the armpits to the hips, and are chauj forward with a curve which seems to contract the waist, and ui a short distance gives the figure an elegance and outline not unlilif, that of the figures seen on the walls of the Egyptian tombs. |. would be useless to describe the various fanciful attempts to elliK,. the natural colour of the skin ; the most common only will be nniic. ed : — A large cross, about eight inches in diameter, left w liito ci; each side, on the latissimus dorsi ; and a smaller one on each slmui. dor, or on the upper part of the arm: also a narrow stripe passin- from one shoulder to the other in a curved line over the lower piii; of ihe neck, uniting the tattooing over the fleshy part of the dv\wf\ iiiMscle ; and in many so joined as to leave the natural skin in il,^ form of a cross in tho middle, imitations of blue pantaloons aiii hreeches are also very common, and sleeves which divide at tlie wrist, and extend along the convexity of the metatarsal bones i, the tips of the fingers and thumbs, leaving a space between lli! thumb and forefinger, on which the mark V is punctured. The chief had this mark, the crosses, the slender waist, and the pania- loons. The women are very little subjected to this torture. Tl>; wife of the areghe had an armlet on each arm ; a female who cam with her had a square upon her bosom, and some few had stodi- ings. From the circumstance of none of the boys being taltoodi it is probable the practice commences here, as in many otlier i-1- ands, after puberty. The lines in all cases are draw^n with great precision, and aliiin-: always with tastC; and bespeak great proficiency. The practice un- doubtedly im})roves the ai)peurance of the figure, and may ])erlia| -. as in the Marquesas, distinguish certain classes or tribes. At Uii- heite it is su])posed to harden the skin, and render it less liable lu be blistered by the sun. Covering the face with lines is very rare in the South Seas, being almost entirely confined, accordinj: lo Cook, to the Sandwich Islanders and New Zealanders. In no in- stance did we observe the lips or tongues tattooed, as is the prac- tice with the Sandw ich Islanders on the death of an intimate fiiciid, 1 have estimated the number of souls inhabiting these islands iii 1500, from the number and size of uie villages. Mr. Collie, wlio estimates them from other data, says, "On the 1st January, when the boats went to land, 200 people, for the most part in the prime of life were counted on the beach. On the 9th, in the village, wi 1820. enuint sions i fruiii I ous. truth, ages ol accura Switze ity no lialiitiui The iter we j low ing "Ai [who in those w tlier uj)i under a ofmal-c whose s of eicati tl'o rem eve. an Aiiothei tlie-size no doubi which b( the back : portion c j to create 'j plication, * salt wate ing oil of ''i neous afi frequentl lor design llost some Iwith two [another b [flies wer< Imost unc [mefactior jin the coi [lurking w [entirely r : S-20.] |H-< AND BEERINC S STUAIT. 127 )f tllC 110., 11, with son,,, : 3 0l'tll(}tl|'|ri 5ure (li'stiDv, lost improi,. id arc {lr;uv|: 3t, and lit J le not uiilil^,, n toiiil)s. 1 ipts to eirai. will be notic. aft wliiie OB | II eacli sliniil. tripe pas?iii; IC lower |i;ii; if the (k'h()i,; 1 skin ill ilif italooiis M livide at tlw sal bones in between iIk ;ured. The :1 the })ania- )rturo. Tl* le who caiii^ had stoct- tattoocii, other i-!- enumerated 'iOO persons, men and women. On botii these occa- sions it is hinhlv probaijie that the men in the vif;or of life iiad come from the adjoininu; parts of the island, and from tlie islands contij!;u- oiis. We may then assume, on the nearest approximation to the truth, that there were between 250 and 300 males between the aiics of twenty and fifty — say 275; which accordin|i to the most accurate census of population and bills of mortality in Sweden and Switzerland, where the niodifyinji circumstances ui ; in all probabil- ih not very ditlerent, would give 1285 for the total number of in- liahitants." The diseases and deformities of these people arc very few. Af- ter we quilted the islands, the surgeon favoured me with the fol- I lowing report : — •' Among more than three hundred men, women, and children, [who indiscriminately surrounded us at the village on the 9tli ; among those who had ])reviously come on board, and at other times, whe- Itlicr upon the shore or on their rafts;' we saw very few labouring [under any original deformity or annoying disease. The only case jof mal-conformalion was a wide fissure in tiie palate of one man, jwliose speech was considerably alFected by it. No external mark [of cicatrization in the upper lip denoted that the internal defect was [tlo remains of a hare-lip or any injury. One man had a very un- leve. and ragged stump of the right arm, but without any discharge. JAiiother had a steatomatous tumour over one shoulder-blade, about jtlie-sizc of a billiard ball. One disease was so common that I have ino doubt it was endemic : this was, patches of the lepro vulgaris, (which being void of any imflammatory appearance, and confined to [the back in all who were affected with it, and in a considerable pro- portion of these to a small space between the shoulders, appeared Ito create no alarm, and most probably called forth no curative ap- jlication. The frequent and alternate exposure of the men to the saltwater and rays of the sun, with a scanty supply of the anoint- ling oil of the cocoa-nut, would favour the breaking out of this cuta- leous affection. The mats which they tied round their necks, and Ifrequently allowed to hang down behind, whether through accident lor design, would tend to avert the effects of exposure. A few had [lost some of their front teeth ; and we saw one man, on the 9th, Iwilli two uncicatrized and bare but clean wounds, one before and [another behind the middle of the right deltoid musch . w 'lere the [flies were feeding without molestation, and the person seemed al- [most unconscious of them and of the ulcers. No preternatural tu- [nicliiction denoted any excess of inflammaticn. No unhealthy hiie [ill tlie countenance of man or woman intimated any internal disease |liiiking within the body." By far the greater part of the males go leiitirely naked, except a girdle, which is made of a banana-leaf split I 1 : ,< I ^. .1 i" iirhiiniiii-» rfynBBB^ 12ft VOYAOE TO TIIK PACIFIC U' m. ■^1 \ i >: riiiw ' #,l into slireds, and lied roinid liio loins, not intended to answer t||, |)iMi»ose of conceahncnt ; and they dinbr from all other iMlial)itai,t, oftlio Pacific in havin|; no niaro. Some wear a turban; others- piece of paper cloth thrown over the shoulders. The huts of the Gamhier Islanders are so small that they can on. ly be intended as sleepinj^-places during bad weather ; tlioy areir length from eight or ten feet to fifteen, excepting the larger Ikhh,, of the areghe ; they are built of the porou wood, and covered i; with a pointed roof thatched over with the leaves of the paliii-tii» In some tlie door is scarcely three feet high, and it is neccssarvi creep on all-fours to enter. On the inside they are neat, and ti floor is covered with mats or grass. The larger huts of the \ ill;, , on Mount DufFare so constructed that one side can be conveniont. ly removed, by which means they are rendered cool and coinron. able. The large house, or that of the avcghc, was about thirty-nini feet in length by eighteen or twenty in width ; the pitch of tho k- \\as about twenty-five feet in height, and that of the perpcndiciil. sides of the house about ten feet ; but these dimensions wore d tained by estimation only, the natives appearing to have an olijtf, tion to our pacing the ground for the purpose of measuroiiioni The south side of the house was left open, and the ends were iiiai;. of an open framework of upright poles trave ^h1 at right angles K smaller spars, so that the roof and the nr ^,ide were the oni: parts covered in. They served an excel' "otection from ti' sun while the trade-wind traversing every corner of the apartinet rendered it agreeably cool. On that part of the house where th side was deficient, there was a foundation for the wall about tlirp feet in height thrown up, composed of large blocks of coral, sliap« in a very workmanlike style, similar to those mentioned by Cook a: the Friendly Islands, and well put together: it stood about tlim feet within the outer part of the roofing, and served as a seat fonlif chiefs as well as for many others. We perceived no furniture in their houses, and some of our ol& cers thon.ght it was purposely put out of sight. The only iiteni were gourds and cocoa-nut shells. The tables were made oi'slal> of coral, or sometiiiies of wood, in which case they arc caiveil they are about a yard long, and are placed ui)on wooden or stnK pedestals sufficiently high to prevent the depredations of flic ial> They stand in the middle of the paved areas in front of the lioii>' es, from which we infer the practice of eating in the open air Their food has already been described as consisting principally o sour paste (the mahie of the Friendly Islands, Otaheite, Marquesas &tc.), made with plantains, bread-fruit, and boiled tee-root. Tk paste or mahie, when fresh and hot, has not a disagreeable taste ; a IH-^G.| AND iir.r.nixfi b stfiait. W.) slight lliivour f)!' baked apjilos may In; (Iistiii{;;uislie(l : hut it soon hciiiiis to smell very ofrciisivoly ; so imich so, that tlio seamen would not touch it with their hands to tlirow it overboard. The tec-jilant (dracana tennwa/ii) is a fusiform root about two feet long, and as thick as the arm ; its flavour is not unpleasant, but from its coarseness it must, to ordinary stomachs, be very indigestible. The natives collect the fibres in their mouths, and spit them out in round balls. Fish and shell-fish, of wl ich the large pearl oysters and cliauia are in tlie greatest abundance, must form a material part of the food of these people; they have, besides, the sweet potato, taro, and the before-mentioned fruits ; but these cannot be abundant, as they never brought any of them to us for sale, and frequently de- ceived us with emi)fy cocoa-nuts. Their method of procuring fish is by lines and nets, and a con- trivance still resorted to in Otalieite, consisting of casting into the sea a great many branches of the cocoa-nut tree, and other boughs, tied together, and allowing tliem to remain some time, during which the small fish become entangled, and are dragged out with them. The nets and lines, as well as cord, siniict, &:c., arc all made from jtlie bark of the porou, as in all the islands of Polynesia. One net (which we measured was ninety feet in liigth. In the manufacture of these, they display a greater proficii iicy than in their cloth, which I is much inferior to that at Pitcairn Island or Otaheite. Their im- plements for this purpose are the same in shape as those at the above-mentioned places; but the one whlcli we got differed in not being grooved. Their weapons consist of spears, and a staff flattened at the end [like a whale-lance : they are made of a hardwood highly polished. The spears were headed with bone, or the sting rays of the raia \(j)asti7ica); a custom which once existed at Otaheite, and now ex- Itcnds to many of the low islands. The antiquity of this practice is jtraced to very remote periods, as it is said that the head of the Ispear presented by Circe to Telegonus, and with which he uncer- [emoniously slew his father Ulysses, was of this kind. At Gambier llsland they remove the heads of the spears when not required, a Isquare piece being left at the end of the staff to receive it. Besides jthese weapons, they always carry large sticks. Contrary to the general custom, no canoes are seen at Gambier [Islands, but rafts or katamarans are used instead. They are from [forty to fifty feet in length, and will contain upwards of twenty per- Isoiis. They consist of the trunks of trees fastened together by rope land cross-beams : upon this a triangular sail is hoisted, supported [by two poles from each end ; but it is only used when the wind is [very favourable ; at which time, if two or three katamarans happen [to be going the same way, they fasten on and perform their voyage VOL. I. 17 A' 1.^ Ti m :'m M.I 130 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC {Jm. together. At other times they use very large paddles made of a dark hard wood, capable of a good pr''-h, and neatly executed. Some of them had a hand or foot, carved at the extremity of tl;c handles, very well finished. They are above five feet and a half in length, including two feet eight inches of blade, which is about afoot in width, curved, and furnished with a small point or nail at the ex- tremity. In shallow water they make use of long poles for puiuini;, in preference to their pac'dles. }ft : Quit Gn ic-D day Is row I- Osnabi DiscoN f iciy at J Island- I ^" ^ I hier Isi; I our anc near th» ! fore we wlieie -.' S.W., I strong ir the prev felt man sions a n in upon thereby island th: small sai Jounds it tirely los Wolfe, o erably cl then stoo Hood's 1; In the and blacl< ;is we pr Hood's Ii- 10 consist M (J, 0)1. Tiade of ;i executod. nity of tl;, id ft lialf ill ibout ;i foot 1 at tlie ex- hv puntiiii;, mi 18-26. J AND BEEUINC S STRAIT- 131 CHAPTER Vn. i S Quit Gambler Islands — Visit Lord Hood's Island— Watcr-Spout— Clermont Tonne- re — Description of tiic Island and Natives, Canoe, &c. — Serlo Island — Whitsua- ' day Island — Laproon Island — Thrum Cap Island — Egnicnt Island — Discover Bar- row Island i Description of it — Carysfort Island — Discover Cockburn Island — Osiiaburgh Island — Find tlie Wreck of the Matilda — Blinfli's Lagoon Ishaid — Discovery of Byam Martin Island — Meet a Party of Chain Islanders there — Mys- i tcry attaci cd to their History — Take two of them on board the ship — Gloucester Island — See Bow Island. 1 On the moiTiing of the 13th of January we weighed from Gam- M liier Isiauuri, and deepened the water so much that, after quitting % ovr anchorage, we could get no soundings with the hand-hnes until ' near the bar, which was plainly distinguished by its colour long be- fore we came upon it. There was not less than seven fathoms where we passed, and yet the sea, which rolled in heavily from the S. W., all but broke, notwithstanding the wind had been blowing strong in the opposite direction for a week before. This effect of the prevalent south-westerly gales in the high latitudes, which is felt many luuidred miles from the place whence it proceeds, occa- sions a material obstacle to landing upon the low islands, by rolling in upon the shore in an opposite direction to the trade-wind, and thereby making it more dangerous to land on the lee-side of the island than on the other. In the Gambler groupe there are several small sandy islands at the S. W. extremity of the chain that sur- rounds it, over which the sea broke so heavily that they were en-, tirely lost am' 1st the foam. 1 named them Wolfe Islands, after Mr, Wolfe, one of the ni-dshipmen of the ship. We passed them tol- erably close, admirinr; the grand scene w! '.h they presented, and then stood on a lurtherly course with the mtention of visiting Lo''d Hood's Island. In the forenoon of the following day several white tern, noddies, and black gulls came about us, and gradually increased in numbers as we proceeded on our course. A few hours afterwards Lord Hood's Isliiid was reported from aloft. On nearing it, we found it 10 consist oi an assemblage of small islets, rising from a chain of co- I'l I 1 l■^•2 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [J(tn. ''•■m l^ % . I i ' 11 val, even with, or a little above the water's edge. Upon tliost grew a variety of evergreen trees thickly intertwined, among wliieli the broad leaves and clusters of fruit of the pandanus were con- spicuous, and beneath them a matted surface of moss and grass, so luxuriant and invitingly cool, that we were almost tempted to land at any risk. The sea, however, broke so heavily upon all parts of the shore that the attempt would have been highly dangerous, and we consequently collected all the information that was required, and hastened our departure. Krusenstern states in his " Memoire sur la Pacifique," that this island is inhabited : such must undoubtedly have been the case once, as we saw a square stone hut, similar to those described at Crescent Island, on one of its angles ; but there are no human beings upon it at present, which indeed we conjectured to be the case before our boats made the circuit of it, from the num. ber of sea birds in the vicinity, and also from the shoals of shark; which followed the boats, and even bit at the oars ; for these a . mals, like most others, seem to have learned by experience to avoid the haunts of man. The only living thing seen upon the shore \vas a grey heron gorging itself with black star-fish. Lord Hood's Island was discovered by Mr. Wilson in the Mi- sionary ship DufF; it is 11.2 miles in length, and 4.7 miles in width. in a north and south direction ; and like almost all the coi'al islands it contains a lagoon, and is steep on all its sides. After quitting it, we looked in vain, the next day, for an island which Mr. Wilson supposed he saw ; but not finding it in or neai the situation assigned, and he being himself doubtful whether it mighi not have been a cloud, I did not bestow longer time in the search, but steered for the island of Clermont Tonnere, which was seen on the 18th. This island bore a very close resemblance to Hood's Is- land, but was inhabited, and clothed with cocoanut trees. The sea broke so heavily upon all parts of the shore that there was no pos- sibility of landing in our boats ; yet the natives put oiT in their ca- noes and paddled to us. They were a very inferior race to tlio-e of the Gambler Islands, and seemed more nearly allied in feature to those of Mangea and New Caledonia ; yet here also there was among them a great diversity of complexion. In one of the canoes there was a man nearly as dark as an African negro, with woolly hair, tied in a knot like the Radackers ; and another with a lidii complexion, sandy hair, and European features. About forty of the natives came down to the beach when wc ap- proached it, with bunches of feathers and leaves fastened upon sticks, and with bludgeons in their hands, l^otli sexes were naked with the exception of their maros, and without any ornaments or tattoo- ing. Iron, which they called " loki," was the most marketable arti- cle, but the surf was so high that there was very little comiinuiica- t!on wi would a nunil cxamin gi'eates :.\l 1826.] AND BEERING S STUAIT. 133 lion with them. The men, who came off to us in their canoes, would not suffer oui- boats to approach them. After 'laving made a number of presents to one of them, we thought wc might at least examine his canoe ; but he and his comrades paddled away with the createst precipitation, and were so terrified at the approach of the boat that they jumped overboard and swam towards the shore. The canoe was constructed with small pieces of wood well put together and sewed with the bark of a tree, and, like all the single canoes of Polynesia, was provided with an outrigger. She carried two men, but was propdlled almost entirely by one, the other being fully occupied in throwing out the water, which came in plentifully at both sides pnd over the stern. Could ihey have avoided this and applied the efforts of both to the paddles, her rapidity would have surpassed that of our boat ; but as it was, she was soon over- taken. We did not keep these poor fellows longer in the water than uc could help, but quitted the canoe as soon as we had examined its construction, and had the satisfaction to observe them return to it, and get in, one at a time, at the stern, and then paddled ashore. The dialec*. of the people of Clermont Tonnore was quite differ- ent from that of the Gambier Islanders, though, from a few words which we distinguished, there is no doubt of the language being radically the same. According to our calculation, the wdiole popu- lation did not exceed two hundred. The island is ten miles in length, but very narrow, particularly at the extremities, and, when seen at a distance, does not appear to be half a mile wide. It is of the same formal ion as Lord Hood's Is- land, but more perfect. With the excoplion of a few breaks in the southern shore, by which the sea, wh high, may at times commu- nicate with the lagoon, it is altogether am water. At the extrem- ities and angles the soil is more elevated than in oflicr [)arts, as if the influence of the sea had been more felt upon them, and heaped up the coral higher. They are, also, better proviiled with shrubs, and particularly cocoa-nut trees, the soil resting upon the debris being, I suppose, deeper. The lagoon had several small ishMs in it, and the shores all round are steep, and abound with fish, bni we did not see any sharks. Captain Duperrey, in his voyage round the world in theCoquille, visited this island, and, supposing it to be a nuw discovery, named it Clermont Tonnere, after the French aninistcr of marine. It is evident, however, from its situation agreeing very nearly with ■' > of an island discovered by the Minerva, that it must be the same; no other being found sufficiently near to answer the desciiptiuM. Captain Duperrey has, no doubt, been misled by tlie (liiueiision.s pven of the island by the Minerva; but that mav l)e easily uccoim- h '; 134 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC y< 'an M incr- ■,■'.«" 1' ■i 'fi' » I escapo nee. ted for, by supposing the island to have been seen from the va lengthwise, and at a distance. While we were off Clermont Tonnerc, we had a narrow from a water-spout of more than ordinary size. It approached amidst heavy rain, thunder, and lightning, and was not seen uiiij was very near to the ship. As soon as we were within its influe a gust of wind obliged us to take in every sail, and the topsails which could not be furled in time, were in danger ofsplittin; The wind blew with great violence, momentarily changing its di- rection, as if it were sweeping round in short spirals ; the rainwhicj] fell in torrents, was also precipitated in curves with short interval, of cessation. Amidst this thick shower the water-spout was discov. ered, extending in a tapering form from a dense stratum of cloud to within tliirty feet of the water where it was hid, by the foam oi the sea being whirled upwards with a tremendous giration. 1 changed its direction after it was first seen, and threatened to pas; over the ship ; but being diverted from its course by a heavy "u-i of wind, it gradually receederi. On the dispersion of this niagnifi. cent phenomenon, we observed the column to diminish gradually and at length to retire to the cloud, from whence it had desceudeil. in an undulating form. Various causes have b jen assigned for these formations, wliic!: appear to be intimately connected with electricity. On the pre-- ent occasion a ball of fire was observed to be precipitated into tii; sea, and one of the boats, which was away from th" ship, was ;; surrounded by lightning, that Lieutenant Belcher thought it advi-j. ble to get rid of the anchor, by hanging it some flithoms under waier and to cover the seamen's muskets. From the accounts of this oi- ficer and Mr. Smyth, who were at a distance from the ship. i!v column of the water-spout first descended in a spiral form, until i; met the ascending column a short distance from the sea ; a sccok and a third were afterwards formed, which subsequently uiiitec into one largo column, and this again separated into three smat spirals, and then dispersed. It is not impossible that the liidil, rarified air confined by the woods encircling the lagoon islands ma; contribute to the formation of these phenomena. A canoe ii' ;ir (he ship very wisely hastened on shore at tlio ap- proach of the I'uil weather, for had it been drawn within the voii''\ of the whirlwind it must have perished. We had the greatest ap- prehension for our boats, which were absent during the stor.n. ba fortunately they suffered no injury. Neither the barometer nor sympeisometer were sensibly aflbctei by this partial disturbance of the atmosphere ; but the tenijioratme underwent a change of eight degrees, falling from 8*2° to 7'1°; al midnight it rose to 78°. On tlie day succeeding this occiineiicc of the 3 and, ^vll west, hillock i be cknn Meniv^ir than anj at its exi recomnif archipela gator wl height of Some inhabited ral men i long pole hundred, usual cov the nativi knot on t j tattooing i feet in lei I clubs. \ I This is I tion, and I is of cor; windward however, eighth of for a ship I so low till her situat with seve the extrei trees, thei would rec sides assis estimate t We lef hove-to ir i! «U i me.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 135 several water-spouts were seen in the distance, tlic weather being squally and rjoomy. After exaniniing the vicinity of Clcnnont Tonncre for the island of the Minerva, and seeing no other land, we steered for Serle Isl- and, whicli was discovered at daylight on the 21st January, bearing west. Its first appearance was that of a low strip of land with a hillock at each extremity, but these, on a near approach, proved to be clumps of large trees. Admiral Krusenstern, in his valuable Meniv-ir on the South Pacific,* observes, that Serle Island is higher than any other island of the low archipelago ; that it has two hills at its extremities, and a third near its centre ; and on this account recommends it as a place of reconnoissance for ships entering the archipelago. In this, however, he has been misled by some navi- gator who mistook the the trees for hills, and over-estimated the height of them, as the tallest does not exceed fifty feet. Some columns of smoke rising from the island showed that it was inhabited, and on rounding the N. W. extreme we perceived seve- ral men and women running along the beach, dragging after them long poles or spears. The population altogether cannot exceed a hundred. The men were entirely naked, but the women had the usual covering. They were of the same dark swarthy colour with the natives of Clermont Tonnere, with the hair tied in a similar knot on the top of the head, and like them they w-ere deficient in tattooing and ornaments. Their weapons were poles about twenty feet in length, similar to those of the Friendly Islanders, and heavy clubs. We could not perceive any canoes. This island is seven miles and a half in length, in a ^'^. W. direc- tion, and two and a quarter miles in width in its broadest part. It is of coral formation, and very similar to that just described ; its windward side is the most perfect : the southern side of the chain, however, differs in being wider, and having a barren flat full an eighth of a mile outside the trees. On this account it is necessary for a ship to be cautious in approaching it during the night, as it is so low that the breakers would be the first warning of the danger of her situation. The lagoon is very narrow, and apparently shallow, with several islands in the middle. Besides the clumps of trees at the extremities, '.vhiuh at a distance have the appearance of banyan trees, there are several clusters of palms ; a distinction which I would recommend to the attention of conmanders of vessels; as, be- sides assisting them in identifying the islands, it will enable them to estimate their distance from ♦'^em with tolerable precision. We left Serle Island on the morning of the 2-2d, and at sunset hove-to in the parallel of Whitsunday Island. This island, discov- • Page 276, 4to. edition. TB#- """I'^^'^tl^^" Lii St- ,'ll* I ^~ #j 1.36 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC orcd, l)y Captain Wallis in 17G7, is situated forty miles tothc wes ward of the place he has assigned to it, and we consequently raiuo tlie westward all the next day, in expectation of seeing it, biiiji was not reported from the masthead until late in the cvenini;;. the morning of the 23d the boats succeeded in landing, thoui^li witl, some difficulty ; and found indubitable proofs of the island having been inhabited ; but no natives were seen. Under a large chiiiiji of trees we observed several huts, eight feet by three, thatched witli dried palm leaves, the doors of which were so low that it was ne- cessary to crawl upon the ground to enter the apartments within, Near these dwellings were some sheds and several piles of chewcj pandanus nuts. The island was traversed in various directions by well-trodden pathways : not far from the huts were several reservoirs of water cut about eighteen inches into the coral, and about five feet from the general surface of the soil ; the water in them was fresh, but lio!i, neglect the reservoirs were nearly filled with decayed leaves, ami emitted a putrid smell. In another direction we saw several slalj- of coral placed erect, to denote burial places ; and near the openin, to the lagoon there were several rows of stakes driven into the ground for the purpose of taking fish. But what most attracted our attention was a heap of fish bones, six feet by five, neatly cleaned, and pilled up very carefully v/ith planks placed upon them to pre- vent their being scattered by the wind. We found the island only a mile and a half in length, instead o! four miles, as stated by Captain Wallis ; steep all round ; of corI formation ; well wooded, and containing a lagoon. The general height of the soil was six feet above the level of the sea, of wliici! nearly two feet were coral rock ; from the trees to the surf tliere was a space of hard rock nearly 150 yards in length, covered \y]\]'. about a foot of water, beyond which it descended rapidly, and at 500 yards distance no bottom could be found with 1500 feet of line. On the inner side from the trees to the lake, there was a gentle de- clivity of muddy sand filled with shells of the cardium, linedo, tri- dacna), gigas, and a species of trochus. The trees, which formeda tolerably thick wood round the lagoon, were similar to tliosea! Clermont Tonnere, consisting principally of pandanus and cocoa- nut, interwoven with the tournefortia, scoevola, and lepidium pisci- dium. On the south side of the island there was a very narrow entrance to the lagoon, too shallow for the passage of boats, even had the water been smooth. It was of this opening, I presume, tliat Cin- tain Wallis observes that the surf was too high upon the rocks for his boats to attempt the passage. The lagoon was comparatively shallow ; the edges, for a ronsid- -'iii. w entrance 1826.] AND BKEniNG S STRAIT. 137 u 'j p crable distance, sloped gradually toward the centre, and then deep- ened suddenly ; the edge of the bank being nearly perpendicular. This bank, as well as numerous islets in the lagoon, were l(:)rtned of coral and dead and live tridacna? shells. The space between the islets was very rugged, and full of deep holes. In the lagoon there were several kinds of brilliantly coloured fish; on the reef, some fistularia ; and in the surf a brown and black cliKtodon with a black patch at the junction of tlie tail with the body. Upon the land were seen a few rats and lizards, a white he- ron, a curlew, some sandpipers, and a species of columba resemb- ling the columba australis. In the evening we bore up for Queen Charlotte's Island, an- other coral formation also discovered by Captain Wallls, and so grown up that we could not see any lagoon in its centre, as we had done in all the others. Several huts and sheds similar to those at Whitsunday laland occur in a bay on its northern shore, but there were no inhabitants. It may be remembered that when Captain Wallis visited this island, the natives took to their canoes and fled to the next island to the westward : whether they did so on the present occasion we could nut determine, but in all probability we should have seen them if they had. Queen Charlotte's Island af- forded Captain Wallis a plentiful supply of cocoa-nuts, but at pres- ent not a tree of that description is to be seen. The shore is more steep than either Wliitsunday or Clermont Tonnere, and the huts more numerous. At two o'clock in vhe afternoon we quitted Queen Charlotte's Isl- and, and in two hours afterwards saw Lagoon Island, wliich was discovered by Captain Cook; the former bearing S. 6° W. true, the latter due north, by which ai^ excellent opportunity occurred of comparing the longitudes of tiiose celebrated navigators. Tlie next morning we coasted the north side of Lagoon Island very closely, while the barge navigated the other. It is three miles in length in a W. by S. direction, and . mile and a quarter in width. Its general figure has been accurately described by Captain Cook : the southern side is still the low reef of breakers which he saw, and the three shallow openings on the north shore still exist, though one of them has almost disappeared. Two cocoa-nut t ■'" s in the cen- tre of the island, which Cook observes had the appearance of flags, are still waving ; " the tower" at the western end is also there, but has increased to a large clump of cocoa-nut trees: a similar clump has sprung up at the eastern end. Tlie lagoon is, in some parts, very shallow and contracted, and has many dry islets upon it. The shore is steep, as at the other coral islands, excepting on the south side, which should not he approached within a quarter of a mile. We brought-to oft' a small village at at the N. W. extremity of VOL. I. 18 ; I -r 'Im.^fc .«." - 138 VOYAOE TO THE PACIFIC [J. (in. ■:*, IV S ^ 0111 tlie Island, and sent two boats on shore. The natives seeing ajjproacli came down to the beach armed witli poles from twciitvti) twenty-five feet in length, with bone heads, and short clubs sliji'|if(j like a bill-hook ; but before they reached the surf they laid donn their weapons. At first they beckoned our people to land ; lj„| seeing the breakers too high, they suffered themselves to be l)iil,e(| by a few pieces of iron, and swam off to them. A brisk tialjic soon began, and all the disposable articles of the natives were spoedih purchased for a few nails, broken pieces of iron, and beads : the; then brought down cocoa-nuts, and exchanged six of thciii for a nail or a bit of iron, which is known here, as at Clermont Ton. nere, by the name of" toki." The strictest integrity was observed by tlicse people in all their dealings. If one person had not the number of cocoa-nuts demanded for a piece of iron, he borrowed from liis neighbour ; and when any of the fruit fell overboard in putting it into the boat, they swam after it, and restored it to tlie owner. Such honesty is rare among the natives of Polynesia, and the Lagoon Islanders consequently ingratiated themselves niiicli with us. We got from them nearly two hundred cocoa-nuts, and several ornamental parts of their dress, one of which consisted of thin bands of human hair, very neatly plaited, about five feet io length, with four or five dozen strings in each. To some of the? were attached a dried doodoe-nut (aleuritcs triloba), or a piece ti wood. We also got some of their mats and sinnet made of tin porou bark (Jiibiscus tiliaceas). The men were a fine athletic race, with frizzled hair, wliicli tlier wore very thick. In complexion they were much lighter tiiaii the islanders of Clermont Tonnere : one man, in particular, and tlieoiih one who had whiskers, was so fair, and so like an European, tlia; the boat's crew claimed him as a countryman. No superfluous orna- ments were worn by either sex, nor were any of them tattooed: the dress of the males was simply a maro of straw, and sometimes a straw sack hung over their shoulders to prevent the sun from scoicli- ing their backs : two of them were distinguished l)y crowns of whhe feathers. The women had a mat wrapped about their loins as their only covering: some wore the hair tied in a hunch upon one sidcol the head, others had a plaited band tied round it. They were infe- rior to the men in personal appearance, and mostly bowleggcd : hut they exercised an authority not very common among uncivilized people, by taking from the men whatever articles they received in exchange for their fruit, as soon as they returned to the shore, The goodnatured countenances of these people, the honesty observ- ed in all their c'.oalings, and the great respect they paid their wo- men, bespeak them a more amiable race than the avaricious Gam- bler Islanders. «•' 1826.] AND BEERING !> STRAIT. 139 We (luitted tliem about three o'clock in the afternoon, and in a few hours after saw Tin-uni Cap Ishuid, bearing N. 56° 54' W. ; the chini|) on Lagoon Ishuid at the same time bearing S. 58° 14' E., thirteen miles distant. This island, discovered and so named by Captain Cook, is also of coral, three-quarters of a mile in length, well wooded, and steep all round. At a mile distant from it we could get no bottom with 400 fathoms. We could perceive no la- jroon ; and the surf ran too high to admit of landing. Some slabs placed erect, and a hut, showed it had once been inhabited ; but the only living things we saw were birds and turtle. M. Bougain- ville gave this island the name of Les Lanciers, in consequence of the men whom he saw on it, being armed with long spears, and who probably were visiters from the island we had just left. From Thrum Cap we steered for Egmont Island, the second discovery of Captain Wallis, which we sho.'tly saw from the mast- head, and by sunset were close to it. The next morning the shore was very carefully examined, and we found the reef so low toward the centre that in high tides there can be no connnunication with tlio extren)ities. The island is steep, like all the other coral islands, and well wooded with cocoa-nut and pandanus-trees, and has one of the large clumps at its N. W. extremity. Upon the windward island we perceived about fifty inhabitants collected upon the beach ; the men in one groupe, armed in the same manner as the Lagoon Islanders, and the women in another j)lace more inland. No boat could land on this or on any other part of the island : to leeward the S. W. swell rolled even more heavily upon the shore than that occasioned by the trade-wind on the o])po- site side : we were in consequence obliged to trade with the natives in the manner pursued at Lagoon Island. Two of the islanders, when they thought we were going to land, advanced with slow strides, and went through a number of pantomimic gestures, which we could not understand, except that they were of a friendly na- ture. This lasted until the boats anchored outside the reef, and they were invited to accept some pieces of " toki." Gold and silver are not more valued in European countries, than iron, even in its rudest form, is by the islanders of Polynesia. At the sound of the word, the two spokesmen, and all the natives who had before been seated under the shade of the trees, ran off to their huts, and brought down whatever they thought likely to obtain a piece of the precious sub- stance, — mats, bands, nets, oyster-shells, hooks, and a variety of small articles similar to those before described were offered for sale. The only article tin y would not j)art with, though we offered a higher price than it seemed to deserve, was a stick with a bunch of black tern feathers suspended to it. At Lagoon, and other islands which we visited both before and afterwards, the natives carried one Jik '. ' •t) ■ ▼■ 110 VOYAGK TO TUE PACIFIC [Jan. .•JJnf ** or more of llieso sticks: they arc mentioned as being seen by iIk.. earliest voyagers, and are probably marks of distinction orofaiiiitv, These people so much resemble the Lagoon Islanders in person, manners, language and dress, as to need no description : the island is also of the same formation, and has apparently the same produc- tions. We noticed only one canoe ; but no doubt they have others, as a constant communication is kept up with the islands to windwurd. It may be recollected that it was ujion this island Captain VVallis found all the natives collected who had deserted Queen Charlotte's Island on his approach. Though these two places are many miles out of sight of each other, yet their canoes took the exact direction which, being afterwards followed by Captain Wallis, led to the dis- covery of the island. Next morning we saw land to the S. by E., which proved to be a small coral islar.d, answering in situation nearly to that of Cans. fort Island, discovered by Captain Edwards, but so small as to ren- der it very unlikely that it should be the same. Though we ranged the shore very closely, we did not perceive any inhabitants. It was well wooded, and had several clusters of cocoa-nut trees. The next morning parties were sent to cut down some of the trees for fire-wood. The surf ran high upon the shore ; but, with the assistance of a small raft, a disembarkation was cftccled without any serious acci- dent. Several of the oflicers, anxious to land upon this our first discovery in these seas, joined the party in spite of a sound dut'kin», which was the smallest penalty attached to the undertaking. In one of these attempts the Naturalist was unfortunately drawn into a deep hole in the coral by the recoil of the sea, and, but for prompt ns?ist- ance, would in all probability have lost his life. The island proved to be only a mile and three-quarters in lci)2:t!i, from north to south, and a mile and three-tenths in width. It con- sisted of a narrow strip of land of an oval form, not more than two hundred yards wide in any part, with a lagoon in its centre, wliicli the colour of the water indicated to be of no great depth. In place; this lake washed the trunks of the trees ; in others it was separated from them by a whitish beach, formed principally of cardinal and venus-shells. Shoals of small fish of the chaetodon genus, liic;lily curious and beautiful in colour, sported along the clear margin oi'tlie lake, and with them two or three species of fistularia ; several mo- luscous animals and shell-fish occupied the hollows of the coral (principally madrepora cervi-cornis) ; and the chama giganteus was found so completely overgrown by the coral, that just sufficient space was left for it to open its shell ; a fact which tends to show tlie ra- pidity with which coral increases. Upon the shores of the lagoon, the pandanus, cocoa-nut, toiita- no, sccEVola koenigii, the suriana (whose aroma may be pcrceivpd m6.] AND DREnmo's STllAIT HI at the distance of several miles), the large clump-trec, pempliis acidula, toiirnefortia sericca, and other evergreens common totlieso forniiitioiis, constituted a thick wood, and afforded a cool retreat (iofii tlie scorching rays of a vertitical sun, and the still greater an- noyance arising from the reflection of the bright white sand; a luxury which until our arrival was enjoyed only by a few black and white tern, tropic and frigate birds, and some soldier-crabs which had taken up their abode in the vacated turbo-shells. Under these trees were three large pits containing several tons of fresh water, and not far from them some low huts similar to those described at the other islands, and a tomb-stone shaped like that at Wliitsunday Island. We judged that the huts had been long de- serted, from the circumstance of the tern and other aquatic birds oc- cupying some calabashes which were left in them. Among several tilings I'ound in this deserted village were part of a scraper used by merchants-ships, and a large fish-hook, which we preserved, with- out suspecting that they would at a future day clear up the doubt that these articles were calculated to throw upon the merit of dis- covering this island, to which we otherwise felt an indisputable claim. Our suspicions on this head were also strengthed by notic- ing that a cocoa-nut tree had been cut down with an instrument sharper than the stone axes of the Indians. We had, however no direct proof that the island had been before visited by any ship ; and we consoled ourselves with the possibility of the instruments having been brought from a distance by the natives, who might be absent on a temporary visit, and several of whose canoes we found in the lagoon : the largest of these was eighteen feet in length by fifteen inches in breadth, hollowed out of the large tree (which we at first mistook for a banyan-tree,) and furnished with outriggers similar to the canoes of Clermont Tonnere. This island, the north end of which is situated in latitude 20° 45' 07' S., and longitude 4° 07' 48" West, of Gambler Island, I named IJarrow Island, in compliment to the Secretary of the Admiralty, v.'hose literary talents and zeal for the promotion of geographical sci- ence have been long known to the world. The party on shore succeeded in the course of a few hours in collecting a tolerable supply of hard wood, very well adapted for fuel, and some brooms, after which we beat to the windward in search of Carysfort Island ; and at four o'clock in the afternoon had the satisfaction to see land in that direction ; but in consequence of a strong current setting to the southward, we did not get near it un- til tlie afternoon of the following day. It answered in every respect to Captain Edwards's description of Carysfort Island. The strip ofland is so low, that the sea, in several places, washes into the lagoon. Like all the other islands of this formation we had visited, the •Ml ffl' ) ;t '.' ') ,ir if' H2 VOYAOK TO TUK PACIFIC ['fm. \\ h '^iii^j. vvoatJirr side and the points of the island were most vvoodfd, Ij^ the v(!};(!tation was on the vvlioie scanty. TIrmo is no (lanf;;ti' iimr tliis island. Tiiu outer part ol' tlie bank descends abruptly as Ibl. lows : at sixty yards Ironi the breakers, 5 lathonis water Eij^hty yards . . . . I'S ditto One hundred and twenty do . . 18 ditto Two hundred yards ... 24 ditto On the edge of the bank immediately alter, no bottom with ;j,j fathoms. Durinir the night we stood quietly to the southward in search of Matilda Kecks and Osnaburgh Island. At daylight we saw fWks of tern, and at eleven o'clock land was reported bearing W. by S, Tlic barge and the ship circumnavigated this island before (hiik, and then kept under easy sail during the night. 1 learnt Irum Mr. Belcher, who jjassed round the eastern side of the island, liiut lie had found an opening into the lagoon in that direction, ; jkI luuldis. covered near it two anchors lying high up on the reef. At daylight next morning land was seen to the southward, which on examination proved to be another small coral island, three iiiikj and three quarters in length, by three in width : its form is nearly an oblong with the southern side much curved. The lagoon in tlie centre was deep, its boundary very low and narrow, and in plates it overflowed. Several ripplings were observed about these isluiub, but v/e passed through them without obtaining soundings. A:i soon as the plan of this island was completed we i lurncdto that upon which the anchors were observed, and spi 't «i ■• whole day in its examination. The lagoon was entered in the boats hya channel sufficiently wide and deep for a vessel of the class of the Blossom, and proved in every respect an t 'cellent harbour : in en- tering, however, it is necessary to look out carefully for rocks, which rise suddenly to the surface, or within a very short distance of it. On landing at the back of the reef, we perceived unequivocal signs of a shipwreck — part of a vessel's keel and fore-foot, broken casks, a number of staves, hoops, a ship's hatch marked VIII,, some copper, lead, &.c., and the beach strewed with broken iron hoops, and in their vicinity the anchors which were discovered the preceding day : there were also broken harpoons, lances, a sniiill cannon, cast metal boilers, &tc. &.C., and a leaden pump whicli had a crown and the date 1790 raised upon it. All the iron-work was much corroded, and must have been 4 considerable time ex|)ose(lto the action of the sea and air, but it was not overgrown in the least by the coral. Two of these anchors weighed about a ton each; the other was a stream anchor, and with one of the bowers, was at the break of the sea ; the other bower, together with the boiler, ami all the before-mentioned materials, were lying about two hundred mo.] ANn DGERINri U STRAIT, H3 yards from it. Tlic situation in wliicli tlioy wore found, the size of till- iiiicliors, the harpoons, staves, &iv. anil tiie date of the pinnp, riMiiliM- it higlily l)r()l)ahle that tliey heh)ni;ed to the MatiMa, a wha- ler wliicli was wrecked in 171)-^, in the nii;ht-tinie, u|)on a reef of coral rorks in latitude '29° S., and longitude 1;J8° 34' W. But wlictlicr they had heen washed up there hy sonic extraordinarily liii^ii title and sea, or the reef had since grown upward, and raised tlii'in heyond the present reach of the waves, we could not decide ; the former is most prohable ; though it is evident, if the ahove-nien- tioiied remains he those of the Matilda, of which there can be very little (ionht, that a considerable alteration has taken place in the is- land, as the crew of that vessel describe themselves to have been lost on rt reef of rocks, whereas the island on which these anchoi's are lying extends fourteen miles in length, and has one of its sides fovered nearly the whole of the way with high trees, which, from tlie spot where the v(!ssel was wrecked, are very conspicuous, and coidd not fail to be seen by persons in the situation of her crew. The island differs from the other coral formations before describ- ed, in having a greater disproportion in growth of its sides. The one to the windward is covered w ith tall trees as before mentioned, uliile that to thi' leeward is nearly all under water. The dry part of the chain enclosing the lagoon is about a sixth of a mile in width, but varies considerably in its dimensious: the broad parts are fur- nished with low mounds of sand, which have been raised by the action of the waves, but are now out of their reach, and mostly cov- ered with vegetation. The violence of the waves upon the shore, except at low water, forces the sea into the lake at many points, and occasions a constant outset through the channel to leeward. On both sides of the chain the coral descends rapidly : on the outer part there is from six to ten fathoms close to the breakers, the next cast is thirty to forty, and at a little distance there is no bottom with two hundred and fifty faihanis. On the lagoon side there are two ledges : the first is covered about three feet at high water : at its edge the lead descends to three fothoms to the next ledge, which is about forty yards, in width ; it then slopes to about Ave fathoms at its extremity, and again descends perpendicularly to ten : after which there is a gradual descent to twenty fathoms, which is the general depth of the centre of the lagoon. The lake isdotted with knolls or columns of coral, which rise to all intermedi- ate heights between the bottom and the surface, and are dangerous even to boats sailing in the lagoon with a fresh breeze, particularly in cloudy weather, as at that time it is difficult to distinguish even lliose which are close to the surAice. No cocoa-nut or other fruit-trees have yet been planted on the isolated shore, nor are there any vestiges of it.- ^ver having been ii>- 1 Hr. )> -\ *- ■*./ WW. ■I UPf'-i 144 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC 'm [U. m U^i tf ^. 4'H, 4 ;A- \m A h " habited, excepting by tlie leatliercd tribe, a few lizards, soldioi'. crabs, and occasionally by turtle. The birds, unaccustomed iq n)olestation, were so ignorant of their danger that we lifted tliem oil their nosts ; and the fish sufiered as much by our sticks and bc^t. hooks, as by our fishing-lines. The sharks, as in almost all uiij,,. habited islands withiti tho tropics, were so numerous and (luiiii;;, that they took the fish off our lines as we were hauling them iii,;ii,,i the next minute were th inselves taken by a bait thrown over tof them; a happy thought of our lishermen, who by that moans iiui only recovered many of their hooks, but gor back the stolen fish ii, a tolerably perfect state. In several small lakes, occasioned by the sea at times ovcrOow. the land, we saw an abundance of fish of the clijrtodon and spaiu; genera, of the same beautiful colours as those at Barrow Island, am: ill one of them caught a species of gymnothorax about two feci ii length. There were but lew echini upon . ic reef, but an abimd. ance of shell-fish, consisting of the area, ostrea, cardium, turbo, he- lix, conus, cyprea, voluta, harpa, haliotis, patella, &:c. ; also seve- ral ai^hroditaj holuthuria3 \uiche In mcr) and asterite, &ic. The position of this island differed so considerably from that ol Osnaburgh Island, discovered by Captain Carteret, that I boat tw,; days to the eastward in the parallel of !2'2° S. in the expectation u: finding another ; but when the view from the mast-head extonik: half a degree beyond the longitude he had assigned to his discovp- ry, and we had not even any indication of land, I ga\e up foaii search. The probability, tliorefore, is, that the island upon wine: we found the wreck is the Osnaburgh of Captain Carteret ; and a it is equally probable, from what has been said, that the reinains.ii: those of the Matilda, it will he proper henceforward to allix to r, the name of both Osnaburgh and Matilda. A doubt might have arisen with respect to ihe i?land discovriori to the southward being Osnaburgh island, had Captain CarlOiei not "xpressly said in his journal, that the island he saw was to the soull of bin; ; but this bearing put such a supposition out of the qiiestioc, as in that case he must have .UM?n the island lo the north van! ak I have, in coiiseque'.cc, considered it a new discovery, and iioiioni- ed it with the name ofCorkLurn Island, in compliment to llio Kid:; Honourable Sir George Cockiuurn, G. C. ]3., one of the liords oi the Admiralty. After we gfjve up the search to the eastward for tlie island oil Captain Carteni, we pursued the same parallel of 2'2° S. soinedi- tance to the westward without being more successlul, and then steered for the Lagoon Island of C'aptain HIigli, which was soon tlu following day. On our approach scn-eral large fires were kindliti in different parts. The natives were darker than those of L.iitwi ttf 1926.] AND BEEHINO S STRAIT. Mr, Island of Cook, were nearly naked, and had tlieir hair tied in a knot on tiic top of the )iead ; they were all provided \vith stones, rliihs fi'id ^P*'!"'^- ^^ ''"-' •'^t-'ii '"111 very high, we did not land, and consL'(jiH'ntly had no further cuniinunication with them. The isl- and is ]ari:;or than isexhihited upon Arrovvsniith's Charts, but agrees in situation very closely with the position assigned to it by Captain Bliiih. Two days afterwards we discovered a small island in lat. lO" 40' S. and long. 140° 29' W., which, as it was not before known, I named Byam Martin Island, in compliment to Sir Thomas Byam Martin, K. C. B., iie Comptrollfr of the Navy. As we ncared the shore the natives made several fires. Shortly afterwards three of thorn launched a canoe, and paddled fearlessly to the barge, which brought them to the ship. Instead of the deej)- colonrcd uncivilized Indians inhabiting the coral islands in general, a tall well-made person, comparatively fair, and handsomely tat- tooed, ascended the side, and, to our surprise, familiarly accosted ii« in the Olahetian manner. The second had a hog and a cock tattooed u[)on bis breast — animals almost unknown among the isl- ands of fvastern Polynesia ; and the third wore a turban of blue nankeen. Either of these were distinctions sufficient to excite considerable interest, as they convinced us they were not natives of the island before us, but had either been left there or drifted away from some other island : the latter supposition was the most jn-oba- blc, as they described themselves to have undergone great privation and sullering, by which many of their companions had lost their lives, and their canoe to have been wrecked upon the island ; and that they and their fjiends on shore were anxious to embark in the shi|), and return to Otaheite. A little suspicion was at first attach- ed to this account, as it seemed impossible for a canoe to reach their present asylum without purposely paddling towards it ; as Byam Martin Island, unlike Wateo, upon which Omai found his countrymen, is situated six hundred miles from Otaheite, in the di- rection of the tradcvwind. We could not doubt, however, that they were natives of that place, as they mentioned the names of the missionaries residing there, and proved that they could both read and vTite. To their solicitation to return in the ship to Otaheite, as their nundtcrs on sliore amounted tc forty persons. I could not yield, and I pointed out to them the impossibility of doing so ; but that we might learn the real history of their adventures, I offered a passage to the man who first ascended the side, as he appeared the most intelligent of the party. The poor fel- low was at first fjuito delighted, but .suddenly became grave, and inquired if his wife and children might accompany him, as he 19 i r ^m I ', I-/" 1.^*^ .piM.u iPwn.fJwimBfrw>smf«T 14G VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Pek m >pi\ i> ,71 n could on no account consent to a separation. Our compliance with this request appeared to render him completely happy ; but still fearful of disappointment, before quitting the ship he sent to ask if I was in earnest. The next morning, on landing, we found him, his wife, and fam- ily, with their goods and chattels, upon the beach, ready to embark, and all the islanders assembled to take leave of them ; but as we wished to examine the island first, we postponed this ceremony un- til the evening. The little colony gave us a very friendly recep- tion, and conducted us to their village, which consisted of a few low huts, similar to those at Barrow Island ; but they had no fruit to offer us, excepting pant.anus-nuts, which they disliked almost as much as ourselves, and told us they had been accustomed to better fare. In their huts we found calabashes of water suspended to the rool", mats, baskets, and every thing calculated for a sea-voyage ; and not far from them a plentiful store offish, raised about four feet above the ground, out of the reach of the rats, which were very numerous. They had clothing sufficient for the climate, and were in every re- spect stout and healthy ; there ^vas therefore no immediate neces- sity for removing them, though I offered to take them as ftir as the next island, which was larger and inhabited, and where — conclud- ing, from what we saw, that these people were auxiliary missiona- ries — they would have an opportunity of prosecuting their pious in- tentions in the conversion of the natives. This proposal, howev- er, after a little consultation, was declined, from an apprehension of being killed and eaten,as they supposed the greater part of the inhabitants of the eastern islands of Polynesia to be cannibals. We very soon discovered that our little colony were Christians; they took an early opportunity of convincing us that tliey had both Testaments, hymn-books, &lc. printed in the Otaheitan language: they also showed us a black-lead pencil, and other materials for writing. Some of the girls repeated hymns, and the greater part evinced a reverence and respect for the sacred books, which reflects much credit upon the missionaries, under whose care we could no longer doubt they had at one time been. Tuwarri, to whom I offered a passage, we found was not the principal person on the island, but that their chief was a man who accompanied him in the boat, with his legs dreadfully enlarged with the elephantiasis: it was he who directed their course, rebuilt their canoe after it had been stranded, and who appeared also to lie their protector, being the only one who possessed fire-arms. His importance in this respect was, however, a little diminished by the want of powder and shot, and by an accident which had deprived him of the hammer of bis gun — a misfortune he particularly regret- .0 '^ 182(5.J AND BEERINU a STHAIT. 147 ted as it had been given him by King Pomarree, His anxiety on this head was relieved by finding our armourer could supply the defect, and that we v^ould furnish him with the necessary materials for the defence of his party. The canoe in which this extraordinary voyage had been made was found hauled up at a difterent part of the island from that on which we landed, and placed under a shed very neatly built, with the repairs executed in a workmanlike manner, and in every respect ready for sea. She was a double canoe, upwards of thirty feet long by nine broad, and three feet nine inches deep ; each vessel having three feet three inches beam : one was partly decked, and the oth- er provided with a thatched shed : they were sharp at both ends, each of which was fitted for a rudder, and the timbers were sewed together with strong plaited cord, after the manner of the canoes of Chain Island, where they are brought to great perfection. Wc remained the whole day upon the island, contributing to the comfort of the inhabitants by the distribution of useful presents ; and at the same time making our own observations, and endeavouring to learn something of their history, and at sunset we assembled upon the beach to embark. Poor Tuwarri was quite overwhehnned at separating from his companions and fellow-sufTerers. The whole village accompanied him to the boat, to the last testifying their re- gard by some little act of civility. When the moment of departure arrived, the men gathered about him, shed abundance of tears, and took their leave in a solemn manner with a very few words. The women, on the other hand, clung about his wife and children, and indulged a weakness that better become their sex. The island u|)on which we found them is nearly an oval of three miles and three-quarters diameter. It is of coral formation, and has a lagoon and productions very similar to the other islands recently described. One species of coral not noticed before was seen in the lagoon, growing above water: it was a millepore extending itsel "in vertical plates parallel to the shore. Among the vegetable produc- tions, the polypodium vulgnre, seen at Whitsunday Island, was found here ; and also a small shrub, which we afterwards ascertain- to be an achyranthus. From the pcnq)his wc i)rocured a large sup- ply of firewood, to which use it is well adapted, as it burns a long time, gives great heat, and occupies comparatively little room. The wood of this tree is hard as ligiumi vita^, and equally good for tools; its specific gravity much greater than sea water : its colour is deep rod, but the inner bark more strongly tinged; and if properly pre- pared, would jierhaps afford a good dye. From Byam IMartin Island we steered for Gloucester Island of Captain Wallis, and early the next morning were close to it. The appearance of the island has been accurately described by its dis- \ IS m H8 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [FcL coverer, but its present form and extent differ materially. At the S. E. angle of the island wo noticed a moral built of stones, but there were no inhabitants upon the shore. In passing to windward of the island, the currant unexpectedly set so strong upon it, that the ship was for a considerable time in imminent danger of beintr thrown upon the rocks, and her escape is entirely attributable to tlie rapid descent of the coral reef, which at times was almost under her bottom. She, however, fortunately cleared the reef, and was inniicdiately in safety. After collecting the necessary inforniation we steered for Bow Island, which was seen from the mast-head at three o'clock the same afternoon. Al 1826. J AND BEEHING S STRAIT. \i\) CHAPTER VIJI. Boat sent to examine the Channel into Bow Island Lagoon — Unexpected Interview- between Tuwarri and liis Brother — A Pearl Brig- at anclior in tlie Lag-oon — Blys- tcry attached to tho Byani Martin Islanders dispelled — Their interestiiiar History, extensive Wanderings and Sulferings — Sequel of Tuwarri's History — Ship enters tlie Lagoon — Description uf tlie Ishmd — A sliort Account of the Natives — Visit several other coral Islands, and discover Melville and Croker Islands — Remarks on the Discoveries of Cook, Wallis, Carteret, &c. — Peculiarities of the coral Islands —Arrival at Otaheite. Bow Island was discovered by M. Bougainville in 17G8, and the following year was visited by Captain Cook, who gave it its pres- ent name from the resemblance its shape bore to a bow. Its figure protracted upon paper, however, is very irregular, and bears but small resemblance to the instrument after which it was named ; but to a person viewing it as Captain Cook did, the mistake is very likely to occur. It is of coral formation, thirty-four miles long, and ten broad ; well wooded on the weather side, but very scantily so on the other ; and so low in this half, that the sea in places washes in- to the lagoon. ^V^e sailed close along what may be considered the string of the bov/, which the barge navigated the arch ; and thuSj between us, in a few hours made the circuit of the island. Previous to quitting England, Captain Charlton, the consul at the Sandwich islands, among other useful matter which he obliging- ly communicated, informed me of an opening through the coral reef of this island into the lagoon ; and as 1 was desirous, at this period of the survey, o "having a point astronomically fixed to correct the chronometrical measurements, I determined, if possible, to enter the lagoon with the ship. When we reached the supposed opening, a boat was lowered to examine it ; and Tuwarri was sent in her to conciliate the natives, should any be seen in the course of the ser- vice. As she drew near the shore, several men were observed among the trees ; and the oflicer in charge of the boat, acting under my general orders of being always prepared for an attack, desired the muskets to be loaded. Tuwarri, who had probably never pos- sessed much courage, at the sight of these preparations, wished him- ' ' l\ m I > ■"^mfmiir ij ipi^jiii 150 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Pel, 4; n% 'S M i.' / te self anywhere else than in his present situation, and, to judge froin his countenance, calculated at least upon being killed and eaten by cannibals : he was in the greatest agitation as the boat adviinced, until she came within speaking distance of the strangers, when, in stead of the supposed nioiisters ready to devour him, he recognised, to his surprise, his own brother and several friends whom he haj 1 'li at Chain Island three years before, all of whom had long gjvci) l)im up as lost, and whom he never expected to see again. The two brothers met in a manner which did credit to their fer.]. ings, and after the first salutation sat down together upon the ht-acli with their hands firmly locked, and entered into serious conversation, consisting no doubt of mutual inquiries after friends and relations, and Tuwarri's account of his perilous adventure. They continued with their hands grasped until it was time for the boat to return to the ship, when they both came on board. This affecting interview increased our impatience to have the mystery which overhung the fate of our passenger cleared up, and an opportunity fortunately happened for doing so. The gig, on entering the lagoon, had been met by a boat from an English brig (the Dart, employed by the Australian Pearl Compa- ny) at anchor there, with a number of divers, natives of Chain is- land, hired into her service : among these men there was one who acted as interpreter, and who was immediately engaged to commu- nicate to us the particulars of Tuwarri's adventures, which posses? so much interest, that the reader will not, I am sure, regret the re- lation of them. Tuwarri was a native of one of the low coral formations discov- ered by Captain Cook in his first voyage, called Anaa by tlie na- tives, but by him named Chain Island, situated about three luindiec miles to the eastward of Otaheite, to which it is tributary. Aboui the period of the commencement of his misfortunes, old Pomarree the king of Otaheite died, and was succeeded by his son, then £ child. On the accession of this boy, several chiefs and coinincners of Chain Island, among whom was Tuwarri, planned a voyage l« Otaheite, to pay a visit of ceremony and of homage to their new sovereign. The only conveyance these people could command «i- double canoes, three of which, of the largest class, were prepared lor the occasion. To ;."s, accustomed to navigate the seas in sliips of many tons burthen, provided with a compass and the necessary in- struments to determine our position, a canoe with only the stars lor her guidance, and destined to a place whose situation could be at the best but approximately known, appears so frail and uncertain a conveyance, that we may wonder how any persons could he found sufficiently resolute to hazard the undertaking. They knew, how- ever, that similar voyages had been successfully performed, not oiiK 1826.] ANn BKERINO S STIIAIT. 151 to mountainous islands to leeward, but to some that were scarcely six feet above the water, and were situated in the opposite direction ; and as no ill omens attended the present undertaking, no unusual fears were entertained. The canoes being accordingly prepared, and duly furnished with all that was considered necessary, the per- sons intending to proceed on this expedition were embarked, amoun- tini; in all to a hundred and fifty souls. What was the arrangement of the other two canoes is unknown to us, but in Tuwarri's there were twenty-three men, fifteen women, and ten children and a sup- ply of water and provision calculated to last three weeks. On the day of departure all the natives assembled upon the beach to take leave oi our adventurers ; the canoes were placed with scru- pulous exactness in the supposed direction which was indicated by certain marks upon the land, and then launched into the sea, amidst the good wishes and adieus of their countrymen. With a fair wind and full sail they glided rapidly over the space without a thought of the possibility of the miseries to which they were afterwards ex- posed. It happened, unfortunately, that the monsoon that year* began earlier than was expected, and blew with great violence; two days were, notwithstanding, passed under favourable circumstances, and the adventurers began to look for the high land of Maitea, an island hetween Chain Island and Otaheite, and to anticipate the pleasures which the successful termination of their voyage would afford them, when their progress was delayed by a calm, the precursor of a storm, which rose suddenly from an unfavourable quarter, dispersed the canoes, and drove them away before it. In this manner they drifted for several days ; but on the return of fine weather, having a fort- night's provision remaining, they again resolutely sought their des- tination, until a second gale drove them still farther back tlim the first, and lasted so long that they became exhausted. Thus many I days were passed ; their distance from home hourly increasing ; the sea continually washing over the canoe, to the great discomfiture of the women and children ; and their store of provision dwindled to the last extremity. A long calm, and, what was to them even worse, hot dry weather, succeeded the tempest, and reduced them to a state of the utmost distress. They described to us their canoe alone and becalmed on the ocean ; the crew, perishing with thirst, beneath the fierce glare of a tropical sun, hanging exhausted over their paddles ; children looking to their parents for support, and mothers deploring their inability to afford them assistance. Every * In the South Pacific the monsoons are occasionally felt throughout all the islands of Eastern Polynesia. 1 wm m um fm .'1^ If M \ .M\ ».■ n \.' 152 VOVACE TO THE PACIFIC [FeL l.ih^ «» means of quencliing tlioir thirst were resorted to ; some drank tlu; sea-water, and others bathed in it, or poined it over their iioad*; but the absence of (Vesli water in the torrid zone cannot be coiniien. sated by sucli substitutes. Day after day those who were able ex- tended their gourds to heaven in supphcation for rain, and repeated their prayers, but in vain ; tiie fleecy cloud floating high in the air indicated only an extension of their suffering : distress in its most aggravated form had at length reached its height, and seventeen per. sons fell victims to its horrors. The situation of those who remained may readily be imagined, though their fate would never have been known to us, had not Providence at this critical moment wrought a change in their lii. vour. The sky, whicli for some time had been perfectly serene, assumed an aspect which at any other period would have filled our sufferers with aprehension ; but, on the present occasion, the trop. ical storm, as it approached, was hailed with thankfulness, and wtl- coined as their deliverer. All who were able came u])on the deck with blankets, gourds, and cocoa-nut shells, and held them toward the black cloud, as it approached, pouring down torrents of rain, of which every drop was of incalculable value to the sufferers ; tliov drank copiously and thankfully, and filled every vessel with tlie precious element. Thus recruited, hope revived ; but the absence of food again plunged them into the deepest despair. We need not relate the dreadful alternative to v hich they had recourse until several large sharks rose to the surface and followed the canoe; Tuwarri, by breaking off" the head of an iron scraper, fonnedit into a hook, and succeeded in catch'.ng one of them, wiiicli waa instanilv substitued for the revolting innqimt which had hitherto sustained life. Thus refreshed, they again worked at their paddles or spread their sail, and were not long before their exertions were repaid witli the joyful sight of land, on whicli clusters of cocoa-nuts crowned the heads of several tufts of palm-trees : they hurried through tlie surf and soon reached the much wished-for spot, but being too fee- ble to asceni the lofty trees, they were obliged to fell one of them with an axe On traversing the island to which Providence liad thus conduct- ed them, they discovered by several canoes in the lagoon and path- ways intersecting the woods, that it had been previously inhabited; and knowing .he greater part of the natives of the low islands to be cannibals, they determined to remain no longer upon it than was absolutely necessary to recruit their strength, imagining that the islanders, when they did return, would not rest satisfied with mere- ly dispossessing them of their asylum. It was necessary, while they were allowed to remain, to seek ,U t> ] 8-26. J ANT> nEEUINc's STRAIT. 153 liroiiiiii tiie phelter from tlic woatlior, and to exert tlicmsclves in procuring a supply of provision for tlioir fiirtlicr voyage ; liutr, were consequent- ly built, pools (lug for water, and three eanoes added to those which were found in the lake. Their situation by these means was rend- ered tolerably comfortable, and they not only provided themselves with necessaries suflicient for their daily consumption, but were able to dry and lay by a considerable quantity of fish for sea stock. After a time, finding themselves undisturbed, they gained confi- dence, and deferred their departure till thirteen months had elaps- ed fioni the time of their landing. At the expiration of which pe- riod, being in good bodily health and supplied with every requisite for their voyage, they again launched upon the ocean in quest of home. Tlicy steered two days and nights to the northwest, and then fell in with a small island, upon which, as it appeared to be uninhabit- ed, tliey landed, and remained three days, and then resumed their voyage. After a run of a day and a night they came in sight of another uninliabited island. In their attempt to land upon it their canoe was unfortunately stove, but all the party got safe on shore. The damage which the vessel had sustained requiring several weeks to repair, they established themselves upon this island, and again commenced storing up provision for their voyage. Eight months had already passed in these (>ccupations, when we unexpectedly found them thus encamped upon Byam Martin Island ; with their canoe repaired, and all the necessary stores provided for their next expedition. The other two canoes were never heard of. Several parts of this curious history strongly favoured the pre- sumption that the island upon which the party first landed and es- tablished themselves was Barrow Island : and, in order to have it confirmed, the piece of iron that had been brought from thence, and had fortunately been preserved, was produced. Tuwarri, when he saw it, immediately exclaimed that it was the piece of iron he had broken in two to form the shark-hook, which was the means of preserving the lives of his party, and said that the tree we found cut down with some sharp edged tool was that which his party felled before their strength enabled them to climb for fruit : and hence tlie huts, the pools of water, the canoes, &.c. were the remains of their industry. This curious discovery enabled us to form a tolerably accurate idea of the distance the canoe had been drifted by the gale, as Bar- row Island is 420 miles in a direct line from Chain Island, their na- tive place ; and if to this be added 100 miles for the progress they made during the first two days toward Maitea, and the distance they went on their return before tliey reached Barrow Island, the whole cannot amount to much less than GOO miles. 20 /" »' ' i\ < ft' 'i ^gT' 151 VOYAOE TO THE PAriFIf ■/•'■/, !," t .'if, ^ m Before Tiiwarri could be restored to liis lioine, we visited in s,ir. cession several low islands to which he was a strantier. \N liilc wi; were cruising; among them, he entertained the j^reatist apiircliciisidn lest we had lost our way, and perhaps pictured to hiniselfa \v\\v\\. tion of his disastrous voyage. He could not imagine our luoiivc for pursuing so indirect a course, and frecpiently incpiircdif wc woi,, going to his native island, and if we knew wliere it was, occasional. ly pointing in the dn-ection of it. He always hoasted of a kiunvl- edge of the islands lying between Bow Island (He-ow) and Chajn Island (Anaa), but never informed us right when we came to any of tlicm. He had, it is true, reason to be anxious ; for his wife, al- most the whole of the passage, was very sea-sick, which gave him great concern ; and when the sea was much agitated, he apiK-aicij inconsolable. When he at length arrived within sight of i'.\vm Island, ]iis joy at the certainty of again setting foot on his native soil, and meeting friends who had long supposed liim lost, may readily bo imagine 1. His gratitude to us for having given him a passage, and for our attention to his comfort, was expressed in tears of thankfnl- ness ; and he testified his regret at parting in a manner which show- ed him to be sincere; and as he was going away, he expressed his sorrow that the ship would not remain long enough ofF the island lor liim to send some ''tie token of his gratitude. These feelings, so highly creditable u> Tuwarri, were not participated by his wilo, who, on the contrary, showed no concern at her departure, expres- sed neither thanks nor regrets, nor turned to any jierson to bid him farewell ; and while Tuwarri was suppressing his tears, she was laughing at the exposure which she thought she should make goin^ into the boat without an accommodation-ladder. Tuwarri, while on board showed no curiosity, knew nothing of our language, or evinced any desire to learn it ; took very little'interest in any\hin: that was going forward, and was very dull of comprehension. He appeared to be a man whose energies had been worn down by hard- ship and privation, and whom misfortune had taught to look on the worst side of every thing. But with all these weak points, he had many good qualities. He lent a willing hand to pull at a rop(^\va^ cleanly and quiet, punctually attended church on Sundays, ami had a atrong sense of right and wrong, which, as far as his abilities ena- bled him, governed his actions. He had a warm heart, and his at- tachment to his wife and children amounted even to weakness. He had a tolerable knowledge of the relative situation of the islands of the archipelago, and reaciily drew a chart of them, assigning to each Its name, though, as I have said before, he never could recoi;ni^e them. Some of these we were able to identify, and perhaps slioiild have done so with others, had there not been so much sameness in all the coral islands. ^ A any ihnu ision. He u by liiinl- K)k oil t'li^ ,ts, lie liail ropo.wib 'S, and liiid ilitics ciia- ind his Ill- ness. He islands of ng to each recopil>e hps slioiilii .nicMiL'ss ill \S'i(i.] ANO UEEUINfi's STUAIT, 165 Mr. Belcher, who was in conunand of th(j barge wliiclj put him on shore, says, ho was not received by his countrymen with the surprise and pleasure which might liave been expected ; but this may, i)erhaps, be explained by there being no one on the beach to wlioni he was particularly attached, lielbre the barge quitted the island, he put on board some shells as a present, in gratitude for the assistance which had been rendered liim. Reverting to the occurrences of the ship off Bow Island: Mr. Kl^un, the ollicer who was sent to examine the channel into the la- goon, reiurned with the supercargo of the Dart, Mr. Hussey, and made a favourable report of the depth of water in the passage, but said its width was so very contracted that it could not be passed without hazard. The exact distance from reef to reef is 115 feet, and tiiere is a coral knoll in the centre ; the trade-wind does not al- ways allow a ship to lie well through it, and there is, at times, a tide ruiniing out at the rate of four knots an hour. It was, however, necessary to incur this risk ; and, on the information of Mr. Hussey tliiit the morning was the most favourable time for the attempt, slioitly after daylight on the next day (15th), under Mr. Elson's skilliil pilotage, we shot through the passage, at the rate of seven knots, and were instantly in a broad sheet of smooth water. Wc I'ound the lagoon studded with coral knolls, whicli it was necessary to avoid by a \ igilant look out from aloft, as the lead gave no warn- iii;^ of their vicinity ; wc beat among them at some risk, and at ten o'clock anchored at the N. E. angle of the lake, in ten fathoms wa- ter on a broad patch of sand, about a quarter if a mile from the shore, and in as secure a harbour as could be requir-^d. Nearly opposite to our ancliorage, the natives, about fifty in num- l)er,liad erected temporary huts during the stay of the Dart, their per- manent residences being at the opi)osite end of the island. They were ill appearance the most indolent ill-looking race we had yet seen ; broad flat noses, dull sunken eyes, thick lips, mouths turned down at the corners, strongly wrinkled countenances, and long bushy hair matted w ith dirt and vermin. Their stature was above the middle size, but generally crooked ; their limbs bony, their muscles flaccid, aiui their covering a niaro. But hideous as the men were, their re- volting a[)pearance w'as surpassed by the opposite sex of the same ai:;e. The males were all lolling against the cocoa-nut trees, with their arms round each other's necks, enjoying the refreshing shade of a thick foilage of |)alm-trees ; while the women, old and young, were labouring hard in the sun, in the service of their masters, for dicy did not merit the name of husbands. The children, quite nak- ed, were i)laced u])on mats, crying and rolling to and fro, to displace some of tile myriads of house-flies, whicli so speckled their bodies ihiit their real colour waa scarcely discernible, •i i I. i ■ l(t^ ';) ' U W J 15t) VUYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [t\(>. w \I iii ^ '^ f *. J Amidst this scone I was introduced to tiie chief, who was distin- guishcd from his subjects by his superior heij;;ht and strength, ami probably maintained his authority solely by those (iualiti(;s. Hy gave me a friendly reception, and suffered us to cut down wlmt wood we wanted, confining us only to those trees which produced no edible fruits. In return for some presents made him, he drew from his canoe several pearl fishing-hooks and bundles of turtle- shell, and begged my acceptance of them ; but his extreme pover- ty was such, that 1 could not bring myself to do so, though I do not know to what material use tlie last-mentioned article could be applied by him. We availed ourselves of the areghe's permission, and sent a par- ty to cut as many trees as we reipiired, consisting principally of the pemphis acidula, as at Byam Martin Island. Mr. Marsh endeav- oured to engage some of the natives in this imployment, by olferiii;: shirts, tobacco, Sic; but, notwithstanding the munificence of tliu reward, the areghc alone could be roused from his lethargy ; and even he quitted the axe before the first tree was felled. A party of seamen was at the same time sent, under the direc- tion of Lieutenant AVainwright, to dig wells ; in which their success was so satisfactory, that in less than three days we procured thirty tons of fresh water. The wells were about four feet deep, diii; through the sand into the coral rock. Into two of these the water flowed as fast as we could fill the casks ; and when allowed to stand, rose eighteen inches. This water was drunk by all the ship's com- pany for several weeks, and proved tolerably good, though it did not keep as well as spring water.* It is important to navigators to know, that even as good water as this may be procured on the coral islands by means of wells. In digging them, the choice of situation should be given to the most elevated part of the island, and to a spot distant from the sea ; perhaps in the vicinity of cocoa-nut trees. It is a curious fact that, in Bow Island, the water that flowed into lioles dug within a yard of the sea was fresh enough to be drunk bv the sailors, and served the purpose of the natives while they re- mained in our vicinity ; though I do not think Europeans could have used it long with impunity. Not far from the tcmporay residence of the natives, there was a level spot of ground, overgrown with grass, upon which the observ- ♦ Mr Collie observes, in his Jouinul, that a " solution of nitrate of soda dctfctcd in it a moderate proportion of muriatic acid, embodied in the soda. It had no braikisli taste. Witli an alcoholic solution of soap it formed a copious white precipitate : with oxalate of ammonia it formed slowly, but after some time a dense white cloud : witli nitrate of silver an abundant purplish-white precipitate; it remained uncliiiiiircJ with nitrate of barytes. Tlius show in^'- that it contained no sulphuric acid, liut tlmt it was impreg-nated with muriatic acid and niag'ncsia, most likely muriate of soiia and magnesia, the component parts of sen water." \m\ AND DLCRINU U STllAIT. 157 iiiory was erected ; iiiitl 1 had in c()nso((iic'nce (Vequciit iiitorcoursu uitli then, and, tlnuui;li tliu niediiun of the interpreter of the Dart, learned many interesting; jjarticulars ennccrninu; tiieni. Uy tliis ac- count tiiey have not long desisted from caniiiljalisui. On question- iiiu; the chief, he acknowhiged himseli" to have been present at sev- eral feasts of human liodies, and on expatiating on tlio excellence of the food, particularly wlien it was that of a female, his brutal countenance became Huslied with a horrible expression of animation. Their eninies, those slain in battle, or those who die violent deaths, and murderers, were, he said, the only subjects selected for these leasts; the latter, whether justified or not, were put to death, and cateii alike with tiieir victims. They have still a great partiality for raw food, which is but one remove I'rom cannibalism ; and when a canoe full offish was brought one day to the village, the men, be- fore it could be drawn to the shore, fell upon its contents, and de- voured every part of the fish excej)t the bones and fins. The w o- iiicn, whose business it was to unload the boat, did the best thoy could with one of them between their teeth, while their hands were employed portioning the contents of the canoe into small hcajs. IJnt even in this repast we were glad to observe some indication of fueling in putting the animal speedily out of torture by biting its lioad in two, the only jjroof of humanity which they manifested. In like manner, cleanliness was not overlooked by them, for they care- fully rinsed their mouths after the disgusting meal. It appeared that the chief liad three wives, and that polygamy was permitted to an unlimited extent ; any man of the community, we were told, might put away his wife whenever it was his pleasure to do so, and take another, provided she were disengagod. No cer- emony takes place at the wedding ; it being sufRcient lor a man to say to p woman, " You shall be my wife ;" and she becomes so. The offspring of these unions seemed to be the objects of the only feelings of affection the male sex possessed, as there were certainly none bestowed on the women. Indeed the situation of the females is much to be pitied ; in no part of the world, probably, are they treated more brutally. While their husbands are indulging their lethargic disposition under the shade of the cocoa-nut trees, making no eftbrt toward their own support beyond that of eating when their food is placed before them, the women are sent t the reefs to wade over the sharp-pointed coral in search of shell-fisli, or the woods to collect pandanus-nuts. We have seen them going out at day-light on these pursuits, and returning quite fatigued with their morning toil. In this state, instead of enjoying a little repose on reaching their home, they are engaged in the laborious occupation of prepar- ing what they have gathered for their hungry masters, who, immedi- lUely the nuts are placed before them, irtay their appetites by extrac- 158 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [/'' V s m ' 1 '. > M li/ <'^^''.: Wi ling the piilpy substance contained in the outside woody fibres of ijic fruit, and throw 'he ren)ain(it>- !o their \\ ives, who further oxtiMi what is kit of the pulp for theii' own share, and proceed to cxtricatr the contents of the interior, consisting of four or five small kernel, about the size of an almond. To perform this operation, tlio nut ]< placed u])on a flat stone endwiho, and with a block of coral, as lar:;( as tlie strength of the women will enable them to lift, is split in piwes. and the contents again j)ut aside lor their husbands, /is it recjuire. a considerable number of these small nuts to satisfy the appetites ul their rapacious rulers, the time of the women is wholly passed npDi, their knees pounding nuts, or uj)on the sharp coral collecting sliellv and sra eggs. On some occasion' the nuts are baked in the grouml, which gives them a more agreeable flavour, and facilitates the ex- traction of the pulp; it does not, however, diminish the labour of the fenalcs, who ha\e in either case to bruise the fibres to procure the smaller nuts. The suj)criority of sex was rever more rigidly ei..orced llinn among these barbarians, nor were the male part of the human spe- cies ever more despicable. Op one occasion an unforiunate women \\ lio was pounding some of these nuts, which she had walked a great distance to gather, thinking herself unobserved, ate two or three of the kernels as she extracted them ; but this did not escape the vii;i- lance of her brutal husband, who instantly rose and felled her to the ground in the most inhuman manner with three violent blows of liij (ist. Thus tyrannised over, debr sod, neglected by the male sex, and strangers to social afFoction. it is no wonder all those qua'ities wliicl: in civilized countries constitute +he fascination of woman arcintheju people wholly wanting. The sa|)ercargo of the Dart, to forward the service he was ciigai;- ed in, had hired a prrty of the natives of Chain Island to dive fur shells. Among these was a native missionary,* a very well-be- haved ma.i, who used every effort to convert his new acquaintances to Christianity. He persevered amidst much silent ridicule, aiulai length succeeded in persuading the greater part of the islanders |ij coi form to the ceremonies of Christian worship. It was interest- ing to contemplate a body of savages, abandoning their superstilions, silently and reverently kneeling upon the sandy shore, and joining in the morning and evening jjrayers to the Almighty. 'ilioiiL'li their sincerity may be questioned, yet it is hoped that an inq)r('ssioii may be made vjion these neophytes, which may tend lo iiiipro\i' their moral condition. Previous to the arrival of the missionary, every one had his pe- culiar deity, of whicli the most common was a piece of woo 1 with a '* Wt: wciL' tulil Dull ill Cliiiiii J.'lund there wcic lliiilttli houdc'c ul' prayti- umiu ilit: iliicitiou ul'iiati\(; iiii^idiunurits. w \-'\ ¥' '•\ ., \?2G.] AND BEERINO'S STRAIT. 150 aift oriuinian liair inserted into it; buttliat wliielnvas deemed most eliicacioiis, when it eould l)e procnred, was the tlii<:;ii bone of an enemy, or of a relation recently dead. Into the hoUowof this tliey jiisevtcd a lock of the same person's hair, and then suspended the idol to a tree. To these symbols they address their prayers as long ii<; tliey remained in favour; but, like the girl in China, who when dis- an|)ointed by her lover, pulled down the brazen image and whipped it. tiicse peojde, when dissatisfied with their deily, no longer ac- |rialions of the tides of the ocean ; hut it sulfers so many disturbances from the waves which occasionally inundate the low parts of the surrounding land, that neither the rise of the tide nor the time of high water can he estimated with any degree of certainty. Were the communication between the lake and the sea larger, so as to admit of .^v -•■nter finding its level, the period of low w'ater might be detenniuod, as there is a change of tide in the entrance. The strip of low land enclosing the lagoon is nearly seventy miles in extent, and the part that is dry is about a quarter of a milo in width. On the inner side, a few yards from the margin of the lake. there is a low bank formed of finely broken coral ; and, at the out- er edge, a much higher bank of large blocks of the same niatiMinI. long since removed from the reach of the waves, and gradually pre- paring for the reception of vegetation. Beyond this high hank there is a third ridge, similar to that skirting the lagoon : and out- side it again, as well as in the lagoon, there is a wide shelf throcoi four feet under water, the outer one bearing upon its surface hup' masses of broken coral ; the materials for an outer bank, similar lo the large one just described. These appearances naturally su£;2;csi the idea of the island having ri??n by slow degrees. Thus the sand dispersed over the lagoon indicates a period when the sea rolled en- tirely over the reef, tore up blocks of coral from its margin, and hy constant trituration ground them to powder, and finally dejjosited the particles wher(> th<>y now re-t. The hank near the lake mn<\ have originated at a subsecpient period, when the outer edge be- coming nearer to the surface, moderated the strength of the wavo<. and the wash of the sea reaelied oidy far enough to deposit the 18-26.] AND IJEEniNC S STH.VIt. IGI broken coral in the place described. At a still less distant period, wiiLMi the Island became dry, and the violc:je of the sea was whol- ly spent upon its marjj;in, the coral, which had before escaped by being beneath the snrface, gave way to the impetuous wave, and was deposited in broken masses, which formed tlie high ridge. Here the sea appears to have broken a considerable time, until a second ledge gradually extending seaward, and approaching the sur- face, so lessened the eilbct of the waves u])on this ledge also, that they were again only capable of throwing u\) an inferior heap simi- lar to the one first mentioned. In process of time this outer ledge will become dry. and many large blocks of coral now lying near its edge will, probably, firm another heap similar to the large one; aiid thus the ishiiid will continue to increase by a succession of ledges being brought to the surlhc e, v.hile, by the same process, the lagoon will L'radually become more shallow and contracted. Tlic ridges are particularly favourable to the formation of a soil, by retaining within them whatever may be there deposited un- til it decays, and by protecting the tender shrubs during their early growth. Near our observatory the soil had attained a depth of" about eight inches before we came to broken coral. "In the central and sheltered parts of the plain between the ridges the pandanus spreads its divergent roots and rears its fruitful branches ; the pemphis also takes root in the same situation. The loose dry stones of the first ridge are penetrated by the hard roots of tlie tcfano, which expands its branches into a tall spreading tree, and is attended by the fragrant suriana, and the sweet-scented tour- nofortia, in the shelter of whose foilage the tender achyranthus and lepidinm seem to thrive best. Beyond the first high stony ridge tbe hardy scrcvola extends its creeping roots and procumbent ver- dure towards the sea, throwing its succulent leaves round the sharp coral stones." " On the windward side, wherever the pandanus was devoid of ilic protection of tbe more hardy trees, the brown and decayed leaves showed it had advanced beyond its pro})er boundary."* We quitted Bow island on the !20th of February, and continued the survey of the archipelago, until the ])eriod had arrived when it was necessary to proceed direct to Otaheite, to prepare the ship for her voyage to the northward. We were greatly retarded to- ward tlie close of our operations by the rainy season, which was attended with calms, and hot, sultry, wet weather, and perhaps, had we continued at sea, would have prevented any thing more being done. The dysentary about this time began to make its ap- pearance among the ship's company, owing no doubt to the rains .', ( \ V ■■■ *Mr. Collie's Journul. . ..■;i K i VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC \l'\h. 1*;vfl )' ■,! ilr, ],[ I) ,.( and closeness of tlie atmosphere, conil)ined with the harassuis; dutv arising from the navigation of a sea so thickly strewed with islands, and to the men having been a long time on a reduced allouauce of salt provisions. The islands which were visited between Bow Island and Ota- lieite were all of the same character and formation as those aLtadv described, and furnished us with no additional information beyond the correct determinition of their size and j)osition ; which, with some remarks that may l,o useful to navigation, arc given in the A])pendix to the 4to. ed. "AHiong the number there were two which were previously unknown ; the largest of these which was also the most extensive of our discoveries in the archipelago, I n;i. med Melville Island, in honour of the first lord of the Admiraltv • and the other, Crokcr Island, in compliment to the right honoura- ble secretary. The discoveries of Cook and Wallis in this track are relativoir correctly plaecd ; but those of the latter are as much as forty niilos in error in longitude, and several miles in latitude, which has orca- sioned two of them to be mistaken for each other by IJellinghauseii, and ouf to be considered as a new discovery by Captain Du[)eni'\. It would not have been easy to detect these errors, had we not vis- ited the discoveries of Wallis in succession, beginning with Whii- sundav and queen Charlotte's Islands, which are so situated that no mistake in them could possibly occur. JNIoreover, we alwavs searched the vicinity narrowly for the existence of other islands. The mistakes have arisen from placing too much confidence in the longitude of the early navigator. The true ])lace of Cund)ci- land Island lying much nearer the alleged position of Wallis's Piince William-Henry Island than any other, has occasioned Bellinnry Island is the L'Ostange of Captain Duperrey, as we l)ad an oppoituui(y of conq)aring longitudes with him at Mollcf Inl- and ; and it is equally certain that this island is the s>'nie with thai discovenl by Wallis, as at its distance from Queen Charlotte's Isl- and and his other discoveries to the eastward, each of whi(di we visited, exactly coincides. Wallis has certainly erred ten miles in latitude, but it should be recollected that the position of the island was fi.'ied by reckoning from noon, the islan'l having been seen at daybreak "far to windward ;" and it should not be ov(M-look(Mllhai his latitude at Cumberland Island the day before was ei>ilit miles in »^/x mG.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 163 error tlie same way, wliirli makes it very probable tbat eitlier his obsLnvatioiis were indifferent, or that he had incorrect tables of de- clination. In forming this conclinion, I am aware that I am depriving Cap- tain l)u])errey of the merit of a discovery, but he will, it is hoped, admit the justice of my opinion. All the islands seen by Cook, Wallis, and Carteret, lying within the limit of our survey, have been found to be accurately described, ox- rcpting that their size has always been overrated ; a mistake very likely to arise with low strips oi' land deficient in familiar objects to (liirct the judgment where actual measurement is not resotred to. Tlie disco\ cries oflMr. Turnbidl are so loosely related in his en - tcrtuining Voyage, that their situation cannot be entertained ; and unless some better clue t > them is given, they will always be liable (0 be claimed by subsequent navigators. Of the thirty-two islands which have thus been visited in succes- sion, only twelve are inhabited, including Pitcairn Island, and the ait'ount of the population altogether cannot possibly exceed three thoMsaiid one hundred sovds : of which one thousand belong to the (ianihier groupe, and twelve hundred and sixty to Easter Islaiid, leaving eight hundred and forty persons only to occupy the other thirty islands. All the natives ajiparently profess the same religion ; all speak tlie same language, and are in all essential points the same people. There is a great diversity of features and complexion between those inhabiting the volcanic islands and the natives of the coral forniations, the former being a taller and fairer race. This change may be attri- Inited to a difference of food, habits, and comfort ; the one having to seek a daily sul)sist('nce upon the reefs, exposed to a burning snn and to the painful glare of a white coral beach, while the oth- er enjoys plentifully the spontiuieous produce of the earth, reposes hcneat!'. 'he genial shade of pakn or bread-fruit groves, and passes ii lii'e of comparative ease and luxury. It has hitherto been a matter of conjecture how these islands, so remote from both great continents, have received their aborigines. The intimate connexion between the language, worship, manners, customs, and traditions of the people who dwell upon them, and those of the Malays and other inhabitants of the great islands to the westward, leave;, no doubt of frequent emigrations from thence; and \vi- i,;>t!!:ally look to th.ose countries as the source from which they liave sprung. The diniculty, however, instantly presents itself of liroceeding so vast a distance in opposition to the prevailing wind and current, without vessels better equipped than those which are in possession of the above-mentioned people. This objection has so [)o\^ I'rfidly induenced the minds of some authors that they have had ^ * '• 'U H ' i \ * i 164 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Fd. I 1326.] i.' I recourse to the circuitous route through Tr.rtary, across Bcoriiiii's Strait, and over the American continent, to bring the emigrants to a situation whence they miglit be drifted by the ordinary course of tin; winds to the lands in question. Hut had this been the case,auioie intimate resemblance would surely be found to exist between the American Indians and the natives of Polynesia. All agreed as to the manner in which these migrations between the islands have been efiected, and some few instances have actually been met with ; but they have been in one direction only, and have rathe- favoured the opinion of migration from the eastward. The accident which threw incur way Tuwarri and his companions, who. it may be recollected, were driven six hundred miles in a direction contrary to the trade-wind in spite of their utmost exertions, has fortunately enabled us to remove the objections, which have been urged against the general opinion. The fact being so well attested and the only one of the kind upon record, is, consequently, of the highest interest, both as regards its singulai'ity, and as it establishes the ]}ossibilitij of the case. Though this is the only instance that has come to our knowledge, there is no reason why .nany other ca- noes may not have shared a similar fate ; and some few of many thousancls, perhaps, may have drifted to the remotest island of the archipelago, and thus peopled them. The navigation of canoes between the islands in sight of cacli other was, and is still, very general : and it was not unusual, in ear- ly times, for warriors, after a defeat, to embark, careless of the con- sequences, in order to escape the persecution of their conqueroi<. To remain, was certain death and ignominy ; to fly, was to leave their fate to chance. The temporary obstruction of the trade wind in these seas, bv the westerly monsoons, has not been duly consichn'cdby those wlio represent the difficulties as insurmountable. At the period of the year corresponding with our spring these gales connnence, and blow with great violence during tlie rainy season. As they arise very suddenly, any canoes at sea must have difliculty in escaping tliciii, and would, in all probability, be driven so far as never to be able to regain their native country, or be drifted to islands upon whicli their crews might be contented to dwell, in preference to encounter- ing farther risks. The traces of inhabitants upon almost all the islands of the low archipelago, many of whicb are at present uninhabited, show both the frequency with which these migrations have occurred, and the extent to which they have been made : some of these isolated spots where remains have been found, l*itcairn Island for instance. are 400 miles irom any land whence iidiabitants were likely lo be derived; and the circumstance of their having abandoned that i>land AND BEERING S STRAIT. 165 is a fair presumption that tlie people wlio landed there knew of other lunds which there was a ))rohability of their rcachinfr:, and which ceitiiinly could not be the coast of America, at least 2000 miles against the trade-wind. " I shall now bring together a few facts connected with the forma- tion of these islands, wliich it is hoped may be useful to those per- ns who are interested in the subject, observing, in exteiniation of me absence of more detailed information, tliat our time did not admit of more than v.as actually essential to the purposes of a correct de- lineation of their outline, and that in general the islands WTre so sur- rounded by breakers that it was dangerous to approach the shore, I'n the ship in jiarticular, which alone was calculated to obtain very deep soundings. To windward this could not be done of course, and to leeward there was not unfrequcntly a heavier swell setting upon the island tlian in other parts of it. In speaking of the coral islands hereafter, my observations will be confined to the thirty-two islands already stated to have fallen under our examination. The largest of tlicm was thirty miles in diameter, and the smallest less than a mile : they were of various shapes; were all formed of living coral, except Henderson's Island, which was partly surrounded by it: and they all appeared to be in- rreasing their dimensions by the active operations of the lithophytes, wliich appeared to be gradually extending and bringing the immers- ed parts of their structure to the surface. Twenty-nine of the number had lagoons in their centres, which is a proportion suOiciently large, when coupled with information snpplied from other parts oftiie globe where such formations abound, to render it almost certain that the remainder also had them in the early period of their formation, and that such is the peculiar struc- ture of the coral islands. And, indeed, these exceptions can scarce- K 1)0 considered objections, as two of them — Thrum Cap, which is only seventeen hundred yards long by twelve hundred Inoad ; ami Queen Charlotte's Island, wliich is not more than three quar- ters of a mile wide in its broadest part, and less than half a mile in other places — are so circumstanced, that, had their lagoons existed, thev would have l)een filled in the course of time with the masses of coral and other substances which the sea heaps upon such formations as they rise above the surface; they have, besides, long been wooded and inhabited, though deserted at the present moment, both of which would tend to eftiice the remains of a la- wn of such small dimensions. The sea, however, prevented our boats from landing upon either of these islands, to ascertain the lact of the early existence of lagoons. The other exception, llender- -on's Island, though of coral formation, appears to have been raised lo its present height above the sea liy a subterraneous convulsion, «¥. »■ > ^ I M 1()« VOYAGE TO THE I'ACIFIC [Fd, « if i and lias its centre so incnnibercd and overthrown witli bnslics thm ue could not detcnnine wlictlier it ever had a lau;oon. In the above-mentioned twenty-nine islands the strips ofdiy coi;,! enclosing the lat^ooiis, divested of any loose sandy materials liciipi.il ujion them, are rarely elevated more than Iwo feet above the level oftlu! sea; and were it not Tor the abrupt descent of the extcmaj niarijjin, which causes the sea to break upon it, these strips \voii|(| be A\ holly inundated : this heiiiht of two feet is continued ovor a small i)ortion only of the width of the island, which slo|)es on hotji sides, by an almost imperceptible inclination to the first ledge, whore, as 1 said before, its descent is very steep ; but this is greatly altered ])y circumstances, and the growth or age of the island. Those pan, of the strip which are beyond the reach of the waves are no l()n;;i.i' inhabited by the animals tiiat reared them, but have their cells lij. led with a hard calcareous substance, and present a brown riiirsieil appearance. The ()arts still immersed, or which arc dry at lim water only, are intesected by small channels, and are so full of hol- lows, that the tide as it recedes leaves small lakes of water upon them. The width of the plain or strip of dead coral, in the ishuiih which fell under our observation, in no instance exceeded li;ill' a mile Irom the usual wash of the sea to the edge of the Ingoon, iUHJ in general was only about three or four hundred yards. lieyond these limits, on the lagoon side in particular, where the coral ^va^ less mutilated by the waves, there was frequently a ledge, two or three feet underwater at high tide,* thirty to fifty yards in width; after which the sides of the island descended rapidly, apparentlvin- a succession of inclined ledges formed by numerous columns united at their capitals, with spaces between them in which the souiidiii;; lead descended several fathoms. This formation, though not clearly established as applying to all the islands, was so conspicuous in some as to justify the conclusion with regard to others. At Bow and IMatilda Islands, I have been tolerably minute in my desrrip- tions of them, and it will be unnecssary here to vepeat what lia- ])een said there ; but these two, as also Henderson's Island, afford good examples of what I have been describing. All these islands are situated within the trade-wind, with the ex- ception of Oeno, which is only on the verge of it, and follow one general rule in having their windward sides higher and more perfect than the others, and not unfretpiently well wooded while the oppo- site ones are only half-drowned reefs, or are wlK)lly under water. At Gambier and iMatilila Islands this inequality was very coiisjiiru- ous, the weather side of both being wooded, and of the former, iii- ♦ At Bow Isliiiul, uii tlic sea side, it was mijic. 1^-2(5.] AND BEERINC S STRAIT. 167 liiibitod, wliile the otlier sides were from twenty to tliirly fcot uiulei' water, where they might l)e i)ciceivo(l equally narrow, and well de- liiiecl. It is on the leeward side also that the entrances into the hi- ijoons generally oecnr, thon<:;Ii they are sometimes situated in aside; that runs in the direction of the w ind, as at liow Island ; hut I do not know of any one being to windward. The fact, if it he found to be general with regard to other coral islands, is curious, and is not fully accounted for by the continued operation of tlie tradewind upon its side, as the coincidence would suggest. After the reef has anivcd at the surface of the sea, it is easy to conceive what would he the effect of the trade-wind ; but it does not seem possible that its iiitUience could be felt so far under water as some of the reefs are situated. All the points or angles of these islands descend into the sea with less abruptness than the sides, aii«!, 1 think, with more regu- larity. The wedge-shaped space that the meeting of the two sides would form in the lagoon is filled up by the ledges there being broad- er; in such places, as well as in the narrow parts of the lake, the coralline are in greater numbers, though, generally speaking, all the jaaioons are more or less incumbered with them. They a|)pear to ariw to the surface in the form of a truncated cone, and then, their pro- gress being arrested, they work laterally , so that if several of them were near each other they would unite and form a shelf similar to that which lias been described round the margins of some of the lagoons. The depth of these lagoons is various: in those which we enter- ed it was from twenty to thirty-eight fathoms, but in others, to which ue liiid no access, by the light-blue colour of the water it appeared to be very small. It is, however, tolerably certain that the coral forms the bases of them, and consequently, unless tiepositionsofsand or other substances, o))noxious to the coral insects, take place, their depth must depend upon their age. Very little offered itself to our notice, by which we could judge of the rapidity of the growth of the coral, as the islands which we examined had never been described with the accuracy necessary for this ])urpose; and there were, consecjuently, no means of compar- ing the state in which they were found by us, with that which wa^ presented to our predecessors ; but from the report of the natives, the coral bordering the volcanic islands does not increase very fast, us we never heard of any channels being filled up ; but, on the con- trary, that the passages through the reefs were apparently always in the same condition. The only direct evidence, however, which 1 could obtain of this fact was that of the Dolphin reef off Point Venus in Otaheite. This reef, when first examined by Ca})tain Wallis in 1769, had "two fathoms water upon it." Cook sounded upon it a few years afterwards, and gave its depth fifteen feet. In ^ -,=* L ti- l > 4, -vi Ifis VOYAHi: TO Tlir, PACIFIC [Fd. U '': \}' H' out- visit to this i)l;ir(', \v(! foiiiul, upon tlic sliallowcst part of it, tliir- teen feet and a half. Tlifsc mcasiu'cmciits, tlioiit;;!) at varianci', from tin; in(;j;ulrity of the siirfaci; of tin; rouf, arc siillicic'iitly (jx;,(.( to warrant tin; conclusion that it has un(lcri;;ono no very material al- teration (lurinu; an interval, it should be recollected, of (ifly-six years, Hut the Dolphin, as well as the above-mentioned reefs and cjian. nels, are within the inlhience of rivers, which, in my opinion, ma- terially retard their increase, and their growth must not he taken as a criterion of that of the islands of which I have been speakin;:, With rej;;ard to them, there is one fact worthy of consideration, and upon which every person must forin his own judgment. I allude to the remains of the JMatilda, a ship which a few pages back is sta- ted to have been cast away upon one of these coral islanils. Inmv descrij)tion of Matilda Island, it is stated, that one of the ancliois of this ship, a ton in weight, a four-pounder gun, her boilers and iron- work, are lying upon the top of the reef, two hundred yards fioin the present break of the sea, and are dry at low water.* The na- ture of these articles and the quantity of iron bolts and other mate- rials lying with them renders it probable that the vessel went to jiic- ces in that spot, for had the s(>a been heavy enough to wash tlu.> an- chor from deeper water, the boiler nnist have been carried much he yond it ; and the question is, whether the hull of a vessel of the Ma- tilda's tonnage could be washed upon a reef dry at low water, and be deposited two hundred yards within the usual break of the sea. The circmp.stance of the hatches, staves of casks, and part of the vessel, being deposited in parts of the dry land not far distant, and scarcely moi'o than four feet from the present level of the sea. of. fers a presumption that the sea did not rise more t'-an that liL'i;:lit above its ordinary le\'el, or it would ha\'e washed tlie articles furth- er and left them in the lagoon, whence they would have been rai- ried to sea by the current. The materials were not in the least overgrown with coral, nnr had they any basin left round them by which the progress of llic coral could be traced ; and yet, in other parts of this reef, we no- ticed the chama gigas of seven or eight inches in diameter so over- grown by it, that there was only a small aperture of two inches left for the extremity of the shell to open and shut. When the attention of men of science was called to these singu- lar formations by the voyages of Captain Cook, one opinion, anions; others respecting their formation was, that they sprung from a small base, and extended themselves laterally as they grew perpendicu- larly towards the surface of the sea ; and that they represented upon a large scale the form which is assumed by some of the corallines, * The rise of the tide is about two feet. ^y isaf).] AND nEEllINr, S STn.VIT. 11 -\T t \ MMjl S.)|l .l.)UIIO[llll!((H,[l I!(.MIJ().I(1jJ ,)S I! MSSIII! SlOJijIllJl^nO) -aou9s -.1.1(1 n>i .I3.1R.I p.i osR nmii,i||0[|j!p siiid jiBiiD.v.ind \\ siinii 'in.'i ■]x\tM i!,iil» ini?).) 1^ sujoiii smi iiusiMtl on |! ; nMiBUiut.n.v •11.) 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'.i.niiiuij.i iio.s i;iii[os.t.i ,i< \\ \n\mh ' pii.'piicidaa i^ '. .luii.uj subs .jaipo.iddi! iiB.vnod ,111 I! iiiop sp3B|d sop ' so.K|iiiBi|,) sop uoiiiD'tpiil OH^a ^w.\^ iiPAi; .\ II o.iad uos op iioiiBjupMi | t; ' p!ui op siijd oj hioibs •ipj iii| nib xnoi| xhb iiiopnioBne.! !"l) >>'">^!i *>'3p ssd iiBpiop ,N dn I! : soppsiios somi! sop iioiiHinSciui oisounj v\ ojipj l<,tnl) isiMB sud ]^3\i 00 sn.Mii '. .usiBid suns ]ib)so.i .{ p nbsjiid Ki.iii>i,i suRs osscu'.j I .loiipdt op iiRURlI f>^ 1!M^V P-^^'l / r.iqB ( I! 0.I113III "<) I'l'id pil) aiA 9p ,1.111.1-' ;)[ ISO (Old) '.ipUOSSO.! S0| op 0|(p!dRO ISO UO pUBid) 'siBUt s1in.5(l SOO op OOURip R] OJIUOUI 00 SURp JIOIRA llRSSjB.lBd ]ii|.Mi iioi.i 10 '.mod rBs]B| ni| OAiicKb iie.iB p.nlt oo ; ouir[ iiM.uip.ip nil) s.iuiod so| o.iiuoo oijub.ibS ouu 'soai.v sooubs I "iiKif xiiB iiiauiojiiouo.i o| suBp 10 's.no.\op SOS SIlOl B lUOUI -,ii|,u'UR loriis 01 suBp .lOAiio.ii lUM.idso II 'Oijop uai.1 ^UBOa; l\,1U 110 .IOMI.lRS.ip l.'l (IR.Vn.lO \\ : O.IUIJSOp Bl SJOMIO opiiii I !lil|)ll.ri 1U0H.'AR I .IjlUOdo.l Ol ]0 .I1I01|1BU1 O] SlfilM '. 9UI,MU-I(IS Ms.i.ijiiB SO] ,iouiRj|uo mod nil) 00 luoi jiBssiunoa p iouuois "til |0 0|(psiIOS '0|1{[0UI 9.I.)PB.1R0 UO IHBpUOdoO ^IBAB || ■o.ipuo.i in| oj iiid uo^id) j>m< ip'UHop 11 III) Mnoipinq oo op .;).°iii,|k onhsojd iui),> iioj )o r.mui-pii sud ipiipdso uo,u nil) oiuuioii uii oiuuioo so.ntiB sop (jWjllOll lip IjRdllO.IOS p III) IjRlUOS UO 'ijRUMB 1 UO puRnbsjBiu ^jiiuiMl.) op 10 ooiMi; op uioid luaiRAnoii o] lo 'o.i,iiob.ibo oo Iwuioii.'sspiorsjuo.iojjipu! so'i 'i-ios o,idojd uos b .iosso-i.tjiiis h\) sii|d )!B))oui.iod HI] ou inb ossoisui op o.uioi^ iib .ioii(| luiin 1 luOAiios (iRAop UO 1 10 'oiusioSo 1110] op 011|0SqB UOIJ HI^HKll! Olio,) OpiOS .0)IS0.1,)H.1j1 B[ .IBll .lOIlbiplxO pBAIlod OU IilMlMIl ni.ljlll! |> MlOO B SjOOji SOS 1H0III0|!0RJ |0 OSSOO SUBS ll"!l!.in,'s 11 t;'.; :•» ii ii|i uoM( 0| oui..)ui sRd MisiBidop piom |ll".> I'M |l % ft I ' ;«c>. our vi' tccn i from 1 to wai tcratic But tl nels, f leriall; a crite With : upon \ to ilio ted to descri'i this sh work, the pn ture of rials ly: ces in i chor fr yond II tilda's be dep The ci vessel, scarce!; fers a | abo\'c i er and ried to The had tin coral cc liced th grown I for the « Whei lar form others r base, an larlv toi a large i VOVACE TO THE PACIFIC fPtY;. .1.:. .1 -iiml I! punni) 'siuie sas .mod »noA9p p luesiciduioa tn| snl) snjd ijujiuoiii as au auuosaaj -anaoa up suo|smii! s9| sii|i| lieinoiJ »u aassaiq pi!i!(|!^U3s es p ' aauBAe.p iiuri imM ludb'd uos idiA »| ap 3;JeJuoaap ijeia ji sue bup-iijinv y 'aouaiasuoa e| suKp anltsnf 9|qnoji 3|)ua)jod suui^Rip siuaiou sa| p 'aiqcdnoa is»u(i| snb luaiiiiisie apensjad as uo 'ajjjnos uo puenO saiiiojuGj sas i!e|^>iu i uoiieui^cuijj la 'siajiiaj sas a.ioaua luaiessu^ie 'sieaji^p sapidiuas sap jed s^jjdsui spjoiuaj sap 's<)||diMD sn -ueisiioajia sap '. ajpeieiii es ap asiiea e| iicia 'aj^d iin,|) n|j9iw.%\i*0 uauvaad a\iAn •arivxLi no awwiHo::) lore! ifSp 1826.] AND BEGRINn's STRAIT. icd In particular this theory was entertained by Mr. John R. Forstor, who accompanied Captain Cook on his second voyage and visited several of the coral islands, and was founded, no doubt, upon the experience which he had derived, upon that voyage. But consid- ering the extent of some of these islands, it is evident that if this bo their form, the lithophytes, the animals which consti-uct them, must commence their operations at very great depths, a fact which is doubted by naturalists. The general opinion now is, that they have tlicir foundations upon submarine mountains, or upon extinguished volcanoes, which are not more than four or five hundred feet im- mersed in the ocean ; and that their shape depends upon the figure of the base whence they spring. It would be immaterial which of these theories were correct, were it not that in the latter instance the lagoon that is formed in all the islands of this description miglit be occasioned by the shape of the crater alone, whereas, in the for- .mer, it must result from the propensity of the coral animals, and this, if true, forms a remarkable and interesting feature in their nat- ural history. Mr. Forster* thought this peculiarity might arise from the instinct of the animacules forming the reefs, which from a desire to shelter their habitation from the impetuosity of the winds, and the power and rage of the ocean, endeavoured to construct a ledge, within which was a lagoon entirely screened against the power of the elements, and where a calm and sheltered place was by these means afibrded to the animals in centre of the island. Another reason why the consideration of the nature of their foun- dation is not immaterial is, that if the form of the islands arose from the peculiar shape of the craters, and it be admitted that the litho- phytes are unable to exist at greater depths than those above-men- tioned, we shall have examples of craters of considerably larger di- mensions and more complete in their outline, than any that are known upon the land, which, if true, is a curious fact. Until the voyage of the Blossom, it was not generally known that the lagoons in these islands were of such depths, or that the wall of coral which encircles them was so narrow and perfect, as in almost every in- stance it has been found ; nor that the islands were of such dimen- sions, as they were designated groupes, or chains of islands, in conse- quence of the wall being broken by channels into the lagoon ; but on examination, the chain is found continuous under water ; and as in all probability it will in time reach the surface and become dry, the whole groupe may be considered as one Island. The subject of the formation of these islands is one of great in- terest, and will require a numerous and careful collection of facts before any entirely satisfactory conclusion can be arrived at. I re- • Foratcr'a Observations, 4to, page 150. 22 -) ' » L ^ \ V 'd »-, tfT. 170 VOVACK TO TUB PACIFIC [March. gret that my time did not permit mc to inquire more particulaiU into this curious matter ; but liaving to survey about fifty islands. some of which were of great extent, in the space of about four moutlis, I could not accomplish more than was absolutely ncccssiuy to the purposes of a safe navigation of the Archipelago. We wero, however, not inattentive to the subject, and when opportunity offer- ed, soundings were tried for at great depth, and the descent of tlio islands was repeatedly ascertained as far as the common lines would extend. In considering the subject of these coral formations, my attention was drawn to the singularity of the occurrence of openings in tliein. either opposite to, or in the direction of some stream of fresh wattr from the mountains ; and on searching several charts, I find so many corroborations of the fact, that I have no doubt of the tiTilh of it: as far as my own observations extended, it ;vas always so. Tlie aversion of tlie lithophytes to fresh water is not singular, as, inde- pendent of its not being the natural element of those aniruds, ii probably supplies no materials with which they can work. It has been suggested, that these openings being opposite to val- leys, the continuation of them under water is the cause of Mie break In the reef. Hut when we consider the narrowness of these open- ings, compared with the width of the valleys, and that the latter are already filled up to the surface and furnished with a smooth sandy beach, many obstacles will be found to the confirmation of such an opinion ; and it appears to me more reasonable to attribute it to the nature of the element. The depth of these channels rarely exceeds twenty-five feet, the greatest limit probably to which the influence of fresh water would be felt. Hendei-son Island, one of the exceptions mentioned in the early part of this discussion, is among the rare instances of its kind in these seas. It is an island composed of dead coral, about eighty feet above the sea, with perpendicular cliffs nearly all the way round it, as if after being formed in the ocean it had been piishcd up by a subterraneous convulsion. These cliffs are undermined at the base, as though the sea had beaten against them considerable time in their present position. There are no marks upon them in- dicative of the island having risen by degrees ; but on the contrary, a plain surface indicating its ascent by one great effort of nature. On examining the volcanic islands near Henderson Island, no tra- ces appeared of the sea having retired ; and we may, tlierefore, presume it to have risen as described. Its length is five miles, and breadth one mile : it is nearly encompassed by a reef of living coral, so wide that the cliffs, which were at first subjected to the whole force of the waves, are now beyond the reach even of their spray. .# 1826.] AND BGERINQ K STRAIT. 171 The navigation of tliis arcliipelago was made at a period of the year when tlie westerly monsoon was about to commence, and to- waitl the end of which it had actually hot^un.and materially retard- I'll our operations ; but previous to that time, or ahtnit the begin- ning of March, tlic trade was fresh and steady, blowing between S. E. by E. and E. N. E., which is more northerly than the direc- tion of the same trade l)etween corresponding parallels in the At- lantic. In consequence of this opposition to the trade wind the currents were very variable, sometimes setting to the eastward, and others in the opposite direction ; and on the whole, the body of water at that period is not drifted to the westward with the same rapidity that it is in other parts of the ocean within the influence of the tropical winds. The mean temperature for the above-men- tioned period, tlie weight and humidity of the atmosphere, with other meteorological observations, are given in the Appendix to the 1(0 ed. under their respective heads. For the information of persons who may traverse this archipela- £50, it is evident from the account of Tuwarri, that there is a small island situated about half way between Byam Martin and Barrow Islands, which was not seen by us ; and hence it is possible that there are other low islands lying between the tracks of the Blossom which were not seen ; and ships ought in consequence to keep a vigilant look out during the night, or adopt the precaution of lying to when the weather is dark or thick. The lead is no guide what- ever in these seas, and the islands are so low that in the night the white line of the surf or the roar of the breakers would give the first warning. Fallacious as the appearance of birds is generally con- sidered, and in some parts of the globe justly so, in this arcbipela- ijo, when seen in flocks, it is an almost ceiiain indication of land. They range about forty miles from the islands, and consist princi- pally of black and white tern. This, however, applies particularly to uninhabited islands ; for when they become peopled, the birds generally qi'it them, and resort to those where they are less mo- lested. At day -light on the 15th the Island of Maitea was seen in the north-west, and soon afterwards the mountains of Otaheite appear- ed five minutes above the horizon at the distance of ninety miles, from which its height may be roughly estimated at 7000 feet. As we passed Maitea we had an opportunity of verifying its position and ascertaining its height to be 1432 feet. Baffling winds pre- vented us from reaching our port until the evening of the 18th, when at the suggestion of Captain Charlton, his Majesty's consul for the Society and Sandwich Islands, from whom we had the pleasure of receiving a visit, we anchored in the outer harbor of Toanoa, about four miles to the westward of Matavai Bay. Ik *-H M' . / ^i i ■a. -T- # 175 VOYAOi: TO THE PACIFIC • [March, 'it il I . 'I I rl^ «;'■* CHAPTER IX. Proceedings at Otalicitc— Tlio Sliip viaitcd by the Queen Regent, the Royal Family, and several Chiefs — Short Account of the former since Captain Cook's Visii— Successful Isuuc of a Dispute with the Government respecting the Detention of a trading Vessel — Visit to the Queen Regent's House — Present Condition of the Chiefs and of tho Inhabitants — Superstitions — Trial of Natives for Tlioft of the Sliip's Stores — Tlic King visits the Ship — Lake and Moral of Mira- paye — Dance exhibited by a Party of New Zcalaudcrs — Considerations on the Ef- fect of the lutroductiuu of Christiouity, The diversity of feature of the romantic' Island of Otaheite form- ed a strong contrast with the monotonous appearance of the coral formations ; the variety of hill and valley, and of woods and rivers in the one, after the sanicness of flat, sterile, parched-up surface in the other ; and the glassy smoothness of the harbours around us, opposed to the turbulent shores we had recently quitted, were grat- ifying in the extreme, and impressed us most forcibly with the truth of the observations of our predecessors, who have spoken of the scenery of this island in the liighest terms of commendation. As I proposed to remain here a few weeks to recruit the health of the crew, who were somewhat debilitated, and to prepare tiio ship for her voyage to the northward, she was moved to an inner an- chorage opposite a small village called Toanoa, and there secured by a cable fastened to some trees on one side, and by a bower an- chor dropped s^t the edge of a coral reef on the other. This reef forms one side of the harbour ; which, though small, possesses seve- ral advantages over the more spacious one of Papiete generally re- sorted to, and of which the superior freshness and salubrity of its at- mosphere are not the most inconsiderable. Previous to entering upon a relation of our proceedings with the natives, it must bo understood that the short time v;o remained, and our various occupations necessarily rendered our intercourse with them very hmited compared with that of many of our predecessors. Still, it is hoped, the remarks which I shall offer will be sufficient to present a candid and faithful picture of the existing state of soci- ety in thg island ; a feature by no means ununportant in tiic his- I : fc M 1826.] ^ ^^^ BEERINC'S STRAIT. tory of the country, which is otherwise complete. To exceed this, by (Iwelliiig upon the beauties of the scenery, the engaging manners of the inhabitants, their mythology, superstitions, and legends, &ic. would be only to recapitulate what has been detailed in the inter- esting voyages of Wallis, Cook, Vancouver, Wilson, Turnbull, and others, and very recently by Mr. Ellis, in his valuable work entitled " Polynesian Researches," compiled after ten yea»'s' residence in the Pacific, and from the journals of other missionary gentlemen in those parts. In this useful work Mr. Ellis has traced ti)e history of some of the islands through all their various stages ; he has explain- ed the origin of many of their barbarous customs, has elucidated many hitherto obscure points and has shown the difficulties which opposed themselves to the introduction of Christianity ; the hard- sliips, dangers, and privations, which were endured by himself and his brethren, who, actuated by religious motives, were induced to sacrifice their own health, comfort, and worldly advantages in the at- tempt to ameliorate the condition of their fellow-creatures. But complete as that work is in many respects, it is nevertheless defi- cient in some essential points. The author, with a commendable feeling of charity, consonant with his profession, has by his own ad- mission in the account of the biography of Pomarrec, glossed over the failings and dwelt upon the better qualities of the subject of his memoir ; and pursuing the same course throughout, he has impres- sed the reader with a more elevated idea of their moral condition, and with a higher opinion of the dpgreo urdviliy^ation to which they have attained, than they deserve, or, at least, than the facts whicli came under our observation authorize. There seems to be no doubt that he has drawn the picture, generally, as it was presented to him ; but he has unconsciously fallen into an error almost insep- arable from a person of his profession, who, when mixing with so- ciety, finds it under that restraint which respect for his sacred office and veneration for his character create. As in our intercourse with these people they acted more from the impulse of their natural feel- ings, and expressed their opinions with greater freedom, we were more likely to obtain a correct knowledge of their real disposition and habits. To convey to the reader, who has not perused the above-men- tioned work, an idea of the political state of the island, in which there has been a material alteration since the period alluded to in the early voyages, it will be necessary to state briefly that since 1815 a code of laws has been drawn up by Pomarree II., with the assistance of the missionaries, which has subsequently been ex- tended from time to time ; and that since 1825 a house of parlia- ment has been established, to which representatives of the several districts in the island are returned by popular election. The penal- ■^-eS.. n! ". ' i it '■ w-\ lif \\) v^-r i\ m »^i i^ y 171 VOTAOE TO THE PACIFIC ^ [March, ties proposed by Pomarrce wcic very severe, but that of death lias as yet been enforced upon four culprits only. Tiie limit thus imposed on the arbitrary power of the monarch, and the security thus afforded to the liberties and properties of the people, reflect credit upon the missionaries, who were very instru- mental in introducing these laws ; at the same time, had they been better informed in the history of mankind, they would have been less rigid upon particular points, and would have more readily pro. duced those benefits which they no doubt hoped would ensue. Magistrates are appointed to try cases, and conduct their judicial proceedings in open court, and the police are continually on the alert both day and night to prevent irregularities, and to suspress the amusements of the people, wiiom, from mistaken views of re- ligion, they wish to compel to lead a life of austere privation. We found the consul in possession of a small but comfortable house opposite the anchorage, which had been hastily run up by the natives for his use ; and took the earliest and most favourable oppor- tunity of impressing the importance of his situation upon the inhab- itants, by the salute due to his rank. Besides the missionary gen- tlemen, we found that several other Europeans were residing incur vicinity; and as some of these, as well as the consul, had their wives and female relatives with them, we looked forward to the pleasure of varying our intercourse with the uncouth natives by more agreea- ble society — an anticipation which was fully realised by their unre- mitthig attention, especially on the part of the consul, whose house was the general resort of all the officers. ^ Our arrival was immediately communicated, through the proper channel, to the queen regent, who lived about a mile from the an- chorage, and we received an intimation of her intention of paying an early visit to the ship. The arrival of a man-of-war at Otaheite is still an event of much interest, and brings a number of the inhabitants from the districts adjoining the port, some in canoes, others on foot. The little ham- let opposite the ship was almost daily crowded with strangers, and a vast number of canoes skimmed the smooth surface of the harbour, or rather the narrow channel of water which is tied to the shores of this luxuriant island by reefs of living coral. A remarkable excep- tion to thio scene of bustle occurred on the day of our arrival, which, although Saturday, according to our mode of reckoning, was here observed as the Sabbath, inconsequence of the missionaries having proceeded round by the Cape of Good Hope, and having thereby gained a day upon us. Next morning, however, a busy scene en- sued. Canoes laden with fruit, vegetables, and articles of curiosity, thronged as closely round the ship as their slender outriggers would allow, while such of the inhabitants as wanted these means of ap- proaching us awaited their harvest on the shore. ■A 1926.] AND BGERINO S STRAIT. 175 We soon found that the frc(|iicnt intorcoursc of Europeans with the islanders had cffcctt'd an aUoralion in the natmi! ol' the curren- cy, and that tliosc tinselled ornaments with whieh we had provided ourselves were now ohjects of desire only as presents ; the more substantial articles of clothing and hard dollars being re(|uired for the purposes of the market, except, perhaps, where a ring or a Jew's harp happened for the moment to attract the attention ofsonie capricious individual. However gratified we might be to observe this advance towards civilization, we experienced considerable in- convenience from its effects ; for on leaving the coastof Chili, very few of us had provided dollars, under an impression that they would not be necessary ; and those which we had were principally of the republican coinage, and as useless in the Otaheitan market as they would have been in New Zealand. No dollars bear their full val- ue here, unless the pillars on the reverse are clearly distinguishable, and a greater degree of value is attached to such as are bright than to others. So ignorant, indeed, were these simple people of the real worth of the coin, that it was not unusual for them to offer two that were blemished in exchange for one that was new, and in the market a yard of printed calico, a white shirt, new or old, provided it had not a hole in it (even a threadbare shirt that is whole being whimsically preferred to one which might have been eaten through by "^ mouse), or a Spanish dollar that had two pillars upon it, were in the ordinary way equivalent to a club, a spear, a conch shell, a paddle, or a pig. Deviations, of course, occurred from this scale, founded on the superior quality or size of the article, and occasion- ally on the circumstnces of the vendor, who, when he anticipated a bet- ter bargain, would accommodate his price to his preconceived opin- ion of the disposition of the purchaser. We were not more con- veniently circumstanced in regard to the clothing which we could offer in exchange, as we had a long voyage before us, and little to spare without subjecting ourselves to future incovenience. We, co.;sequently, found ourselves at first surrounded with plenty, with- out the means of purchase, or obliged to part in payment with what we could very ill spare : and we incurred the additional risk of be- ing charged with parsimony, which the good people of Otaheite are very apt to attach to those who may not meet their ideas of gener- osity. " Taata paree," or stingy people, is an epithet which they always affix to such persons, with a feeling of contempt, although they are themselves equally open to the charge, never offering a present without expecting a much larger one in return. It is very desirable to secure a favourable impression by liberaHty on your first arrival at this island ; it being a constant custom with the na- tives to mark those who have any peculiatity of person or manner l>y a nickname, by which alone the person will be known as long 'H ;! n ;>, ■Iff ([ h1» \n h A J 176 VOYAOE TO THE PACIFIC [March. h" ns any recollection of his visit may remain. Among the many jn. stances which occurred of this, was one of a brother ofTicer, who. when wc (iiiitted England, bogged to be remembered to his old ac- (juaintanccs in Otaheite ; but we found they had lost all memory of his name, and wc at last only brought him to their recollection by describing his person, and mentioning that he had lost an eye by a wound received in service ; on which they at once exclaimed "Tapane Matapo !" or "Captain Blind-eye." We were the more anxious to avoid aquiring a distinction of this kind for ourselves, as a Russian ship had just preceded us, the crew of which, accordinz to the natives, purchased every thing that was offered without re- gard to price, at whom they laughed heartily, because one of the officers had given a blue jacket in exchange for a pearl which had been ingeniously made out of an oyster shell. Some of us, therefore, had recourse to the European resi(lcnt<, and fortunately obtained what cloth and specie we wanted ; while others preferred bartering such porrions of their wardrobes as thev considered unnecessary for their approaching change of climate. On the Monday succeeding our arrival, all the stores of the ship that required removal were landed and placed under a shed ; the ob- servatory was erected close to the consulate ; a rope-walk was con- structed, and the forge was put under the shade of some trees. Thus, as the shore was so near, all the duties of the ship were carried on under our own immediate superintendence far more expeditiously than the confined space on board would have allowed. The sick were also landed, and provided with a place better adapted to their situation. The state of our provisions rendered it necessary to observe the strictest economy, for we had been confined to our own resources during several months, and Otaheite afforded nothing except beef and pork, nor had we any certainty of an opportunity of replenish- ing them. The bread fniit was, fortunately, at this time excellent, and was substituted for the daily allowance of flour, at first in mod- erate proportions, that no bad effects might arise from such a change of diet ; but, latterly, the crew were allowed as much as they could consume, by which necessary piece of economy we saved during our stay about 2,000 pounds of flour, the most valuable articles of sea store ; a measure which subsequently proved of the utmost im- portance to us. I do not think that this fruit, though very delicious and more farinaceous than potatoes, is a satisfactory substitute for bread, but it is by no means a bad one. Foreseeing the possibility of being obliged to cure our own meat, we fortunately provided a quantity of salt for that purpose at Chili, an article which we found very scarce at Otaheite ; and the consul made arrangements for salting both beef and pork for our future use. 1826.] AND REERING S STRAIT. 171 which succeeded unconiomonly well ; and he materially forwarded the object of our voyage by exortiii}:; biinsclf to satisfy all our de- mands, so far as their resources would admit. Before our arrival arti- cles of food were sufliciently cheap ; but the great demand which we occasioned materially eniianced their prices, and there appeared to be a great dislike lo competition. The resources of the island, fruit excepted, are considerably diminished from what they formerly were, notwithstanding the population at one time exceeded its present amount twenty-fold. On the day appointed for the visit of the royal party, the duty of tiie ship was suspended, and we were kept in expectation of their arrival until four o'clock in the afternoon, when I had the honour of receiving a note, couched in affectionate terms, from the queen re- gent, to whom, as well as to her subjects, the loss of time appears to be immaterial, stating her inability to fulfil her engagement, but that she would come on board the following day. Scarcely twenty minutes had elapsed, however, from the receipt of this note, when we were surprised by the appcaran-.e of the party, consisting of the queen regent, the queen dowager and her youthful husband, and Utamme and his wife. Their dress was an incongruous mixture of European and native costumes ; the two queens had wrappers of native cloth wound loosely round their bodies, and on their heads straw poked bonnets, manufactured on the island, in imitation of some which had been carried thither by European females, and trimmed with block ribands. Their feet were left bare, in opposi- tion to the showy covering of their heads, as if purposely to mark the contrast between iho two countries whose costumes they united ; and neatly executed blue lines formed an indelible net-work over that portion of the frame which in England would have been cov- ered with silk or cotton. Utamme, who, without meaning any in- sinuations to the disadvantage of the queen, appeared to be on a very familiar footing with her majesty, (notwithstanding he was ac- companied by his own wife), was a remarkably tall and comely man ; he wore a straw hat, and a white shirt, under which he had taken the necessary precaution of tying on his native maro, and was provided with an umbrella to screen his complexion from the sun. This is the common costume of all the chiefs, to whom an umbrella is now become almost as indispensable as a shirt ; but by far the greater part of the rest of the population are contented with a mat and a maro. It may be desirable, in this early period of our communications with the court of Otaheite, to state the relationship which exists be- tween the reigning family and Otoo, who was king of the larger peninsula at the period of Captain Cook's last visit. Otoo, after Cook's departure, was surnamed Pomarree, from a 23 i J ', «] fix*'* m ^ ^«^ 178 VOYAfiE TO THE PACIFIC [March. Iioarsonss that siiccccdod a sore throat wliicli ho caught in iho moiin- tains, and this aftorwards l)ecainc tho royal patronyniic. His son, Poniarroc II., wito was a chihl at tliat period, succeeded him in 1803, and reigned until Decendier, 1821, when, having ctrerud many most imi)ortant changes in the customs of the island, and huv- ing, under the zealous exertions of the missionaries, converted tho chief part of the population to Christianity, he expired in a fit of apoplexy, accelerated no doubt, by frequent excesses. Of tiiis man it may be lamented that his exertions in the cause of Christianity were not seconded in the fullest extent by a rigid adherence to lis precepts in his own person. He had two wives, or rather o wifi; and a mistress, who were sisters, named Terre-moe-moe, and Po- marree Waheine. This woman, daughter of the King of Ulictoa, had been sent for from Huaheine to be married to the king, but be- ing accompanied by lier sister, Terre-moe-moe, who was very sii- perior in personal attractions, the latter captivated his majesty at first sight, and received the honour of his hand, while Poniariio Waheine was retained in the more humble capacity of niistrcss. Each sister bore a child, Terre-moe-moe giving birth to Poniarreo Hi., and the mistress presenting him with a daughter named Ainiat- ta, the present queen. Pomarree HI. was only six years old at the time we arrived, and the regency was administered by his aunt Po- marree Waheine, who I suppose was considered a more fit person to manage the affairs of the state than her sister, who had doubtless the greater claim to the office. We found that the queen niotlier, widow of Pomarree II., had married a chief of Bora Bora, a fine- looking lad often or eleven years of age, and that Aimatta was uni- ted to a chief of Huaheine, a short corpulent person, who, in con- sequence of his marriage, was allowed to bear the royal name of Pomarree, to which, however, in allusion to his figure, and in con- formity with their usual custom, they had added the appropriate but not very elegant surname of " Aboo-rai," or big-belly. -Ve treated the royal party with a few good things which remain- ed, and they landed at night, highly delighted with a display oflii'; works purposely prepared for them. Next morning the party re- peated their visit, somewhat better dressed, and accompanied hy Aimatta and Aboo-rai. They were followed by a large double ca- noe and many small single ones, bearing upon their gunwales heaps of fruit and roots, and four enormous hogs, at the imminent risk of upsetting the whole. The double canoe was the *' last of her race," and had been used for the nobler purposes of war, but, like the in- habitants, was now devoted to humbler but more useful occupations. As soon as the queen reached the deck she tendered the present to me in the name of the young king, then at the missionary school at Eimeo, and I returned the compliment that ..as due to her loi ll\1 -'^w" 18-26.] AND UKEUINU*ij bTIlAIT. ni) tilis mark of her attention, ns well as for the munifirenco of the gift. As .soon as the remainder of llio party were assenihled, it was pro- posed tiiat we should adjourn to the breakfast prepared in the eab- jn ; but the regent desired that every part of the present should previously be set out on a partieular part of the deek, |)igs and all, ill order to impress us more fully with an idea of her liberality ; and wlicn the whole was colleeted, she led mc to the pile, and expatia- ted on the superior (juali y of the fruit. Having at length assend)led at breakfast, wbieh by this time was cold, a difliculty arose, 1 was informed, in consecpience of Aimatla, die king's sister, being unwilling to relinrpiish the distinetion she had enjoyed under the fornv.'Tustom of the island, which rendered it indecorous for some of her countrywomen, who were ol" the party, to presume to eat in the presence of so exalted a personage. As tliese distinctions, however, had been reino\ed upon the introduc- tion of Christianity, there was an evident appicii ision of giving of- fence to the assendded chiefs by such a display oi ambition (m the present occasion. The inconvenience which it wa.i suggested would iitteiid the observance of the custom in this " \stanr", and the oppo- .sjlion afforded by the precepts of the missionaries to an_y such mode rfd'slaying the royal prerogative, relieved us from our dilemma. A cloud of discontent hung for a time on the countenance of our royal guest, but it was dispelled by the first breeze of mirth, and the party appeared to enjoy greatly the remainder of their visit. It is by no means surprising that the chiefs should wish to adhere to such of their old customs as constituted the principal if not the only distinction between them and their vassals. Should ihey be deprived of these, and should the superstitions, by means of which lliey awed the lower classes of the community, be brought into con- tempt, they would be left with no other superiority than that con- ferred by bodily strength ; for in education, and not unfrequently even in wealth, their advantages were very limited. Pomarree, in framing his laws to meet the new circumstances of his subjects, seems to have been too zealous in pressing his reforms in this as well as in many other points. It would be ridiculous to advocat*^ the perpetuation of customs fit only for the darkest ages of barbar- ism ; but it might probably not be unwise to retain in the earlier progress towards improvement such as are least objectionable ; par- ticularly in a country like Otaheite, where their observance had been enforced with the greatest rigour. The effect produced by the abolition of that most detestable of all their pagan rites, human sacrifice, is noticed by Mr. Ellis in his Polynesian Researches, to have endangered the royal authority.* ♦He sayB (vol. ii. p. 378,) that " many, free from the restraint it (human sacrifice) had imposed, seemed to refuse almost all lawful obedience and rightful support to the king." 'i » f^^mmifm 180 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Mnnh, In the course of the day several cliiefs came on board, dressed in white shirts and straw hats ; and were all remarkable for their extraordinary height and noble appearance. Whether this sujicrior- ity of stature is the result of the better quality of their food, or wi; 'ether, by the commission of infanticide, their parents have pre- served only the largest or most healthy children, and bestowed upon them a more careful nursing than may have fallen to the lot of their vassals, 1 cannot say, but it is beyond a doubt that the advantage which their chiefs enjoyed in this respect had a strong influence on the minds of the simple Otaheitans, who Avere with difficulty con- vinced that the size of the purser (who was the largest man in the ship) did not confer on him the best claim to be the Ratira-rai, or captain of the Blossom. The arrival of the chiefs was an event very favourable to the wishes of the consul, who availed himself of the opportunity it af- forded of urging, with some prospect of success, the repeal of an or- der issued by the regent, which had occasioned serious mischief to one of our merchant ships ; and which, if not speedily rescinded, must have endangered not only the property, but even the lives of individuals trading to these islands. The consul had already ap- pealed against the obnoxious decree, but it was at a time when he was not supported by tiie presence of a king's ship ; and the short-sighted policy of the regent did not anticipate the probability of the consul soon receiving such a strong support to his negotiation. She had ventured, therefore, to dismiss his remonstrance, intimating that she was fully aware of his defenceless situation. The case under discussion was as follows. The queen, seeing the estimation in which the pearl oyster-shells were held by Europeans, imagined that by levying a duty on them she would greatly increase her revenue. Orders were accordingly issued to all the tributary islands to seize every vessel trading in shells, which had not previously obtained the royal licence to pro- cure them. The Chain Islanders, who, from their enterprising and maurauding habits, may be considered the buccaneers of the east- em South Sea archipelago, were too happy to find themselves for- tified with a plea for a proceeding of this nature, and instantly sent one of their double canoes to Tiokea, where they found the Drag- on, an English brig, taking in pearl shells. These people behaved in a very friendly manner to her crew, and allowed her quietly to take her cargo on board ; but the Dragon was no sooner ready to put to sea, than several of tlie islanders went on board with the os- tensible purpose of taking leave, but suddenly possessing themselves of the vessel, overpowering the master and crew, binding their hands, and sending them on shore as prisoners. A general plunder of the vessel ensued, in which every thing moveable was carried away 1826.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 181 ission was Tlie natives, after this atrocious act, went to church to return thanks for their victory ; and to render their prayers more acceptahle, remov- ed the bell of the ship to their place of worship. During several days they detained the master bound hand and foot, and debated wheth- er he should be put to death and eaten ; a fate which we were in- formed he would in all probability have encountered but for the in- terference of one of their chiefs, for the Tiokeans are still repu- ted to be cannibals, notwithstanding they have embraced the christian religion. The crew, more fortunate than their commander, very soon obtained their release, upon condition of fitting the brig for sea, tlie natives imagining they could navigate her themselves. The ves- sel being ready, the master, under some pretext, obtained permis- sion to go on board, and having speedily established an understand- ing with his crew, he cut the cables and carried her out to sea. The stolen property was of course never recovered, and the vessel was so plundered of her stores that the object of her voyage was lost. When she reached Otaheite the master stated the case to the consul, whose representation of the outrage to the queen was, as has already been said, treated with derision. The consul availed liiniself of the present occasion to obtain restitution of the stolen property, or remuneration for the owners, and a repeal of the ob- jetionable order, the execution of which it is evident could not be safe- ly confided to a barbarous people, at all times too prone to appro- priate to themselves whatever might fall within their reach. Her majesty was exceeding unwilling to abandon this source of revenue, and strenuously urged her indubitable right to levy taxes within her own dominions, maintaining her arguments with considerable shrewd- ness, appealing finally to the chiefs. Finding them, however, dis- posed to accede to the demands of the consul, she burst into tears ; but at length consented, by their advice, to send a circular to the Pa- moutas, or Low Islands, directing that no molestation should be of- fered to any vessels trading in shells, or touching at those islands for refreshment ; but on the contrary that all necessary aid and as- sistance should be afforded to them ; and that in the event of any dispute, the matter should be referred to the authorities at Otaheite. This concession destroyed the complacency of the queen for some time, but she recovered her spirits in the cojrse of the after- noon, and amused herself much by listening to the drum, which she begged might be permitted to play on the upper deck. As this species of music, however, was not very agreeable in the confined space of a ship, it was proposed that the instrument should be re- moved t. the shade of some tall trees on the shore, whither the whole party repaired ; the drummer continuing his performance, and marching to and fro, until he became heartily tired, to the infi- f:: ¥» iM ^^ ■■»p» m"^m 182 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [March, I) ' w"\ . nite delight of the assemhled populace, who croVi ded round, and even scaled the loftiest trees, to obtain a glimpse of him. A few days after this visit the queens came again to Toanoa, and I invited them into the tent we had pitched on shore, with the view of making a present to each of them, and of confiding to their care the presents intended for Pomarree Aboo-rai, Aimatta, and Utam- me, who were absent. The present for the king, which consisted of a handsome double-barrelled gun inlaid with silver, with some broad cloth and other valuables, I reserved until I should have an opportunity of seeing him. The other parcels were apportioned acceding to what I considered to be the rank of the parties, and the name of each person was placed on his destined share. The re- gent, however, opened them all, and very unceremoniously trans- ferred a portion of each to her own, and huddling the whole togeth- er, she sent them off to her canoe. Then finishing half a bottle of brandy between them, the regent and her sister despatched tlie re- mainder of the spirits after the presents, and took their leave. In the course of the day we received an invitation to pass the evening at the regent's house at Papiete, a very romantic spot about a mile from the place where the ship was anchored. After a de- lightful walk along the shore in the refreshing coolness which suc- ceeds a tropical day, we arrived at the royal residence, which was in one of those spacious sheds frequently mentioned by my prede- cessors. It was about a hundred feet in length, by thirty-five in width, of an oval form, with a thatched roof, supported upon small poles placed close together. By ^he light of the moon we dis- covered a small door about mid-way between the extremities, whieli we entered, and immediately found ourselves in darkness. On grouping our way, our shins came in contact with several bamboo partitions dividing the area into various compartments. In one of these we distinguished by the rays of moonlight which fell through the interstices of the d veiling, that it was occupied by touioiis, or common people, of hot i sexes. We, therefore, turned to the op- posite direction, which soon led us to the royal saloon, whicli we found illuminated by a yellow and melancholy light proceeding from a rag hung over the edge of a broken cocoa-nut shell half fil- led with oil ; The apartment, to our surprise, was quite still ; but we wore soon greeted with the salutation of " Euranna-poy" (How do you do ?) from a number of atheletic men, her majesty's favour- ites, as they awoke in succession from their nap. We at length discovered the queen regent extended upon a mat spread upon dried grass, with which the whole apartment was strew- ed ; around her, upon mats also, were several interesting young fe- males ; and occupying a wooden bedstead, placed against a sliglit partition, which contained numerous cases filled with cocoa-nut oil, 1826.] AND BEERINo's STRAIT, 183 we found Pomarree Aboo-rai, and Aimatta. Our entry threw this numerous party into a state of activity and bustle, some to procure a second light, and some to accommodate us with mats ; while Po- marree, drawing his tappa round him, led forward his princess, Aimatta, and extended his politeness much beyond what we could possibly have anticipated from so young a husband. Fearful that we might have misunderstood the morning invitation, or that we were later than we had been expected, we began to of- fer apologies, and to excuse ourselves for breaking in upon the re- pose of the party ; but the indisposition of the queen appeared to be the cause, as she was suffering from repletion, and, forgetting all about the invitation, had retired earlier than usual. She had scarce- ly had sufficient rest when we arrived to engage in any amusement herself, but gave us a friendly reception, and desired that a dance might be performed for our entertainment. This was an indulgence we hardly expected, such performances being prohibited by law, under severe penalties, both against the performers, and upon those who should attend such exhibitions ; and for the same reason it was necessary that it should be executed quietly, and that the vivo, or reed pipe, should be played in an under tone, that it might not reach the ears of an aava, or policeman, who was parading the beach, in a soldier's jacket, with a rusty sword ; for even the use of this me- lodious little instrument, the delight of the natives, from whose na- ture the dance and the pipe are inseparable, is now strictly prohib- ited. None of us had witnessed the dances of these people before they were restrained by law ; but in that which was exhibited on the present occasion, there was nothing at which any unprejudiced person could take offence ; and it confirmed the opinion I had often heard expressed, that Pomarree, or whoever framed the laws, would have more effectually attained bis object had these amusements been restricted within proper limits, rather than entirely suppressed. To some of us, who had formed our opinion of the native dance of this island from the fascinating representation of it by Mr. Webber, who accompanied Captain Cook, that which we saw greatly disappointed our expectation, and we turned from it to listen to the simple aii's of the females about the queen, who sang very well, and were ready improvisat rices, adapting Uie words of the song to the particular case of each individual. While these amusements engaged the attention of our party, scenes of a very different nature were passing in the same apartment, which must have convinced the greatest sceptic of the thoroughly immoral condition of the people ; and if he reflected that he was in the royal residence, and in the presence of the individual at the head of both church and state, he would have either concluded, as Turnbull did many years before, vhat their interronrco with Europeans had tend- •m^-iH k- s ,) 1 184 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [March, I If 1^ ed to debase rather than to exalt their condition, or that they were wilfully violating and deriding laws which they considered ridicu- lously severe. In our intercourse with the chiefs and middle classes of society, the impression left by this night's entertainment was in some meas- ure removed ; and especially as regards the former, who are, on the whole, a well-behaved class of men, though they are much addicted to intemperance. A party of them, among which were Utammee and Pa-why, came on board one day, and having received a present of a bottle of rum from the cabin, went to pay a visit to the gun- room officers, who politely offered them a glass of wine, but evin- cing some reluctance to this beverage, rum was placed upon the table, upon which the chiefs manifested their approbation, and Utammee seizing the bottle requested it as a present, and then emptying their glasses, which had been filled with wine, to the toast of Eurannapoy, they bowed politely and withdrew. This partiahtv for spirits seems to l3e an incorrigible vice, and it is a fortunate cir- cumstance that their means of indulging in it are so very limited, Some of them have materially benefited by the residence of the missionaries, and, in particular, two who resided at Matavai, about four miles to the eastward of our anchorage. They piqued them- selves on their imitation of European customs, and had neat little cottages, built after the European style, with whitewashed fronts, which, peeping through some evergreen foliage, had a most agreea- ble effect and being the only cottages of this description upon the island in the possession of the natives, were the pride of their owners. The apartments contained chests, chairs^ a table, and a knife and fo'-k for a guest ; and nothing gave these chiefs greater pleasure than the company of some of the officers of the ship. Each of tliem could read and write their own language, and the elder. Pa-why. had, I believe, been useful to the missionaries in translating some part of the Scriptures. He was the more learned of the two bioth- ers; but Hetotte was the more esteemed, and was an exception to almost all his countrymen in not asking for what was shown to him. His inquiries concerning the use of every thing which offered itseh" to his notice, on coming c board tlie ship, surprised and interested us ; while his amiable disposition and engaging manners won him the esteem of almost all on board. An anecdote illustrative ofliis character will be read with interest. The missionaries had for sev- eral years endeavoured to produce a change of religion in the island, by explaining to the natives the fallacy of their belief, and assuring them that the threats of their deities were absurd. Hetotte at length determined to put their assertions to the test, by a breach of one of the strictest laws of his religion, and resolved either to die under the experiment or embrace the new faith. wmmmmmmm [March, hat they were idered ridicu- les of society, in some meas- irho are, on tlie much addicted 'ere Utammee eived a present it to the gun- r'me, but evin- iced upon the jrobation, and sent, and then Ine, to the toast This partiality a fortunate cir- 3 very hmited. jsidence of the Matavai, about ' piqued thera- had neat little Bwashed fronts, I a most agreea- ption upon the ; of tlieir owners. nd a knife and er pleasure than Each of them elder, Pa-why. ranslating some the two bioth- in exception to shown to him. ch offered itself and interesteil anners won him ustrative of his ies had for Sev- an in the island, ef, and assuring •d. Hetotte at a breach of one ler to die under 1826.] AND BEERINg's STRAIT. 185 ?■ A custom prevailed of offering pigs to the deity, which were brought to the moral and placed upon whattas, or fantus, for the pur- pose. From that moment they were considered sacred, and if after- wards any human being, the priests excepted, dared to commit so great a sacrilege as to partake of the offering, it was supposed that the of- fended god would punish the crime with instant death. Hetotte thought a breach of this law would be a fair criterion of the power of the deity, and accordingly stole some of the consecrated meat, and retired with it to a solitary part of the wood to eat it, and per- haps to die. As he was partaking of the food, he expected at each mouthful to experience the vengeance he was provoking ; but hav- ing waited a considerable time in the wood in awful suspense, and finding himself rather refreshed, than otherwise by his meal, he quitted the retreat and went quietly home. For several days he kept his secret, but finding no bad effects from his transgression he disclosed it to every one, renounced his religion, and embraced Christianity. Such instances of resolution and good sense, though they have been practised before, are extremely rare in Otabeite, and in this sketch of two brothers a highly favourable picture is presented of the class to which they belong ; though there are oth- ers, particularly Taate, the first and most powerful chief upon the island, who are equally deserving of favourable notice. Of the rest of the population, though their external deportment is certainly more guarded than formerly, in consequence of the se- vere penalties which their new laws attach to a breach of decorum, yet their morals have in reality undergone as little change as their costume. Notwithstanding all the restrictions imposed, I do not believe that I should exceed the bounds of truth in saying, that, if opportunity offered, there is no favour which might not be obtained from the females of Otaheite for the trifling considerationof a Jew's harp, a ring, or some other bauble. Their dwellings, with the exception of doors to some, and occa- sionally latches and locks, are precisely what they were when the island was first discovered. The floor is always strewed with grass, which they are not at all careful to preserve clean or dry, and it consequently becomes extremely filthy and disagreeable ; and when it can be no longer endured, it is replaced by fresh material. Their household furniture has been increased by the introduction of vari- ous European articles ; and a chest, or occasionally a bedstead, may be seen occupying the comer of an apartment ; but these are not yet in great demand, the natives having little to put into the former, and esteeming such of the latter as have found their way to Otahe- ite scarcely more desirable places of repose than their mats spread upon straw. The extreme mildness of the climate, however, suf- 24 p m\ m |>^U1 18G VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Mnrch. r* If I ficicntly accounts for the contented state of the population in this respect. Tlieir occupations are few, and in general only such as are nercs. sary to existence or to the gratification of vanity. In our rcpeimd visits to their huts we found them engaged either in preparing their meals, plaiting straw-bonnets, stringing the smallest kinds of hoji |, to make rings for the fingers or the ears, playing the Jew's luirp.or lolling about upon their mats; the princess excepted, whoso irroat- est amusement consisted in turning a hand-organ. The indoh.nci. of these people has ever been notorious, and has been a greatoi lim to the success of the missionaries tlian their previous faith. Thf fate of the experiment on the cotton in Eimeo is an exemi)lilir;ui(.ii of this. It is well known that the land was cleared, and the cotton planted and grown, but the perseverance to clean the crop, to maki it marketable, was wanting ; and finding no sale for the articles in its rude state, they forbore to cultivate it the next year. A small portion, however, was i>icked by way of experiment : the mission- aries taught the girls to spin, and even furnished them with a loom. and instructed them in the use of it, upon condition that they sboiild weave fifty yards of cloth for the king, and fifty for themsehef;. The novelty of the employment at first brought many pupils, bm they would not persevere, and not one was found who fulfilled the engagement. The proportion due to the king was wove, but not as much more as would make a single gown, and the pupils, after a dispute regarding their wages, abandoned the employment about th;j period of our arrival. " Why should we work ?" they would sny to us; "have we not as much bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, bananas, vce- apples, &,c. as we can eat ? It is very good for you to work who require fine clothes and fine ships; but," looking around their apart- ment with evident satisfaction, " we are contented with what wc possess." And in disposition they certainly appeared to be so; for a more lively, goodnatured, inoffensive people it is impossible to conceive. The only interruption to their general serenity appear? to be occasioned by the check which the laws have placed upon their amusements ; a feeling which became very apparent the mo- ment the missionaries were mentioned. They have in goncral. however, a great respect for those gentlemen, and are fearful of the consequences of offending them. Some of the natives had an indistinct notion of this philantliropic society, and were not a little surprised at being told that we were not missionaries ; and in answer to their inquiry " King George mis- sionary ?" their astonishment was greatly increased at being inform- ed that he was not ; for as they had an idea that King George \va> at the head of the missionary society, they naturally imagined tliat his officers must of course also belong to it. This misconception ma.] AND OEUIUNO S STRAIT. 187 had been so generally entertained before our arrival, tbat we were told tlicy had threatened to complain to the society of the master ofii merchant ship who had by some means incurred their displeasure. The Otaheitans were always a very superstitious people, and notwithstanding their change of religion, still entertain most absurd notions on several jjoints. Though they have ceased to give credit to any recent prophecies, many firmly believe they have seen the liilfdimcnt of some of the predictions that were made before their conversion to Christianity, of which the invasion of the island by the natives of Bora Bora was one. This event was foretold by a little bird called Oomamoo, which had the gift of speech, and used to warn persons of any danger with which they were threatened. On many occasions, when persons have taken refuge in the moun- tains to avoid a mandate for a victim for the moral, or to escape lioni some civil commotion, this little bird has been their guardian spirit, has warned them when danger was near, and directed them how to escape pursuit. I used to laugh at Jim, our interpreter, a good-natured intelligent fellow, for his belief in these tales ; but he was always very earnest in his relation of them, and never allowed himself to join in our ridicule. Though he confessed that this little monitor had been dumb since the introduction of Christianity, yet it would evidently have been as difficult to make him believe it never had spoken, as that the danger of which it warned him had never existed ; and this feeling is, I believe, common to all his country- men. Nothing is more difficult than ihe removal of early impressions, particularly when connected with superstitions. I was one evening returning with him round the shore of the bay from Papieie, a fa- vourite route, and was conversing on the superstitions of his coun- trymen, when we came to a retired spot crowned with tall cocoa- nut trees, with a small glen behind it. Night was fast approaching, and the long branches of the palm, agitated by the wind, produced a mournful sound, in unison with the subject of our conversation. As we passed I observed Jim endeavouring to get on the outside, and latterly walking in the wash of the sea ; and found that he never liked to pass this spot after dark for fear of the spirits of his unfortunate countrymen who were hanged there between the cocoa-nut trees. The popular belief, before the introduction of our faith, was, that the spirit of the deceased visited the body for a certain time, and for this reason many of them would on no account approach this place in the night time. A few days after our arrival some ofTenders were brought to trial, and as we were desirous of witnessing the proceedings ol" the couit, it was removed from its usual site, to the shade of some trees in our immediate vicinity. The court was ranged upon benches placed iu successive w\\$ under the trees, with the prisoners in front, under n ',< .,« w'^'j^m '1 •■ fir ''■ 188 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [March, tlio charge of an officer with a drawn sahre, and habited in a volun- teer's jacket and a maro. The aava-rai of tlie district in which the crimes had been committed took his place between the court and the prisoners, dressed in a long straw mat, finely plaited, and edged with fringe, with a slit cut in it for the head to pass througli ; a white oakum wig, which, in imitation of the gentlemen of our courts of law, flowed in long curls over his shoulders, and a tall cap surmounting it, curiously ornamented with red feathers, and with variously coloured tresses of human hair. His appearance without shoes, stockings, or trousers, the strange attire of the head, with the variegated tresses of hair mingling with the oakum curls upon his shoulders, produced, as may be imagined, a ludicrous ef- fect ; and I regret that the limits of this work prevent my subjoining an admirable representation of it by Mr. Smyth. The prisoner being brought up, the aava read certain passages from the penal code, and then accused the prisoner of having stolen a gown from a European resident. He instantly pleaded guilty to the charge, and thereby saved a great deal of trouble. He was then admonished against the repetition of evil practices, and fined four hogs, two to the king, and two to the person from whom the prop- erty had been stolen. Bail is not necessary in Otaheite ; and the prisoner, consequently, was allowed to go where he pleased, which of course was to such of his friends as were most likely to supply him with a hog. Three other persons were then put to the har, and fined for a breach of our seventh commandment. The young lady, who had sinned with several persons, but two of whom only were detected, smilingly heard herself sentenced to make twenty yards of cloth, and the two men to furnish six posts each, for a building that was about to be erected at Papiete. In default of pay- ment, transgressors are condemned to labour. Before we sailed, a more serious theft was committed on the stores of the ship, which had been placed under a shed, and like- wise on the wearing apparrel of one of the officers who was ill on shore. Immediately the aavas (policemen) heard of it, they were on the alert, and arrested two men, on whom suspicion fell, from their having slept in the place the night of the robbery, and abscond- ed early in the morning. The news of the offence spread with its accustomed rapidity among uncivilized tribes ; and various were the reports in circulation, as to the manner in which I intended to visit the misdemeanour. The prisoners at first acknowledged their guilt, but afterwards denied it ; and declared they had been induced to make the confession from the threats of the aavas who apprehend- ed them. Nothing was found upon them, and no person could he brought forward as direct witness of the fact ; so that their guih rest- ed on circumstantial evidence alone. I was, however, anxious to ( ,/ ■■ I 1826.] AND BEERINO'S STRAIT. 189 bring the offenders to trial, as all the sails and stores of the ship were on shore, and at the mercy of the inhabitants ; and unless se- vere measures were pursued in this instance, successive depreda- tions would in all probability have occurred. The chiefs were in consequence summoned, and at an early date the prisoners were brought to trial opposite the anchorage. As it was an extraordina- ry case, I was invited to the tribunal, and paid the compliment of being allowed to interrogate the prisoners ; but nothing conclusive was elicited, though the circumstantial proof was so much against them that five out of the six of the chiefs pronounced them guilty. The penalty in the event of conviction in a case of this nature is, that the culprit shall pay fourfold the value of the property stolen : in this instance, however, as the articles could not be replaced, and the value was far beyond what the individuals could pay, I propos- ed, as the chiefs referred the matter to n , that, by way of an ex- ample, and to deter others from similar acts, the prisoners should suffer corporal punishment. Their laws, however, did not admit of this mode of punishment, and the matter concluded by the chiefs making themselves responsible for the stores, and directing Pa-why to acquaint the people that they had done so, promising to make further inquiry into the matter; which was never done, and the prisoners escaped: but the investigation answered our purpose equally well, as the stores afterwards remained untouched. The various reports which preceeded the trial, the assembling of the chiefs, and other circumstances, had brought together a great con- course of people. Pa-why, raising himself above the multitude, liarrangued them in a very energetic ana apparently elegant man- ner, much to the satisfaction of the inhabitants, who all dispersed and went quietly to their homes. The consideration which the chiefs gave to the merits of this question, and the pains they took to elicit the truth, reflect much credit upon thlem. The case waa a difficult one, and Hetotte, not being able to make up his mind to the guilt of the prisoners, very honestly differed from his colleagues ; and his conduct, while it afforded a gratifying instance of the integ- rity of the man, showed a proper consideration for the prisoners, which in darker ages would have been sacrificed to the interested motive of coinciding in opinion with the majority. If we compare the fate which would have befallen the prisoners, supposing them innocent, had they been arraigned under the early form of govern- ment, with the transactions of this day, we cannot but congratulate the people on the introduction of the preseut penal code, and ac- knowledge that it is one of the greatest temporal blessings they have derived from the introduction of Christianity. At the same time it is just to observe, that had a similar depredation been committed under tliose circumstances, there is every reason to believe from hm t f H': [I ,( 1 1 J I ti ivl^j ^^■w^ 190 VOYAGE TO TUE PACIflC [March, ■4» '■'IiaI ronncr cxpeiioncc, tliat the loal offender would have been delud- ed, and tlie pro|)erty restored. On the 'hd April the young kin^ huided at Otaheite from Eiinco, and was received w illi the most enthusiastic sliouts of liis suhjocts. \.lio were asseud)le(l in great numhers on the beach to welconu; his arrival. Ti)e following day he paid a visit to the ship, attendcl by the queen, a nunierons retinue, and Mr. Pritchard, the principal missionary upon the island. 1 saluted the king on the occasion wjili nine guns, much to the delight of his subjects ; and presented Inin with the fowling-i)iccc which was sent out by the govennnenl lor that purpose. The stock was inlaid with silver, and the case liaiid- soniely lined, and fitted up in a manner which made a deep impres- sion on the minds of the Otaheitans, who arc extremely fond of dis- play, and who expressed their approbation by repeated exclmna- tions of " My-tie ! mia my-tie Prctannee !" as each article was t-x- hibited. The king was a well-behaved boy, of slender make, unit- ing with the rudiments of an European education much native shrewdness ] and the chiefs were considerably interested in him, as they considered his education would give him advantages over his predecessors ; and his succession to the throne would remove the reins of government from the hands of the present possessor, whose measures were not always the most disinterested or beneficial to her country; and who, in consequence of her influence with the Boo- ratiras, the most powerful body of men upon the island, often car- ried her plans into execution in spite of the wishes of the chiefs to the contrary. 13ut the object of their hopes unfortunately died the following year, and the sceptre passed to the hands of Aimatta, iiis sister, of whom the missionaries s])eak well. Before we sat down to dinner, I was amused at Jim, the inter- preter, bringing me the queen dowadger's compliments, and " sJie would be much obliged by a little rum," to qualify a repast she had been making on raw fish, by way, I suppose, of provoking an appe- tite for dinner. We had missed her majesty a few minutes before from the cabin, and on looking over the stern of the ship, saw her seated in a native boat finishing her crude repast. A few days previous to this visit Lieutenant Belcher was des- patched in the barge to Mirapaye, in the district of Papara, to biinj round a quantity of beef which had been prepared there for the shijj's use by Mr. Henry, the son of one of the early missionaries, In this district there is a lake and a moral, of which it will be prop- er to give a short notice, as the former is considered curious, and foreigners are often led, by the exaggerated account of the natives, to visit the place, which really does not repay the trouble it involves. To convey some idea of the difficulty of reaching this lake, Lieu- tenant Belcher and Mr. Collie, who accompanied him, crossed a I' I \ ^mttL. WW 1926.] AND IIEKRING S STHAIT. 191 stream which ran throut>;h llu; valk'y Icadiiiji; to it iwcnty-ninc times ill tlu'ir nsppiit, somotinics at a depth ronsidciahly uht)vc thoir knees ; and alter it was passed it was necessary to elind) the moun- tain iij^n hands and knees, and to maintain their position hy j|;rasp- insi the sin'uhs in their way, which indeed were, for tlio most part, weak and trearhrous, ronsistins^ principally of the viitsa sojiientum, amniCuts ihiU'is, and some lerns. '< In this manner," says Mr. Collie, " after tracing a zigzag and irrcgnlar course, losing our way once or twice, we n^achedthe liigh- cst part of the aclivity ; and then descending a short distance, the |niny lake burst upon our disappointed view." Its dimensions were estimated at three quarters of a mile in circumference ; and it was stated by the natives to be fourteen fathoms deep. The water of tlie lake was nuiddy, and appeared to receive its supplies from sev- eral small streams from the mountains, and the condensation of the vapour around, which fell in a succession of drops, and, bounding off the projecting parts of the clilF, formed here and there thin and airy cascades. Though there is a constant accession of water, there has not yet been found any outlet to the lake ; and what renders it still more curious is, that when heavy rains descend, the water, in- stead of rising and overflowing its margin, is carried off by some subterraneous cliannel. The natives say, when these rains occur there is a great rush of water from a large cavern beneath the bed of the lake. The temperature of the lake at seven a. m. was 72°, and that of the atmosphere 71*^. During a shower of rain it rose to 74°: a thermometer at the level of the sea at the same time stood at 77°. One side of the lake was bounded by lofty perdendicular precipices, the other by a gentle slope covered with the varied ver- dure of trees, shrubs, and ferns, with a few herbaceous plants. The j^eneral appearance of the country suggested the idea of an enor- mous avalanche, which stopped up the valley, and intercepted the streams that heretofore found their way along its bed to the sea. The lake was estimated at 1500 feet above the level ^ the sea, and the cliffs from which this av.ilanche appeared to have been precipitated were considered to be eight hundred feet more. Though at so great a height, and so far from any large tract of land, this extraordinary basin is said to abound in fresh water eels of an enormous size. On the margin of the basin, blocks of columnar basalt, with pores and vesicular lava, were heaped in great con- fusion. On the eastern side, Mr. Belcher found great quantities of vesi- cular shaggy lava, which led him to suppose a volcano existed in the vicinity ; and he remarks that many persons who visited the lake were of the opinion that it was a crater filled with water. In other parts he collected some very perfect crystals of basaltic horn- J»w ,1. If -'-'JTT' '■-^'^_\i^£S^ 192 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [April, jU iti blend, and found one or two ofolvine on thesurfarce of the vesicular lava. The lake appeared to be falling rapidly when they saw it; at a place where Mr. Belcher was obliged to cross it there wore eighteen inches of water ; some time after, at sunset, there wero oiih six inches ; and the next morning the rock was dry. On cxaiiiin'. ing this i)lace he noticed a large chasm beneath a rock, throii;rli which it appeared the water had found an outlet ; and favoured tiiu opinion of the basin being caused by an avalanche. The moral is the same as that exhibited in the voyage of Mr, Wilson, and mentioned by Captain Cook. Its measurements Iiavc been given in those voyages, and perhaps more correctly than the present dilapated slate of the edifice admits. But its history is In- teresting, as it was told by a desendant of the chief who erected it, and whose family, as well as himself, were priests of the god to whom it was consecrated. It differs in several rcspocis from the account given by Mr. Ellis ; but 1 insert it as related to Mr. Belcher by the chief. The great-grandfather of Taati, the present chief, whose name holds a conspicuous place in the wars of Pomarree, was defeated in a pitched battle by the king. The chief, incensed at the god under whose protection he fought, went to Ulietea, and by devotion, pre- sents, and promises, induced the god of that place, Oroo,to accom- pany him to Otaheite. On his return, the new and, as it was sup- posed, powerful god, so inspired the refugee party with courage, that they again rallied around their chief, and so forcibly did the superstition of those dark ages operate, that the king, before victo- rious, was now repeatedly beaten and driven to the opposite side of the island. The cliief, having secured tranquility to his district, began to construct the morai above alluded to, which was of sucli magnitude as to require two years for its completion. It was tlien dedicated to the god whose presence had achieved for him such repeated victories. The change effected in the circumstances of the chief of Papara by the introduction of this new god, acquired for the deity a repu- tation beyond any thing that had been known in Otaheite ; and the king determined to obtain possession of it. By bribing the priest?, he was allowed to pay his devotions to the deity, and afterwards to fight under its auspices, which he did so successfully that he ulti- mately obtained possession of the idol. A morai was then built for it in the valley of Atehuru, situated between Mirapaye and Papiete; memorable as the place where the last battle was fought which de- cided the cause between Christianity and paganism, and crowned with success the labours of the missionaries, who for eighteen years had been unremitting in their endeavours to accomplish this great end ; this valley is also celebrated in consequence of a strong-hold ^^'^ 1926.] AND IlECnilfo's HTRAIT. 193 on an eminence near it, wlicrc the old men and women used to re- tire in all rases of attack upon the distrirt. In this lust and impor- tant battle Taati's brother lost his life, supporting to the last the cause of idolatry. Taati himself had been converted to the new liiitli, an- 198 VOTAQE TO THE PACIFIC [April, and Matavai, and is called Papawa ; several ships may anchor there in perfect safety quite close to the shore, and if a wharf were con- structed, might land thoir cargoes upon it without the assistance of boats. It may be entered either from the east or west, and it has the additional advantage of having Matavai Bay for a stopping place, should circumstances render it inconvenient to enter at the moment ; but this channel which communicates with Matavai Bay must be approached with attention to two coral knolls that have es- caped the notice of both Cook and Blith. I have given directions for avoiding them in my nauctical remarks. The tides in all harbours formed by cord reefs are very irregular and uncertain, and are almost wholly dependant upon the sea- breeze. At Toanoa it is usually low water about six every morn- ing, and high water half an hour after noon. To make this devia- tion from the ordinary course of nature intelligible, it will be better to consider the harbour as a basin, over the margin of which, after --, the breeze springs up, the sea beats with considerable violence, and ... throws a larger supply into it than the narrow channels can carry off ^jn the same time, and consequently during that period the tide rises. Jj^s the wind abates the water subsides, and the nights being gene- rally calm, and the water finds its lowest level by the morning. m.. «• 1926.] AND BE£RIIfa S STRAIT. r » 199 ■ii CMMBEMK. itSk^ Departure from Otaheitc— Arrival at Woahoo, Sandwich Islands — Contrast between the two Counties — ^rot the King and Pitt — Departure — Onoehow — Passage to KamschJRa — Petropaulski — Beering's Island — St. Lawrence Island — Esquimaux — King's. I^Md^^iomcde — Pass Beering's Strait — Arrive in Kotzcbue Sound — Anl^r off C'amiss ----- . . _ . . — namisso Island — Ice Formation in Escholtz Bay. had .4Hf^ in tf »^e resic th of April, we left this delightful island in which we many very pleasant days, in the enjoyment of the socie- residents, and of the scenery of the country. We put to ea in the morning, and about noon reached the low island of Te- thoroa, the watering place of the Otaheitans. It is a small coral island, distant about seven leagues from Otaheite ; from the hills of which it may be distinctly seen, and is abundantly provided with cocoa-nut trees. The salubrity of this little island, which was for-- merly the resort of the chiefs, arreoys, and others, for the purpose if recruiting their health after their debaucheries, is still proverbial at Otaheite. Spare diet and fresh air were the necessary conse" quences of a visit to this place, and for a good constitution were the only restoratives required; and, as these seldom failed in their ef" fects, it obtained a reputation in Otaheite, no less famous than that ojf the celebrated spring of eternal youth, which Ponce de Leon stf long sought in vain. From the proximity of the islands of Tethoroa Otaheite, and Eimeo, we were enabled to connect them trigonome- trically. Upon the latter there is a peak with a hole through it to which a curious history is attached, connected with the superstition of early times. It is asserted that the great god, Oroo, being one' day angry with the Tii, or the little God of Eimeo, he threw his si)ear across the water at him, but the activity of the Tii evaded the blow, and the spear passed through the mountain, and left the hole which we saw. The height of this peak is 4041 feet. On the 27th, we were within six miles of the situation in which Arrowsmith has placed Roggewein's high Island of Recreation ; but nothing was in sight from the mast-head. Iti all probability this island, which answers so well in its description, excepting as to its size, is the Maitea of Mr. Turnbull, situated nearly in the samelati- * n' » f • y^ ^nf^m^m aiii 200 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Apnl, ,1 i ^■'^' m tude. From this time we endeavoured to get to the eastward, and to cross the equator in about 150° W. longitude, so that wiien we met the N. E. trade-wind, we might be well to windward. There is otherwise, some difficultv in rounding Owyhee, which should be done about forty miles ta the eastward to ensure the breeze. The passage between the^ociety and Sandwich groupes differs from navigation between thq^ame parallels in the Atlantic, in the former being exempt froifJlone cap^s ^Wi sometimes prevail about the equator, and in the S.^. rrme beirv^nore easterly. The wes- terly current is much the agfiae i|^B#i' ; and if not, attended to in the Pacific, will carry a ship%) f^^ leeward, that by the time slie reaches the parallel of the Sandwich Islands, site will be a Ions way to the westward, and have much difficuj^^ in ^eating up to them. ■*• Soon after leaving Otahieite, the officers and^ihipls conipany generally were afflicted with dysentery, which, aton^ime, assumed an alarming appearance. On the 3d of May, we had the naisfortu§e*" to lose Mr. Crawley, one of the midshipmen, a young gentleman of* very good abilities, and much regretted by all who knew hinj* and , on the 6th, William Must, my steward, sunk under the same com- , plaint. On the 7th, great apprehensions were entertained for Mr. Lay, the naturalist; but fortunately, his complaint took a favourable turn and he, Ultimately recovered. The disease, however, continued among us some time, threatening occasionally different portions of the ship's company. As we approached the Sandwich Islands, our view was anxiously directed to the qi^arter in which Owyhee* was situated, in the hope of obtaining a sight of the celebrated Mouna Roa ; but the weather was so unfavourable for this purpose, that the land at the foot of the hills was the only part of the coast which presented itself to our view. On the 18th, we passed about thirty miles to windward of the eastern points of the island ; and in the afternoon of the follow- ing day, as it was too late to fetch the anchorage off Woahoo, we rounded to under the lee of Morotoi, the next island. The follow- ing morning we came to an anchor in nineteen fathoms outside the reefs of Honoruro, the principal port of the Sandwich Islands, and the residence of the king. This anchorage is very much exposed, and during the N. W. monsoon, unsafe ; but as there is great diffi- culty attending a large ship going in and out of the harbour, it is the general stopping place of suC'h vessels as make but a short stay at the island. Our passage from Otaheite to this place had been so rapid, that the contrast between the two countries was particularly striking. * More recently written Hawaii. # ■^."•-J-..4M^Jl 1926.] AND BEL.uIN0's STRAIT. 5201 Ar Woahoo, tlie eye searches in vain for the green and shady for- ests skirting the shore, which enhven the scene at Otahcite. The whole country has a parched and comparatively barren aspect ; and it is not until the heights are gained, and the extensive ranges of tare plantations are seen filling every valley, that strangers learn why this island was distinguised by the name of the garden of the Sandwich Islands. The difference betwixt tjre apf)earance of the natives of Woahoo and Otaheite is not less conspicuous than that of the scenery. Constant exposure to the sun has given tliem a dark complexion and a coarse- ness of feature which do not exist in the Society Islands ; and their countenances, moreover, have a wildness of expression which at first misleads the eye ; but this very soon wears off, and I am not sure whether this manliness of character does not create a respect which the effeminacy of the Otahetians never inspires. As we rowed up the harbour, the forts, the cannon, and the en- sign of the Tamahamaha, displayed upon the ramparts of- a fort mounting forty guns, and at the gaff of a man-of-war brig, and of some other vessels, rendered the distinction between the two coun- tries still more evident ; and on landing, the marked attention to etiquette, and the respect shown by the subjects to their chiefs, of- fered a similar contrast. In every way this country seemed far to surpass the other in civilization — but there were strong indications ofa close connexion between the natives of both. It was not long since Lord Byron in the Blonde had quitted these islands ; the appearance of a man-of-war was, therefore, no novel- ty ; but the beach was thronged to excess with people of all dis- tinctions, who behaved in a very orderly manner, helped us out of the boats, and made a passage as we advanced. In our way, noth- ing more strikingly marked the superiority of this country over that \\2 had recently quitted than the number of wooden houses, the re- gularity of the town laid out in squares, intersected by streets prop- erly fenced in, and the many notices which appeared right and left, on pieces of board, on which we read " An Ordinary at one o'clock, Billiards, the Britannia, the Jolly Tar, the Good Woman," Stc. After a short walk, we came to a neatly built wooden house, with glass windows, theresidenc-; of Krimakoo, or, as he was commonly called, Pitt, whom I found extended upon the floor of his apartment, suffering under a dropsical complaint, under which he ultimately sunk. This disease had so increased upon him of late that he had undergone five operations for it since the departure of the Blonde. Though unable to rise from his bed, his mind was active and unim- paired ; and when the conversation turned upon the affairs of the island, he was quite energetic, regretting that his confinement pre- vented his looking more into them ; and his greatest annoyance 26 iJk ^' tv tioa VOTAOE TO THE PACIFIC m **• [May, seemed to be his inability to see every thing executed himself. He expressed his attachment strongly to the British Government, and his gratitude for the respect that had been shown the descendant of his illustrious patron, and his queen, by sending their bodies to the Sandwich Islands in so handsome a manner, and also for the footing upon which the affairs of the state had been placed by Lord Byrn in command of the Blonde. He was anxious to requite these fa- vours, and pressed his desire to be allowed to supply all the de- mands of the ship himself, in requital for the liberty with which his countrymen were treated in England. I could not accede to this effiision of the chiefs gratitude, as the expense attending it would have been considerably felt by him, and more particularly as Lord Byron had previously declined the same offer. The young king, who had been taking an airing, arrived at this moment, and repeated the sentiments of his protector, making, at the same time, many inquiries for his friends in the Blonde. 13oki was absent at Owyhee, attending his sister, who was dangerously ill. Madam Boki, Kuanoa, Manuia, and the other chiefs who were of the party in England, were all anxious to show us civility, and spoke of England in such high terms, that they will apparently never for- get the kind treatment they experienced there : but they had a great dread of the diseases of our country, and many of them con- sidered it very unhealthy. My impression was, that those who had already been there had had their curiosity satisfied to feel in no way disposed to risk another visit. The want of their favourite dish Poe was, besides, so serious an inconvenience, that when allusion was made to England, this privation was always mentioned. Our reception was friendly in the extreme ; all our wants, as far as possible, were supplied, but unfortunately there was this year a scarcity of almost every kind of production ; the protracted rainy- season and other circumstances having conspired to destroy or les- sen the crops, and the whole population was in consequence suffer- ing from its effects. There was also a scarcity of dried provision, our visit having proceeded the usual time of the arrival of the whal- ers, who discharge all they can spare at this place previous to thei; return home. Our expectation of replenishing the ship's provisions was consequently disappointed, and it therefore became necessary to reduce the daily allowance of the ship's company, and to pursue the same economical system here, with regard to taro and yams, as was done at Otaheite with the bread-fruit. The few days I had to remain here were devoted to astronomi- cal and other observations, and I had but little opportunity of judg- ing of the state of the island ; but from a letter which I received from Boki, it was evident that he did not approve of the system of religious restraint that had been forced into operation, which was [May, elf. He ;nt, and jndant of :s to the e footing rd Byr-n these fa- the de- which his ie to tliis ; it would y as Lord ed at this (laking, at de. 13oki erously ill. o were of , and spoke never for- ;hey had a them con- >se who had 3I in no way ite dish Pee illusion was ■ants, as far [this year a •acted rainy troy or les- lence suffer- provision, )f the whal- lous to theu 's provisions necessary id to pursue nd yams, as astronomi- lity of judg- 1 received le system oi which was 18-26.] AND BEURINO S STRAIT. 803 alike obnoxious to the foreigners residing upon the island and to the natives. At the time of our departure the health of Mr. Lay was by no means restored, and as it appealed to me that his time during the absence of the ship could be more profitably employed among the islands of the Sandwich groupe than on the frozen shores of the north, he was Idft behind, under the protection of Pitt, whose kind- ness on the occasion nothing could exceed. Mr. Collie took upon himself the charge of the naturalist, and accquitted himself in a high- ly creditable manner. On the 31st of May we took our leave of Woahoo, and proceed- ed to Oneehow, the westernmost island of the Sandwich groupe, famous for its yams, fruit, and mats. This island is the property of the king, and it is necessary, previous to proceeding thither, to make a bargain with the authorities at Woahoo for what may be required, who in that case send an agent to see the agreement strictly fulfil- led. On the 1st of June we hauled into a small sandy bay on the western side of the island, the same in which Vacouver anchored when he was there on a visit of a similar nature to our own ; and I am sorry to say that like him we were disappointed in the expect- ed supplies ; not from their scarcity, but in consequence of the in- dolence of the natives. Oneehow is comparatively low, and, with the exception of the fruit trees, which are carefully cultivated, it is destitute of wood. The soil is too dry to produce taro, but on that account it is well adapted to the growth of yams, &ic. which are very excellent and of an enormous size. There is but one place in this bay where the boat of a man of war can effect a landing with safety when the sea sets into the bay, which is a very common occurrence ; this is on its northern shore, behind a small reef of rocks that lies a little way off the beach, and even here it is necessary to guard against sunk- en rocks ; off the western point these breakers extend a mile and a half. The soundings in the bay are regular, upon a sandy bottom, and there is good anchorage, if required, with the wind from the eastward ; but it would not be advisable to bring up under any other circumstances. The natives are a darker ra,pe of people than those of Woahoo, and reminded us strongly of the inhabitants of Bow Isl- and. With the exception of the house of the Earee, all the huts were small, low, and hot ; the one which we occupied was so close that we were obliged to make a hole in its side to admit the sea breeze. » We took on board as many yams as the natives could collect be- fore sun-set, and then shaped our course for Kamschatka, In doing this I deviated from the tracks of both Cook and Clerke, which I think was the occasion of our passage being shorter than either of ■J ^ II :A ur.' V 201 VOYAGE TO TUU PACIFIC [./une, theirs. Instead of running to the westward in a low latitude, wo passed to the eastward of Bird Island, and gained the latitud(^ of '■210 N. In this parallel we found the trade much fresher, though more variahle, and more subject to interruption, than within the tropic ; we had also the advantage of a more temperate climate, of which we stood in need, as tlie sickness among the ship's company was so far from being removed, that on the Kith we had the mis- fortune to lose one of the marines. On this day we sjjoke the Tus- can, an English whaleship, and found that on quitting the Sandwich Islands her crew had suffered in the same way as our own, but liad since quite recovered. In all probability the sudden change of diet from the usual seafare to so much vegetable food, added to the heat and humidity of the atmosphere at the season in which our visits were made to those islands, was the cause of the sickness of both vessels. The master of the Tuscan informed me that the preced- ing year his ship's company had been so severely afflicted with disease that he found it necessary to put into Loo Choo, where he was well received, and his people were treated with the greatest kindness. He was supplied with fresh meat and vegetables daily, without being allowed to make any other payment than that of a chart of the world, which was the only thing the natives would accept, It was, however, not without the usual observance of narrow-minded Chinese policy, that himself and his invalid crew were allowed to set their feet on shore, and even then they were always attended by a party of the natives, and had a piece of ground bordering on the beach fenced off" for them. The salute which the Alceste and Lyra had fired on the 25th of October, was well remembered by these people, and they had an idea that it was an annual ceremony per- formed in commemoration of something connected with the king of England. On the return of this day, during the Tuscan's visit, they concluded that the ship would observe the same ceremony, and looked forward with such anxiety and delight to the event, that the master of the whaler was obliged to rub up his four patereros, and go through the salute without any intermission, as the Loochooans counted the guns as they were fired. A few hours after wp parted with the Tuscan, we fell in with two other whale ships, neither of which could spare us any provisions. These ships were no doubt fishing down a parallel of latitude, which is a common custom, unless they find a continued scarcity of whales, The 30th degree, I beheve, is rather a favourite one with them. Tei»days after our departure from Oneehow we lost the trade wind in latitude 30° N. and longitude 195° W. : it had been varia- ble before this, but had not fairly deserted us. Its failure was of lit- tle consequence, as in three days afterwards we were far enough to the westward to ensure the remainder of the passage ; and indeed 18-^6.] AND BEERINo'k KTHAIT. 205 from the winds which ensued, a course might as well have been sha- ped for Kamschatka on the day we lost the wind. On the 3d of June, the day after leaving Oneehow, in latitude 25" N. and longitude 160° 15' W., we saw large flocks of tern and noddies, and a few gannets and tropic birds, also boneta, and shoals of flying-fish; and on the 5th, in latitude 28° 10' N. and longitude 172° 20' W., we had similar indications of the proximity of land. Though such appearances are by no means infallible, yet as so many coral islands have recently been discovered to the W. N. W. of the Sandwich Islands, ships in passing these places should not be regard- less of them. On this day we observed an albatross (diomedia ex- ulans), the first we had seen since quitting the coasi of Chili. It is remarkable that Captain King, in his passage to Kamschatka, first met these birds within thirty miles of the same spot. We noticed about this time a change in the colour of the wings of the flying- fish, and on one of the species being caught it was found to differ from the common exocectus volitans. We continued to see these fish occasionally as far as 30° N., about which time the tern also quitted us. In 33° N. we first met the birds of the northen regions, \\\e proceUariapuffinus, but it was not until we were within a hun- dred miles of the coast of Kamschatka that we saw the lumme, do- vekic, rotge, and other alca, and the shag. The tropic birds ac- companied us as far as 36° N. On the 18th and 19th, m latitude 35° N., longitude 194° 30' W., we made some experiments on the temperature of the sea at inter- mediate depths, as low as 760 fathoms, where it was found to be twenty-eight degrees colder than at the surface ; two days afterwards another series was obtained, by which it appeared that the temper- ature at 180 fathoms was as cold as that at 500 fathoms on the for mer occasion, and it was twenty degrees colder at 380 fathoms on this, than it was at 760 fathoms on the other. Between these ex- periments we entered a thick fog, which continued until we were close off the Kamschatka coast ; and we also experienced a change of current, both of which, no doubt contributed towards the change of temperature of the sea, which was much greater than could have been produced by the alteration in the situation of the ship : the fog by obstructing the radiation of heat, and the current by bringing a colder medium from higher latitudes. About this period we began to see drift wood, some of which passed us almost daily. The sea was occasionally strewed with moluscous animals, principally heroes and nereis, among which on the 1 9th were a great many small crabs of a curious species. Whether it was that these animals preferred the foggy weather, or that we more narrowly scrutinized the small space of water around us to which our view was limited, I cannot say, but it appeared to us that they were much more numerous while the fog lasted than before or afterwards. f 9 wiirf /' lllMIHl¥jn^ % iRyvi l^niviRf » 1w^^ (\ Ift w V|^ j| "f Inliluit • f jwH|H|l / ^. I "^ '206 VOYAGK TO TUE PACIFIC [June, \h> In tlio afternoon of tlie 23tl, in latitude 44° N., the wind, whicli had been at S. W., drew round to tlie west, and brought a cold at- mosphere, in whicli the thermometer fell fourteen degrees ; it i^ remarkable that sixteen hours before this change occurred, the tem- perature of the sea fell six degrees, while that of the atmosphere was affected only four hours previous. In my remarks on our pas- sage round Cape Horn, I have mentioned the frequency with whicli the temperature of the surface of the sea was affected before that of the atmosphere when material changes of wind were about to occur. On the '/i6th, in latitude 49" N , after having traversed nearly seven hundred miles in so thick a fog that we could scarcely see fifty yards from us, a north-east wind cleared the horizon for a few hours : this change again produced a sensible diminution of the tem- perature, which was thirty-one degrees lower than it had been tliir- teen days previous. The next day we had the satisfaction of see- ing the high mountains of Kamschatka, which at a distance are tlie best guides to the port of Awatska. The eastern mountain, situated twenty-five miles from Petropaulski,is 7.375 feet high by my trig- onometrical measurinent ; another, which is the highest, situated N. 5o E. from the same place, and a little to the northward of a siiort range upon which tliere is a volcano in constant action, is 11.500 feet high. At eight o'clock we distinguished Cape Gavarea, the southern point of a deep bay in which the harbour of Petropaulski is situated, and the same evening we were becalmed within six miles of our port. Nothing could surpass the serenity of the evening or the magnificence of the mountains capped with perennial snows, ris- ing in majestic array above each other. The volcano emitted smoke at intervals, and from a sprinkling of black dots on the snow to lee- ward of the crater, we concluded there had been a recent eruption. At two o'clock the following afternoon we anchored off the town of Petropaulski, and found lying in the inner harbour his imperial majesty's ship Modesto, commanded by Baron Wrangel, an enter- prising officer, well known to the world as the commander of a haz- ardous expedition on sledges over the ice to the northward of Schelatskoi Noss I found despatclies awaiting my arrival, communicating the return of the expedition ui^Jer Captain Parry, and desiring me to cancel that part of my instructions which related to him. The officers, on landing at the little town of Petropaulski, met with a very polite re- ception from the governor, Stanitski, a captain in the Russian navy, who, during our short stay in port, laid us under many obligations for articles of the most acceptable kind to seamen after a long voy- age. I regretted extremely that confinement to my cabin at this time prevented my having the pleasure of making either his acquaint- j|p& [June, 1926.] AND BEF.RINO S BTHAIT. 207 ind, which a cold iii- rees ; it is id, the tcin- atmosphere on our pas- with which before that •e about to Tsed nearly icarcely sec )n for a few \ of the tcin- id been thir- ;tion of bce- ance are tlie tain, situated by my trig- ;, situated N. ivd of a sliort 3n, is 11.500 Gavarea, the Petropaulski ithin six miles 3 evening or al snows, ris- mitted smoke snow to lee- ;ent eruption, off the town his imperial el, an enter- ider of a haz- lorthward of igthe return le to cancel he officers, on rery polite re- Lussian navy, ly obligations a long voy- :abin at this I his acquaint- ance or that of the pastor of Paraiounka, of whose ancestor such honourable mention lias been made in the voyages of Captain Cook, a pleasure which was reserved for the follow ing year. Tlio worthy pastor, in strict compliance with the injunctions of his grandfather, that he should send a calf to the captain of every English man of war that might arrive in the port, presented me with one of ids own rearing, and sent daily supplies of milk, butter, and curd. Had our stay in this excellent harbour permitted, we should have received a supply of oxen, which would have been most acceptable to the sliip's company ; but the animals had to be driven from Bolcheresk, and, pressed as wo were for time, too great a delay would have been in- curred in waiting for them. The colony at this time was as much distressed for provisions as ourselves, and was even worse off, in con- sequence of tlie inferior quality of the articles. On the 1st of July we weighed and attempted to put to sea, but after experiencing the difficulties of which several navigators have complained, were obliged to anchor again, and that at too great a distance from the town to have any communication. On the 2nd, as well as on the 3rd, we also weighed, but were obliged to ancl.>jr as before ; and it was not until the 5th, after weigh- ing and anchoring twice that morning, to prevent going ashore, that the ship reached the outside of the harbour; this difficulty aris- es from counter currents, which prevent the steerage of the ship. After clearing the harbour there was a strong wind against us, but it soon died entirely away, and left us exposed to a heavy swell, which rolled with great violence upon the shore; so much so, that for some time the boats were insufficient to prevent the ship nearing the land, and there was no anchorage, in consequence of the great depth of water : fortunately, towards night a light air favoured our departure, and we succeeded in getting an offing. My object was now to make the best of my way to Kotzebue Sound, as there were but fourteen days left before the arrival of the appointed time of rendezvous there, and every effort was directed towards that end. As we sailed across the wide bay in which Pet- ropaulski is situated, we connected the capes at its extremities with the port and intermediate objects, by which it appears that Cape Gavarea has hitherto been erroneously placed with regard to Ch.'^p- oonski Noss; but I shall not here interrupt the narrative by the in- sertion of the particulars of the operations. At day-light the following morning, Chepoonski Noss was seen N. 19° W., and in the afternoon of the next day high land was dis- cerned from the mast-head in the direction of Krotnoi Mountain. This was the last view we had of Kamschatka, as a thick fog came on, and attended us to Beering's Island. At day-light on the lOth a high rock was seen about nine miles tj yi ^ h' i r'-'l li 'vil fJI t.,\ |f| i'v "' *jl'-4^"i •'> 1^,, ' ^r,' 1826.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 209 many birds, nearly all of the same kind as those which n.hahit the Greenland Sea, shecrwaters, lunimes, puflins, parasitic g;ulls, :torniy petrel, dusky albatross, a iarus resembling the kittiwakc, a small dove-coloured tern, and shags. In latitude 60° 47' N. we noticed a change in the colour of the water, and on sounding found fifty-four fathoms, soft blue clay. From that time until we took our final de- parture from this sea the bottom was always within reach of our common lines. The water shoaled so gradually that a. midniglit on the 16th, after having run a hundred and fifty miles, we had tliirty- one fathoms. Here the ground changed from mud tos.ad, and ap- prized us of our approach to the Island of St. Lawrence, which on the following morning was so close to us that we could hear the surf upon the rocks. The fog was at the same time so '' " ' that we could not see the shore ; and ii was not until some t ;rwards, when we had neared the land by means of a long gn >vell, for it was quite calm, that we discerned the tops of the 1 It is a fortunate circumstance that the dangers in tiijse seas are not numerous, otherwise the prevalence of fogs in the summer time would render the navigation extremely hazardous. About noon we were enabled to see some little distance around us ; and, as we ex- pected, the ship was close off the western extremity of St. Law- rence Island. In this situation the nearest hills, which were about five hundred feet above the sea, v. ? observed to be surmounted by large fragments of rock having the appearance of ruins. These hills terminate to the southward and south-westward in bold rocky cliffs, off which are situated three small islands ; the hills have a gradual slope to the coast line to the northward and westward ; but at the north-western extremity of the island they end in a remarkable uodge-shaped promontory — particulo'-s which may be found useful to navigators in foggy weather. The upper parts of the island were buried in snow ; but the lower, as at Beering's Island, we^e bai9 and overgrown with moss or grass. We stood close into a small bay at the S. W. angl> of the island, where we perceived several tents, and where, from the many stakes driven into the ground, we con- cluded there was a li^hing-station. The natives soon afterwards launched four baidars,* of which each contained eight persons, males and females. They paddled towards the ship with great quickness, until they were within speaking distance, when an old man who steered the foremost boat stood erect, and held up in succession nets, walrus teeth, skin shirts, harpoons, bows and arrows and small birds ; he then extended his arms, rubbed and patted his breast,t and came ♦ Tliia boat, called by the natives oomiac, ia the same in cv - ry respect as the oomi- ar, or woman boat, of the Esquimaux. It is here used by tbo men instead of the women. t This is the ususal EsqiiamauK indication of friendship. 27 ><\ 210 VOYAGE TO THE TACIFIC [July, II] m t m liiiJ fearlessly alongside. We instantly detected in these people the fea- tures of the Esquimaux, whom in appearance and manners also, and indeed in every particular, they so much resembled, that tlierc can- not, I think, be the least doubt of their having the same origin. They were if any thing less dirty, and somewhat fairer, and their implements were better made. Their dress, though Esquimaux, differed a little from it in the skin shirts being ornamented with tas- sels, after the manner of the Oonalashka people, and in the boots fitting the leg, instead of being adapted to the reception of either oil or infants. The old men had a few gray hairs on their chins, but the young ones, though grown up, were beardless. Many had their heads shaved round the crown, after the fashion of the Tschutschi, the Otaheitans, or the Roman Catholic priesthood in Europe, and all had their hair cut short. Their manner of salutation was by rub- bing their noses against ours, and drawing the palms of their hands over our faces ; but we were not favoured as Kotzebue w-n, by theii being previously spit upon. In the stern of one of th; bai'' '"TLeie was a very entertaining old lady, who amused us by •! • • in which she tried to impose upon our credulity. She wa< seated upon a bag of peltry, from which she now and then cautiously drew out a skin, and exhibited the best part of it, with a look implying that it was of great value ; she repeatedly hugged it, and endeav- oured to coax her new acquaintances into a good bargain, but her furs were scarcely worth purchasing. She was tattooed in curved lines along the sides of the cheek, the outer one extending from the lower jpw, over the temple and eyebrow. Our visiters on board were not less accomplished adepts at bar- tering than the old woman, and sold almost every thing they had. With the men, " tawac," as they called our tobacco, was their great object; and with the women, needles and scissors; but with both, blue beads were articles highl_y esteemed. We observed, that they put ?ome of these to tlie test, by biting them to ascertain whethev they were glass ; having, perhaps, been served with wax ones h some of their former visiters. Their implements were so similar to those of the Esquimaux as to need no description ; except that their bows partook of the Tschutschi form. They had a great many small birds o*" the alca crestatella, strung upon thongs of hide, which were highly accepta- ble to us, as they were very palatable in a pie. These birds are, I believe, peculiar to St. Lawrence Island, and in proceeding up the strait their j)resence is a tolerably certain indication of the vicin- ity of the islan ). They are vciy numerous, and must be easily taken by the iiatives, as they sold seven dozen for a single neck' of blue glass beads. About seven o'clock in the evening, the nativv.0 quitted us rat'it' .•% *L^SP, %. -t^ 1826.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 211 abruptly, and hastened toward the shore, in conseque.ice of an ap- proaching fog, which their experience enabled them to foresee sooner than us, who, having a compass to rely upon, were less anxious about the matter. We soon lost sight of every distant object, and directed our course along the land, trying the depth of water occa- sionally. The bottom was tolerably even ; but we decreased the soundings to nine fathoms, about four miles off the western point, and changed the ground from fine sand, to stones and shingle. When we had passed the wedged-shaped cliff at the north-western point of the island, the soundings again deepened, and changed to sand, as at first. At night the fog cleared away for a short time, and we saw the Asiatic coast about Tschukutskoi Noss ; but it soon returned, and with it a light air in the contrary direction to our course. The next clay, as we could make ro progress, the trawl was put overboard, in the hope of providing a fresii meal for the ship's company ; but after remaining down a considerable time, it came up with only a sculpen {cottxis scorpius), a few specimens of moluscae, and crustaceaj, con- sisting principally of maias. In the evening. Lieutenant Peard was more successful in procuring specimens with the dredge, which sup- plied I'.s with a great variety of invertebral animals, consisting of asterias holothurias, echini, amphitrites, ascidias, actinias, euryales, murex, chiton crinitus, nereides, maias, gammarus, and pagurus, the latter inhabiting chiefly old shells of the murex genus. This was in seventeen fathoms over a muddy bottom, several leagues from the island. About noon the fog dispersed, and we saw nearly the whole ex- tent of the St. Lawrence Island, from the N. W. cape we had roun- ded the preceding night to the point near which Cook reached close in with, after his departure from Norton Sound. The middle of this island was so low, that to us it appeared to be divided, and I concluded, as both Cook and Clerke had done before, that it was < — 21G VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Juli^. ^h I: were carriod slowly to the nortli-eastWcard l)y a current which had been running in that direction from the time of our quitting St. Law- rence Island. With a fair wind we sailed along the coast to the northward, which was low and swampy, with small lakes inland. The ridge of sand continued along the coast to Cape Espenburg, and there terminated. We entered Kotzebue Sound early in the morning of the 22d of July, and plied against a contrary wind, guided by the soundings ; the appearance of the land was so distorted by mirage, and in parts so obscured by low fog, that it was impossible to distinguish where we were. The naturalist who accompanied Kotzebue in his voyage particularly remarks this state of the atmosphere in the vicinity of the sound, and suggests that it may be occasioned by the swampy nature of the country ; in which opinion T fully concur. When it cleared ofFwe were much surprised to find ourselves opposite a deep inlet in the northern shore, which had escaped the observation of Captain Kotzebue. I named it Hotham Inlet, in compliment to the Hon. Sir Henry Hotham, K.C.B., one of the lords of the Admi- ralty. We stood in to explore it, but found the water too shallow, and were obliged to anchor in four fathoms to pervent being carried away by a strong tide which was setting out of the sound, the wind being light and contrary. As it would be necessary to remain three or four days at Cham- isso Island to increase our stock of water, previous to proceeding to the northward, the barge was hoisted out and sent to examine the inlet, with directions to meet the ship at Chamisso Island. She was again placed under the command of Mr. Elson, and equipped in every way necessary for the service required. We were visited by several baidars, containing from ten to thir- teen men each, whose object was to obtain articles in exchange. They were in every respect similar to the natives of Schismareff Inlet, though rather better looking, and were all, without exception, provided with labrets, either made of ivory and blue beads, as he- fore described, of ivory alone, or of different kinds of stone, as stea- tite, porphyry, or greenstone ; they readily disengaged these from their lips, and sold them, without minding the inconvenience of the saliva that flowed through the badly cicatriced orifice over the chin; but on the contrary derided us when we betrayed disgust at the spectacle, by thrusting their tongues through the hole, and winking their eyes. One or two had small strings of beads suspended to their ears. The articles they brought off were, as before, skins, fish, fishing implements, and nic-nacs. Their peltry consisted of the skins of the seal, of the common and arctic fox, the common and musk-rat, the marten, beaver, three varieties of err.iine, one white, one with a [Juhj, icli had 5t. Law- it to the 3 inland, penhurg, le 22d of •undings ; 1 in parts ish where iis voyage icinity of swampy When it sitp a deep ;rvation of nent to the the Admi- )o shallow, ing carried , the wind at Cham- )ceeding to tamine the and. She equipped 3n to thir- exchange. Jchismareff exception, [ads, as he- Ine, as stea- 1 these from ;nce of the [r the chin; [gust at the d winking ppended to 3sh, fishing le skins of jsk-rat, the hne with a 182G.J AND BEKRINO 3 STRAIT. an light brown back and yellow belly, and the third with a gray back spotted white and yellow ; the American otter, the wliite bare, tiie polar bear, the wolf) the deer, and the badger. Their fish were salmon and herrings: their implements, lances, cither of stone or of a walrus tooth fixed to the end of a wooden staff"; harpoons precisely similar to the Esquimaux ; arrows ; drills ; and an instrument, the use of w hich was at first not very evident. It was part of a walrus tooth shaped something like a shoehorn, with four holes at the small end, communicating with a trough that extended along the middle of the instrument and widened as it neared the broad part. From the explanation given of it by the natives, it was evidently used to procure blood from dying animals, by inserting the end with the lioles into the wound, and placing the mouth at the opposite end of the trough to receive the liquid as it flowed. From the satisfaction that was evinced by the describer during the explanation, it is evi- dent that the blood of animals is as much esteemed by these people as by the eastern Esquimaux.* On the outside of this and other instruments there were etched a variety of figures of men, beasts, and birds, &tc., with a truth and character which showed the art to be common among them. The reindeer were generally in herds : in one picture they were pursued by a man in a stooping posture in snow-shoes ; in another he had approached nearer to his game, and was in the act of drawing his bow. A third represented the man- ner of taking seals with an inflated skin of the same animal as a de- coy ; it was placed upon the ice, and not far from it a man was ly- ing upon his belly with a harpoon ready to strike the animal Avhen it should make its appearance. Another was dragging a seal home upon a small sledge ; and several baidars were employed harpoon- ing whales which had been previously shot with arrows ; and thus, Ijy comparing one device with another, a little history was obtained wliich gave us a better insight into their habits than could be elici- ted from any signs or intimations. The natives also offered to us for sale various other articles of traffic, such as small wooden bowls and cases, and little ivory figures, some of which were not more than three inches in length, dressed in clothes which were made with seams and edgings precisely simi- lar to those in use among the Esquimaux. The staves of the harpoons and spears were made of pine or cy- press, in all probability from drift wood, which is very abundant upon the shores ; and yet the circumstance of their having lumps of the resin in small bags, favoured the supposition that they had access to the living trees. They had also iron pyrites, plumbago, and red ochre, with which the frame of the baidar was coloured. ♦ See Captain Parry's Second Voyage, 4to., p. 510, 28 ?i^ - . - 1.1*- -., ,1,1 • I r ■„ iHBTl •^:f=- LA,,./.ii^t._ki r>*v 2iy VOYAflE TO THE PACIFIC \J'>h ii- The people themselves, in their jjersons as well as in their mnn- neis and implements, possessed all the chaiac I eristic features oi" the Esquimaux; large fat round faces, high check bones, si' .11 Jiazfl eyes, eyebrows slanting like the Chinese, and wide mouths. Tiicv had the same fashion with their hair as the natives of Schismareil' Inlet, cutting it close round the crown of the head, and thereby leaving a bushy ring round the lower part of it. Ophthalmia was very general with them, and obliged some to wear either some kind of shade or spectacles, made of wood, with a wide slit for each eye to look through. At SchismarefF Inlet diseases of this nature wore, also, prevalent among those who visited us. The salutation of our visiters was, as before, by a contact of noses, and by smoothing our faces with the palms of their hands, but without any disgusting practice. When they had parted with all they had for sale, they quitted the ship, well pleased with their excursion, and having pushed off to a little distance, clapped their hands, extended their arms, and stroked their bodies repeated'y ; which we afterwards found to bo the usual demonstration of friendship among all their tribe. They then pointed to the shore, and with one consent stnick the water with their paddles, and propelled their baidars with a velocity wliirh we were not prepared to witness. These boats are similar in ron- struction to the oomiaks of Hudson's Bay ; but the model differs in being sharp at both ends. They consist of a frame made of drift wood, covered with the skins of walruses which are strained over it, and are capable of being tightened at any time by a lacing on the inside of the gunwale ; the frame and benches for the rowers are fastened with thongs, by which the boat is rendered both light and pliable ; the skin, when soaked with water, is translucent ; and a stranger placing his foot upon the flat yielding surface at the bottom of the boat fancies it a frail security ; but it is very safe and dura- ble, especially when kept well greased. In Hudson's Strait the oomiak is principally used by the women and children : here it is the common conveyance of the men, wlio, without them, would not be able to collect their store of provisions for the winter. They are always steered by the elderly men, wlio have also the privilege of sitting in the stern of the boat when un- employed. The starboard paddles of those which we saw were stained with black stripes, and the larboard with red, as were also the frames of some of the baidars. We formed a favourable opinion of our visiters from the strict integrity which they evinced in all their dealings, even when op- portunities offered of evading detection, which I notice the more readily, as we afterwards experienced very different behaviour from the same tribe. 1826. J ANF) RKKIUNli S STRAIT Jji|;;lit winds kept us at anchor for twenty-four l)ours, during which limo the current ran idniost constantly to the soutli-westward, at the rate ot from two fatlioms to two miles per hour; and the water was nearly fresh (1.0089 to ! .t)09(> sp. gr.); this stratum, however, was (.oiitint'd to a short distance from tiie surface, as a patent log, which was sunk for three hours at the depth of three fathoms, showed only a fifth of a mile in that time. These facts left no doubt of our be- ing near the estuary of a considerable river, flowing, in all probabil- ity, through the large opening abreast of us, which the boat had been sent to explore. AVe weighed in the afternoon of the *i3d, but in consequence of light winds and counter currents made very little progress ; indeed, a great part of the time the ship would not steer, even with a mod- erate breeze and two boats a-head, and it was necessary to keep carrying out the kedge anchors on the bow to maintain the ship's head in the right direction. This was occasioned by some large riv- ers emptying themselves into the sound, the fresh water of which remained at the surface, and flowed in a contrary direction to the tide of the ocean. Had this occured in an intricate channel it might liave been dangerous ; but in Kotzebue Sound the bottom is quite even, and there is plenty of room to drift about. At foa/ o'clock in the morning of the 25tli we reached our ap- pointed rondezvous at Chamisso Island, ten days later than had been agreed upon by Captain Franklin and myself, but which, it appear- ed, was quite early enough, as there were no traces of his having arrived. On approaching the island we discovered, through our tel- escopes, a small pile of stones upon its summit ; and as every object of this kind wdiich was likely to be the work of human hands was interesting, from the possibility that it might be the labour of the party we were in search of, it w'as not long in undergoing an examina- tion ; there was nothing however to lead to its history, but conjec- ture attributed it to Captain Kotzebue, who visited that spot in 1816. The ship was anchored nearly as far up in Kotzebue Sound as a vessel of her class can go, between Chamisso Island on the south, and Choris peninsula on the north, with Escholtz Bay on the east, and an open space on the west, in which the coast was too distant to be seen. The land about this part of the Sound is generally characterised by rounded hills from about six hundred feet t( < t! ou- sand above the sea, with small lakes and rivers ; its surface j^ rent, into deep furrows, which, until a very late period in the summer^ are filled with water, and being coversd w-ith a thick swampy moss, and in some places with long grass or bushes, it is extremely tedi- ous to traverse it on foot. Early in the summer myriads of moski- tos infest this swampy shore, and almost preclude the possibility of continuing any pursuit ; but in August they begin to die off, and soon afterwards entirely disappear. SBSSSSi w Oy 'i\iO VOYAGB TO TIIK PACIKIC [J»/y, ! I ('liiimisso Isliiiul, the liij;;li(3st part of wliicli is :23l it'i-t above tlin soa. is stec'i), c'xce|)t to the eastward, wliero it cuds in a low- sandy point, upon wiiich are the remains of some Es(niimaiix hiihl- tations ; it has the same swampy covering as tlie hnul just descrihi>(l. frou) which, until late in the sunnner, several streams descend, and are very convenient for procuring water. Detached from Chainisso, there is a steep rock which by way of distinction we named PiiHin Island, composed of mouldering granite, which has been broken uway in such a manner that the remaining part assumes the form of a tower. During the period of incubation of the aquatic birds, eve- ry hole and projecting crag on the sides of this rock is occupied hy them. Its shores resound with the chorus of thousands of tjio feathery tribe ; and its surface presents a curiously mottled carpet of brown, black, and white. Ill a sandy bay upon the western side of the peninsula we found a few Esquimaux who had hauled up their baidars, and erected a temporary hut ; they were inferior in every respect to those wc had seen before, and furnislied us with nothing new. In this bay wc caught enough salmon and other fish to give a meal to the whole of the ship's company, which was highly acceptable ; but we had to regret that similar success did not attend our subsequent trials. By my instructions, I was desired to await the arriv ' of Captain Franklin at this anchorage ; but in a memoir drawn v that ofli- cer and myself, to which my attention was directed I Admiral- ty, it was arranged that the ship should proceed to the northward, and survey the coast, keeping the barge in shore to look out for the land party, and to erect posts as signals of her having been tlieic, and also to leave directions where to find the ship. 1 was also desired to place a small party in occupation of Cliani- isso Island during the absence of the ship ; but this spot proved to be so different from what we imagined, being accessible in almost every quaiter, instead of having only one landing place, that a a small ])ariy would have been of no use if the natives were inclin- ed to be hostile, and the numerical strength of the crew did not ad- mit of a large detachmciit being spared from her. But in order that Captain Franklin should not want prevision in the event of his mis- sing the ship along the coast, and arriving at the island in her ah- sence, a tight barrel of flour was buried upon Puffm Rock, which appeared to be the most unfrequented spot in the vicinity, and di- rections for finding it were deposited in a bottle at Chamisso Island, together with such other information as he might require, and the place where it was deposited was pointed out by writing upon the cliffs with white paint. It was further arranged, that a party should proceed overland in a northerly direction, in the hope of fall- ing in with Captain Franklin, as it was possible the shoie of the -j^. j^tmbt^ |H->({.| AND BF.r.RINO S BTIIAIT. Polar Sea might lie more to the southward than the general trending of that part of its coast wJiich had heen explored le«l us to expect. But as the ship was likely to he ahsent several weeks, and we were unacquainted with the disposition of the people or with the country, further than that from its swamjjy nature, it seemed to present almost insurmountable difficulties to the journey, I deferred the departure of the party, and afterwards wholly aban- doned the project, as the coast was four. I to extend so far to tho northward as to render it quite useless. As I wished to avail myself of the latitude afforded by this me- moir, to survey and examine as much of the coast as possible before Captain Franklin arrived, no time was lost in preparing the ship for sea, which it required only a little time to efteet. On the 28th Mr. Elson returned from the examination of the opening we discovered on the north side of Kotzebue Sound, and reported the water at tlie entrance to be shallow, that the barge could not enter. The inlet was of considerable width, and extend- ed thirty or forty miles in a broad sheet of water, which some distance up was fresh. This was ascertained by landing in the sound to the east- ward of the opening, at which place it was foimd that the inlet ap- jnoached the Fea within a mile and a half, "lie time to which it was necessary to limit Mr. Elson, prevented his doing more than ascertain- ing that this opening was navigable only by small boats ; and by the water being quite fresh, that it could not lead to any sea beyond. The Esquimaux in the inlet were more numerous than we sup- posed, but were very orderly and well behaved. When the barge anchored off a low sandy point, on which they had erected their summer habitations and fishing stakes, she was surrounded by four- teen baidars, containing 150 men ; which, considering the crew of the barge only amounted to eight men and two officers, was a su- periority of strength that might well have entitled them to take lib- erties, had they been disposed, armed as they usually are Avith bows and arrows, spears, and a large knife strapped to their thigh : but so far from this being the case, they readily consented to an arrange- ment, that only one baidar at a time should come alongside to dis- pose of her goods, and then make way for another : the proposal was made while the baidars were assembled round our boat, and was received with a shout of general applause. Blue beads, cutlery, tobacco, and buttons, were the articles in request, and with which almost any thing they had might have been purchased : for these they sold their implements, ornaments, and some very fine salmon ; also a small caiac very similar to those of Greenland and Hudson's Strait. While the duties of the ship were being forwarded under my first lieutenant, Mr. Peard, I took the opportunity to visit the extvaordv- IV' ' \ \ ii i-' >¥ Vj^! ( \''^-MI>-i^;., 'W 222 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [July, ji' nary ice-formation in Esuholtz Bay, mentioned by Kotzebue as be- ing " covered witb a soil balf a foot tbick, producinf ''.e most lux- uriant grass," and containing an abundance of mammotb bones. We sailed up tlie bay, wbich was extremely sballow, and landed at a deserted village on a low sandy point, wbere Kotzebue bivouack- ed when he v'sited the place, and to which I afterwards gave the vprae of Elephant Point, from the bones of that animal being found near it. The cliffs in wiiich this singular formation was discovered begin near this point, and extend wesL.vard in nearly a straight line to a rocky cliff of primitive formation ut the entrance of the bay, whence the coast takes an abrupt turn to the southward. The cliffs are from twenty to eighty feet in height ; and rise inland to a rounded range of hills between four and iive hundred feet above the sea. In some places they present a perpendicular front to the northward, in others a slightly inclined surface ; and are occasionally intersected by valleys and water-courses generally overgrown with low bushes. Opposite eacJi of diese valkys, there is a projecting flat piece of ground, consist g of ihe materials that have been washed down the ravins, where the only good landing for boats h afforded. The soil of the cliffs is a bluish-coloured mud, for the most part covered with moss and long grass, full of deep furrows, generally filled with wa- ter or frozen snow". Mud in a frozen state forms the surface of the cliff in some ports ; in others the rock appears, with the mud above it, or sometinios with a bank halfway up it, as if the superstratum had graduall} slid down and accumulated against the cliff. By tlie large rents neai the edges of the mud cliffs, they appear to be break- ing awfiy, and contributing daily to diminish the depth of the water in the bay. Such ib the general conformation of this line of coast. That particu- lar formation, which, when it was first discovered by Ca])tain Kc- zebue, excited so much curiosity, and bore so near a rosemblance to an iceberg as to deceive hiiiiaelf and his officers, when they a] preached the spot to examine it, remains to be described. Aa we rowed along the shore, the shining surface of small portions of the cliffs attracted our attention, and directed us where to search for this curious phenomenon, which we should otherwise have had difficuhy in finding, notwithstanding its locality had been particularly descri- bed ; for so large a portion of the ice chffhas thawed since it was visited by Captain Kotzebue and his naturalist, that only a few in- significant patches of the frozen surface now remain. Tiie largest of these, situated about a mile to the westward of Elephant Point, was particularly examined by Mr. Collie, whO; on cutting through tlie ice in r horizontal direction, found that it formed only a casing to he cliff which wascomposed of mud and gravel in a frozen state. 1826.] On ren of sepa ;;een d( of the c which f( and fouj two incl The J sound ; being ba winter, a freezings the edge! than on c thus bec( still froze base, In vv the surfac by 'lie tt] ijelcvv, wl] this .spot 8 ation in its deception The des huts, Hide! and four fe wood raise lieap? of Ix ability had I (jiecnlande A rank gra< about the ei I some wild f I 'ler ready ft paiticu- lin Kc- smblance hey ai As we s oftlie h for this iftkulty (k'stri- c it was few in- le larg;est t Point) througli a casing en state. 1826.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. On removing ihe eaith above, it was also evident, by a decided line of separation between the ice and the cHff, that the Russians bad ;,een deceived by appearances. B} catting into the upper surface of the cHff three feet from the edge, frozen earth, similar to that which formed the face of the clift, was found at eleven inches' depth ; and four yards further back the same substance occurred at twenty - two inches' depth. The glacial facing we afterwards noticed in several parts of the sound : and it appears to me to be occasioned either by the snow being banked up against the cliff, or collected in iis hollows in the winter, and converted into ice in the summer by partial thawings and freezings — or by the constant flow of water during the summer over the edges of the clifTs, on which the sun's rays operate less forcibly than on other parts, in consequence of their aspect. The streams thus become converted into ice, either while trickling down the still frozen surface of the cliffs, or after they reach the earth at their base, in uhich case die ice rises llko a stalagmite, and in time reaches the surface. But before this is completed, the upper soil, looiiened by the thaw is itself projected over the cliff, and falls in a heap ueLvv, whence it is ultimately carried away by the tide. We visited this spot a month later in the season, and found a considerable alter- ation in its appearance, manifestii^g more clearly than before the deception under which Kotzebue laboured. The deserted village upon the low point consisted of a row of liuts, I'ldely formed with drift wood and turf, about six feet square and four feet in height. In front of them was a quantity of drift- wood raised upon rafters ; and around them there were several heap? of bones and skulls of seals and grampuses, which in all prob- ability had been retained conformably with the supei-stitions of the Greonlanders, who carefully preserve these parts of the skeleton.* A rank gra^s grew luxuriantly about these deserted abodes, and also about the edges of several pools of frerh water, in which there were some wild fowl. We returned to the ship late at night, and found her ready for sea. • Cidtitz Greenland, Vol. 1. L^rsi filHE J^f--™ UiliPBIWil W(|ii -^ -'— \V 224 VOVAOE TO THE PACIFIC [Juh/. \i - CHAPTER XL (^uit Kotzebuc Sound, and proceed to Biirvey the Coast to the Northward— Inter- views with the Natives— Cape Thomson — Point Hope— Current — Capes Sabine and Beaufort — Barrier of Ice — Icy Cape — Advanced Position of the Ship— Dis- cover Cape Franklin, Wainwriglit Inlet, Shoals off Icy Cape, &c. — Boat sent on ,, an Expedition along' the Coast — Return of the Ship to Kotzebue Sound— Inter- * views with the Esquimaux — Boat rejoina the Ship— Important Results of her Ex- pedition. On the 30th of July we weighed from Chamisso Islanc^ attended by the barge, and steered out of the sound. The day was very fine ; and as we sailed along the northern shore, the sun was reflec- ted from several parts of the cliff, which our telescopes discovered to be cased with a frozen surface, similar to that just described in Escholtz Bay. We kept at six or seven miles distance from the land, and had a very even bottom, until near Hotham Inlet, when the soundings quickly decreased, and the ship struck upon a shoal be- fore any alteration of the helm had materially changed her position, The water was fortunately quite smooth, and she grounded so easi- ly, that, but for the lead-lines, we should not have known any thins; had occurred. We found, upon sounding, that the ship had enter- ed a bight in the shoal, and that there was a small bank between her and deep water, so that it became necessary to carry out the stream anchor in the direction of her wake, by means of which, and a little rise of the tide, she soon got off. This shoal, which extends eight miles off the land, is very dan- gerous, as the soundings give very short warning of its proxiniity, and there are no good landmarks for avoiding it. The distance from the shore, could it be judged of under ordinary circumstances, would on some occasions be a most treacherons guide, as the niirasijc in fine weather plays about it and gives the land a very different appearance at one moment from that which it assumes at another. As soon as we were clear of the shoal, we continued our course for Cape Krusenstern, near which place we the nuxt day buri'^d a letter for Captain Franklin, and erected a post to direct Jiim to the spot. The cape is a low tongue of land, intersected by lakes, lyinp: ? 18-26.] AND 3EERING S STRAIT. 225 i ' at the foot of a high cluster of hills not in any way remarkable. The land slopes down from them to several rocky cliffs, whi( 1; , until the low point is seen at the foot of them, appear to be the entrance to the sound, but they are nearly a mile inland from it. The coast here takes an abrupt turn to the northward, and the current sets strong against the bend ; which is probably the reason of there be- ing deep water close to the beach, as also the occasion of a shoal in a north-westerly direction from the point, which appears to have been thrown up by the eddy water. The boat landed about two miles to the northward of this point, upon a shingly beach, sufficiently steep to afford very good landing when the water is smooth ; behind it there was a plain about a mile wide, extending from the hills to the sea, composed of elaptic bog earth, intersected by small streams, on the edges of which the but- tercup, poppy, blue-bell, pedicularis, vaccinium, saxifrages, and some cruciform nlants* throve very well ; in other parts, however, the vegetation was stinted, and consisted only of lichens and mos- ses. Tiiere were here some low mud cliffs frozen so hard that it required considerable labour to dig fifteen inches to secure the end of the post that wa? erected. Mr. Elson, in co'nmand of the barge, was now furnished with a copy of the signals drawn up by Captain Franklin and myself, and directed to proceed close along the shore to the northward, vigilantly looking out for boats, and erecting posts and landmarks in the most conspicuous places for Captain Franklin's guidance, and to trace the outline of the beach. He was also desired to explore the coast narrowly, and to fill in such parts of it as could not be executed in the ship, and instructed where to rendezvous in case of separation. We then steered along the coast, which t a north-westerly di- rection, and at midnight passed a range of imi- lerniinatin? about four miles from the sea, which must be the Capu Mulgrave of Cap- tain Cook, who navigated this part of the coast at too at a dis- tance to see the land in front of the hills, which is extreme! low, and after passing the Mulgrave Range, forms an extensive plain intersected by lakes near the beach ; these lakes are situated so close together that by transporting a small boat from one to the oth- er, a very good inland navigation, if necessary, might be performed. They are supplied by the draining of the land and the melting snow, and discharge their water through small openings in the shingly beach, too shallow to be entered by any thing larger than a baidar, one of them excepted, through which the current ran too strong for soundings to be taken. • the botany of this part of the coast is published in the Flora Americana of Dr. Hooker. S9 ''Mi 2'. .' TBT" ^ fm^^m^mm^m I'j wui^ 226 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August. '-■^ On the 1st of August we did little more than drift along the coast with the current — which was repeatedly tried, and always found setting to the north-west — from half a mile to a mile and a half per hour. The Esquimaux, taking advantage of the calm, came off to the ship in three baidars, and added to our stock of curiosities by exchanging their manufactures for beads, knives, and tobacco. On the 2d, being favoured with a breeze, we closed with a high cape, which I named after Mr. Deas Thomson, one of the commis- sioners of the navy.* It i" a bold promontory 450 feet in height, and marked with difterently-coloured strata, of which there is a rej)- resentation in the geological memorandum. As this was a fit place to erect a signal-post for Captain Franklin, we landed, and were met upon the beach by some Esquimaux, who eagerly sought an exchange of goods. Very few of their tribe understood better how to drive a bargain than these people ; and it was not until they had sold almost all they coul 1 spare, that we had any peace. We found them very honest, extremely good natured, and friendly. Tiieir features, dress, and weapons were the same as before described in Kotzebue Sound, with the exception of some broad-headed spears, which they had probably obtained from the Tschutschi. They had more curiosity than our former visiters, and exam.imed very mi- nutely every part of our dress; fi^m which circumstance, andtlieir being frightened at the discharge of a gun, and no less astonislied when a bird fell close to them, we judged they had had a very lim- ited intercourse with Europeans. The oldest person we saw I'r.ong the party was a cripple about fifty years of age. The others were robust people above the average height of Esquimaux : the tallest man was five feet nine inches, and the tallest woman fi\«e feet four inches. All the women were tattooed upon the chin with three small lines, which is a general distinguishing mark of the riii:' sex along this coast ; this is effected by drawing a blackened piece of thread through tiie skin with a needle, as with the Greenlanders. Their hair was done up in large blaits on each side of the head, as described by Captain Parry at Melville Peninsula. We noticed a practice here amongst the women, similar to that which is common with the Arabs, which consisted of blacking tlie edges of the eye- lids with plumbago rubbed up with a little saliva upon a piece of slate. All the men had labrets, and both sexes had their teeth much worn down, probably by the constant application of them to hard substances, of which their dresses, implements, and canoes are made. They had several rude knives, probably obtained from the Ts- chutschi, some lumps of iron pyrites, and pieces of amber strung ♦ A cape close to this has been nnined Cape Ricord by the Russians. ^^mia^s^i^^immm nsDi '.' V 18-26.] AND BEERING b STRAIT. 2-27 round their neck ; but I could not learn where they had procured them. As soon as we finished the necessary observations with the artifi- cial horizon, to the no small diversion and surprise of our inquisi- tive companions, we paid a visit to the next valley, where we found a small village situated close upon a fine stream of fresh water flow- ing from a large bed of thawing snow. The banks of the brook were ferti'e. but vegetation was more diminutive here than in Kot- zebue Sound; notwithstanding which, several plants were found which did not exist there. The tents were constructed of skins loosely stretched over a few spars of drift-wood, and were neither wind nor water tight. They were, as usual, filthy, but suitable to the taste of their inhabitants, who no doubt saw nothing in them that was revolting. The natives testified much pleasure at our visit, and placed before us several dishes, among which were two of their choicest — the entrails of a fine seal, and a bowl of coagulated blood. But, desirous as we were to oblige them, there was not one of our party that could be induced to partake of their hosnitality. Seeing our reluctance, they tried us with another dish, consisting of the raw flesh of the narwhal, nicely cut into lumps, with an equal distribution of black and white fat ; but they were not more success- ful here than at first. An old man then braced a skin upon a tambourine frame, and striking it with a bone gave the signal for a dance, which was im- mediately performed to a chorus of Angna aya ! angna aya ! the tambourine marking time by being flourished and twirled n'»out against a short stick instead of being struck. The musician, who was also the principal dancer, jumped into the ring, and threw his body into different attitudes until quite exhausted, and then resign- ed his oflSce to another, from whom it passed to a lad, who occa- sioned more merriment by his grimaces and ludicrous behaviour than any of his predecessors. His song was joined by the young women, who until then had been mute and almost motionless, but who now acquitted themselves with equal spirit with their leader, twisting their bodies, twirling their arms about, and violently rub- bing their sides with their garments, which, from some ridiculous association no doubt, occasioned considerable merriment. Against an obscure part of the cliff near the; village we noticed a broad iron-headed halberd placed erect, with several bows and quiv- ers of arrows ; and near them a single arrovv, with a tuft of feathers attached to it, suspended to the rocK. The Esquimaux were re- luctant to answer our inquiries concerning this arrangement, and were much displeased when we approached the place. From the conduct of the natives at Schismareff Inlet foward Captain Kotze- bue, it is not impossible that the shooting of this arrow may be a •; 1.3" ai' % \ > \\ JJ,^. .' I\ i<- 'i ^ 228 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, signal of hostility, as those people, after eying him attentively and suspiciously, paddled quickly away, and threw two arrows with bunches of feathers fastened to them toward their habitations, whence shortly afterwards issued two baidars, who approached Captain Kotzebue with very doubtful intentions. Upon an eninence beyond this cliff we found several dogs teth- ered to stakes ; and all the little children of the village, who had perhaps been sent out of the way, and who, on seeing us, set up a general lamentation. After viewing this village, we ascended Cape Thomson, and disco- -red low land jutting out from the coast to the W. N. W. as far as the eye could reach. As this point had never been placed in our charts, I named it Point Hope, in compliment to Sir Will- iam Johnstone Hope. Having buried a bottle for Captain Franklin upon the eminence, we took leave of our friends, and made sail towards the ship, which, in consequence of a current, was far to leeward, although she had been beating the whole day with every sail set. We continued to press the ship during the night, in order to maintain our position, that the barge might join ; but the current ran so strong, that the next morning, finding we lost rather than gained ground, I hoie away to trace the extent of the low point discovered from Cape Thompson. On nearing it, we perceived a forest of stakes driven into the ground for the purpose of keeping the property of the na- tives off the ground ; and beneath them several round hillocks, which we afterwards found to be the Esquimaux yourts, or underground winter habitations. The wind fell very light off this point, and I went in the gig to pay a visit to the village, leaving directions to anchor the ship in case the wind continued light. After rowing a considerable time, we found a current running so strong that we did not make any progress, and it was as mu^h as we could do to get back to the ship, which had in the mean time been anchored with the bower, having previously parted from the kedge. The current was now running W. by N. at the rate of three miles an hour. About five o'clock the next morning, however, it slack- ened to a mile and a half and the boats were sent to creep for the kedge anchor, but it could not be found. A thick fog afterwards came on, which kept us at anchor until the next day. During this time signal guns were fired every two hours, as well on account of Captain Franklin as of our own boat. On the fifth we weighed, and set the studding-sails, but the ship would not steer, and came broadside to the tide, in spite of the helm and three boats ahead ; and continued in this position until a fresh breeze sprang up from the northward. It is necessary here to give some further particulars of this cur- 1826.] AND BEERINQ S STRAIT. 339 rent, in order that it may not be supposed that the whole body of water between the two great continents was setting into the Polar Sea at so considerable a rate. By sinking the patent log first five fathoms, and then three fathoms, and allowing it to remain in the first instance six hours, and in the latter twelve hours, it was clear- ly ascertained that there was no currant at either of those depths ; but at the distance of nine feet from the surface the motion of the water was nearly equal to that at the top. Hence we must con- cliuie that the current was superficial, and confined to a depth be- tween nine and twelve feet. By the freshness of the water alongside, there is every reason to believe that the current was occasioned by the many rivers which, at this time of the year, empty themselves into the sea in different parts of the coast, beginning with SchismarefF Inlet. The specific gravity of the sea off' that place was 1.02502, from which it gradu- ally decreased, and at our station off" the point was 1.0173, the tem- perature at each being 58°. On the other hand, the strength of the stream had gradually increased from half a mile an hour to three miles, 'vhich was its greatest rapidity. So far there is nothing extraor- dinary in the fact ; but why this body of water should continually press to the northward in preference to taking any other direction, or gradually expending itself in the sea, is a question of considera- ble interest. In the afternoon the barge was discovered at anchor, cloze in- shore, and being favoured with a breeze the ship was brought close to the point. This enabled me to land, accompanied by Mr. Collie, who, while I was occupied wifh my theodolite,went toward the huts, which at first appeared to be deserted ; but as he was examining them several old women and children made their appearance, and gave him a friendly reception. He brou^^nt them to me, and we un- derwent the full delights of an affectionate Esquimaux salutation. The persons of our new acauaintance were extremely diminutive, dirty, and forbidding. Some were blind, others decripit ; and, dres- sed in greasy worn-out clothes, they lookea perfectly wretched. Their hospitality, however, was even greater than we could desire ; and we were dragged away by the wrists to their hovels, on c\p- proaching which we passed between heaps of filth and ruined habi- tations, filled with stinking water, to a part of the village wi. .i was in better repair. We were then seated upon some skins placed for the purpose ; and bowls of blubber, walrus, and unicorn flesh (jno- nodonmonoceros), with various other delicacies of the same kind, were successively offered as temptations to our appetite, which nevertheless, we felt no inclination to indulge. After some few exchanges, the advantage of which was on the side of our acquaintances, who had nothing curious to part with, an ■'■M '1 n w- 230 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, k4 )':h^h old man produced a tambourine, and seating himself upon the roof of one of the miserable hovels, threw his legs across, and commenc- ed a song, accompanying it with the tambourine, with as much ap- parent happiness as if fortune had imparted to him every luxury of life. The vivacity and humour of the musician inspired two of the old hags, who joined chorus, and threw themselves into a variety of attitudes, twisting their bodies, snapping their fingers, and smirking from behind their seal-skin hoods, with as much shrewd meaning as if they had been half a century younger. Several little chubby girls, roused by the music, came blinking at the daylight through the greasy roofs of the subten-anean abodes, and joined the perform- ance ; and we had the satisfaction of seeing a set of people happy, who did not appear to possess a single comfort upon earth. The village consisted of a number of " yourts," excavated in a ridge of mud and gravel, which had been heaped up in a parallel line with the beach. Their construction more nearly approached to the habitations of the Tschutschi than those of the Esquimaux of Greenland. They consisted of two pits about eight feet deep, conmiunicating by a door at the bottom. The inner one iiati a dome-shaped roof, made with dry wood or bones ; it was covered with turf, that rose about four feet above tho surface of the earth. In the centre of this there was a circular hole or window, covered with a piece of skin (part of the intestine of the whale), which gave, however, but very little light. The outer pit had a flat roof, and was entered by a square hole, over which there was a shed to pro- tect it from the snow and the inclemency of the weather. A loide ladder led to a floor of loose boards, beneath which our noses as well as our eyes were greeted by a pool of dirty green water. The inner chamber was the sleeping and cooking room. Another yourt, to which a store of provision was attached by a low subterraneous passage, was examined by Lieutenant Belcher the ensuing year : it was in other respects very similar, and needs no particular description. Cf these yourts, one was of much larger dimensions than the others, which, it was intimated by the natives, was constructed for the purpose of dancing and amusing themselves. Mr. Belcher was particularly struck with the cleanliness of tlie boards and sleeping places in the interior of the yourt he examined ; whereas the passage and entrance were allowed to remain in a very filthy condition. The aii- was too oppressive to continue in them for any length of time. Every yourt had its rafters for placing sledges, skins of oil, or other articles upon in the winter time, to pre- vent their being buried in the smow. The number of these frames, some bearing sledges, and others the skeletons of boats, formed a complete wood, and had attracted our notice, at the distance of six or seven miles. Of the many yourts which composed the . .....i^KuiC'.^i 1826.] AND BKURINO » STRAIT. 231 village, very few were occupied ; the otliers had tlieir entrances blocked up with logs of drift-wood and the ribs of whales. From this circumstance, and the infirm condition of almost all who remain- ed at the village, it was evident that the inhabitants had gone on a sealing excursion, to provide a supply of food for the the winter. The natives, when we were about to take our leave, accompanied us to the boat, and, as we pushed off, they each picked up a few pebbles, and carried them away with them, but for what purpose we could not guess, nor had we ever seen the custom before. The point upon which this village stands, projects almost sixteen miles from the general line of coast ; it is intersected by several lakes and small creeks, the entrances of which are on the north side. There is a bar across the mouth of the opening, consisting of peb- bles and mud, which has every appearance of beirgonthe increase ; but when the water is smooth a boat may enter, apd she will find very excellent security within from all winds. It is remarkable that both Cook and Gierke, who passed within a very short distance of this point, mistook the projection for ice that had been driven against the land, and omitted to mark in their chart. The next morning we communicated with the barge, and found she had been visited daily by the natives, who were very friendly. The current in-shore was more rapid than in the offing, and the wa- ter more fresh. After replenishing her provisions, we steered to the northward, and endeavoured to get in with the land on the north- ern side of Point Hope ; but the wind was so light that we could not hold our ground against the current, and were drifted away slowly to the northward. In the morning, the wind being still unfavourable for this purpose, we steered for the farthest land in sight to the northward, which answered to cape Lisburn of Captain Cook. As we approached it, the current slackened, and the depth and specific gravity of the sea both increased. We landed here, and ascended the mountain to obtain a fair view of the coast, which we found turned to the eastward, nearly at a right angle, and then to the north-eastward, as far as the eye could .trace. Our height was 850 feet above the sea, and at so short a distance from it on one side, that it was fearful to look down upon the beach below. We ascended by a valley which collected the tributary streams of the mountain, and poured them in a cascade upon the beach. The basis of the mountain was flint of the purest kind, and limestone, abounding in fossil shells, enchinites, and marine animals. There was very little soil in the valley ; the stones were covered with a thick swampy moss , which we traversed with great difficulty, and were soon wet through by it. Vegetation was, however, as luxuriant as in Kotzebue Sound, more than a hundred miles to the southward, or, what is ofmore consequence, more than that distance I f ^ U 71 1 -Msiif:. i jttf, r * Mi ' ! 989 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, farther from the great barrier of ice. Several reindeer were feeding on this hixuriant pasture : the chfFs were covered with birds ; and the swamps generated myriads of moskitos, which were more per- severing, if possible, than those at Chamisso Island. After depositing a bottle at this place, and leaving proper direc- tions upon the cliff for finding it, we pursued our course to the east- ward, accompanied by the barge. The wind was light, and we made so little progress, that on the 9th Cape Lisburn was still in sight. Before it was entirely lost I landed at a small cape, which I named Cape Beaufort, in compliment to Captain Beaufort, the present liydrographer to the Admirality. The land northward was low and swampy, covered with moss and long grass, which produced all tiie plants we had met with to the southward, and two or three besides. Cape Beaufort is composed of sandstone, enclosing bits of petrified wood and rushes, and is traversed by narrow veins of coal lying in an E. N. E. and W. S. W. direction. That at the surface was dry and bad, but some pieces which had been thrown up by the burrow- ing of a small animal, probably the ermine, burned very well. As this is a part of the coast hitherto unexplored, I may stand excused for being a little more particular in my description. Cape Beaufort is situated in the depthof a greatbay, formed between Cape Lisburn and Icy Cape, and is the last point where the hills come close down to the sea, by reason of the coast line curving to the north- ward, while the range of hills continues its former direction. From the rugged mountains of limestone and flint at Cape Lisburn, there is an uniform descent to the rounded hills of sandstone at Cape Beaufort just described. The range is however, broken by exten- sive valleys, intersected by lakes and rivers. Some of these lakes border upon the sea, and in the summer months are accessible to baidars, or even large boats ; but as soon as the current from the beds of thawing snow inland ceases, the sea throws up a bar across the mouths of them, and they cannot be entered. The beach, at the places where we landed, was shingle and mud, the country mossy and swampy, and infested with moskitos. We noticed recent tracks of wolves, and of some cloven-footed animals, and saw several ptar- migans, ortolans, and a lark. Very little drift-wood had found its way upon this part of the coast. We reached the ship just after a thick fog came in, from seaward, and only a short time before the increasing breeze obliged her to quit the coast. During my absence the boats had been sent to ex- amine a large floating mass which excited a good deal of curiosity at the time, and found it to be the carcass of a dead whale. It had an Esquimaux harpoon in it, and a drag attached, made of an infla- ted sealskin, which had no doubt worried the animal to death. Thus, with knowledge just proportioned to their wants, do these untutored y*^- ■-^:..,i^,&-f»iim'i «■' i i -" ^ww ■ A, :\f II * J 934 VOYAOE TO THK PACIFIC [Attgiisi, ter, witliiii two milos of tlic slion; ; and Liciitcnaiit HflrluT wns (Icspatclic'd ill llu; cutter to cxaiuinc soiiii! posts that wcru t'loclcil upon it, tliinkiiif!; tliey uu^hl possil)ly have bfon placed tlifro liy tljc land uxpodition. Tiic boat found a heavy surf broakini: ii|)()ii a sand bank at a little distance from the beach, which preventt-dlii.i- landiiif;;, and a fog coming on, she was recalled before the att('iii|)t could be made in another place. There was a thick wetting fog du. ring the night. The next morning a boat was again sent on shore, with Lieutenant 1 Jidcher, Messrs. Collie and Wolfe, to make observa- tions, collect plants, and erect a mark for Captain Franklin. Tli y liad nearly the same dilliculty in reaching the beach, on account of shoals, as at the former place, but there was less swell. Shortly after noon I landed myself, and found that at the back of the beacli there was a lake two miles long, in the direction of tliu coast ; it had a shallow entrance at its south-west end, suflicioiitlv deep for baidars only. The main land at the back of it |)reson !■ a range of low earth clifTs, behind which there were some hills, n- bout two hundred feet high. Near the entrance to the lake tlicrc were two yourts, inhabited by some Escpiimaux, who sold us two swans and four hundred pounds of venison, which being dividid amongst the crew, formed a most acceptable meal. These swans were without their feet, which had been converted into bags, after the practice uf the eastern Esquimaux ; and it is remarkable, tliat although so (ar from Karnschatka and the usual track of vessels, these people expressed no surprise at the appearance either of tliL ship or the boat, and that they were provided both with knivc.;.,.! iron kettles. In nur way to the huts we saw several human bones scattered a- bout, and a skull which had the teeth worn down nearly to tlif gums. There appeared to be no place of interment near, ami tin' body had probably decayed where the bones were lying. So liiilu did the natives care for these mouldering remains that springs for catch- ing birds were set amongst them. The beach upon which we landi'd was shingle and sand, interspersed with pieces of coal, sandstone, flint. and porphyritic granite. Vegetation was very luxuriant, and supplied Mr. Collie with three new species. The drift wood was here more abundant than at any place we before visited : it was forced liidi upon the beach, probably by the pressure of the ice when driven a- ^ gainst the coast. It was high water at this station at noon. The tide fell three feet and a half in four hours, and ebbed to the south-west. A post was here put up for the land expedition, and a bottle buried near it We then embarked and got on board, just as a thick fog obscureil every thing, and obliged the ship to stand ofF the coast. In the course of the afternoon the ilredge was put over, and supplied us with y'i Hi, '"-^fm^'m., m6.\ AND UbKllINU S bTUAIT. 836 some spcfiinons of shells of tin? area, luurex, vciuis, and buccimnn genus, and several l(im|)s of coal. We stood to tlie i\. VV., and at iniiinii^lit taeked amongst the loose iee at the edj^e of the pack in so ihick a l\)^ that we could not see a hundred yards around us. At half past five in the niornii:^ a jjartial dispersion of the fog discovered to us the land, hearing IN. 80° E., extending in a N. K. (liit'ction as far as \vc could see. At six we tacked in eleven fath- oms within three miles of it, and not far from an opening into a spu- rious lake, which aj)peared to be the estuary of a considerable river. There was a shoal across the mouth connected with the land on the northern side, but with a channel for boats in theojiposite direc- tion. A large piece of ice was agroimd near it. Tlio country around was low, covered with a brown moss, and intersected by wa- ter-courses. To the northward of the entrance of the lake the coast became higher, and presented an extensive range of mud cliffs, ter- iiiiiiating in a cape, which, as it afterwards proved the most distant land seen from the ship, 1 named after Captain Franklin, K. N., un- der whose command J had the pleasure to serve on the first Polar expedition : but as this cape was afterwards found to be a little way inland, I transferred the name to the nearest conspicuous point of the coast. The natives, taking advantage of this elevated ground, had con- structed their winter residences in it : they were very numerous, and extended some way along the coast. The season, however, was not yet arrived at which the Esquimaux take up their abode in their subterranean habitations, and they occupied skin tents upon a low point at the entrance of the lake. We had not been long off here before three baidars from the village paddled alongside and bartered their articles as usual. Some of the crew ascended the side of the ship without any invitation, and showed not the least sur- prise at any thing they beheld, which I could not help particularly remarking, as we were not conscious of any other vessel having been upon the coast since Kotzebue's voyage, and he did not reach witliin two hundred miles of the residence of these peoj)le. There was nothing in our visiters different to what we had seen before ex- cept that they were better dressed. One of them, pointing to the sliorc, drew his hand round the northern horizon as far as the south west, by which he no doubt intended to instruct us that the ice, oc- cupied that space It would, however, have ansv cred ctjually well for the land, supposing the coast beyond what we saw to have taken a circuitous direction. With the view of having this explained, I took him to the side of the ship on which the land was, and intima- ted a desire that he would delineate the coast ; but he evidently did not understand me, as he and his companions licked their hands, stroked their breasts, and then went into their boats and paddled on shore. ^ ■J' ^1 'Mr ■ff^' \']' A f W^ 236 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC \Aug\m, The appaiently good-natured disposition of these people, and in- deed of ti c whole of their tribe upon the coast to this advanced position, was a source of the highest gratification to us all, as it re- garded Captain Fraiddin's welfare ; ibr it was natural to conclude, that the whole race, which we had reason to think extended a con- siderable distance to the eastward, would partake of the same friendly feeling, and what was by many considered a material obstacle to his success, would thereby be removed. At this place in particular, where the natives appeared to be so numeruus that they could have overpowered his party in a minute, it was gratifying to find them so well disposed. After the natives were gone, we stood to the north-westward, in the hope rhat the wind, which had been a long time in the north- eastern quarter, would remain steady until we ascertained the point of conjunction of the ice and the land, which, from its rosition when seen in the moi'ning, there was much reason to suppose would be near the extreme point of land in view from the mast-head. Un- fortunately, while wo were doing this the wind fell light, and grad- ually drew round to the north-westward ; and apprehending it might get so far in that direction as to embav the ship between the land and the ice, it becaiut my duty to consider the propriety of await- ing the result of S'lch a cliange ; knowing the necessity of keeping the ship in open water, and at all times, as far as could be done, free from risk, in order to insure her return to the rendezvous in Kctzebue Sound. There was at this time no ice in sight from the ship, except a berg that was aground in-shore of her ; and tlioii|^li a blink round the northi^rn horizon indicated ice in that direction, yet the prospect ^vas so fliittering that a general regret was enter- tained that an attempt to effect the north-eastern passage did not form the object of the expedition. We all felt the grentest desire to advance, but considering what would be the consequences oi"aiiy accident bcD.lling the rliip, which might eitlier oblige her to quit these seas at once, ';r prevent her relurnh)g to them a second year, it was evident that by hor being kept in open water w;: < jiaramount to every other consideration ; particularly as she had Ikoii furnislied with a decked launch, well ada])te(l by her size to prosecute a service of this nature. It was one of tliose critical situations in which an oflicer is sometimes unavoidably placed, and had further discovery depen- ded upon the l?losson> alone, it io probable I should have jjrocoeded at all hazards. ]\Iy ordei , however, being i)03itive to avoid the chance of being beset in tiic ship, I considered only how I coiihl most beneficially empioy both vessels, anc', at the same time, com- ply with the sj>irit of my instructions. Thus cij-cumstanced, I dc- iLrmined to get hold of the barge as soon as possible, and to de- spatch her along the coast, botli with a view of rendering Captain Franl TT* 1826.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 237 p. e, and in- adviinced as it re- conclude, led a con- le rriendl)- acle to his paiticular, iould have k1 them so stuavd, in the north- i the point iition when Avould be cad. Un- , and grad- ing it might [\ the land ' of await- of keeping 1 bo done, dezvous in it from the md though t direction, was enter- a;e did not test desire noes of any p quit diese ,'ear, it was iiUto every lied with a «crvice of h an officer ?ry dcpeii- jirocceded avoid the w 1 could iiiie, coiii- ced, I de- ad to de- Caplaiu Franklin's party the earliest possible assistance, and of ascertaining how far it was possible for a boat to go. Not a moment was to be lost in putting this project b execution, as the middle of August was arrived, and we could not calculate on a continuance of the line weather with which we had hitherto been favoured. We ac- cordingly returned towards Icy Cape, in order to join the barge which was surveying in that direction. We passed along the land in about eight fathoms water until near Icy Cape, when we came rather suddenly into three fathoms and three quarters, but immedi itely deepened the soundings again to seven : the next cast, howtver, was four fathoms ; and not know- ing how soon we might have less, the ship was immediately brought to an anchor. Upon examination with the boats, several succes- sive banks were found at about three quarters of a mile apart, lying parallel with the coa^i iine. Upon the outer ones, there were only three and a half or four fathoms, and upon the inner bank, which had hitherto escaped notice from being under the sun, so little wa- ter that the sea broke constantly over it. Between the shoals there were nine and ten fathoms, with very irregular casts. These shoals lie immediately off Icy Cape, where the land takes an abrupt turn to the eastward, and are probably the effect of a large river, which here empties itself into the sea ; though they may be occasioned by heavy ice grounding off the point, and being fixed to the bottom, i' we found our anchor had so firm a hold, that in attempting to weigh it the chain cable broke, after enduring a very heavy strain. This cape, the farthest point reached by Captain Cook, was at the time of its discovery very mncii encumbered with ice, whence it received its name ; none, however, was now visible. The cape is very low, and has a large lake at the back of it, which receives the water of a considerable river, and comnmnicates with the sea 'hrough a narrow channel much encumbered with shoals. There are several winter habitations of the Esquimaux upon the cape, ivbich were afterwards visited by Lieutenant Belcher. The main land on both sides of Icy Cape, from Wainwright Inlet on one side to Cape Beaufort on the other, is flat, and covered with swampy moss. It presents u line of low mud cliffs, between which and a sliingly beach that every where forms the coast-line thei-e is a suc- cession of narrow lakes capable of being navigated by baidars or small boats. Off here we saw a great many black whales — more than I remember ever to have seen, even in Baffin's Bay. Afte- the boats had examined the shoal outside the ship, we at- tempted to weigh the anchor ; but in so doing we broke first the lucsseiiger, and afterwards the chain, by which the anchor was lost, a>I before mentioned, and the buoy-rope having been carried away lii lelimg it go, il was never recovered. ^: *; n !■; n t / -•4 2;j8 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, We passed over two shoals in three and four fathoms, deepeninn- the water to ten and eleven fathoms between them, and then held our ground for the night. A thick fog came on towards morning, which lasted until noon, when it cleared away, and we had the sat- isfaction to be joined by the barge. Since our separation, Mr. Elson had kept close along the bead). and ascertained the continuity of the land from the spot where the ship quitted the coast to this place, thereby removing all doubts on that head, and proving that Captain Franklin would not find a pas- sage south of the cape to which I had given his name. The sound- ings were every where regular, a*- 1 the natives always friendly, though not numerous. Their habitations were invariably upon low strips of sand bordering upon some brackish lakes, which extended along the coast in such a manner, that in case the ice was driven against it, a good inland navigation might be performed, transporting a small boat across the narrow necks that separate them. Drift-wood was every where abundant, though least so on such parts of the coast as had a western aspect, but without any appar- ent reason for this difference. After supplying the barge with wa- ter, we beat to the northward together, but found so strong a south westerly current running round Icy Cape, that, the ship being light, we could gain nothing to the windward ; and observing that the barge had the advantage of us by keeping in-shore, and that we were only a hindrance to her, I made her signal to close us, and prepared her for the interesting service in view. My intentions were no sooner made known than I had urgent applications for the command of the barge from the superior officers of the ship, who, with the ardour natural to their profession when any enterprise is in view, came forward in the readiest manner, and volunteered their services; but Mr. Elson, the master, who had hitherto commanded the boat, had acquitted himself so much to my satisfaction, that I could not in justice remove him ; more especially at a moment when the service to be performed was inseparable from risk. Mr. Smyth the seinor mate of the ship, was placed with Mr. Elson, who had be- sides under his command a crew of six seamen and two marines. My instructions to Mr. Elson vrere to trace the shore to the noith- castward as far as it was possible for a boat to navigate, with a view to render the earliest jiossible assistance to Captain Franklin, and to obtain what information he could of the trending of the const and of the position of the ice. He was also directed to possess himself of facts which, in the event of the failure of the other expedition. would enable us to form a judgment of the probable success wiiich might attend an attempt to effect a north-eastern i)assagc in this quarter : and further, lie was to avoid being beset in the ice, hy re- turning inmicdiately the wind should get to the north-west or west- ■|IVM«M 1826.] AND BEEUINC 9 STRAIT. 239 ward, and not to prolong his absence from the ship beyond the first week in September. He was at the same time ordered to place landmarks and directions in conspicuous places for Captain Frank- lin's guidance ; and if possible, on his return, to examine the shoals off Icy Cape. We steered together to the northward with foggy weather until midnight on the 17th, when I made Mr. Elson's signal to part com- pany, and he commenced his interesting expedition with the good wishes of all on board. We continued our course to the northvvai'd uniii four o'clock in the morning of the 18th, when the fog, as is ususal in the neighbourhood of the ice, cleared away, and we saw tiie main body in latitude 71° 07' N. nearly in the same position we had left it some days before. It was loose at the edge, but close within, and consisted of heavy floes. We tacked near it, and found it trending from E. to S. W. (mag.) There were no living things near it, except a few tern and kittiwakes ; which was rather re- markable, as the edge of the ice is usually frequented by herds of amphibious animals. As we receded from the ice, the fog again thickened, and latterly turned to small snow. The temperature was about the freezing point. At noon the sun broke through, and we found ourselves in latitude 70° 18' N., and by the soundings about twelve miles from the lanr', which was not seen. By this we discovered that instead of gaining twenty miles to the eastward, we had lost four : by which it was evident that a current had been run- ning S. 58° W. a mile an hour ; off this place, however, it was found upon trial to run S. 60° W. only half a mile per hour. The fog afterwaids came on very thick and remained so during the day. Finding the inconvenience from the current offlcy Cape, I steer- ed to the westward, to ascertain how near the ice approached the coast in that direction ; and on the 20th, I stood in for the land which is about midway between Cape Beaufort and Icy Cape, to verify some points of the survey. About this time immense flocks of ducks, consisting entirely of young ones and females, were seen mis^rating to the southward. The young birds could not fly ; and not having the instinct to avoid the sliip in time, one immense flock was run completly over by her. They, however, were more wary when tlie boats were lowered, and successfully avoided our attempts to shoot them, by diving. At the place where we landed, there was a long lake between us and the main land ; and our walk was confincil to a strip of shingle and sand, about 150 yards wide, and about six feet above the level of the sea. In the sheltered parts of it there were a few flowers, but no new species. The lake was connected with the sea at high tide, and was consequently salt ; but we obtained some water sufliciently fresh to drink by digging at a distance of less than a yard from its margin, a resource of which the natives appeared to be well aware. *■ m m i!wr ^ 240 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, '> iiiiniii iiniiBiw" \r^ 242 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, ^:n ^ '1 ¥ '•"., ■w ' # threw out a few coruscations, and then entirely disappeared. Soon after, a new display began in the direction of the western foot of the first arch, preceded by a bright flame, from which emanated coruscations of a pale straw-colour. An almost simultaneous move- ment occurred at both extremities oi the arch, until a complete seg- ment was fcmed of wavering perpendicular radii. As soon as the arch was complete, the light became greatly increased ; and the prismatic colours, which had before been faint, now shone foith in a very brilliant manner. The strongest colours, which were also the outside ones, were pink and green ; the centre colour was yel- low, and the intermediate ones on the pink side purple and green, all of which were as imperceptibly blended as in the rainbow. Tlic green was the colour nearest the zenith. This magnificent display lasted a few minutes ; and the light had nearly vanished, when the N. E. quarter sent forth a vigorous display, and nearly at the same time a corresponding coruscation emanated from the opposite ex- tremity. The western foot of the arch then disengaged itself from the horizon, crooked to the northward, and the whole retired to the N. E. quarter, where a bright spot blazed for a moment, and all was darkness. I have been thus particular in my description, because the appearance was unusually brilliant, and because very few obser- vations on *his phenomenon have been made in this part of the worlH There wns no nnise audible during any part of our obser- vations, nor were the compasses perceptibly aflfected. The night was afterwards squally, with cumuh and nimbi, which deposited showers of sleet and snow as they passed over us, the wind being rather fiesh throughout. On the 26th the weather was moderate, and being off Point Hope, on which there were several lakes and a great abundance of drift- wood, the boats were sent to endeavour to procure a supply of fuel and water. We had completed only one turn, and buried a bottle for Captain Franklin, when the wind freshened from the S. W. and prevented a second landing. During the afternoon we turned to windward, with the wind blowing fresh from the westward. From the time of our passing Beering's Strait up to the 23d instant, we enjoyed an almost uninterrupted series of fine weather; during which we had fortunately surveyed the whole of the coast from Cape Prince of Wales uS far to the northward as I deemed it proper to go, consistent with the necessity of keeping the ship, at all times, in open water and in safety. Now, however, there ap- peared to be a break up,"and a commencement of westerly winds, which made the whole of this coast a lee shore, and together with several hours of darkness, rendered it necessary to keep the ship at a distance from the land. In doing this the chances were equal that the land expedition, in the event of its success, would pass her. 1826.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 243 I therefore determined to repair to the rendezvous in Kotzebue Sound, and, as nothing further was to be done at sea, to await there the arrival of our boat and of Captain Franklin's expedition. Ac- cordingly on the 27th we made Cape Krusenstern, and on the fol- lowing evening anchored at Chamisso Island nearly in our former situation. Directly the ship was secured, two boats were despatched to the i<^liuKls to examine the state of the rivulets, and ascertain whether the cask of flour, that had been buried for Captain Franklin's use, had been molested ; our suspicion of its safety having been excited by observing six baid-^rs upon the beach opposite the anchorage, none of which ventured off to the ship as was usual. On the re- turn of the boat from Chamisso Island we learned that there was not a drop of water to be had, in consequence of the streams at which we had formerly filled our casks being derived from beds of thawing ice and snow which were now entirely dissolved. By the other boat, we found, as we expected, that the cask of flour had been dug up and broken open, that the hoops bad been taken away, and that the flour had been strewed about the ground, partly in a kneaded state. Suspicion immediately fell upon the natives encamped upon' the peninsula, which was strengthened by the manner in which they came off the next morning, dancing and playing a tambourine in the boats, a conciliatory conduct with which we had never before been favoured. When they came alongside, they were shown a handful of flour, and were referred to the island upon which the cask had been buried. Their guilty looks showed that they perfectly understood our meaning ; but they strongly pro- tested their innocence, and as a proof that they could not possibly have committed the theft, they put their fingers to their tongues, and spit into the sea with disgust, to show us how much they dis • liked the taste of the material, little considering that the fact of their knowing it to be nauseous was a proof of their having tasted it : but no further notice was taken of the matter, as I wished as much as possible to conciliate their friendship on account of the land expedition. The baidars of these people were better made than any we had seen, excepting those of the St. Lawrence islanders, which they resembled in having a flap made of walms skin attached to the gun- wale for the purpose of keeping their bows and arrows dry. The natives had a great variety of articles for sale, all of which they readily parted with, except their bows, arrows, and spears, and these they would on no account sell. Several old men were among their party, all of whom sat in the stern of the boat, a deference which, as I have already said, we everywhere observed to be paid to age by the younger part of this tribe. When they had sold all they in- ^T T ■n I r ■ ii i if m ftl W mm a&!'l' m Ji^ B« m Ur-? i'iii:ii#p(i 244 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, tended to part with, and had satisfied their curiosity, they paddled on shore, well satisfied, no doubt, at having escaped detection. The next morning the boats were sent to find water and to dit; wells upon Chamisso Island, as we had but nine days' supply oii board at very reduced allowance. In the mean time I paid a visit to the Esquimaux, who were on their travels towards home witli cargoes of dried salmon, oil, blubber, and skins, which they had col- lected in their summer excursion along the coast. When they per- ceived our boat approaching the shore, they despatched a baidar to invite us to their encampment ; and as we rowed towards the place together, observing with what facility they passed our boats, they applied their strength to their paddles, and, exulting on the advan- tage they possessed, left us far behind. It was perfectly smooth and calm, or this would not have been the case, as their boats have no hold of the water, and are easily thrown back by a wave ; and when the wind is on the side, they have the greatest difficulty in keeping them in the right direction. The shallowness of the water obliged our boat to land a short dis- tance from the village ; and the natives, who by this time had haul- ed up their baidair, walked down to meet us with their arms drawn in from their sleeves, and tucked up inside their frocks. They were also very particular that every one should salute us, which they did by licking their hands, and drawing them first over thoii own faces and bodies, and then over ours. This vvas consideroen. If they approved of it, our offer was accepted ; if not, they took back their goods. On several occasions, however, they tried to impose upon us with fish-skins, ingeniously put together to represent a whole fish, though entirely deprived of their original contents ; but this artifice succeeded only once. The natives, when detected in other attempts, laughed heartily, and trea- ted the matter as a fair practical joke. Their cunning and inven- 1826.] AND BEERINQ S STRAIT. 245 tion were farther exhibited in the great pains which they took to make us understand, before we parted, that the flour had been stolen by a party who had absconded on seeing the ship. Their gestures clearly intimated to us that the attention of this party had been attracted to the spot by the newly-turned earth, though we had replaced it very carefully ; on which, it appears, they began to dig, and, to their great surprise and joy no doubt they soon discov- ered the cask. They knocked off the hoops with a large stone, and then tasted the contents, which they intimated were very nau- seous. The thieves then packed up the hoops, and carried them over the hills to another part of the country. We patiently heard the whole of this circumstantial account, which we had afterwards great reason to believe was an invention of their own, and that they bad some of the flour secreted in their tents, which, no doubt, was the reason of their dislike to our approaching them. In the forenoon one of our seamen found a piece of board upon Chamisso Island, upon which was written, in Russian characters, "Rurick, July 28th, 1816," and underneath it " Blaganome erin- oy, 1820." The former was, of course, cut by Kotzebue when he visited the island ; and the latter, I suppose, by Captain Von Ba- silief SchismarefF, his lieutenant , who paid this island a second visit in 1820. Upon ihe low point of this island there was another party of Es- quimaux, who differed in several particulars from those upon the peninsula. I was about to pay them a visit, but early in the morn- ing our peninsular friends came off to say they were going away ; and as I wished to see a little more of them before they left us, I deferred going there until the next day, by which T lost the oppor- tunity of seeing those upon Chamisso, as they decamped in the eve- ning unobserved. Like the party on the peninsula, they were on their return to winter quarters, with large heaps of dried fish, seals, flesh, oil, skins, and all the necessary appurtenances to an Esqui- maux residence. They had four tents and several baidars, which were turned over upon their nets and fishing-tackle for protection. In one of their tool-chests was found a part of an elephant's tooth, of the same species as those which were afterwards collected in Escholtz Bay. They had the same aversion to our officers approach- ing their habitations as the party before described on the peninsula, and in all probability it proceeded from the same cause, as Mr. Os- mer detected a young girl eating some of cur flour mixed up with oil and berries. On seeing him she ran hastily into her tent, and in so doing spilt some of the mixture, which led to the discovery. The women of this party differed from the females we had hitherto seen, in having the septum of the nose pierced, and a large blue bead hi i* vrl r fHm i '■J . lu t. ■ M u ■ mm- 1 i* 1\ 946 VOYAGE TO THE PACinC [August, strung upon a strip of whalebone passed through the orifice, the bead hanging as low as the opening of the mouth. One of theni, on ro ceiving a large stocking needle, thrust it into the orifice, or as some of the seamen said, " spritsail-yarded her nose." A youth of the party, who had not yet had his lips perforated, wore his hair in bunches on each side of the head, after the fashion of the women which I notice as being the only instance of the kind we had met with, and which I trust doos not indicate a nearer resemblancu to a class of individuals mentioned by Langsdorff as existing in Oonala- shka under the denomination of Schopans. Red and blue beads, buttons, knives, and hatchets were as usual the medium through which every thing they would part with was purchased. The men were more excited than usual by a lookini^- glass, which, after beholding their own features in it, and adiniiinr alternately the reflection of their head and lip ornaments, they very inconsiderately "arried it to one of their party who was perfectly blind, and held before his face. As this was done rather seriously, certainly without any appearance of derision, it is possible that they imagined it might produce some effect upon his sight. On landing at the encampment on the peninsula, I was received in a more friendly mannoi- ven than the day before. Each of the natives selected a friend in -in among our party, and, like the Gam- bier islanders, locked their arms in ours, and led us to a small piece of rising ground near their tents, where we sat down upon broad planks and deer-skins. A dried fish was then presented to each of j us, and a bowl of cranberries mashed up with sorrel and rancid train- oil was passed round, after the manner of the Kraikees on tlie Asi- atic shore ; but, however palatable this mixture might have been toj our hosts, it was very much the reverse to us, and none of our par- ty could be induced to partake of it, except Mr. Osmer, who did so to oblige me at the expense of his appetite for the rest of the day. The Esquimaux were surprised at our refusal of this offer, and ridi- culed our squeamishness ; and by way of convincing us what bad) judges we were of good cheer, five of them fell to at the bowl, and with their two fore fingers very expeditiously transferred the con- tents to their own mouths ; and cleansing their fingers upon the I earth, gave the vessel to one of the women. The whole village dien assembled, better dressed than they had j been on our first visit, and ranged themselves in asemicircle in front] of us, preparatory to an exhibition of one of their dances, wliichl merits a description, as it was the best of the kind we saw. AJ double ring was formed in front of us by men seated upon the grass,! and by women and children in the background, who composed tliel orchestra. The music at the beginning was little better than al buzz of " Ungna-aya, Amna-aya !" — words which always constitute! (^V^'lM^ ■c?- ,vas received Each of the ke the Gara- a small piece upon broad ed to each of j rancid train- on the Asi- have been to le of our par- T, who did so I of the day. IfFer, and ridl- is what bad! iie bowl, and •ed the con- irs upon the 1926.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 247 the burthen of an Esquimaux song. The loader of tiic party, a strong athletic man, jumped into tiie ring and threw iiimself into various altitudes, which would have better become a pugilist than a per- former on tho light fantastic toe ! As his motions became violent, he manifested his inspiration by loud exclamations of Ah! Ah! until lie became exhausted, and withdrew, amidst shouts of approbation from all present, and the ; ignal was given for new performers. Five voiingor men tlun leaped into the area, and again exhibited feats of activity, which, considering the heavy clothing that encumbered ilieir limbs were very fair. A simple little girl about eight years of ii;e, dressed for the occasion, joined the jumpers, but did not imitate their actions. Her part consisted in waving her arms and inclining lierbody from side to side. The poor little thing was so abashed I that she did not even lift her head or open her eyes during tho whole of her performance, and seemed glad when it was over, though she I was not unmindful of the praise bestowed upon her exertions. The violent action of the male performers required that they [should occasionally take breath, during which time the music was wered ; but as soon as the ring was re-furnished it again became lloud and animated. A grown-up female now formed one of the Iparty, and appeared to be the prize of contention among several Iroung men, who repeatedly endeavoured to ingratiate themselves lirith her, but she as often rejected their offers and waved them away. lit last an old man, all but naked, jumped into tho ring, and was lleginning some indecent gesticulations, when his appcarant >j not laeeting with our approbation, he withdrew, and the performance hav- |i» been wrought to its heighest pitch of noise and animation ceased. Such is the rude dance of these people, in which, as may be seen lioin the above description, there was neither elegance nor grace ; Int on the contrary it was noisy, violent, and as barbarous as them- lelves. The dancers were dressed for the occasion in their best liothes, which they considered indispensable, as they would not sell lein to us until the performance was over. In addition to their psual costume, some had a kind of tippet of ermine and sable skins liown over their shoulders, and others wore abandon their heads, tith strips of skin suspended to it at every two inches, to the end of Itliich were attached the nails of seals. When the dance was over, they presented us with dried salmon, aid each person brought his bag of goods, which produced a brisk krtcr, with great fairness on all sides, and with a more than ordin- : sense of propriety on theirs, in never raising or lowering their Inces ; and by their testifying their disapprobation of it by a groan, flien it was attempted by one of our party. But though so strict ithis particular, they were not exempt from that failing so unac- itably innate in all uncivilized people, which they endeavoured "i»»-^ 248 VOYAGE TO THE PACiriC [August. m )i, k 'i ' I li^ ) y^i ./ 4 L^ :*.. ..■■**& to gratify in various ways, by engaging our attention at a moinciu when some of our trinkets were exposed to them for the purpose of selection. Suspecting their designs, however, we generally detect- ed their thefts, and immediately received back our goods, with a hearty laugh in addition. They understood making a good barj'ain (pjite as well as ourselves, and were very wary how they received our knives and hatchets, putting their metal to the test by hackiii" at them with their own. If they stood the blow, they wereaccej)t- ed; but if, on the contrary, they were notched, they were refused. A singular way of deciding a bargain was resorted to by one oftliojr party, almost equivalent to that of tossing up a coin. We had olFci- ed an adze for a bundle of skins ; but the owner, who at first seem- ed satisfied with the bargain, upon reflection became doubtful wiietli- er he would not be the looser by it ; and to decide the doubtful point he caught a small beetle, and set it at liberty upon the palm of his hand, anxiously watching which direction the insect should take. Finding it run towards him, he concluded the bargain to be disadvantageous to him, and took back his goods. On this day they admitted us to their habitations, and all restric- tions were removed, except that upon writing in our remark books, to which they had such an objection, that they refused us any infor- mation while they were open, and with great good-nature closed them, or if we persisted, they dodged their heads and made off. Our new acquaintances, amouiiliiig to twenty-five in number, had five tents, constructed with skins of sea-animals, strained upon poles ; and for floors they had some broad planks two feet in the clear. 1 was anxious to learn where they obtained these, knowing that they I had themselves no means of reducing a tree to the form of a plank, but I could get no information on this point : in all probability they had been purchased from the Tschutschi, or the Russians. Each I tent had its baidar, and there were two to spare, which were turned j upside down, and afforded a convenient house for several dogs, re- sembling those of Baffin's Bay, which were strapped to logs of wood] to prevent their straying away. In front of these baidars therej were heaps of skins filled with oil and blubber, &c., and near tliemj some very strong nets full of dried salmon, suspended to framesl made of drift wood : these frames also contained, upon strefchers,! the intestines of whales, which are used for a variety of purposes,! particularly for the kamlaikas, a sort of shirt which is put over their skin dresses in wet weather. More provident than the inhabitants of Melville Peninsula, these! people had collected an immense store of provision,if intended only fon the number of persons we saw. Besides a great many skins ofoilJ blubber, and blood, they had about three thousand pounds ofdriea fish. [August, . momcm Hirpose of ,ly ilctect- tls, with a 0(1 bargain f received by liackins; ere accept- ;re rol'used. one nfihoir 'elmdotrov- ,t first seem- blful wlietli- ,he doubtful on the palm isect should jargain to be id all restric- 3mark hooks, 1 us any infor- lature closed made off. \ number, had id upon poles; the clear. I ing that they [m of a plank, jobability they I ssians. Each [h were turned] jeral do^s,re- Lo logs of wood I baidars therel ind near theral ided to framesj [on stretchers,] of purposes, put over theirl Ininsula, lliesej lendedonlyfoif ly skins of oilj Lnds ofdiieJ 1826.] AND BCERINfl's STItAIT. •249 On the first visit to tliis party, they constructod a chart of the c•oa:^l upon the sand, of whicli 1 took very little notice at the time. Xo-(lay, however, they renewed their labour, and |)erfonned their work upon the sandy heacli in a very ingenious and intelligible man- ner. The coast line was first marked out with a stick, and the dis- tances regulated by the days' journeys. The hills and ranges of mountains were next shown by elevations of sand or stone, and the islands represented by heaps of pebbles, their proportions being du- ly attended to. As the work proceeded, some of the bystanders (x;casionully suggested alterations, and I removed one of the Dioniede Islands which was misplaced : this was at first objected to by the hydro^raplier ; but one of the party recollecting that the islands were seen in one from Cape Prince of Wales, confirmed its new po- sition and made the mistake quite evident to the others, who seem- ed much surprised that we should have any knowledge of such things. When the mountains and the islands were erected, the vil- lages and fishing stations were marked by a number of sticks placed upright, in imitation of those which are put upon the coast wherev- er diese people fix their abode. In time, we had a complete topo- yaphical plan of the coast from Point Darby to Cape Krusenstern. Ill this extent of coast line they exhibited a harbour and a large riv- er situated to the southward of Cape Prince of Wales, of neither of nliich we had any previous knowledge. The harbour communicat- ed with an inner basin, named Imaurook, which was very spacious, and where the water was fresh. The entrance to the outer one was fo narrow, that tw o baidars could not paddle abreast of each other. This they explained by means of two pieces of wood, placed to- other, and motioning with their hands that they were paddlirg. They then drew them along till they came to the channel, when iliey were obliged to follow one another, and, when through, they took up their position, as before. Tbp rlvor was between this har- Irour and thn cape, and by their description it wound among lofty mountains, and between high rocky cliffs, and extended further than any of the party had been able to trace in their baidars. Its name was Youp-nut, and its course must lie between the ranges of moun- tains, at the back of Cape Prince of Wales. At this last mention- ed cape, they placed a village, called Iden-noo ; and a little way in- land another, named Kink-a-ghee, which was their own wii r res- idence. Beyond Imau-rook there was a bay, of which we nave no knowledge, named I-art-so-rook. A point ^beyond this, which I took to be the entrance to Norton Sound, was the extent of their ge- ographical knowledge in that direction. To the Diomede Islands they gave the names of Noo-nar-boak ; Ignarlook, and Oo-ghe-eyak ; King's Island, Oo-ghe-a-book ; and Sledge Island, Ayak. It is singular that this island, which was 32 < -' 1 Mfi 15 % 250 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, ■U^f'i named Sledge Island by captain Cook from the circumstance of one of these implement; being found upon it, should be called by a wore' signifying the same thing in the Esquimaux language. Fur F2ast Cape they had no name, and they had no knovvkdge of any other part of the Asiatic co-^cst. Neither Schii mareft' Bay noi the inlet in the Bay of Good Hoj)e was delineated by them, though they were not ignorant of the former when it Avas pointed out to them. It has been supposed that these two inlets communicate, and that the Es- quimaux, who intimated to Kotzebuc that a boat could procecii nine days up the latter and would then find the sea, alluded to this junc- tion ; but our rude hydrographers knew of no such communication; whichi thinlvtlie/ certainly would, had it existed, ashy pursuing lliat coursethey would ha\e avoided a passage by sea or round Cape Es- penburg, which in deep-laden boats is attended with risk, from tlie chance of their not being able to land upon the coast. They would, at all events, have preferred an inland navigation had it nor bec" very circuitous. We passed the greater part of the day with these intelligent '^"o- ple, who amused u'^^ the whole time in some way or othe". Tlie chief, previous to en)barkation examined every part of our boat, and was highly pleased with the workmanship, but he seemed to regret that so inucii iron had been expended where thongs would have served as well. He was more astonished at the weight of a sound- ing lead than at any tlnng in the boat, never having felt any metal so heavy before; iron pyrites being the heaviest mineral among this tribe. When we were about to embark, all Jie village assembled and took leave ofus in the usual manner of the Esquimaux tribes : and as it was probab'e we should never meet again, the parting, much to our annoyance, was very afiectionate. A middle-aged man, who had taken tliu l^ad throughout, and who was prohahly th^ir neakoa (or head-man) recommended ua to depart from tbt ^• regions ; but I signified my intention of waiting some time longer, and sleeping at least twenty nights where we were ; on which he shivered, and drew his arms in from his sleeves to apprise us of the approaching cold. I thanked him for his ad- vice, and making them each a parting present we took our leave. The next morning they embarked every thing, and paddled over to Escholtz Bay. After they were gone, we found some of our flour where the tents had oiood, and a quantity of it secreted in a bush near the place ; so that their cautious behaviour with regard to our approacliinging their tents the first day was no doubt occasioned by fear of this discovery ; and they afterwards secreted their plunder in a maimer probably not likely to meet detection. Among this party there was a man so crippled that he went on all fours; how it occurred we could not learn, but it was j robably ■■■ 1826.] AND BEERING b STRAIT. 251 in some hunting excursion, as several of his companions had deep scars, which they intimated had heen inflicted by walrusses, which in tlie following year we found in great numhers off the coast. In this party we detected a difference of dialect from what we had heard in general, which made their objection to our writing in our hooks the more provoking, as it prevented us recording any of the variations, except in regard to the negative particle mo, which with other parties was naga, and with these aim-ga. The females were provided with broad iron bracelets, which we had not seen before ; and by tlieir having four or five of them upon uuch vvrist, it appear- ed tliat this metal, so precious with the tribes to the northward, was witii them less rare ; ncvertheloss it is very probable that they in- tended to appropriate to this purpf^sc the iron hoops they had stol- en from us. I have said nothing of tlie dress or features of these people, as, with the exception of two of them, they so nearly resemblo those aheady described as to render it unnecessary. These two persons, in the tattooing of the face, and in features, which more nearly re- sembled those of the Tschutschi, spomed to bu allied to the tribes on the Asiatic coast, with whom they no doubt have an occa- sional intercourse. On the first of September our sportsmen succeeded in bagging sf'eral braces r f ptarmigan and wild ducks ; but game was not so plentiful as might have been expected at this season of the year, in a country so abundantly provided with berries and so scantily inhab- ited. It was a pleasure to find that we could now pursue this and other occupations free from the annoyance of inoskitos ; a nuisance which, whatever it may appear at first, is in reality n^t trifling. Dr. Richardson fixes the departure of these insects from Fort Franklin on the 11th of September: here, however, it takes place at least a fortnight earlier. On ilie 5th I visited the northern side ofEscholtz Bay, and found the country almost impassible from swamp, notwithstanding tlie sea- son was so far advanced. It seemed as if the peaty nature of the covering obstructed the drainage of the water, which the power of the sun liad let loose during the summer, and that tb'j frozen state of the ground beneath prevented '^s escape in that direction. The power of the sun's rays upon the surface was still great, and large stones and fragments of rock that had been split I)}- the frost were momentarily relinquisliing their hold and falling down upon the beach. A thermometer exposed upon a piece of Mark cloth rose to 112°, and in the shade stood at 62". On the side of the hill that sloped to the southward tiie willow and the birch grew to tiie height of eighteen feet, and formed so dense a wood that we could not penetrate it. The trees bordering upon the beach Pl y '[,)! •t \¥ll' .« 25> VOYAC-E TO THE PACIFIC [Sein. Y ' i 'i - 'I. .V 'i' ' were quite dead, apparently in rxunsequence of their bark liavinc; been rubbed through by llie ice, w ui'nch liad been forced about nine i'bet above liigh-water mark, and *;ir^' ieft there asleep ridge of sand and shing^^ Tlie berries uere ai liw time in great perfection and abundance, and proved a most agreeabte addition to the salt d'et of the seamen, who were occa»ir>nally permitted U) land and tollect them. The cljgs o« thi'^ side of C: ,: _' luu . .a were composed of a green-coloured ;?vica slate, in whiich f(fl»e mesi pref'-ominated, and rontained garneliK, ""ins of fclspar, encT<<>Hing fhrystal* of schorl, and hafd its fissures lllhi*f with quartz ; but I simil avoid ■^yingany thing on geological subjedi.' iiere. On the 6th our cAvfMtty was excited by th^e af*9'*''')ich, when first seen throi**sli a light fo;, were so different from lb' sails of llie Esquimaux, tiiat our inui^in- ation, which had latterly converted every unusual appearance in ihu liorizon into the boats of Captain Franklin, jeally led us io con- clude he had at length arrived ; but as they rounded tin- point, we clearly distinguished tbcm to bo two native baidars. We watched their landing, and were astonished at the rapidity with which they pitched their tcnts,~ settled themselves, and transferred to their new habitation the contents of the baidars, which they drew out of the sea and turned bottom upwards. On visiting their abode an hour after they landed, every thing was in as complete order as if tliey had been established there a month, and scarcely any thing was wanting to render their situation comfortable. No better idea could have been conveyed to us of the truly independent manner in which this tribe wander about from place to place, transporting their hous- es, and every thing necessary to their comfort, than that which was afforded on this occasion. Nor were we less struck with the num- ber of articles which their ingenuity finds the means of dispensing in their boats, and which, had we not seen them disembarked, we should liave doubted the possibility of their having been crannned into them. From two of these they landed fourteen persons, eisrht tent poles, forty deer skins, two kyacks, many hundred weight of fish, numerous skins of oil, earthen jars for cooking, two liviii;; foxes, ten large dogs, bundles of lances, harpoons, bows and arrows, a quantity of whalebone, skins full of clothing, some immense nets, made of hide, for taking small whales and ]»orpoises, eight broad blanks, masts, sails, paddles, &ic., besides sea-horse hides and teeth, and a variety of nameless articles always to be found among the Esquimaux. They received us in the most friendly and open manner, and their conduct throughout was so difleicnl from that of their predecessors, that had we had no proof of the latter bein- guilty of the thefl uu »i#* «!?> 1826.] AND BEERINg's STRAIT. 253 our flour, this difference of conduct would have a%rdod a strong presumption against tliem. Tlie party consisted ui' two faniihes, eacii of which had its distinct property, tents, baidar, &ic. They were in feature and language nearly connected with the King-a-ghcR party, and from what they told us, resided near them ; but to judge from their dressc and establishment they were of much lower con- dition. However, the women had the same kind of beads in their cars, and sewn upon their dresses, and had evidently been to the same market. We remarked, however, in two of the young ladies a custom which, when first discovered, created considerable laugh- ter. When they moved, several bells were set ringing, and, on ex- amining their perso is, we discovered that they had each three or four of these instruments urder their clothes, suspended to their waists, hips, and one even lower down, which was about the size of a dustman's bell, but without a clapper. Whether they had dis- posed of them in this mannci- as charms, or through fear, it was im- possible to say ; but by their polished surface, and the manner in which they were susj)emlud, thoy appeared to have long occupied these places. They were certainly not hung there for convenience, as the large one, in particular, must have materially incommoded the ladies in their walking. One of our party suggested that this largo bell might, perhaps, be appropriated to the j)erformance of a cere- iiiony mentioned by MuUer, in his •' Voyages from Asia to Amer- ica. " ik,c. p. 28., where he states that the bond of friendship or en- mity depends upon a guest rinsing his mouth with the contents of die cup, which formed an indispensable part of a very singular cus- tom among the Tschutschi, the people of Cashemir, and some oilier countries.* Among other things, this party had small bags of resin, which p'lpeared to be the natural exudation of the pine. From their con- i^iaiuly chewing it, it did not seem diflicult to be had ; and as no trees of tliis nature, that we were acquainted with, grew upon the coast, we were anxious to learn whence they had procured it, but we coidd not make our acquaintances understand our wishes. An old lady, who was the mother of the two girls with the bells, invited me into her tent, where I found her daughters seated amidst 11 variety of pots and pans, containing the most unsavoury messes, highly repugnant to both the sight and smell of a European, though not at all so to the Esquimaux. These people are in the habit of collecting certain fluids for the purposes of taiming ; and that, judg- iii; from what took plact; in the tent, in the most open manner, in ilie presence of all the family. Tlie old matron was extremely good-natnred, lively, and loqua- W *' V, \i i * M. Paulus vciictuo, WiUeii, and Trigaut. \ t lil if 254 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Sej>u cioiis ; and took great pleasure in telling us the name of every thing, by which she proved more useful than any of our former visit- ers ; and had she but allowed us time to write down one word be- fore she furnished another, we should have greatly extended our vocabularies ; but it appeared to her, no doubt, that we could write as fast as slie could dictate, and that the greater number of words she supplied, the more thankful we should be. So far from tliis party having any objection to our books, to which the former one had manifested the greatest repuguanoe, they took pleasure in see- ing them, and were very attentive to the manner in which every thini^ was committed to paper. Tl.e daughters were fat good-looking girls; the eldest, about thirteen years of age, was marked upon the chin with a single blue line ; but the other, about ten, was without any tattooing. I made a sketch of the eldest girl, very much to the satisfaction of the mother, who was so interested in having her daughter's picture, and so impatient to see it finished, that she snatched away the paper sev- eral times to observe the progreso I was making. The father entered the tent while this was going forward, and observing what I was about, called to his son to bring him a piece of board that was lying ouisnie the tent, and to scrape it clean, which indeed was very ne- cessary. Having procured a piece of plumbago from his wife, lie seated himself upon a heap of skins, threw his legs across, and very good-humou redly commenced a portrait of me, aping my manner and tracing every feature with the most affected care, whimsically applying his finger to the point of his pencil instead of a penknife, to the great diversion of his wife and daughters. By the time I had finished my sketch, he had executed his, but with the omission of the hat, which, as he never wore one himself, he had entirely for- gotten ; and he was extremely puzzled to know how to place it up- on the head he had drawn. On meeting with the Esquim.aux, after the first salutation is over an exchange of goods invariably ensues, if the party have any thing to sell, which is almost always the case ; and we were no sooner seated in the tent than the old lady produced several bags, from which she drev forth various skins^ ornamental parts of the dress of her tribe, and small ivoiy dolls, allowing us to purchase whatever we liked. Our articles of barter were necklaces of blue beads, brooches, and cutlery, which no sooner came into the possession of our hostess than they were transferred to a stone vessel half filled with train-oil, where they underwent an Esquimaux purification. We found amongst this party a small Russian roin of the Empress Catlierine, and the head of a halberd, which had been converted into a knife : both of which weie tvidt nee of the communication that must exist between their tribe and those of the Asiatic coast? opposite. J- -Jtoi mmm PH ■awp« 1826.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 255 We returned on board with a boat full of dried salmon, and the D.xt day the party visited the ship. Notwithstanding the friend- ly treatment they had experienc3d the day before, it required much persuasion to induce them to come upon deck ; and even when some of them were prevailed upoi to do so, they took the precaution of leaving with their comrades in the boat whatever valuable articles they had about their persons. They were shown every thing in the ship most likely to interest them, but very few objects enga|^ed them long, and they passed by some that were of the greatest interest, to bestow their attention upon others which to us were of none, thus showing the necessity of fully understanding the nature of any thing before the mind can properly appreciate its value. The sail-maker sewing a canvass bag, and the chain cable, were two of the objects which most engaged their attention ; the former from its being an occupation they had themselves often been engaged in ; and the latter as exhibiting to them the result of prodigious labour, as they would naturally conclude that our chains — though so much larger and of so much harder a material than their own — were made in the same manner. The industry and ingenuity of the Esquimaux are, however, displayed in nothing more than in the fabrication of chains, two or three of which we met with cut out of a solid piece of ivory. On showing these people the plates of natural history in Ref j's Cyclopaedia, they were far more intelligent than might have been expected from the difficulty that naturally occurs to uncivilized people in divesting their minds of the comparative size of the living animal and its picture. But the Esquimaux are very superior in this respect to the South Sea Islanders, and immediately recognized every animal they were acquainted with that happened to be in the lx)ok, and supphed me with th-^ following list of them : — English Names. Squirrel Fez ! Musk rat Rein-deer Musk ox White bear Walrus I Seal Otter j Porcupine I Mouse Beaver Hare Goat Esquimaux Names. Tsry-kereck. Kiock-toot. Paoona. Tootoot. Mign-ugne. Tsu-narlc. Ei-bwo-ak. Kasi-goo-ak. Tc-ghe-ak-book, Igla-koo-sok. Koobla-ook. Ka-boo-ek. Oo-good-Ugh. Ip-na-uck. Eng'liaii Names. Porpoise Dog Owl Falcon Grouse Snipe Vulture Swan Duck Puffin Plover Pelican Salmon Flounder Esquimaux Names. Agh-bee-zeeak. Koo-neak. Igna-zee-wyuck. IQe-goo-ut. A-hag-ghi-uck. Nuck-too-o-Iit. KecgU-aght. Tadi-dracht, Evj-uck. Kooli-nockt. Tud-glict. Pe e bli-ark-took. hh-allook. Ek-anee-luk. i>-"\ : vi \ : t/ : I 4 'M 256 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Sqn. Slioep Olc-shull: Guard fish Bull (inusk 't)Moong-maJc. Crab White horse Izoo-kar-ucJc. Shrimp Narwhal Tse-doo-ak. Lobster Whale Ah-oiv-look. Butterfly Iz-nec-n-ook. Edloo-azrc\j-%(k. Noivd-lennok. Poo-coe-o-tuk. Tar-dle-oot-zuk. ^imong which there are three animals — the goat, the sheep, and the horse — hitherto unknown upon this coast : probably the sheep may ref'-r to the argali, which has been seen near Cook's River. Iji- the time I had collected these names, our visiters had become im- patient to join their comrades, who in like manner, finding tlieni a long time absent, had become equally anxious on their account, and had quieted the boat in search of them, and both parties met upon deck, to their mutual satisfaction. Previous to their going away we made them several useful presents of axes, knives, combs, i!cc. for which they seemed thankful, and offered in return a "ew skins, pointing at the same time to the south side of the sound, where tlicii' habitations probably were, intimating that if we went there tlicy would give us more. They then pushed off their baidars, rested on their paddles for a minute, and made off as fast as they could, to give us an idea of the swiftness of their boat, which seems to be a favourite practice. Next day we revisited their abode, and found that the price of every article had been raised several hundred per cent., and tliat nothing of reasonable value would induce them to part with either bows or arrows ; fio that our generosity of the preceding day had not left any durable impression. Every visit to these parties furnished some new insight into tlieir manners, though it was but trifling : en this occasion we witnessed a smoking party in which the women and children partook equally with the men. The pipe used on this occasion was small, and would contain no more tobacco than could be consumed at a wliifF. To these instruments there were attached a pricker and a strip ofdo^'s skin, from the last of which they tore off a few hairs, and placed them at the bottom of the bowl of the \)i\ie to prevent the tobacoo, which was chopped up very fine, being drawn into the mouth w th smoke. The tobacco which they used had pieces of wood rut up fine with it, a custom which is no doubt derived from the Tscliutsciii, who use the bark of the birch-tree in this manner, and imagine it improves the quality of the herb.* The pipe being charged with about a pinch of this material, the senior person present took I is whifl" and passed the empty pipe to the next, who replenished it and passed it on, each person in his urn inflating himself to the fulk-t • Dobell's Travels in Siberia, 1826.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 257 extent, and gradually dissipating the fumes through the nostrils. The pungency of the smoke, and the time necessary to hold the breath, occasioned considerahle coughing with some of the party, but they nevertheless appeared greatly to enjoy the feast. On the 8th, Spafarief Bay, which had heen hut little explored by Captain Kotzehue, underwent a satisfactory examination, and was fo id to terminate in a small creek navigable a very short dis- tance, and that by boats only. Its whole extent inland is about three miles, when it separates into a number of small branches communi- cating with several lakes, which, in the spring, no doubt, discharge a large quantity of fresh water into the sound, though at this dry season of the year they were of inconsiderable size. A little to the northward of the creek there is a pointed hill just 640 feet high by measurement, from whence we surveyed the surrounding country, and found that this side of the sound also was covered with a deep swampy moss. The summit of this hill, and indeed of all the others that were ascended in the sound, was the only part destitute of this covering. The beach was strewed with a great quantity of drift wood, some of which was in a very perfect state, and appeared to have been recently split with wedges by the natives, who had car- ried away large portions of the trunks to make their bows, arrows, and fishing implements. They were all pine-trees except one, which by the bark appeared to be a silver birch. On the 10th we had the satisfaction to see the barge coming down to us under a press of canvass, and the most lively expectations were formed until she approached near enough to discover that the appointed signal of success was wanting at her mast-head. Though unfortunate in accomplishing what we most anxiously desired, her voyage was attended with advantage. We had the satisfaction to learn from her commander when he came on board that he had dis- covered a large extent of coast beyond the extreme cape which we had seen from the mast-head of the ship on the 15th ultimo, and which I had named after Captain Franklin ; and had proceeded to the latitude of7r2;3' 31". N. and to 156° 21' 30". W., where the coast formed a low narrow neck beyond which it w'as impossible to proceed to the eastward, in consequence of the ice being attached to the land, and extending along the horizon to the northward. The boat had not been at this point many hours, before the wind changed to south-west, and set the whole body of ice in motion to- ward the land. This was a case in which Mr. Elson had received strict orders to return innnediately, and he accordingly began to re- trace his route ; but in so doing he found that, in addition to th« dis- advantage of a contrary wind he had to contend with a current run- iiini!; to the north-east at the rate of three miles and a half an hour, and with large pieces of floating ice which he found it very diffi- 33 M'l ^ 258 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Sept. Mni cult to avoid, until he was at last obliged to anchor to prevent bein\as found to be deserted, and the houses to be closed up for the summer. These habitations closely resembled those of the Esquimaux, which have been already described. The country here was covered with a thick peat, which retained the water and made it very swainpy and almost impassable. Upon the beach there was found an abun- dance of coal and drift-wood. Working to the north-eastward from this village, they discovered a shoal with only eight feet water upon it lying about 150 yards from the beach, which having deep water within it, offered a security against the ice in the event of its closing the shore, and they did not fail to bear in mind the advantage it might afford in a moment of necessity. About midnight they were visited by four baidars containing about sixty persons, from whom they expected to obtain a supply of venison, as this kind of provis- ion is, generally speaking, abundant to the northward of Cap(! l/is- burn ; but being disappointed, they continued their progress along the land. On the morning of the 20th there was a fall of snow, 1826.] AND SEEKING 9 STRAIT. 961 and the weather turned very cold. Tliey found themselves off a village, ;ind were visited by severul baidars, the crows of which were very anxious to get alongside the barge, and in so doing one of the baidars was upset. An Esquimaux dress is very ill adapted to aquatic exercises, and persons acquainted with it would think there was considerable danger in being plunged into the sea thus habited ; but the natives in the other baidars did not seem to reflect upon these consequences, and laughed most immoderately at the accident ; they, however, went to the assistance of their friends, and rescued them all. It must have been a cold dip for these people, as the rigging and masts were partially covered with ice. About noon they landed to procure observations, and found the lati- tude of this part of the coast to be 70° 43' 47" N., and longitude from the bearings of Wainvvright Inlet, 1 59° 46' W. Here a post was erect- ed for Capt. Franklin, on which the following inscription was painted: " Blossom's tender, Sunday, August 'iOth, latitude 70° 43' N., bound alon the coast to the N. E. If Captain Franklin should pass this place, he will probably leave some memorandum." The coast was liero low, and more dry than that in the vicinity of Wainwright In- let, with a beach of sand and gravel mixed, upon which there was an abundance of coal and drift-wood. In the the evening they passed several yourts, but saw no inhabitants until nine o'clock, when several came off and annoyed the crew with their importunities and disorderly conduct. The coast was here more populous than any where to the southward, which their visiters probably thought a jood protection against the small force of our boat, and they were not easily driven away. On the 21st they arrived off a chain of sandy islands lying some distance from the main land, which I have distinguished by the name of the Sea Horse Islands. As the wind was light and baffling, they landed upon several of these for observation ; and tracking the boat along the shore, at eight in the evening they arrived at the point to which I transferred the name of Captain Franklin, from the cliff on the main land to which I had originally given that name, as I found by the discoveries of Mr. Elson that the cliff was not actually the coast line. From Cape Franklin, the coast, still consisting of a chain of sandy islands lying off the main land, turned to the south- east and united with the main land, forming a bay, on which I be- stowed the name of my first lieutenant, Mr. Peard. Two posts were found erected on Cape Franklin, upon which another notice was painted. The surface of the beach was a fine sand, but by digging a few inrhcs down it was mixed with coal : there was here also, as at their lou^K r station, a great quantity of drift-wood. Off these islands t inv w "-e visited by several baidars, the people in which behaved 'ui a ery disorderly manner, attempted several de- >N ■ [./ U\ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^<^ 1.0 I.I 11.25 bilM 12.5 ■^ 1^ 12.2 MM 1-4 11.6 — 6" Hiotpgraphic Sciences Corporation ^: WfT MAIH STRMT WEB'TCfi.N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4$03 ■1>^ ^V iV :\ \ p^ '" 963 VOYAGE TO THS PACIFIC [Sept. r 4 \ i« lit:. „ /M' predations, and even cut a piece out of one of the sails of the boat, while it was lying upon the gunwale. Finding the natives inclined to part with one of their baidars, she was purchased for two hatch- ets, under the impression that she might be useful to the boat here- after. Having run twenty-nine miles along the coast to the N. E., they again landed, and obtained some lunar observations. The coats here assumed a different aspect, and consisted of clay cliffs, about fifty feet high, and presented an ice formation resembling that which has been described in Escholtz Bay. The interior of the country was flat, and only partially covered with snow. A short distance to the northward of them a river discharged itself into a lake within the shingly beach, which was about twenty yards wide, and the wa- ter being perfectly fresh, they obtained a supply, and pursued their course to the north-east. Their latitude was 70" 58' 43 " N.; and no ice had as yet been seen, even from the hills. This excited the greatest hopes in our adventurous shipmates, who advanced quite elated at the prospect ; but they had not proceeded many miles fur- ther before some bergs were seen in the offing nearly in the same parallel in which the margin of the ire had been found by the ship; and from the number of bergs increasing as they advanced, the san- guine expectations in which they had indulged gradually diminished, These bergs were seen off a point of land to which I gave the name of Smyth, in Compliment to the officer who accompanied the boat expedition, and very deservedly obtained his promotion for that service. In the course of their run they passed a village, where the inhabitants, seeing them so near, came out of their yourts, and men, women, children, and dogs set up a loud hallooing until they were gone. Upon Cape Smyth there was also a village, the inhab- itants of which accosted them with the same hooting noises as before. Advancing to the northward with the wind off the land, they saw the main body of ice about seven miles distant to the westward, and were much encumbered by the icebergs, which they could only avoid by repeatedly altering the course. The land from Cape Smyth, which was about forty-five feet in height, sloped j^radually to the northward, and terminated in a low point which has been named Point Barrow. From the rapidity with which the boat passed the land, there appears to have been a current setting to the north-east. The water, about half a mile from the cape, was between six and seven fathoms deep. Wednesday, 23rd Aug. "Arriving about two a. m. off the low point, we found it much encumbered with ice, and the current set- ting N. W. (mag.) between three and four miles an hour. Opening the prospect on its eastern side, the view was obstructed by a bar- rier of ice w hich appeared to join with the land. This barrier seemed high j but as there was much ref-action, in this we 'might 1826.] AND BEERINg's STRAIT. S63 possibly have been deceived. The weather assuming a very un- settled appearance in the offing, (and the S. E. breeze dying away,) w had every reason to expect the wind from the westward ; and knowing the ice to extend as far south as 71°, the consequences that flould attend such a shift were so evident, that we judged it prudent not to attempt penetrating any farther, especially in this advanced state c.'" the season. Accordingly we anchored within the eighth of a mile of the point, under shelter of an iceberg about fourteen feet high, and from fifty to sixty feet in length, that had grounded in four fathoms water. On the eastern side of the point there was a village, larger than any we had before seen, consisting entirely of yourts. The natives, on seeing us anchor, came down opposite the boat in great numbers, but seemed very doubtful whether to treat us as friends or enemies. We made signs of friendship to them ; and a couple of baidars reluctantly ventured ofFand accepted a few beads and some tobacco, which on their return to the shore induced sev- eral others to visit us. These people were clothed like the Esqui- maux we had seen on the other parts of the coast : their imple- ments were also the same, except that we thought they were more particular in constructing the bow, the spring of which was strength- ened with whalebone. Many of the men wore, as lip ornaments, slabs of bone and stone in an oblong shape, about three inches in length and one in breadth. They were much more daring than any people we had before seen, and attempted many thefts in the most open manner. Tobacco was the most marketable article ; but excepting their implements, orna- ments, or dress, they had nothing worth purchasing. They were exceedingly difficult to please, and not at all satisfied with what was §iven in exchange, insisting, after a bargain had been transacted, on having more for their articles. One of them who came alongside in a coiack, having obtained some tobacco that was offered for a lance, was resolute in not delivering up either ; and Mr. Elson considering that if such conduct was tamely submitted to they would be still more inclined to impose, endeavoured by threats to regain the to- bacco, but without effect. More boats coming off, and proving by their audacity equally troublesome, we thought it would be most advantageous to keep the barge under sail, which in all probability would prevent any thing serious occurring. Before weighing, the baidar was broken up, as her weight would materially impede our progress in working to windward on our return ; the hides were tak- en as a covering for the deck, and the frame-work destroyed for fire- wood. During the time we were at anchor, the wind shifted to S. W., and we stood to the N. W. with a light breeze ; but finding ourselves drifting rapidly to the northward by current, we were again obliged to anchor, Point Barrow bearing S. by E. 1-2 E. two ' { •V 264 VOTAOB TO THE PACIFIC [Sept. C'i and a half miles. Here we remained till eight o'clock. This point is the termination to a spit of land, which on examination from the boat's mast-head seemed to jut out several miles from the more reg. ular coast line. The width of the neck did not exceed a mile and a half, and apparently in some places less. The extremity was broader than any other part, had several small lakes of water on it, which were frozen over, and the village before spoken of is situated on its eastern shore. The eastern side of this neck trended in a S. S. W. (mag.) direction until it became lost to the eye being joined with a body of ice that encircled the horizon in the N. E. This union scarcely left us room to hazard an opinion which direction it afterwards took ; but from the circumstance of the currant setting at the rate of three miles and a half an hour N. E. (true), and tlieice all drifting to that quarter, we were induced to conjecture that its continuation led well to the eastward. It was our original hitention to have remained at the point till noon, landed, and obtained if possible all the necessary observations, besides depositing instructions for Captain Franklin ; but the char- acter of the natives entirely frustrated our plans, and obliged us, to avoid an open rupture, to quit the anchorage — a circumstance we greatly regretted, as we had anticipated gathering much information respecting the coast to the eastward, and on other points of import- ance. The nights had hitherto been beautifully clear and fine, and we were very sanguine of obtaining a number of lunar distances with the sun, being the only means we had of ascertaining correctly our farthest easting, as the patent log, we knew, from the strength of current, could in no way be depended on. At nine we weighed, and, stemming the current, stood in for the low point, off which there was an iceberg aground, on which we resolved to wait till noon for the latitude. On our way thither we passed another ex- tensive iceberg aground in six fathoms water, and not more than eight or ten feet above the surface. At noon we were favoured with a clear sun, and determined our lattitude to be 71° 24' 59' N. Lunar anchorage bearing from the place of observation one mile north (true), and the north-eastern part of Point Barrow S. E. 3-4 E. (mag.) 1 1-2'. From which the position of Point Barrow, the most northern part known of the American continent, is latitude 71° 23' 31" N., longitude 156° 21' 30'' W. The azimuth sights made the variation 41° east. The breeze still continuing light from the S. E. (although the clouds were approaching from the westward), we made all sail to the southward, and with great reluctance left this remarkable point without being able to leave any traces of our having visited it for Captain Franklin. The wind about one p. m. began gradually to fall, and at two it was perfectly calm. Unfortunately we were now "S&.. 1826.] AND BEERINg's STRAIT. 265 in too much water to anchor, and were, without tlie possibility of helping it, being set to the N. E. by the current at the rate of three miles and a half an hour. By four o'clock we had lost all we had made during the day, with a prospect, if it continued calm, of being drifted quite off the land — an accident that, had it occurred, would have placed our little vessel in a very serious situation. We were not, however, long in this state of suspense ; for an air came again from the eastward, which strengthening a little, and with the boat ahead towing, we made good progress towards the land, where, if it once more fell calm, we could retain our position with the anchor. When we had by towing and pulling got within a mile of the beach (and about two miles west of the point), nineteen of the natives came down opposite us armed with bows, arrows, and spears, and im- agining that it was our intention to land, motioned us to keep off, and seemed quite prepared for hostilities. Some of them were strip- ped almost naked. They preserved a greater silence than we found customary among them, one only speaking at a time, and apparently interrogating us. Notwithstanding this show of resistance, we still advanced nearer to the shore, as being more out of the current and favourable to our views, at the same time having the arms in read- iness in case of an attack. When within about thirty yards of the beach, we lost the wind, and continued pulling and towing along shore, the natives walking abreast of us upon the beach. At eight p. m. we passed a village of eight tents and four boats, but saw neither women nor children. Whilst approaching this village, we perceived the men hauling their baidars higher up on the beach, fearful, as we supposed, that we should molest them. Their dogs, as usual, set up a most abomina- ble yelling. About eleven our pedestrians began to h^, and shortly after made a general halt, watched us for a little while, and then turned back. At midnight we reached Cape Smyth, and considering our- selves tolerably well secure from the ice (not having seen any until our arrival off this point on the evening before,) and the crew being much tired, we ancho-ed, hoping that a few hours would bring a breeze — ^not caring from which quarter, as we felt confident that, before the ice could approach near enough to block us, we should be able to reach the Sea Horse Islands, where we made certain of being clear. The night dark and cloudy. Thursday, 24th August. At two a. m., a fine breeze rising at E. S. E., we weighed, but found the current so strong against us that we lost ground and anchored again : the current setting north (mag.) three miles and a half an hour. At three we were alarmed at the sudden appearance of the ice, which was drifting fast down on us. No time was to be lost. The crew were instantly sent on shore with a warp. We got up the anchor, and hauled within eight 34 M •<-^ Ht ' I! i^ n ii! I ., it r^. ^^ ■;'( "i I* * b > ^Wl?" J^ c , « , »l ■£ ■ i' m ■ ' 1 S)5 266 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August. or ten yards of the beach, it being steep enough to admit our pro- ceeding tlius close. We now began tracking the boat along, and proceeded for a short time without much difficulty ; but the ice in- creasing fast, and the pieces getting larger, she received some vio- lent blows. The main body nearing the shore to the distance of about 100 yards left this space less incumbered, and occasioned an increase in the rapidity of the current one knot an hour. To add to our perplexities, at five the wind freshened up at south (directly against us), and we also had the mortification to observe tlie jo'p speedily coimecting with the beach, scarcely leaving an open space visible. Nothing now but the greatest exertion could extricate tlie boat ; and the crew, willing to make the most of every trifling ad- vantage, gave a hearty cheer, and forced her through thick and heavy ice until we rounded a projecting point that had hitherto ob- structed our view. This, however, could only be accomplished wita considerable labour and risk ; for here, as in many other places, we had to track-line up cliffs, frequently covered with hard snow and ice, which, hanging a considerable distance overthe water, prevented the possibility of getting round beneath. The rope was then obli£;ed to be thrown down, and the upper end held fast, until the new hauled themselves up one by one ; and in this manner we continued along the cliff until the beach again made its appearance. But here even we found it no easy task to walk, on account of small loose shingle, in which we often sunk to the knees ; and having the weight of the boat at the same time, it became excessively fatiguing. On opening the prospect south of this point, our spirits were greatly enlivened at perceiving the channel clear for a long way, and hoping that by constant tracking we should do much towards getting clear of the ice, we divided the crew into two parties, gave each man a dram, and sent one division on board to rest, whilst tiie other laboured at the line. About eight a. m. the win J freshened so heavily against us, that we contemplated whether or not it would be advantageous to make a trial with the canvass, particularly as the main body of ice was a little more distant from the shore ; but remembering our position at two p. m. on the preceding day, we agreed that the current was too strong, and that if we should get encircled by the ice we must inevitably be separated from the shore, carried back with the stream, or forced to sea. The difficulty of drawing the boat against so strong a wind and current became now very great, and we began to seek a place where she might be laid free of the ice. But the straight line of coast offered us no pros- pect of such an asylum ; we therefore determined to prosecute our first intention of persevering in our endeavours as long as possible. By eleven a. m. we reached >.a village of nine tents, and trusted through the influence of tobacco, beads, &c. to receive some assis- ^•^ hrough thick and !ceive some assis- 1826.] AND BEERING^ STRAIT. 267 laiice from the inhabitants. Two of them approached us at first ttith some diffidence ; but Mr. Elson throwing tlie presents on shore, and myself going to meet them, after much gesticulation denoting peaceable intentions, we joined company. The ratification of rub- bing noses and cheeks being over, a leaf of tobacco given to each soon gained their confidence. One of them, an old man, seemed very thankful for his present, offering me any part of his garment as a reimbursement, which I declined accepting. Seeing so friendly an interview, several more ventured towards us ; and learning from their companions the treasures I possessed, were very eager to ob- tain some. By a few signs I easily made them understand that their assistance at the track-line would be amply rewarded. Six or seven directly took hold of the rope ; and our people relaxing a little in their exertions, though continuing at the line, we proceeded along gaily ; but I was frequently obliged to have recourse to the presents to keep them pulling. We had not passed the tents more than half a mile when a new and a very serious difficulty presented itself — the mouth of a river into which the current set with great velocity, carrying with it large rndsses of ice. After many attempts we suc- ceeded in getting a line across ; but had no sooner accomplished it, tlian it broke, and our repeated trials for a long time were unsuc- cessful. Eventually we managed to overcome this obstacle, and had just got the boat to the opposite shore when she grounded ; and the current setting strong against her, all our exertions to get her afloat were ineffectual. A few minutes before this accident, ]k. Elson, who was on board, hailed me, saying that the channel after crossing the river looked more favourable than ever. Cheered by this report, we worked harder ; but so quick was the ice in its movement, that in a few moments we wore enclosed on all sides. \othing more towards freeing the boat could now be done, there- fore we carried out her anchors to the shore and secured her, con- templating a retreat by land should we not be so fortunate as to get clear. On looking to the southward, we found the ice perfectly compact, and connected with the shore, not leaving visible a space of water three yards in diameter. The crew now enjoyed a little rest; and Mr. Elson decided that we should remain by the bp^: until the 1st of September, on which da}', should no chance appear of liberating her, we were to start by land for Kotzebue Sound. Some large ice grounding to windward partially sheltered the boat ; but as her situation was on the southern bank of the entrance to the the river, the current swept with force round, bringing occasionally some heavy ice in contact with the boat, the violence of which hove lier into a foot and a half lejs water than she drew ; and the sand soon formed a bank on the outside, leaving her quite bedded. At six p. M. the current had almost subsided. A most cheerless pros- ^*'. I J K t«t •' ]■ 1 I I * . . ) If 't lU., •ill n i:- :-•»► J'T / 268 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [August, 0^'^ J)" pect presented itself, the whole sea being covered with ice sufficient- ly compact to walk upon ; and the clouds becoming heavy and fly- ing swiftly from the S. W., offered not the smallest hope of our escape. The water had likewise "fallen n foot and a half, leaving the boat nearly dry. Our feoliugs now were indescribable, as it ap- peared very evident that we should be obliged to abandon our little vessel, and perform the journey to Chamisso Island on foot — an undertaking we were by no means adequate to, and which the ad- vanced state of the season would render extremely fatiguing. At eight we ascended a hill, but saw not the slightest chance of an open- ing, the ice to the southward being very compact as far as the eye could reach, and varying in its height from twelve to two feet above the level of the sea. At midnight the weather was cold, dark, and foggy, and seemed to indicate a S. W. gale. Friday, 25th Aug. At four this morning the current appeared to resume something of its former rapidity, causing the ice to move to the northward, and leaving small openings. This gave us faint hopes of a release ; but the wind springing up as we had anticipated, soon extinguished them. After breakfast we again visited the liill, but with no belter success than before. The tide returning or ebbing from the river brought back with it a quantity of the ice, almost every piece of which drifted athwart the boat ; so that we determined on getting her afloat, and shifting her to a better berth, where we should be ready to avail ourselves of the smallest prospect of getting clear. Having laid out an anchor astern, we with much difficulty got her through the sand bank that had formed itself round us ; and finding that at her own length farther out a channel was left for the ice to drive either out or into the river, we secured her to a large berg that had grounded and afforded us much shelter. Towards noon a number of natives vitited us, and were presented wit'i lobacco, &c. Among them was the old man spoken of the day before ; who on receiving his present, offered up what we concluded to be a prayer, at the same time blowing with his mouth, as if imploring an cast wind and the dispersion of the ice. — In the afternoon the wind had increased to a gale. We went to the hill, and there observed the line of ice within the horizon, and the sea breaking very heavily out- side : we saw also a number of large bergs drifting down. At four, fresh gales with heavy squalls — the ice around us became closely wedged, the pieces being forced one over another, forming a solid mass. The body of ice in the offing was still drifting to the north- ward. This day Mr. Elson determined, if we should be compelled to quit the boat , to take every thing out of her except the gun, to remove her into the deepest part of the river, and there sink her, so as to prevent the natives from destroying or breaking her up to obtain the iron ; from which situation, should we visit this coast next 1826.] AND BEERIIfo's KTRAIT. 869 wit'i lobacco, &c. year, she might with little trouble be raised. Tlic stores and rigging also we resolved to bury, and to leave directions where they might be found. On visiting the village (which was about half a mile dis- tant), the natives were uncommonly civil. They resided in tents, the frames of which were made with poles, and covered with seal- skins : the bottom or floor was merely a few logs laid sidewise on the ground : inside there was a second lining of reindeer skin, which did not reach quite to the top: this constituted the whole oftiieir dwelling. Their principal food appeared to be reindeer and seal's flesh ; and having procured more than sufficient of these animals for present use, they had buried the overplus in the sand, to be kept until required. They very generously led us to a seal that had been thus deposited. The flesh and blubber which had been sepa- rated were wrapped in the skin, and were in a most disgusting oily state. One of the natives put in his hand, stirred up the contents, and offered us some, the sight of which alone was enough to turn one's stomach. He seemed to pity our want of taste, and sucked his fingers with the greatest relish. Each of the crew having provided himself with native boots, &ic., for travelling in, return- ed to the boat. During the night the gale abated, and the wind fell almost calm, and it began to freeze hard. Wherever there was any opening before, the water was covered with young ice. The tide here rose and fell from eighteen to twenty inches : — the time of change very irregular, probably influenced by the ice. Saturday, 26th Aug. Our chance of getting clear seemed more remote now than ever, and we commenced making preparation for the land journey. The crew were sent on shore to exercise their limbs, and train themselves for walking. We traced the winding of the river for some distance ; the banks were high on each side. It seemed deep, and its turnings frequent and sudden. The only an- imal we saw was a red fox, which avoided our pursuit. In the eve- ning we returned to the boat — the weather still frosty. Sunday, 2'i -h Aug. We had a sharp frost during the night, attended with frozen particles, which fell like dust, and covered our clothes. The wind light from the S. W., with a thick fog. The fresh water ponds were frozen to the thickness of half an inch. After eight a. M., Mr. Elson and myself walked along the beach to reconnitre the state of the ice. We found that if we could cut the boat through a quarter of a mile of ice, we should get into about double that dis tance of clear water, and returned on board with the determination lo accomplish this. Having got the boat afloat, we began our ar- duous task of cutting and hauling her through the ice. "The natives, seeing us thus employed, very kindly came (unasked) and lent their assistance. We persevered in our labours till half past three, by which time we had moved the boat amileandahalfsouthofherfor- 4 ■'' >m # ^.ti&^ 270 VOTACE TO THE PACIFIC [August, )l mer position. Another and more formidable barrier was now op- posed to us, consisting of extensive pieces of ice aground, closely wedged together by smaller masses, under which we anchored. After dinner INIr. fclson and myself again visited the cliffs, and thought we could perceive a zigzag channel, which afforded a hope of liberation, provided we could force her through the present oh- stacle. Immediately we got on board, we commenced cutting a passage ; hut had no sooner made an opening, than it was filled by the current drifting smaller pieces of ice down. These we for some time kept cutting and clearing away ; but after two hours and a lialf of hard work, wc found our t .\ertions endless, and relinquished ilie attempt. In the evening the wind %eered to the S. E., and the breeze, though light from this quarter, put someof the smaller piec- es of ice in motion off the land. We remained up till midnight, al- though fatigued with the toils of the day, and the wind having in- creased to a fresh breeze, had the consolation to witness the mov- ing of several of the larger pieces. The collision that now took place, owing to the shift of the wind (the ice in the offmg still holding its former course, whilst that in-shore was opposed to it), occasioned a grinding noise not unlike to that of a heavy roaring surf. Having fully satisfied ourselves of the departure of the ice, if the wind should hold its present direction and force, we returned to rest, anxiously waiting the following morning. Monday, 28th Aug. Rbing early, we had the great satisfaction to sec that the formidable barrier which yesterday afternoon liad been proof against our attempts, bad nearly all drifted to sea, and that the coast, as far as we could discern, was fast clearing of ice. The wind blew strong at S. S. E. ; and every preparation being made for weighing, after a hasty breakfast the anchor was got up, and our little vessel again bounded through the waters. Our tack- ing now was very uncertain, as it some places the ice still remained thick, and obliged us to perfoim that evolution twice or tlirice in the space of a few minutes ; and as we made it a rule not to bear up for any thing, we had some close rubs. By two p. m. we could see the southern termination of the main body of ice. There were still a number of large pieces aground, and much drift about us ; the current setting to the northward at the rate of a mile and half an hour. At three the wind fell light. A heavy swell from the S.Vi. occasioned a furious surf along the beach, and obliged us to keep well out to sea. The ice still extending far to windward made our situation very critical should the wind blow hard from the S. W. It now fell calm, with heavy clouds in the S. W.; and being in want of water, we procured a supply fit)m the bergs that were near us. We watched every cloud with the greatest anxiety, and at eight ob- served them coming steadily from the westward, bringing with them 18-26.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 271 ier was now o]i- aground, closely ch we anchoreil. ;d the cliffs, and 1 afforded a hope 1 the present ob- Tienced cutting a in it was filled by ["hese we for some ■o hours and a halt' I relinquished the 3 S. E., and the tf the smaller piec- p till midnight, al- ; wind having in- witness the inov- 3n that now took ; offing still holding i to it), occasioned ring surf. Having , if the wind should to rest, anxiously e great satisfaction lay afternoon had Irifted to sea, and St clearing of ice. )reparation being ichor was got up, aters. Our tack- e ice still remained twice or thrice in rule not to bear wo P. M. we could ice. There were drift ahout us ; the mile and half an ell from the S.^V. iliged us to keep indward made our •d from the S. W. and being in want lat were near us. y, and at eight oh- ringing with them II thick fog. We then stood to the northward until we reached the ice. when we tacked to the southward, and sailed along its margin. There were several walruses upon it, .vhicli at our approach bund- led into the water. We had scarcely got clear of this field or body of ice, when it again fell calm, the clouds very heavy, and a thick fog. Finding that the current was again setting us to the northward at the rate of two miles and a half an hour, we anchored, and had no soon- er done so, than several large detached bergs were seen driving rap- idly down in our hawse. We again got up the anchor, and towed ihe boat in-shore, where we anchored again, and kept a vigilant look-out. Tuesday, 29th Aug. In the course of the night the S. W. swell went down, and at one this mornrng a light air sprang up from the S. E. Weighed and stood in-shore, the wind gradually freshening. In running along the land, passed a quantity of drift ice. At noon, saw another body of ice about two miles distant, extending about eleven miles N. and S. ; and ao wc were nut ^ ui fui unuugh south to see Cape Franklin, we were apprehensive the ice might join it, in which case we should be again beset. In the afternoon, with great pleasure, we passed between it and the southern extremity of the ice at the distance of a mile and a half. At three, it again fell calm —Cape Franklin, W. S. W. one mile. We were preparing to go on shore to deposit a bottle for Captain Franklin, which we had not done on our way to the northward, when a fresh gale suddenly rising atW. S. W. obliged us to abandon the project, as not a moment was to be lost in getting out of the bight, lest the ice (which experience had now taught us was quick in its motion) might again enclose us. The weather continued very unsettled during the night. Wednesday, 30th Aug. Having rounded the point, we ran fifty miles on a S. W. course. The wind then suddenly shifted to the S. W., blew very strong. We shortened sail to the close-reefed mainsail and storm-jib, and stood off and on shore. In the eve- ning we had showers of snow and sleet, and at midnight strong gales with squalls of snow. Thursday, 31st Aug. At two a. m. a heavy squall came on which split the mainsail, and a little before four the staysail shared the same fate. Towards the morning the weather was more mod- erate, accompanied with rain. Shortly after eight the wind sud- denly veered to W. N. W. and blew strong. Set the close-reefed foresail, and furled the other sails, steering S. S. W. Noon, more moderate. Latitude observed 70" 23' N. The remainder of the day was fine. Friday, 1st Sept. Our stock of wood and water being expended, we hauled towards the land and made all sail ; but as we drew in, the wind gradually decreased in strength, and before we obtained M ^ *i l\i\ , ifi \^n ■■'J ' 'u ' y ^ 1 . i . k n # «*:- .1 . •^7^ 872 VOYAGE TO TH£ PACIFIC [Sept. )i r ihe shore, on tliat part w here the higli land recedes from the mast. The boat was soon despatched to procure what we wanted ; hut in our thirsty moments we did not perceive that the pool from which we procured the water was brackish ; having however filled our casks with it, and obtained some fuel, wc again put to sea, with tlm wind from the southward. Saturday, 2d Sept. Working along-shore. Noon calm and tinp. Sent the boat on shore to get a supply of better water. Found nil the pools near the beach very brackish ; from which we concluded that the recent westerly gales had thrown the surf so high that it became mingled with the water of the lakes, and we determined to have recourse to the first running stream we should come to. About two the wind again came from the southward, and at four wc had every prospect of a gale from that quarter. It therefore became necessary to carry a heavy press of sail all night to obtain an anchor- age as near Capo Lisburn as possible, so that in th^; event of the w'luA shifting to the wootward wo might bc able tO gCt OUt of the bay. On Sunday, as had been anticipated, it blew a strong gale, Imt the boat made good weather of it until eight p. m., when the bow- sprit broke, and obliged us to anchor : Cape Lisburn W. N. W. six leagues. Strong gales, with heavy gusts of wind off the land con- tinued until four p. m., at which time the weather being more mod- erate, we weighed under close-reefed sails, and stood towards the cape, Mr. Elson wishing to be near an entrance to a lake which was situated a mile or two east of Cape Lisburn, in which he thought the boat might find shelter, should it blow hard from the westward. On arriving at this spot, we found, to our surprise, that the entrance which Mr. Elson had sounded and examined in the barge's little boat was quite filled up, and that there was not the slightest appearance of there ever having been one. In the evening the wind became light and variable. Anchored — the cape W. S. W. four miles. Monday, 4th Sept. It again blew strong from the southward, and at nine \. m. the wind increased so much as obliged us to let go another anchor to prevent being driven to sea. In the afternoon il again relaxed, but by midnight resumed its former violence. Tuesday, 5th Sept. The wind somewhat subsiding this morn- ing, completed our wood and water. Whilst thus employed, a na- tive came over the hills and trafficked with us. Afterwards he stole from one of the crew some tobacco, and made off. The theft was not discovered until he was a long way distant and running, being evidently aware of the crime he had committed. At noon abaidar with eleven natives came round the cape and visited us. The wind continued strong from the southward ; but being anxious to proceed, as our provisions were beginning to grow short, weighed and stood ^ [did.] AND BKERlNo's ITRAIT. 273 towards the cape under the foresail and staj'sail only. At two wo jot within tiic influence of the variable winds, occasioned by the steep and high land of the cape. The bubble and violent agitation of the sea exceeded any idea of the kind we had formed, and broke over the boat in every direction. We had no method of extrica- ting her. The gusts of wind that came from every quarter lasting but a moment, left us no prospect of getting clear. We were at this time about two miles from the Irnd. The wind inshore of us blew with astonishing violence ; the eddies from the hills making whirlwinds which carried up the spray equal in height to the moun- tain. However, by four p. m., what with a slight current, and ta- king advantage of every flaw, we gained an offing of four miles, and, to prevent being set farther to the noiihward, anchored : — a heavy seaninning, but little wind. We had not been more than half an hour in this situation when it blew again from the same point with redoubled violence. With some difficulty we lifted cur a-^ '" or and made sail in for the land. As we approached it, the gusts ca> \' very strong off the hills, notwithstanding which we carried a press of sail toiegain an anchorage. For an hour and a half we w'"re literally sailing through a sea of spray. At six, having closed \r jU with the land, we anchored and rode out the gale. This evening Mr. Elson put the crew ):> lalf an allowance of provisions. Wednesday, 6th Sept. Early in the morning we observed an alterbiA>n in the weather. The clouds collecting fast from the N. yf. led us to expect the wind from that quarter. At ten a. m., the wind becoming variable and moderate, weighed, and by three in the afternoon, to our inexpressible joy, got round the windy promontory of Cape Lisburn. The crew were again put on their former allow- ance ; and we made all sail, with an increasing breeze, to the south- ward. Passing the cape, we observed five baidars hauled up and one tent, but saw few of the natives. It had been Mr. Elson's in- tention to look into the bight on the northern side of Point Hope ; but the sea was so high and the weather so threatening that we kept well off, in order to weather the point. We noticed the water, whilst off Marryat Creek, to be of a very muddy colour, as if some river discharged itself there. By nine p. m. we rounded the point and steered S. S. E., to have a good offing in case the wind should again come from the westward. Thursday, 7th Sept. The weather seemed determined to per- secute us to the last. The wind strengthened to a gale, and raised a short, high, dangerous sea. We hauled in for the land as much as it would allow. At nine a. m. it blew extremely hard ; and, con- sidering it dangerous to scud, rounded to on the larboard tack, took in the foresail, and set balanced-reefed mainsail and storm-jib. Found the boat behave uncommonly well and continue tolerably 35 A > n .' tl I Jnp.imum m ^^'^i r i *? I '^ M 'V'^ ■> i| 274 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC h'^ept. dry. At noon our latitude was 67° 19' N. In the afternoon itniotl- erated and we made sail in for the land. At four p. m. saw Cape Mulgrave on the weather-bow, and altered our course for Kotzebue Sound. The wind dying away left us at midnight, becalmed a few miles from Cape Krusenstern. Friday, 8th. After a few hours' calm, a breeze came from the S. E., and we worked along shore. In the forenoon several bai- dars came off to us We procured in exchange for a few beads, a large quantity of salmon, in hopes we should be able to keep enough to supply the ship. While sailing along the land, many more of these boats came off; but on waving them to return, they left us un- molested. Wo saw immense quantities of fish drying on shore, and concluded thai the natives assembled at this inlet to lay in tlieir winter stock. Saturday, 9th. Owing to the light winds, we made but small progress during the night, and this morning were ofl' Hotliam Inlet. At eleven anchored. Sent the boat on shore to obtain wood and water. Noon, the latitude observed (with false horizon) was CG" 58' N. The spot abreast where we anchored had, when Mr. El- son visited this inlet before, been the site of an Esquimaux village; but there was not a single tent left. In the evening we weighed from here, and the next morning had the pleasure of seeing the ship at anchor off Chamisso Island, and the gratification to find all on board of her well. (Signed) William Smyth, Mate of H. M. S. Blossom. By this expedition about seventy miles of coast, in addition to those discovered by the Blossom — making in the whole 12G miles — have been added to the geography of th<3 polar regions, and the distance between Captain Franklin's discoveries and our own lias been brought within so small a compass as to leave very little room for further speculation on the northern limits of the continent of America. The actual distance left unexplored is thus reduced to 146 miles, and there is much reason to believe, from the state of the sea about Point Barrow, and along that part of the coast whicliwas explored by Captain Franklin, that the navigation of the remain- ing portion of unknown coast in boats is by no means a hopeless project. Having now the assistance of the barge, I embarked in her to examine narrowly the shores of Kotzebue Sound. Proceeding to survey the head of Escholtz Bay, shallow water obliged the boat to anchor off Elephant Point, where I left Mr. Collie with a party to examine again the cliffs in which the fossils and ice formation had been seen by Kotzebue, and proceeded to the head of the bay in a t:' v-i- IP ■HP 1826.] AND BEERING'iJ STIIAIT. 275 small boat. We landed upon a flat muddy beach, and were obliged to wade a quarter of a mile before we could reach a cliff for the purpose of having a view of tlie surrounding country. Having gained its summit, we were gratified by the discovery of a large river coming from the southward, and passing between our station and a range of hills. At a few miles distance tlic river passed be- tween rocky cliffs, whence the land on either side became hilly, and interrupted our further view of its course. The width of the river was about a mile and a half; but this space was broken into narrow and intricate channels by banks — some dry, and others partly so. Tlie stream passed rapidly between them, and at an earlier period of the season a considerajjle body of water must be poured into the sound ; though, from the comparative width of the channels, the current in the latter is not much felt. The shore around us was flat, broken by several lakes, in which there were a great many wildfowl. The cliff we had ascended was composed of a bluish mud and clay, and was full of deep chasms lying in a direction parallel with the front of the eminence. In ap- pearance this hill was similar to that at Elephant Point, which was said to contain fossils ; but there were none seen here, though the earth, in parts, had a disagreeable smell, similar to that which was supposed to proceed from the decayed animal substances in the cliff near Elephant Point. Returning from this river, we were joined by three caiacs from some tents near us, and four from the river, who were very troub- lesome, pestering us for taiooc/c, and receiving the little we had to fjve them in the most ungracious manner, without offering any return. I found Mr. Collie had been successful in his search among the clifts at Elephant Point, and had discovered several bones and grind- ers of elephants and other animals in a fossil state. Associating these two discoveries, I bestowed the name of EKphant upon the point, to mark its vicinity to the place where the fossils were found ; and upon the river that of Buckland, in compliment to Dr. Buck- land, the professor of geology at Oxford, to whom I am much in- debted for the above mentioned description of the fossils. The cliff in which these fossils appear to have been imbedded is part of the range in which the ice formation was seen in July. During our absence (a space of five weeks) we found that the edge of the cliff in one place had broken away four feet, and in another two feet and a half, and a further portion of it was on the eve of being precipitated upon the beach. In some places where the icy shields had adhered to the cliff nothing now remained, and frozen earth formed the front of the cliff. By cutting through those parts of the ice which were still attached, the mud in a frozen state pre- y >! •'.; ',i ^ '^'s^ I if 276 TOYAGK TO THE PACIFIC [^ept. sented itself as before, and confirmed our previous opinion of the nature of the clift' Without putting it to this test, appearances might well have led to the conclusion come to by Kotzebue and M. Escholtz ; more especially if it happened to be visited early in the summer, and in a season less favourable than that in which we view- ed it. The earth, which is fast falling away from the cliffs — not in this place only, but in all parts of the bay — is carried away by the tide ; and throughout the summer there must be a tendency to di- minish the depth of the water, which at no very distant period will probably leave it navigable only by boats. It is now so shallow otf the ice cliffs, that a bank dries at two miles, distance from the shore ; and it is only r.t the shingly points which occur opposite the ravines that a convenient landing can be effected with small boats.* In consequence of this shallow water there was much difficulty in embarking the fossils, the tusks in particular, the largest of which weighed IGOlbs., and it took us the greater part of the night to ac- complish it. In our way on board we met several native caiacs, and had an exhibition of one of the Esquimaux in throwing his dart, which he placed in a slip, a small wooden instrument about a foot in length, with a hole cut in the end to receive the forefinger, and a notch for the thumb. The stick being thus grasped, the dart was laid along a groove in the slip, and embraced by the middle finger and thumb. The man next propelled his caiac with speed in order to communicate greater velocity to the dart, and then whirled it through the air to a considerable distance. As there was no mark, we could not judge of his skill in taking aim. His party lived a long distance up Buckland river, and were acquuinted with the musk ox, which I am the more particular in remarking, as we had never seen that animal on the coast. About eight o'clock at night we had a brilliant display of the au- rora borealis, a phenomenon of the heavens so beautiful that it has been justly thought to surpass all description. In our return to the ship to deposit the fossils, a calm obliged us to anchor on the north side of the bay, where we landed with diffi- culty, in consequence of the shallowness of the beach, and of seve- ral ridges of sand thrown up parallel with it, too near the surface for the boat to pass over, and with channels of water between them too deep to wade through without getting completely wet. The coun- try abounded in lakes, in which were many wild ducks, geese, teal, and widgeon ; and was of the same swampy nature before describ- ed : it was covered with moss, and occasionally by low bushes of ♦ This difficulty of approaching the shore, even in a boat, will, I trust, convince the reader of the impracticability of trying the effect of a cannon shot upon the mud cliff vith a view of bringing down some part of its surface, as has been suggested since the publication of the quarto edition. \. 1926.] AND BEERINQ S STRAIT. 277 Vii ;i|'i. juniper, cranberry, whortleberry, and cloudberry. Near this spot, two days before, we saw a herd of eleven reindeer, and shot a musk rat. Hence westward, to the neck of Choris Peninsula, the shore was difficult of access, on account of long muddy flats extending into the the bay, and at low water drying in some places a quarter of a mile from the beach. Bad weather and the duties of the ship prevented my resuming the examination of the sound until the 20th, when we ran across in the barge to Spafarief Bay, and explored the coast from thence to the westward ; passing close along the beach, anchoring at night, and landing occasionally during the day for observations, and to ob- tain information of the nature of the country. This part of the sound appeared to have so few temptations to the Esquimaux, that we saw only two parties upon it ; and one of these, by having their dogs harnessed in the boat, appeared to be only on an excursion: the other was upon Cape Deceit, a bold promontory, with a conspicuous rock off it, so named by Captain Kotzebue. At two places where we landed there were some deserted yourts, not worthy of description ; and at the mouth of two rivers in the first and second bays to the eastward of Cape Deceit, there were several spars and logs of drift-wood, placed erect, which showed that the na- tives had occupied these stations for catching fish, but the_y were now all deserted. Both these rivers had bars across the entrances, upon which the sea broke, so as to prevent a boat from entering them. The land on the south side of the sound, as far as the Bay of Good Hope, !C higher, more rocky, and of a bolder character than the op- posite shore, though it still resembles it in its swampy superficial covering, and in the occurrence of lakes wherever the land is flat. Under water also, it has a bolder character than the northern side, and has generally soundings of four and five fathoms quite close to the promontories. There are two or three places under these head- lands which, in case of necessity, will afibrd shelter ta boats, but each with a particular wind only ; and in resorting thither the direc- tion of the wind and the side cf the promontory must be taken into consideration. In a geological point of view this part of the coast is interesting, as being the only place in the sound where volcanic rocks occurred. Near the second promontory, to the eastward of Cape Deceit, we found slaty limestone, having scales of talc between the layers ; and in those parts of the cliflf which were most fallen down a talcaceous slate, with thin layers of limestone, and where the rocks were more abrupt, limegtone of a more compact nature. In this cliff there was also an alum slate of a dark bluish colour. We could not land at the next cliff, but, on a close view of the rock, conjectured it to con- 'I ! *l -■ ; >■■ t H \ .f. fit. If 1 1 -J i :^ii ,TTJ iff f I' ^1*4 < ,6' ' 278 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Sept. sist of compact limestone, dipping to the E. N. E. at an angle of 30°. Cape Deceit, the next headland, appeared to be compact limestone also, in large angular blocks, devoid of any distinct strata- fication. Proceeding on to Gullhead, which is a narrow rocky pe- ninsula, stretching a mile into the sea, we found it chiefly composed of slaty limestone, of a blackish and grayish colour, containing par- tides of talc in larger or smaller quantities, as it was elevated above or on a level with the sea, but without any visible stratafication, A bed of slate to the eastward of the promontory, bore strong marks of its having been subjected to the action of fire. The slaty limestone of the clifFon the eastern side of this, dips at m angle of 65° to the eastward. The neck or isthmus is either unstratafied,or its beds are perpendicular ; beyond it the strata dip to the west at nearly a right angle. Eight miles farther along the coast, we landed at the first of a series of low points, with small bays between them, which continue about fou) miles, beyond which the coast assumes a totally different character. On these low points, as well as upon the shores of the bay, we were surprised to find large blocks of porous vesicular lava and more compact la va , containing portions of olivine. These blocks are accumulated in much larger quantities on the points, and in the bays form reefs off the coast which are dangerous to boats passins; close along the shore. The country here slopes gradually from some hills to the beach, and is so well overgrown that we could not examine its substrata ; but they do not in outward formation ex- hibit any indication of volcanic ;.gency. Further on we landed in a small bay formed by a narrow wa'i of volcanic stones — some wholly above water, others only slightly im- mersed. These reefs were opposite a low mud cliff, similar in its nature to those in which the fossils were found in Escholtz Bay; and though they did not furnish any bones, yet it is remarkable that a pie "-e of a tusk was picked upon the beach near them. It must, however, be observed that its edges were rounded off by the surf, to which it had been a long time exposed ; and it might have been either washed up from some other place, or have been left on the beach by the natives. To the westward of these rocky projections the coast is low, swampy, and intersected by lakes and rivers. The rounded hills which thus far bound the horizon of the sound to the southward here branch off inland, and a distant range of a totally different character rises over the vast plain that extends to Cape Espenburg, and forms the whole of the western side of the sound. In the angle which it makes, we discovert d a river, which, we were informed by a few natives who came off to us in a miserable baidar, with dogs looking as unhappy as themselves, extended inland five days' journey for ■' f .%»-4. "*^'i. 1826.] AND BEERINO'S STRAIT. 279 "^ f^ . E. at an angle of red to be compact ■ any distinct strata- 1 narrow rocky pe- it chiefly composed Dur, containing par- was elevated above isible stratafication. ontory, bore strong of fire. The slaty , dips at m angle of ither unstratafied, or I dip to the west at led at the first of a em, which continue ;s a totally difTerent )ii the shores of the orous vesicular lava vine. These blocks le points, and in the 3US to boats passing opes gradually from vn that we could not tward formation ex- the coast is low. The rounded hills the southward here different character spenburg, and forms the angle which it informed by a few ', with dogs looking e days' journey for their baidars ; but on examination it proved so shallow at the mouth, that even the gig could not enter it. A few miles to the north-west- ward of this river, we arrived off the inlet which Captain Kotzebue meditated to explore in baidars, and was very sanguine that it would lead to some great inland discovery. We consequently approached the spot with interest; and as soon as the mud capes through which the river has made its way to the ocean opened to our view, bore up, with the intention of sailing into the inlet, which runs in a west- erly direction ; but we were here again obliged to desist, in conse- quence of the shallowness of the water. At two miles and more from the shore, we had less than a fathom water ; and we observed the sea breaking heavily upon a bank which extended from shore to shore across the mouth of the inlet. Thinking, however, these breakers might be occasioned by the overfall of the tide, the gig was despatched to endeavour to effect a passage through them ; but the ivater shoaling gradually, she could not approach within even a cable's length of the breakers. At the top of the tide, probably, when the water is smooth, small boats may enter the inlet ; but if the bar is attempted under other circumstances, the crew will prob- ably be subjected to a similar ducking to that which Captai# Kot- zebue himself experienced in repassing it. Seeing these difficulties I did not deem any further examination necessary ; and as it could never lead to any useful purpose of navigation, I did not even con- template a return to it under more favourable circumstances. The inlet occurs in a vast plain of low ground, bounded on the north by Cape Espenburg, on the east by the Bay of Good Hope, on the west by Beering's Strait, and on the south by ranges of mountains There are also several lakes and creeks in the plain, some of which may probably communicate with the inlet ; or they may all, Schis- niareff Inlet included, be the mouths of a large river. It is, howev- er, very improbable that there should be any direct communication between these two inlets, as the natives would, in that case, have in- fonned us of it when they drew their chart of the sound. While we were off here, we noticed a parhelion so bright that it nas difficult to distinguish it from the sun ; a circumstance the more de- serving of remark, in consequence of the naturalist of Kotzebue's expedition having observed that this phenomenon is very rare in these seas, and that a Russian grown old in the Aleutean Islands never saw it n . than once. Quitting this inlet, we directed our course along the land toward Cape Espenburg, and found that the bar was not confined to the mouth of the inlet alone, but extended the whole way to the cape, and was not passable in any part ; having tried in- effectually in those places which afforded the best prospect of suc- cess. On landing at Cape Espenburg, we found that the sea penetrated , I V '/ ) 't--* \ n ', (* ..')' 280 VOYAOS TO THE PACIFIC '\i Kfeii I [Sept. to the southward of it, formed it into a narrow strip of land, upon which were gome high sand-hills. The point had a great many poles placed erect upon it, and had evidently been the residence of the Esquimaux ; but it was now entirely deserted. Near these poles there were several huts and native burial-places, in which the bodies were disposed in a very different manner to that practised by the eastern Esquimaux. The corpse was here enclosed in a sort of coffin formed of loose planks, and placed upon a platform of drift- wood, covered over with a board and several spars, which were kept in their places by poles driven into the ground in a slanting direc- tion, with their ends crossing each other over the pile. The body was found lying with the head to the westward, and had been inter- red in a double dress, the under one made of the skins of eider- drakes, and the upper one of those of reindeer. It had been ex- posed a considerable time, as the skeleton only was left ; but enoudi of the dress remained to show the manner in which the body had been clothed. The beach was in a great measu'-e composed of dark-coloured volcanic sand, and was strewed witli dead shells of the cardiuin, Ve- nus, firbo, murex, solen, trochus, mytilus, mya, lepas, anu t^lhna genera : there were also some large asterias. The sand-hill^ were partly covered with elymus grass, the vaccinium vitis idaea empe- trum nigrum, and some shrubs, while the carex preferred the hollow moist places ; the rest of the surface was occupied by lichens. On the border of the lakes there were several curlew, sanderlings, and gulls ; while small flocks of ptarmigan alighted upon those parts which produced berries. A red fox prowling among the deserted huts and the graves was the only quadi-uped seen. Nearly the whole of the day was passed at this place in making astronomical ob- servations; after which we embarked, and were obliged by bad weather to return to the ship. The day after my departure, a new cutter, which had been built of some wood of the porou-tree, grown upon Otalieite, was com- pleted and launched, and upon trial found to answer under canvas beyond our expectations, doing great credit to Mr. Garret, the car- penter, who built her almost entirely himself. I placed her under the charge of Lieutenant Belcher, who was afterwards almost daily employed in surveying. On the 22nd the aurora borealis was seen in the W. N. W. ; from which quarter it passed rapidly to the N. E., and formed a splendid arch, emitting vivid and brilliantly coloured coruscation?. On the 25th the wind, which had blown strong from the northward the day before changed to the southward, and had such an effect uponthe tide that it ebbed twenty hours without intermission. In another excursion which I made along the north side of the [5epf. 1826.] AND BGERIWG S STRAIT, 981 ■ip of land, upon ad a great many I the residence of Near these poles 1 which the bodies practised by the )sed in a sort of platform of drift- s, which were kept a slanting direc- pile. The body ,nd had been inter- the skins of eider- It had been ex- ras left ; but enough fhich the body had id of dark-coloured of the cardium, Ve- lepaSj afiW l^llina ;'he sand-hili3 were (1 vitis idaea empe- preferred the hollow led by lichens. On w, sanderiings, and upon those parts mong the deserted seen. Nearly the ing astronomical ob- ere obliged by bad hich had been bulk talieite, was com- iswer under canvas r. Garret, the car- II placed her under Irwards almost daily intheW.N.W.; E., and formed a ared coruscation?. [ from the northward [lad such an effect intermission. north side of the sound, I landed at a cape which had been named after the ship, and had the satisfaction of examining an ice formation of a similar na- ture to that in Escholtz Bay, only more extensive and having a con- trary aspect. The ice here, instead of merely fomiing a shield to the cliff, was imbedded in the indentations along its edge, filling them up nearly even with the front. A quantity of fallen earth was accumulated at the base of the cliff, which uniting with the earthy spaces intervening between the beds of ice, might lead a person to iniagine the ice formed the cliff, and supported a soil two or three feet thick, part of which appeared to have been precipitated over the brow. But on examining it above, the ice was fouud to be detach- ed from the cliff at the back of it ; and in a few instances so much so, that there were deep chasms between the two. These chasms are no doubt widened by the tendency the ice must have towards the edge of the cliff ; and I have no doubt the beds of ice are occa- sionally loosened, and fall upon the beach, where if they become covered with the earthy materials from above, and perhaps remain some time immured. In some places the cliff was undermined, and the surface in general was very rugged ; but it was evident in this, as in the former instance, that the ice was lodged in the hollow places in the cliff. While we continued here we had an example of the manner in which the face of the cliff might obtain an icy covering sim- ilar to that in Escholtz Bay. There had been a sharp frost during the night, which froze a number of small streams that were trick- ling down the face of the cliff, and cased those parts of it with a sheet of ice, which, if the oozings from the cliff and the freezing process were continued, would without doubt form a thick coating to it. Upon the beach, under the cliffs, there was an abundance of drift birch and pine wood, among which there was a fir-tree three feet in diameter. This tree, and another, which by the appearance of its bark had been recently torn up by the roots, had been washed up since our visit to this spot in July ; but from whence they came we could not even form a conjecture, as we had frequently remarked the absence of floating timber, both in the sound and in the strait. We found some natives at this place laying out their nets for seals, who, perceiving we were about to take up our quarters near them, struck their tents expeditiously, threw every thing into their baid- ars, to which they harnessed their dogs, and drove off for about half a mile, where they encamped again. We procured from them about two bushels of whortle berries, which they had collected for their own consumption, and learnt that they had been unsuccessful in fishing. We noticed that at their meals they stripped their dried fish of its skin, and gave it to the women and children, who ate it very contentedly, while the men regaled themselves upon the flesh. 36 ■*-.':; . V] '■• '' .•^. ]y S82 VOVAOE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct, During the night we had a brilliant display of the aurora borealis, remarkable for its masses of bright light. It extended from N. E. to W., and at one time formed tiiree arches. As we were takin" our departure we were visited by a baidar, from which we procured some fine fresh salmon and trout. The coxswain of this boat wore unusually large labrets, consisting of blue glass beads fixed upon circular pieces of ivory, a full inch in diameter. He drew us a chart of Hotham Inlet, which resembled one that had been traced upon the beach by some natives the day before ; both of which represen- ted it as an arm of the sea in the form of an hour-glass, which was not far from the truth. The Esquimaux seem to have a natural tal- ent for such delineations ; and though their outlines may serve no essential purpose of navigation, they are still useful in pointing out the nature of a place that has not been visited : an information which may sometimes save a useless journey. It is, however, to be obser- ved, that not unfrequently they appear to trace the route which a boat can pursue, rather than the indentations of the coast, by whicli rivers and bays not frequented would be overlooked. Such charts are further useful in marking the dwellings and fishing stations of the natives. From hence we bore away to examine Hotham Inlet, and found it so encumbered with shoals that it was necessary to run seven miles off the land to avoid striking upon them ; it had but one small entrance, so very narrow and intricate, that the boats grounded re- peatedly in pursuing it. In the middle of the channel there were only five feet water at half-flood ; and the tide ebbed so sfi-ong through it, that the boat could not stem it ; and as there was bit a small part of the coast of this inlet that we had not seen, and find- ing the examination of it would be attended with difficulty, and would occupy a long time, the boats did not ascend it. The shoal which is off the entrance has no good land-marks for it ; the bear- ings from its extremity in two fathoms and a half of water are Cape Blossom, S. 66° 40' E. (true); Western High Mount, N. 17° 30' W. (true) ; and the west extreme, a bluff cape, near Cape Krus- eastern, N. 37° 0' W. (true.) But the best way to avoid it is to go about directly the soundings decrease to six fathoms, as after that depth they shoal so rapidly to two fathoms and a quarter that there is scarcely room to put the ship round. On the 1st of October we landed upon a sandy point at the west- em limit of the inlet, and were joined by a few Esquimaux who had their tents not far off to the westward ; they had communica- ted with the boat two months before, and came again in the expec- tation of getting a few more blue beads and foreign articles for some nets and fish. They immediately recognised such of the officers as they had seen before, and were delighted at meeting them. Some /'A 1826.] AND BEERINO 8 STRAIT. 283 of the beads which they had obtained were now suspended to dif- ferent parts of their dress, in the same manner as was practised by the Esquimaux of Melville Peninsula, and round their necks, or were made into bracelets. They corroborated the former account of the inlet, the length of which they estimated a long day's pad- dle ; our observations made it thirty-nine miles. At the back of the point where we landed there was another inlet, to the end of which they said their baidars could aljo go, notwithstanding we saw a bar across its mouth so shallow that the gulls waded over from shore to shore. Near us, there was a burying ground, which, in acklition to what we had already observed at Cape Espenburg, fur- nished several examples of the manner in which this tribe of natives dispose of their dead. In some instances a platform was construct- ed of drift-wood, raised about two feet and a quarter from t' . ground, upon which the body was placed with its head to the westward, and a double tent of drift-wood erected over it ; the inner one with spars about seven feet long, and the outer one with some that were three times that length. They were placed close together, and at first no doubt sufficiently so to prevent the depredations of foxes and wolves ; but they had yielded at last ; and all the bodies, and even the hides that covered them, had suffered by these rapacious animals. In these tents of the dead there were no coffins or planks, as at Cape Espenburg ; the bodies were dressed in a frock made of eider- duck skins, with one of deer-skin over it, and were covered with a sea-horse hide, such as the natives use for their baidars. Suspen- ded to the poles, and on the ground near them, were several Esqui- maux implements, consisting of wooden trays, paddles, and a tam- bourine, which, we were informed, as well as signs could convey, were placed there for the use of the deceased, who, in the next world, (pointing to the western sky) ate drank, and sang songs. Having no interpreter, this was all the information I could obtain ; but the custom of placing such implements around the receptacles of the dead is not unusual, and in all probability the Esquimaux may believe that the soul has enjoyments in the next world similar to those which constitute happiness in this. The people whom we saw here were very inquisitive about our fire-arms, and to satisfy one of them I made him fire off a musket, that was loaded with ball, towards a large tree that was lying upon the beach. The explosion and the recoil which succeeded the sim- ple operation of touching the trigger so alarmed him, that he turned pale and put away the gun. As soon as his fear subsided he laugh- ed heartily, as did all his party, and went to examine the wood which was found to be perforated by the ball, and afforded them a fair specimen of the capability of our arms ; but he could not be pre- vailed upon to repeat the operation. ' I ■ii \ /' f* ■ \ _'1&lis Vii i< 'I ' '4> .•i 284 VOYAGE TO THE PICIFIC [Oct. They had some skins of ravens with ihem, upon which they place a high price, though being of no use to us, they did not find a purchaser. On several occasions we had noticed the beaks and claws of these birds attached to ornamental bands for the head and waist, and they were evit for a grave, on the low point of Chamisso Island, his body was interred in the presence of almost all his shipmates, and a stone properly inscribed put up to mark the spot ; but the earth was replaced over the grave as evenly as possi- ble, in order that no appearance of excavation might remain to at- tract the attention of the natives. 1--26.] AND BEERINO 8 STRAIT. 285 We had hitherto remained in the sound, in the expectation of being able to wait till the end of October, the date named in my instructions ; but the great change that had recently occurred in the atmosp'^Te, the departure of all the Esquimaux for their winter habituiions, the migration of the birds, the frozen state of the lakes, and the gradual cooling down of the sea, were symptoms of approach- ing winter too apparent to be disregarded, and made it evident that the time was not far distant when it would be necessary to quit the anchorage, to avoid being shut up by the young ice. On every account I was anxious to remain until the above-mentioned period ; but as my instructions were peremptory in desiring me not to incur the risk of wintering, it was incumbent upon me seriously to consid- er how late the ship could remain without encountering that risk By quitting the rendezvous earlier than had been agreed upon, the lives of Captain Franklin's party might be involved ; by remaining [oo long, those of my own ship's company would be placed in immi- nent hazard, as but five weeks' provision at full allowance remained in the ship, and the nearest place where we could replenish them was upwards of 2000 miles distant. Thus circumstanced, I was desirous of having the advice of the officers of the ship before I made up my own mind, and accordingly addressed an official letter to ihem, requesting they would take every circumstance into their con- sideration, and furnish me with their opinion on the propriety of re- maining longer in these seas. Their answer, which I received the next day, conveyed an unan- imous opinion that the ship could not continue longer at her present anchorage without incurring the risk of wintering, and suggested her removal to the entrance of the sound, where the majority of the officers thought she might remain a few days longer ; but previous to our taking up our station there, it was considered advisable that the strait should be ascertained to be navigable, lest the ice should have been drifted down from the northward, and the retreat of the ship be cut off. I fully concurred in with them, that if the frost continued the ship could not remain at her anchorage ; but as there ffas a possibility of its yielding, I resolved to wait a day or two or longer upon the chance, determined, if it did not give way, to quit the sound ; and in the event of Beering's Strait being found clear, to return, as had been proposed, and to wait a few days off Cape Krusenstern, in the hope of meeting the party. Considering, how- ever, the lateness of the season and the long nights, there did not appear to be much chance of the ship being able to maintain an ad- vantageous position at the rr juth of the sound ; still, as I was un- willing to relinquish the smallest chance of falling in with the party, I purposed making the attempt. In so doing, however, it was ne- cessary to insure our departure by the 23rd instant, which consider- i^ -wp- 386 VOYACE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. ing our distance from any new supplies, and that at that period there would be but nine weeks' provision remaining at half allowance, was as late as 1 thought it prudent to continue. We were now made sensible of the great advantage arising from the economical system that had been adopted at the Society and Sandwich Islands, and also from the reduction of an elevcntii part of the ship's company at Portsmouth, without which the provision before this period would have been wholly expended, as the allow, ance from the time of leaving Chili had been reduced as low as it conveniently could, for a continuance, consistent with the strength of the ship's company, ivho for several months had been on half al- lowance. It now remained for me to consider how Captain Franklin could be most benefitted in the event of his party arriving after our depar- ture. It was evident that we could do no more than put him in possession of every information we had obtained, and leave him a temporary supply of provisions and bartering articles, with which he could procure others from the natives. To this end a barrel of flour was buried for him upon the sandy point of Chamisso, a place which, from the nature of the ground, was more likely to escape observation than the former one, where the newly turned turf could not be concealed. A large tin case, containing beads and a letter, was deposited with it, to enable him to purchase provisions from the natives, and to guide his conduct. Ample directions for finding these were both cut and painted on the rock ; and to call the atten- tion of the party to the spot, which they might otherwise pass, see- ing the ship had departed, her name was painted in very large let- ters on the cliffs of Puffm Island, accompanied with a notice of her departure, and the period to v.hich she had remained in the sound- Beneath it were written directions for finding the cask of flour, and also a piece of drift-wood which was deposited in a hole in the clifT, This billet had been purporsely bored and charged with a letter containing all the useful information I could impart to the party, and then plugged up in such a manner that no traces of its being open- ed were visible. In fact, nothing was left undone that appeared to me likely to prove useful. Having thus far performed our duty, we prepared the ship for sea, in order that she might start at an hour's notice. On the 13th the temperature fell to 27°, the lakes on shore had borne two or three days, and the sea had cooled down 8° ; in short, there was every ap- pearance of a settled frost. The next day the edges of the sound began to freeze, and it was evident that it needed only calm weath- er to skin it entirely over. I therefore desired the anchor to be weighed, and having taken on board a large supply of drift-wood, the last thing we procured from the shore, we steered out of the sound. AND BGERINO S STRAIT. 2G5 We passed Capo Kniscnstern about midnight and then shaped a course for the strait. Tlic night, though cold, was fine, and I'urn- ijhed me with eighteen sets of lunar distances, east and west of tlio moon, which I was very anxious to obtain, in order to fix more ac- curately the position of Chamisso Island, never having been able to succeed in getting fine weather with the moon to the east of t'e (un, until his declination was too far south for the lunars to bu of any value. \Sc had no observation at noon the next day, and the land was 50 refracted that we scarcely recognised it ; we, however, continued toiiin for the strait, anxious to reach it before sunset. The breeze increased as we advanced, and before the Diomede Islands came in sjirht it blew so violently that there was no alternative but to endeavour 10 push through them before dusk. At this time there was a very ihick haze, with a bright setting sun glaring through it, which with ihe spray around us prevented any thing being seen but the tops of ilie mountains near Cape Prince of Wales. It was consequently with great pleasure we perceived Fairway Rock, and found the strait miite free from ice. Having no choice, we passed through it at a rapid rate ; and as [ilienight set in dark and thick, with snow showers, we were glad 10 find ourselves with sea-room around us. A little before midnight ilie lee-bo\y port was washed away, and so much water cam in that Las necessary to put before the wind to free the ship. In half an hour, however, we resumed our course, and about two o'clock in the Homing passed King's Island. We were now in a situation where, by rounding to, we might Ikve awaited fine weather to return to Cape Krusenstem, and ex- Itcutethe whole of the plan that had been contemplated ; but con- sidering that our being able to do so was uncertain, as the barome- lier. which had fallen to 28,7, afforded no prospect of a change of lather, and that the period I had fixed for my departure might ex- Lire before I could repass the straits ; together with the state of our Iprovisions, and the improbability of meeting with Captain Frank- liin after all, it appeared to me that the risks which it involved were hreater than the uncertainty of the result justified ; and painful as it Uasto relinquish every hope of this successful issue of our voyage, lit became my duty to do so. In the execution of this necessary I resolution, it was some consolation to reflect, that from the nature lof Captain Franklin's instructions, it was almost certain that by this Itime he had either commenced his return or taken up his winter libode. He had been directed to return to his winter quarters on lllie I5th of August, if he found the prospect of success was not such lis to ensure his reaching Icy Cape that season, and if it should Ifrove impracticable to winter at an advanced station on the coast. t< ^ 288 * VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Qct. We were justified, therefore, in supposing that he had ah-eady been either compelled to pause or to turn back, as, in the event of the successful prospect anticipated in his instructions, it could hardly happen, considering the open state in which we had found the sea to the northward, that he should not have reached Kotzebue sound by the time the Blossom left it. In taking our departure from these seas, some general observa- tions on the country, natives, the currents, meteorology, and other subjects, naturally present themselves ; but as we returned to the same place the following year, and extended our experience, I shall defer them until a future opportunity. Up to this period of the voyage, my instructions had been a safe guide for my proceedings ; but between our departure from these seas, and our return to them the following year, with the exception of touching at the Sandwich Islands, there were no specific direc- tions for my guidance, and it became me seriously to consider how the time could be most usefully employed. It was necessary to re- pair to some port to refit and caulk the ship, to replenish the pro- visions and stores, and, what was equally important, to recruit the health of the people, who were much debilitated from their priva- tions ; having been a considerable time on short allowance of salt provision, and in the enjoyment of only seven weeks' fresh meat in the last ten months. From the favourable account I had herd of Saint Francisco in California, it appeared to be the most desirable place to which a ship under our circumstances could resort ; and as the coast between that port and Cape St. T-iicns was very imperfectly known, that the time could not be more usefully employed than in completing the survey of it. I therefore directed our course to that place, and de- termined to enter the Pacific by the Strait of Oonemak ; which, if j not the safest of those formed by the Aleutian Islands, is certainly the best known. After passing King's Island on the 16th, we saw some very large flocks of ducks migrating to the southward, and fell in with the lummes, which had deserted us more than a month before atChara- isso Island. As we approached St. Lawrence Island, the little crested auks flew around us, and some land birds took refuge in our rigging. We passed to the eastward of this island in very thick weather, and had only a transient view of its eastern extremity, and thence pursued a course to the southward, passing between Gore's Island and Nunevack, an island recently discovered by the Russian?, but not known to us at that time. The soundings increased, though not always regularly ; and we had thick misty weather which pre- vented and thing drying. The barometer fluctuate^ a little on either side of 28,6. On the I8th, the temperature, which had ris- ii ' 1 1 ~^,":lx me.] AND BE£RINO S STRAIT. 289 en gradaally as we advanced to the southward, was twenty degrees liiglier than it was the day we left Kotzebue Sound-a change which was sensibly felt, On the '21st we came within sight of the island of St. Paul, the northern island of a small groupe, which, though long known to English geographers, has been omitted in some of our most esteem- ed modern charts. The groupe consists of ihict islands named St. George's, St, Paul's, and Sea-otter. We saw only the two lat- ter in this passage, but in the following year passed near to the other, and on the opposite side of St. Paul's to that on which our course was directed at this time. The islands of St. Paul and St. George are both high, with bold shores, and without any port, though there is said to be anchoring-ground off both, and soundings in the offing at moderate depths. At a distance of twenty-five miles from Sea- otter Island, in the direction of N. 37" W. (true), and in latitude 59o 22' N., we had fifty-two fathoms hard ground ; after this, pro- ceeding southward, the water deepens. St. Paul's is distinguished by three small peaks, which, one of them in particular, have the appearance of craters ; St. George's consists of two hills, united by moderately high ground, and is higher than St. Paul's ; both were covered with a brown vegetation. Sea-otter Island is very small, and little better than a rock. The Russians have long had settle- ments upon both the large islands, subordinate to the establishment at Sitka, and annually send thither for peltry, consisting principally of the skins of amphibious animals, which, from their fine furry nature, are highly valued by the Chinese and Tartar nations. At sunset we lost sight of St. Paul's Island, and being at that time ignorant of the position of St. George's, further than what knowledge was derived from a rough notice of it in the geological account of Kotzebue's Voyage, we pursued our course with some anxiety, as the ni ;;ht was dark and unsettled, and the morning came without our obtaining a sight of the island. On approaching the Aleutian Islands, we found them obscured by a dense white haze, which hung to windward of the land ; and the wind increasing with every appearance of a gale, our situation became one of great dif- ficulty. Early in the morning, a peak was seen for so short a time tliat it only served to show us that we were not far from the land, without enabling us to determine which of the islands we were near ; and as in this part of the Aleutian Chain there are several passages so close together, tiiat one may easily be mistaken for the other, an accurate knowledge of the position of the ship is of the greatest im- portance. Under our circumstances, I relied on the accuracy of Cook's chart, and steered due east, knowing that if land were seen ill that parallel, it could be no other than the island of Oonemak ; 37 !i !^ '■ f mi < } 290 VOTAOE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. 1> and that then, should the fog not clear away, the course might still be directed along that island to the southward. This is a precaution I strongly recommend to any person who may have to seek a cliannel through this chain in foggy weather, particularly as these passages are said to be rendered dangerous by the rapid tides which set through them. It was no doubt these tides, added to the prevalence of fogs, that caused many of the mis- fortunes which befel the early Russian navigators. Shelekoff, In speaking of the strait to the westward of Oonemak, through which we passed, observes that it Is free from the danger of rocks and shoals, but is troubled with a strong current. In our passage through it, however, we did not remark that this was the case ; but no doubt there are just grounds for the observation.* After running five miles, breakers were seen upon both bows, and, at the same time, very high clifls above them. We stood on a lit- tle further, and then, satisfied that llie land must be that of Oone- mak, bore up along it, and passed through the strait. We had no soundings '•, ith forty fathoms of line until we were about four miles off the S. VV. end of the island ; and there we found thirty fathoms on a bank of dark-coloured lava, pebbles and scoriiB, but immedi- ately lost it again, and had no bottom afterwards. The souih-west angle of Oonemak is distinguished by a wedge-shaped cape, with a pointed rock off it. This cape and the island of Coogalga form the narrowest part of the strait, which is nine miles and a half across, Coogalga is about four miles long, and rendered very conspicuous by a peak on its N. E. extremity. Accuan, the island to the north- ward of this, which also forms part of the strait, is high and remar- kable ; but on this occasion we did not sf it, in consequence of the bright haze tnat hung over the hills on the northern part of the chain. Oonemak was the only island upon which snow was observed. Its summit was capped about one-third down, even with a line of clouds which formed a canopy over the northern half of the groupe, The limits of this canopy were so well defined, that in passing through the strait on one side of us there was a dense fog, while on the other the sun was shining bright from a cloudless sky. As soon as we had fairly entered the Pacific the wind abated, and we had a fine clear night, as if in passing through the chain that divides the Kamschatka Sea from the Pacific we had left be- hind us the ungenial climate of the former. Shortly after dark flashes were observed in the heavens, in the direction of the burn- ing mountain of Alaska, sometimes so strong as to be mistaken for ♦ I afterwards learned from a very respectable master of an American brig, tha' in passing through the strait to the westward of Oonalaska, he experi ;nced a cur- rent running to the northward at the rate of six miles an hour, and was unable to ■tctn it. If ,'\ i.-. fe- ^I^^MV" 1826.] AND BEERINq's STRAIT. 291 sheet lightning, at others very confined ; viewed with a telescope, they appeared to consist entirpij of bright sparks. They seemed to proceed from different parts of a long narrow cloud elevated 80, and lying in the direction of the wind. Our distance from the vol- cano at this time was about seventy miles, and as similar flasjies were observed in this place the following year, it is very probable they were caused by an eruption. This mountain, I am informed, has burnt lately with great activity, and has been truncated much lower than is represented in the drawings of it in Captain Cook's Voyage.* After clearing the Aleutian Chain, we had the winds from the westward, and made rapid progress towards our port. The first part of the passage was remarkable for heavy rolling seas, misty weather, and a low barometer, which varied a little each side of 28,5 ; in the latter part of the passage we had dry foggy weather, and the barometer was at 30,5. On the 5th of November we made the high land of New Albion about Bodega, and soon afterwards saw Punta de los Reyes, a re- markable promontory, from wh'ch the general line of coast turns abruptly to the eastward, and leads to the port of St. Francisco. We stood to the southward during the night, and about three o'clock in the morning unexpectedly struck soundings upon a clayey bank in 35 fathoms very near the Farallones, a dangerous cluster of rocks, which, until better known, ought to be avoided. The ship was put about immediately ; but the next cast was 25 fathoms in so stiff a clay that the line was broken. The weather was very misty, and a long swell rolled towards the reefs, which, had there been less wind, would have obliged us to anchor ; but we increased our distance from them, and deepened the water. This cluster of rocks is properly divided into two parts, of which the south-eastern is the largest and the highest, and may be seen nine or ten leagues in clear weather. The most dangerous part is apparently towards the north-west. The next evening we passed Punta de los Reyes, and awaited the return of day off some white cliffs, which, from their being sit- uated so near the parallel of 38° N. are in all probability those which induced Sir Francis Drake to bestow upon this country the name of New Albion. They appear on the eastern side of a bay too exposed to authorize the conjecture of Vancouver, that it is the same in which Sir Francis refitted his vessel. ♦ Sec also Kotzebue'a Voyage, vol. iii. p 383. 89S ▼OTACK TO THK PACIFIC [Nov. iff y ^ IN CHAPTER XIII. Arrive at San Fraicisco— Description of the Harbour, Presidio, and the missions- Occupations — Dissatisfied State of the Garrison and the Priesthood— Contempla- ted Plan of settling- the Indians in the Missions — Occupations of the convcrtid Indians — Manner of making converts — Expedition against the Tribe of Coscnie- nes— Official Despatch — Overland Journey to Monterey — Scarcity of Provisions at that place — Plan of the voyage altered in consequence — Departure. When the day broke, we found ourselves about four miles from the land. It was a beautiful morning, with just sufficient freshness in the air to exhilarate without chilling. The tops of the moun- tains, the only part of the land visible, formed two ranges, between which our port was situated ; though its entrance, as well as the val- leys and the low lands, were still covered with th^ morning mist con- densed around the bases of the mountair.s. We bore up for the opening between the ranges, anxious for the rising sun to withdraw the veil, that we might obtain a view of the harbour, and form our judgment of the country in which we were abuu! to ,iass the next few weeks. As we advanced, the beams of the rising sun gradual- ly descended the hills, until the mist, dispelled from the land, roll- ed on before the refreshing sea wind, discovering cape after cape and exhibiting a luxuriant country apparently abounding in wood and rivers. At length two low promontories, the southern one distinguished by a fort and a Mexican flag, marked the narrow en- trance of the port. We spread our saih n'ith all the anxiety of persons who had long been secluded from c .Uized society, and deprived of wholesome aliment; but after thetirst effort of the breeze, it died away and left us becalmed in a heavy N. W. swell. Off the harbour of San Francisco there is a bar which extends from the northern shore, gradually deepening its water until it ap- proaches the peninsula on the opposite side *, where nine fathoms may be carried over it. Of this bar, however, we were ignorant, and naturally steered directly for the harbour, in doing which the •The best part for crossing is with the island of Alcatrasses in one witli the f nt i;'< 1826.] AND BEGRINO S STRAIT. 293 depth of water gradually diminished to five fathoms. This would have been of no consequence, had it not been for a swell which rolled so heavily over the bank that it continually broke ; and though our depth of water was never less than four and a half fathoms, the ship on two or three occasions disturbed the sand with her keel. The tide was unfortunately against us, and the swell propelled the ship just sufficiently fast for her to steer without gaining any ground, so that 've remained in this unpleasant situation several hours. At length a breeze sprung up and we entered the port, and drop- ped our anchor in the spot where Vancouver had moored liis ship thirty-three years before. As wc passed the entrance, a heavy sea rolling violently upon a reef of rocks on our left * bespoke the danger of approaching that side too close in light or baffling winds ; ivhile some scattered rocks with deep water round them skirting the shore on our right, marked that side also as dangerous ; so that the entrance may be justly considered difficult. Beyond these rocks, however, near the fort, there is a bay in which if necessary, ships may drop their anchor. The fort, which we passed upon our right, mounts nine guns, and is built upon a promontory on the south side of the entrance, appa- rently so near to the precipice, that one side will, before long, be precipitated over it by the gradual breaking away of the rock. Its situation, nevertheless, is good, as regards the defence of the irance ; but it is commanded by a rising ground behind it. As passed, a soilder protruded a speaking-trumpet through one of embrasures, and hailed us with a stentorian voice, but we could not distinguish what was said. This custom of hailing vessels has aris- en from there being no boat belonging to the garrison, and the in- convenience felt by the governor, in having to wait for a report of arrivals, until the masters of the vessels could send their boats on sRore. The port of San Francisco does not show itself to advantage un- til after the fort is passed, when it breaks upon the view, and forci- bly impresses the spectator with the magnificence of the harbour. He then beholds a broad sheet of water, sufficiently extensive to contain all the British navy, with convenient coves, anchorage in every part, and, around, a country diversified with hill and dale, partly wooded, and partly disposed in pasture lands of the richest kind, abounding in herds of cattle. In short, the only objects want- ing to complete the interest of the scene are some useful establish- ments and comfortable residences on the grassy borders of the har- bour, the absence of which creates an involuntary regret, that so fine a country, abounding in all that is essential to man, should be en- we the y- \-f\ a '\ R-i- b one with the ful ♦ This reef lies tliree quarters of a mile from Punta Bouetii. ^ )1 294 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Nov fM:n •i\ allowed to remain in such a state of neglect. So poorly did the place appear to be peopled that a sickly column of smoke risine from within some dilapidated walls, misnamed the presidio or pro- tection, was the only indication we had of the country being inhab- ited. The harbour streches to the S. E. to the distance of thirty miles and affords a water communication between the missions of San Jose Santa Clara, and the presidio, which is built upon a peninsula about five miles in width. On the north the harbojr is contracted to a strait, which communicates with a basin ten miles wide, with a chan- nel across it sufficiently deep for frigates, though they cannot come near the land on account of the mud. A creek on the N. W. side of this basin leads up to the new mission of San Francisco Solano ; and a strait to the eastward named Estrecho de Karquines, communi- cates with another basin into which three rivers discharge themselves, and bring down so large a body of water that the estrecho is from ten to eleven fathoms deep. These rivers are named Jesus Maria, El Sacramento, and San Joachin : the first, I was informed, takes a northerly direction, passes at the back of Bodega, and extends be- yond Cape Mendocino. El Sacramento trends to the N. E., and is said to have its rise in the rocky mountains near the source of the Columbia. The other, San Joachin, stretches to the south- ward through the country of the Bolbones, and is divided from the S. E., arm of the harbour by a range of mountains. When LangsdorfF was at this port, an expedition was undertaken by Don Louis Arguello and Padre Uria to make converts, and to enquire into the nature of the country in the vicinity of Sierra neva- da ; and I learned from Don Louis, I believe a son of the comman- der, that they traced the Sacramento seventy or eighty leagues up, and that it was there very wide and deep, but that he had no boat to ascertain its depth. The Padre had it in contemplation to form a settlement in that direction, which he thought would become very rich in a short time by the number of Indians who would flock to it; but as it was never done, I presume he fouud material obstatcles to his design. As we opened out the several islands and stopping places in the harbour, we noticed seven American whalers at anchor at Sausalito, not one of which showed their colours ; we passed them and anchor- ed off a small bay named Yerba Buena, from the luxuriance of its vegetation, about a league distant from both the presidio and the mission of San Francisco. I immediately went on shore to pay my respects to Don Ignacio Martinez, a lieutenant in the Mexican ar- my, acting governor in the absence of Don Louis, and to the priest, whose name was Tomaso, both of whom gave me a very hospitable and friendly reception, and offered their services in any way they t - . ^ ^« « [Nov. srly did the imoke rising idio or pro- being inhab- thirty miles, of San Jose, ninsula about itracted to a , with a chan- cannot come e N. W. side icisco Solano ; les, communi- ;e themselves, recho is from I Jesus Alarm, rmed, takes a d extends be- e N. E., and the source of to the south- vided from the as undertaken nverts, and to of Sierra neva- f the comman- jity leagues up, e had no boat plation to form d become very luld flock to it; 1 obstatclcs to Ig places in the or at Sausalito, ism and anchor- Ixuriance of its Tesidio and the Jiore to pay my |e Mexican ar- . to the priest, -ery hospitable iny way they 1826.] AND BGERING S STRAlT. 295 *sfr -TT J- i St S98 VOTACE TO THE PACiriC [N, 01', \ H i^ I I years, at the expiration of which they were allowed to retire to the Pue- bios — villages erected for this purpr ,e, and attached to the missions, where the men have a portion ground allotted to them for the support of their families. TUis aflbrded a competency to many; and while it benefited them, it was of service to the government, as the country by that means b«,.?ame settled, and its security increas- ed. But this privilege has latterly been witheld, and the applicanii have been allowed only to possess the land and feed their calile upon it, until it shall please the government to turn them off. The reason of this, I believe, was that Mexico was beginning to turn her attention to California, and was desirous of having settlers then. from the southern districts, to whom it would be necessary to give lands ; and until they could see what would be required for this pur- pose and for the government establishments, and had the limits of the property already allotted defined, they did not wish to make anv new grants. The real cause, however, was not explained to the soldiers ; they merely heard that they would not have the land ce- ded to them for life as usual, an ^ they were consequently much dissatisfied. | The same feeling of discontent that was experienced by the gar- rison, pervaded the missions, in consequence of some new regula- tions of the republican government, the first and most grievous of I which was the discontinuance of a salary of 400 dollars per annum. heretofore allowed to each of the padres : the support the former | government, had given to the missions amounted, according to Langs- dorfF, to a million piastres a year. Another grievance was, the I requisition of an oath of allegiance to the reigning authorities, which these holy men considered so egregious a violation of their former pledge to the king of Spain, that, until he renounced his sovereignty over the country, they could not conscientiosly take it ; and, iniicii as they were attached to the place in which they had passed a large portion of their lives, and though by quitting it they would be redu- ced to the utmost penury — yet, so much did they regard this pledge! that they were prepared to leave the country, and to seek an asyhiml in any other that would afford it them. Indeed, the Prefect, prefer- ring his expulsion to renouncing his allegiance, had already receivedl his dismissal, and was ready at the seaport of Monterey to embark in any vessel the government might appoint to receve him. A third greivance, and one which, when duly considered, was of some importance, not only to the missions but to the country in general, was an order to liberate all those converted Indians from the mis- sions who bore good characters, ann had been taught the art of ag- riculture, or were masters of a trade, and were capable of suppor- ting themselves, giving them portions of land to cultivate, so arran- ged that they should be divided into paiishes, with curates to super- 'i > I «Hi ■■■i AND BEKRINO 8 STRAIT. 299 intend them, subservient to the clergy of the missions, who were to proceed to the conversion of the Indians as usual, and to train them for the domesticated state of society in contemplation. Tills philanthropic system at first sight appeared to be a very excellent one, and every friend to the rights of man would naturally join in a wish for its prosperity ; but the Mexican government could not have sufficiently considered the state of California, and the dis- position of the Indians, or they would have known it could not pos- sibly succeed without long previous training, and then it would re- quire to be introduced by slow degrees. The Indians whom this law emancipated were essential to the support of the missions, not only for conducting their agricultural concerns, but for keeping in subordination by Ibrce and example those whom disobedience and ignorance would exempt from the pri- vilege ; and as a necessary consequence of this indulgence the mis- sions would be ruined before the system could be brought into effect, even supposing the Indians capable of conducting their own affairs. So far from this being the case, however, they were known to possess neither the will, the steadiness, nor the patience to pro- vide for themselves. Accustomed, many of them from their infan- cy, to as much restraint as children, and to execute, mechanically, what they were desired and no more, without even entertaining a thought for their future welfare, it was natural that such persons, tthen released from this discipline, should abandon themselves en- tirely to their favourite amusements, pastimes, and vices. Those also who had been converted in later life would return to their for- mer habits, and having once again tasted the blessings of freedom^ which confinement and discipline must have rendered doubly desir- able, would forget all restraint, and then being joined by the wild discontented Indians, they would be more formidable enemies to the missions than before, inasmuch as they would be more enlightened. But 1 will not anticipate the result, which we had an opportunity of seeing on our return the following year ; and from which the reader will be able to judge how the system worked. The padres, however, dreading the worst, were very discontent- ed, and many would willingly have quitted that country for Manilla. The government appeared to be aware of this feeling, as they sent some young priests from Mexico to supplant those who were disaf- fected, and desired that they should be trained up in the mission, and should make themselves acquainted with the language and usa- ges of the Indians, in order that they might not promote discontent by any sudden innovation. The missions have hitherto been of the highest importance to California, and the government cannot be too careful to promote their welfare, as the prosperity of the country in a great measure is t'i I 300 VOYAOB TO TUB PACIFIC [Nov. dependent upon tlicm, and must continue to be so until settlers from the mother country can be induced to resort thither. As ihcy are of such consequence, I shall enter somewhat minutely into a description of them. In Upper California there are twenty -one of these establishments, of which nine are attached to the presidios of Monterey and San Francisco, and contain about 7000 converts. They are in order as follow from north to south : — Convcrlfl, ' San Francisco Solano, estab- lished in San Raphael San Francisco San Jose - - - ^ Santa Clara . C Santa Cruz t J San Juan - - - g j San Carlos S I^La Soledad 1 1822, about 1000 K 1817 ■ 250 1776 - 260 1707 ■ 1800 1777 ■ 1500 1797 - 300 1797 ■ 1100 1770 . 200 300 San Antonio San Miguel San Luis De la Purissima Santa Ignes Santa Barbara 6910 Buena Vistura San Fernando San Gabriel San Juan Capistram San Luis Key 3000 San Tomaso I could no learn the number of Indians which are in each of the missions to the southward of Soledad, but they were stated collec- tively to amount to 20,000 : on this head I must observe that the padres either would not say, or did not know exactly, how many there were, even in their own missions, much less the number con- tained in those to the southward : and the accounts were at all times so various that the above computation can be only an approx- imation. Almost all these establishments cultivate large portions of land, and rear cattle, the hides and tallow of which alone form a small trade, of which the importance may be judged from the fact of a merchant at Monterey having paid 36,000 dollars in one year to a mission, which was no. oue of the largest, for its hide, tallow, and Indian labour. Thuugli the system they pursue is not calcula- ted to raise the colony to in\ great prosperity, yet the neglect ol the missions would not ioii!: precede the ruin of the presidios, and of the whole of the district. Indeed, with the exception of two pueblos, containing about seven hundred persons, and a few farm houses widely scattered over the country, there are no other build- ings to the northward of Monterey : thus, while the missions fur- nish the means of subsistence to the presidios, the body of men 1 ,'* [Nov. until settlers lier. As tliey nutely into a twenty -one of he presidios of 000 converts, DonverlH. t 1000 250 260 1800 1500 300 1100 200 300 oyio n 3000 e in each of the re staled colloc- bserve that the ctlv, how manv he number con- Ints were at all only an approx- large portions ich alone forma Id from the fact lars in one year ts hide, tallow, e is not calcula- the neglect ol presidios, and option of two Ind a few form no other buikl- e missions fur- body of men 1826.] AND n^ERING M STItilT. 301 tiicy contain keeps the wild Indians in chock, and prevents their making incursions on the settlers. Eacii mission has fifteen s(|uare miles of ground allotted to it. The buildings are variously laid out, and adapted in size to the iiiiniber of Indians which tliey contain ; some are enclosed by a liigh wall, as at San Carlos, while others consist merely of a few rows of huts, built with sun-burnt mud-bricks ; many are vvhite- nashed and tiled, and l.nve a neat and comfortable appearance. It is not, however, every hut that has a white face to exhibit, as that ill a great measure depends upon the industry and good conduct of ilie family who possess it, who are in such case supplied with lime for the purpose. It is only the married persons and the ofiicers of iJie establishment who are allowed these huts, the bachelors and spinistcrs having large places of their own, where they are sepa- rately incarcerated every night. To each mission is attached a well-built church, better decorated in the interior than the external appearance of some would lead a stranger to suppose : they are well supplied with costly dresses for processions and feast days, to strike with admiration the sense of the wzing Indians, and on the whole are very respectable establish- ments. In some of these .• j u few tolcrablo pictures, among many bad ones ; and those who have been able to obtain them are always provided with representations of hell and paradise : the former ex- iiibiting in the most disgusting manner all the torments the imagina- lion can fancy, for the purpose of striking terror into the simple Indians, who look upon the performance with fear and trembling. Such representations may perhaps be useful in exhibiting to the dull senses of the Indians what could not be conveyed in any other nay, and so far they are desirable in the mission ; but to an Euro- pean the one is disgusting, and the other ludicrous. Each establish- ment is under the management of two priests if possible, who in Upper California belong to the mendicant order of San Francisco. Tliey have under them a major-domo, and several subordinate offi- cers, generally Spaniards, whose principal business is to overlook ilip labour of the Indians. The object of the missions is to convert as many of the wild In- dians as possible, and to train them up within the walls of the estab- lishment in the exercise of a good life, and of some trade, so that lliey may in time be able to provide for themselves and become useful members of civilized society. As to the various methods employed for the purpose of bringing proselytes to the mission, tliere are several reports, of which some were not very creditable to the institution : nevertheless, on the whole I am of opinion that ilie priests are innocent, from a conviction that they are ignorant of ilie means employed by those who are under them. Whatever » -1 ,1 - V r "".* i**ii 302 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [iV( ov. Ni may be the system, and whether the Indians be really dragged from their homes and families by armed parties, as some assert, or not. and forced to exchange their life of freedom and wandering for one of confinement and restraint in the missions, the change according to our ideas of happiness would seem advantageous to them, as they lead a far better life in the missions than in their forests, where they are in a state of nudity, and are frequently obliged to depend solely upon wild acorns for their subsistence. Immediately the Indians are brought to the mission they are placed under 'he tuition of some of the most enlightened of their countrymeii, who teach them to repeat in Spanish the Lord's Prayer and certain passages in the Romish litany ; and also to cross them- selves properly on entering the church. In a few days a wiljine Indian becomes a proficient in these mysteries, and suffers himself to be baptized, and duly initiated into the church. If, however, as it not unfrequently happens, any of the captured Indians show a repugnance to conversion, it is the practice to imprison them for a few days, and then to allow them to breathe a little fresh air in a walk round the mission, to observe the happy mode of life of their converted countrymen ; after which they are again shut up, and thus continue to be incarcerated until ihey declare their readiness to renounce the religion of their forefathers. J do not suppose that this apparently unjustifiable conduct would be pursued for any length of time ; and I had never an opportunity of ascertaining the fact, as the Indians are so averse to confinement that they very soon become impressed with the manifestly superior and more comfortable mode of life of those who are at liberty, and in a few days declare their readiness to have the new religion ex- plained to them. A person acquainted with the language of tlie parties, of which there are sometimes several dialects in the same mission, is then selected to train them, and having duly prepared them takes his pupils to the padre to be baptized, and to receive the sacrament. Having become Christians they are put to trades, or if they have good voices they are taught music, and form part of the choir of the church. Thus there are in almost every mis- sion weavers, tamers, shoemakers, bricklayers, carpenters, black- smiths, and other artificers. Others again are taught husbandry, to rear cattle and horses ; and some to cook for the mission : while the females card, clean, and spin wool, weave, and sew ; and those wliol are married attend to their domestic concerns. In requital of these benefits, the services of the Indian, for life,] belong *o the mission, and if any neophyte should repent of apostacy from the religion of his ancestors and desert, an armei force is sent in pursuit of him, and drags him back to punishmeni apportioned to the degree of aggravation attached to his crime. iwn ^immmm AND BEGRTNg's STRAIT. 303 does not often happen that a voluntary convert succeeds in his at- tempt to escape, as the wild Indians have a great contempt and dis- like for those who have entered the missions, and tiiey will fre- quently not only refuse to re-admit them to their tribe, but will sometimes even discover their retreat to their pursuers. Tliis ani- mosity between the wild and converted Indians is of great impor- tance to the missions, as it checks desertion, and is at the same time a powerful defence against the wild tribes, who consider their terri- tory invaded, and have other just causes of complaint. The Indi- ans, besides, from political motives, are, I fear, frequently encour- aged in a contemptuous feeling towards their unconverted country- men, by hearing them constantly held up to them in the degrading light of bestias ! and in hearing the Spaniards distinguished by the appellation of gente de razon. The produce of the land, and of the labour of the Indians, is ap- propriated to the support of the mission, and the overplus to amass a fund which is entirely at the disposal of the padres. In some of jtlie establishments this must be very large, although the padres will not admit it, and always plead poverty. The government has lately demanded a part of this profit, but the priests who, it is said, think the Indians are more entitled to it than the government, make small donations to them, and thus evade the tax by taking care there liliall be no overplus. These donations in some of the missions are hreater than in others, according as one establishment is more pros- Iperous than another ; and on this, also, in a great measure, depends lilie comforts of the dwellings, and the neatness, the cleanliness, and i clothing of the niiople. In some of the missions much misery [prevails, while in others there is a degree of cheerfulness and clean- liiiess which shows that many of the Indians require only care and Iproper management to make them as happy as their dull senses will lidmit of under a life of constraint. The two missions of San Francisco and San Jose are examples of Ithe contrast alluded to. The former in 1817 contained a thousand [converts, who were housed in s'-nall huts around the mission ; but at (present only two hundred and sixty remain — some have been sent, litis true, to the new mission of San Francisco Solano, but sickness and death have dealt an unsparing hand among the others. The puts of the absentees, at the time of our visit, had all fallen to de- jcay, and prec:iited heaps of filth and rubbish ; while the remaining Inmates of the mission were in as miserable a condition as it was ossible to conceive, and were entirely regardless of their own com- lort. Their hovels afforded scarcely any protection against the leather, and were black with smoke : some of the Indians '"^ere lleeping on the greasy floor ; others wore grinding baked acorns to pake into cakes, which constitute a large po.tion of their food. So f! 1' 11 ».' 'IW" riu iiii.ijiryi 304 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [A' ov. w i)il % little attention indeed had been paid even to health, that in one Imt there was a quarter of beef suspended opposite a window, in a verv offensive and unwholsome state, but its owners were too indolent to throw it out. San Jose, on tlie other hand, was all neatness, clean- liness, and comfort; the Indians were amusing themselves between the hours of labour at their games ; and the children unifonnlv dressed in white bodices and scarlet petticoats, were playing at bat and ball. Part of this difference may arise from the habits of the people, Vi'ho are of different tribes. Langsdorff" observes, that the Indians of the mission of San Jose are the handsomest tribe in Cal- ifornia, and in every way a finer race of men ; and terms the neo- phytes of San Francisco pigmies compared with them. I cannot say that this remark occurred to me, and I think it probable *lmt he may iiave been deceived by the apparently miserable condition of the people of San Francisco. The children and adults of both sexes, in all the missions, arc carefully locked up every night in separate apartments, andthekevs are delivered into the possess-ion of the padre ; and as in tho one- time, their occupations lead to distinct places, unless they .1 m matrimonial alliance, they e.ijoy very little of each other's s n, ^ It, however, sometimes happens that they cndeavr-ir to evade the vigilance of their keepers, and are locked up with the opposite sex; but severe corporeal punishment, inflicted in the same manner as is practised in our schools, but with a whip instead of a rod, is sure to ensue if they are discovered. Though there may be occasional j acts of tyranny, yet the general character of the padres is kind and I benevolent, and in some of the missions, the converts are so much attached to th^m that I have heard them declare they would sol with them, if they were obliged to quit the country. It is gieallyl to be regretted that, with the influence these men have over their | pupils, and with the regard those pupils seem to have for their mas- ters, tiic priests do not interest themselves a little more in the edu- cation of their converts, the first step to which would be in makind themselves acquamted with the Indian language. Many of the In- dians surpass their pastors in this respect, andean speak the Spanish language, while scarcely one of the padres can make themselves un- derstood by the Indians. They have besides, in general, a lament- 1 able contempt for the intellect of these simple people, and think tliem incapable of improvement beyond a certain point. Notwitl.- standing this, the Indians are, in general, well clothed and feci ; theyl have houses of their own, and if they are not comfortable, it is, inil great measure, their own fault ; their meals are given to thein thieel times a day, and consist of thick gruel made of wheat, Indian corn,! and sometimes acorns, to which at noon is generally added nieat.! Clothing of a better h'md than that worn by the Indians s -^ivtn tol - >:/ 9 ;'uviii from the agricultural concerns of the establishment, man) ui ./Uf » ore permitted to take the launch ofthe mission, and make excui iop' to the Indian territory. All are anxious to go on such occasions, some to visit their friends, some to prjcure the manufactures of their barbarous countrymen, \'hich, by t'le by, are often better than their own ; and some witli tho secret determina- tion never to return. On these occasions the pauius desire them to induce as many of their unconverted brethren as possible to ac- company them back to the mission, of course implying that this is to be done only by persuasions ; but the boat being furnished with aciii^n and musketry, and in every respect equipped for war, it 39 i ./, I ;"f ■] 1 1';. ..'^ 306 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Nov. I I mm m^ too often happens that the neophytes, and the gente de razon, who superintend the direction of the boat, avail themselves of their su- periority, with the desire of ingratiating tliemselves with their mas- ters, and of receiving a reward. There are, besides, repeated acts of aggression which it is necessary to punish, all of which furnish proselytes. Women and children are generally the first objects of capture, as their husbands and parents sometimes voluntarily follow them into captivity. These misunderstandings and captivities keep up a perpetual enmity amongst the tribes, whose thirst for revenge is almost insatiable. We had an opportunity of witne:ising the tragical issue of one of these holyday excursions of the neophytes of the mission of San Jose. The launch was armed as usual, and placed under the su- perintendance of an alcalde of the mission, who it appears from one statement(for there are several,)converted the party of pleasure either into or cf attack for the purpose of procuring proselytes,or of revenge upon a I lar tribe for some aggression in which they were con- cerned. / proceeded up the Rio San Joachin until they came to the territuiy of a particular tribe named Cosemei'PC., when thev disembarked with the gun, and encamped for the night near the vij. lage of Los Gentiles, intending to make an attack upon them the next morning ; but before they were prepared, the Gentiles, who had been apprised of their intention, and had collected a large body of friends, became the assailants, and pressed so hard upon the par- ty that, notwithstanding they deal death in every direction with their cannon and musketry, and were inspired with confidence by the contempt in which they held the valour and tactics of theirun- converted countrymen, they were overpowered by numbers, and obliged to seek their safety in flight, and to leave the gun in the woods. Some regained the launch and were saved, and others found their way overland to tlie mission ; but thirty-four of their partv never returned to tell their tale. There were other accounts of this unfortunate affair ; one of which accused the padre ofauthorizing the attack; and another sta- ted that it was made in self-defence : br.t that which I have given appeared to be the most probable. That the reverend father should have sanctioned such a proceeding is a supposition so totally at va- riance with his character, that it will not obtain credit ; and the other was in all probability the report of the alcalde to excuse his own conduct. They all agreed, however, in the fatal termination of their excursion, and the neophytes became so enraged at the news of the slaughter of their companions, that it was almost impossible to prevent them from proceeding forthwith to revenge their deaths. The padre was also greatly displeased at the result of the excursion, as the loss of so many Indians to the mission was of the greatest 1826.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 307 consequence, and the confidence with which the victory would in- spire the Indians was equally alarming. He, therefore, joined with the converted Indians in a determination to chastise and strike ter- ror into the victorious tribe, and in concert with the governor plan- ned an expedition against them. The mission furnished money, arms, Indians, and horses and the presidio provided troops, headed by the alferez, Sanchez, a veteran who had been frequently enga- ged with the Indians, and was acquainted with every part of the country. The troops carried with them theii armour and shields, as a defence against the arrows of the Indians : the armour consisted of a helmet and jerkin made of stout skins, quite impenetrable to an arrow, and the shield might almost vie with that of Ajax in the number of its folds. The expedition set out on the 19th of November, and we heard nothing of it until the 27th ; but two days after the troops had tak- en the field, some immense columns of the smoke rising above the mountains in the direction of the Cosemenes, bespoke the confla- gration of the village of the persecuted Gentiles. And on the day above-mentioned, the veteran Sanchez made a triumphant entry in- to the mission of San Jose, escorting forty miserable women and children, the gun that had been taken in the first battle, and other trophies of the field. This victory, so glorious, according to the ideas of the conqueror, was achieved with the loss of only one man on the part of the Christians, who was mortally wounded by the bursting of his own gun ; but on the part of the enemy it was consid- erable, as Sanchez the morning after the battle counted forty-one men, women and children, dead. It is remarkable that none of the prisoners were wounded, and it is greatly to be feared that the Christians, who could scarcely be prevented from revenging the death of their relations upon those who were brought to the mission, glutted their brutal passion on all the wounded who fell in- to their hands. The despatch which the alferez wrote to his com- manding officer on the occasion of this successful termination of his expedition, will convey the best idea of what was executed, and their manner of conducting such an assault. Translation — " Journal kept by citizen Jose Antonio Sanchez, ensign of cavalry of the presidio of San Francisco, during the enter- prise agamst the Gentiles, called Cosemenes, for having put to jeath the neophytes of the mission of San Jose." Written with gunpowder on the field of battle ! " On the morning of the 20th the troop commenced its march, and, after stopping to dine at Las Positas, reached the river San Joachin at eleven o'clock at night, when it halted. This day's march was performed without any accident, except that neighbour Jose Ancha was nearly losing his saddle. The next day the alfe- f ■ 1 ■i-.' — ■!! w ^ 303 VOVAGB TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. rez determined to send forward the * auxiliary neophytes' to con- struct balsas * for the troop to pass a river that was in advance of them. The troop followed, and all crossed in safety ; but anion" the last of the horses that forded the river was one belonging to sol- dier Leandro Flores, who lost his bridle, threw his rider, and kick- ed him in the face and forehead ; and as poor Flores could not swim, he was in a fair way of losing his life before he came within sight of the field of battle : assistance was speedily rendered, and he was saved. As Sanchez wished to surprise the enemy, he en- camped until dusk, to avoid being seen of the wild Indians, who were travelling the country ; several of whom were met and taken prisoners. At five they resumed their march ; but neighbour Ghex- bano Chaboya being taken ill with a pain in his stomach, there was a temporary halt of the army : it however soon set forward again, and arrived at the river of Yachicume at eleven at night, v/ith only one accident, occasioned by the horse of neighbour Leandro Flores again throwing up his heels, and giving him a formidable fall. "The troop lay in ambush until five o'clock the next evening, and then set out ; but here they were distressed by two horses run- ning away ; they were however both taken alter a short march, which brought them to the river San Francisco, near the rancheria of ^heir enemy the Cosemenes, and where the alferez commanded his troops to prepare for battle, by putting on their cueros, or armour. The 23d the troops divided, and one division was sent round to in- tercept the Cosemenes, who had discovered the Christians, and wore retreatint; ; some of whom they made prisonei-s, and immedidtely the firing began. It had lasted about and hour, when the musket of soldier Jose Maria Garnez burst, and inflicted a mortoi wound in his forehe d ; but this misfortune did not hinder the other soldiers from firing. The Gentiles also opened their fire of arrows, and the skirmishing became general. Towards noon a shout was heard in the north quarter, and twenty Gentiles were seen skirmishing with three Christians, two on foot and one on liorseback, and presently another shout was heard, and the Christians were seen flying, and the Gentiles in pursuit of them, who had i-'ready captured the horse. " It was now four o'clock, and the alferez, seeing that the Gen- tiles, who were in ambush, received little injury, disposed every thing for the retreat of the troops, and having burnt the rancheria, and seen some dead bodies, he retreated three quarters of a league, and encamped for the night. On the 24th the troops divided into two parties, one charged with booty and prisoners amounting to for- ty-four souls, mostly women. ♦ These are rafts made of rushes, and are the Indian substitute for canoes. * 1926.] AND BEERINO'S STRAIT. 309 ran- : for canoes. " The other party went with the veteran Sanchez to the cheria, to reconnoitre the dead bodies, of which he counted forty one men, women, and children. They met with an old woman there, the only one that was left alive, who was in so miserable a state that they showed their compassion by taking no account of hr. The alferez then set out in search of the cannon that had i)een abandoned by the first expedition. The whole of the troop afterwards retreated, and arrived at the mission of San Jose on the night of the 27th." This truly ludicrous account of an expedition of such trifling im- portance might appear to require an apology for its insert: an, but it conveys so good an idea of the opposition to be expected by any power which might think proper to land upon the coast of Califor- nia, that its omissio: night fairly be considered a neglect. The prisoners they had captured were immediately enrolled in ibe list of the mission, except a n>ce little boy, whose mother was shot while running away with him in her arms, and he was sent to the presidio, and was, I heard, given to the alferez as a reward for lis services. The poor little orphan had received a slight wound i in his forehead ; he wept bitterly at first, and refused to eat, but in I time became reconciled to his fate. Those who were taken to the mission were immediately conver- lied, and were daily taught by the neophytes to repeat the Lord's j prayer, and certain hymns in the Spanish language. I happened lie visit the mission about this time, and saw these unfortunate be- liiigs under tuition : they were clothed in blankets, and arranged in irow before a blind Indian, who understood their dialect, and was lisisted by an alcalde to keep order. Their tutor began by desir- iiijthem to kneel, informing them that he was going to teach them lie names of the persons composing the Trinity, and that they were 10 repeat in Spanish what he dictated. The neophytes being thus arranged, the speaker began, " San- hissima Trinidada, Dios, Jesu Cristo, Espiritu Santo" — pausing be- I uveen each name, to listen if the simple Indians, who had never spoken a Spanish word before, pronounced it correctly, or any thing I near the mark. After they had repeated these names satisfactorily, ilieir blind tutor after a pause added, "Santos" — and recapitulated ilie names of a great many saints, which finished the morning's tui- tion. I did not attend the next schooling to hear what was the en- suing task, but saw them arranged on their knees, repeating Spanish I words as before. They did not appear to me to pay much attention to what was I joing forward, and I observed to the padre that I thought their teachers had an arduous task ; but he said they had never found any difficulty ; that the Indians were accustomed to change their own w. i j* 1 1 fj: I ' ■M . .--4«>4«Ms3fr -If '' If • I % 310 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Nov. I ^ods, and that their conversion was in a measure habitual to them, I could not help smiling at this reason of the padre, but have no doubt it was very true ; and that the party I saw would feel as little compunction at apostatizing again, whenever they should have an opportunity of returning to their own tribe. The expenses of the late expedition fell heavy upon the mission, and I was glad to find that the padre thought it was paying very- dear for so few converts, as in all probability it will lessen liis de- sire to undertake another expedition ; and the poor Indians will be spared the horrors of being butchered by their own countrymen, or dragged from their homes into perpetual captivity. He was also much concerned to think the Cosemenes had stood their ground so firmly, and he was under some little apprehension of an attack up. on the mission. Impressed with this idea, and in order to defend himself the more effectually. He begged me to furnish him with a j few fireworks, which he thought would strike terror into his ene* mies in case of necessity. Morning and evening mass are daily performed in the missions, and high mass as it is appointed by the Romish Church, at wliichj all the converted Indians are obliged to attend. The commemora- tion of the anniversary of the patroness saint took place during nij I visit at San Jose, and high mass was celebrated in the church. Be- fore the prayers began, there was a procession of the young female! Indians, with which I was highly pleased. They were neailjl dressed in scarlet petticoats, and white bodices, and walked in al very orderly manner to the church, where they had places assignedl to them apart from the males. After the bell had done tollin?,! several alguazils went round to the huts, to see if all the Indians! were at church, and if they found any loitering within them, tlieyl exercised with tolerable freedom a long lash with a broad thong al the end of it ; a discipline which appeared the more tyrannical, asl the church was not sufliciently capacious for all the attendants, audi several sat upon the steps without ; but the Indian women who bad been captured in the affair with the Cosemenes were placed in situation where they could see the costly images, and vessels ofl burning incense, and every thing that was going forward. The congregation was arranged on both sides of the buildind separated by a wide aisle passing along the centre, in which wm stationed several alguazils with whips, canes, and goads, to preservj silence and maintain order, and, what seemed more difficult tliaa either, to keep the congregation in their kneeling posture. TliJ goads were better adapted to this purpose than the whips, as tliejl would reach a long way, and inflict a sharp puncture without makJ ing any noise. The end of the church was occupied by a guar! of soldiers under arms, with fixed bayonets ; a precaution which 19-26.] pon the mission, 'as paying very I lessen his de- ir Indians will be \vn countrymen, ty. He was also d their ground so of an attack up- order to defend nish him with a ror into his ene-j i in the missions, Church, at wliick The conimemora- k place during my I the church. Be- ; the young female rhey were neatly I and walked in i] lad places assigned had done tollinj, jf all the Indian within them,lhey] a hroad thong at iiore tyrannical, as [he attendants, and] in women who bai' [Were placed in [es, and vessels ol 'orward. of the buildin?; •e, in which wer( goads, to preserv lore difficult thai jg posture. Tb he whips, as the iture without mat upied by a giia" irecaution which AND BEERING S STRAIT. 311 suppose experience had taught the necessity of observing. Above jliem there was a choir, consisting of several Indian musicians, who performed very well indeed on various instruments, and sang the Deuni in a very passable manner. Tlie congregation was very at- tentive, but the gratification they appeared to derive from the music furnished another proof of the strong hold this portion of the cere- monies of the Komish church takes upon uninformed minds. The worthy and benevolent priests of the mission devote almost ilie wiiole of their time to the duties of the establishment, and have a fatherly regard for those placed under them who are obedient and diligent; and too much praise cannot be bestowed upon them, con- sidering that they have relinquished many of the enjoyments of life, and have embraced a voluntary exile in a distant and barbarous country. The only amusement which my hospitable host of the mission of San Jose indulged in, during my visit to that place, was Iduring meal times, when he amused himself by throwing pancakes 10 the nwc/tacAos, a number of little Indian domestics, who stood japing round the table. For this purpose, he had every day two piles of pancakes made of Indian corn ; and as soon as the olla was removed, he would fix his eyes upon one of the boys, who imme- wtely opened his mouth, and the padre, rolling up a cake, would Lay something ludicrous in allusion to the boy's appetite, or to the [iizeof his mouth, and pitch the cake at him, which the imp would tatch between his teeth, and devour with incredible rapidity, in irder that he might be ready the sooner for another, as well as to [lease the padre, whose amusement consisted in a great measure in ilnessing the sudden disappearance of the cake. In this manner lie piles of cakes were gradually distributed among the boys, amidst iiich laughter, and occasional squabbling. Nothing could exceed the kindness and consideration of these ex- ellent men to their guests and to travellers, and they were seldom lore pleased than when any one paid their mission a visit : we al- lays fared well there, and even on fast days were provided with fish !ssed in various ways, and preserves made with the fruit of the rantry. We had, however, occasionally some difficulty in main- ij our good temper, in consequence of the unpleasant remarks (bich the difference of our religion brought from the padres, who rere very bigoted men, and invariably introduced this subject. At ther times they were very conversible, and some of them were in- !nious and clever men ; but they had been so long excluded inithe civilized world, that their ideas and their politics, like the laps pinned against the walls, bore date of 1772, as near as I could tad it for fly spots. Their geographical knowledge was equally Jckward, as my host at San Jose had never heard of the discove- (s of Captain Cook ; and because Otaheite was not placed upon ie chart, he would scarcely credit its existence. tm .^ H 312 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Nov. m i ^) n i The Indians after their conversion are quiet and tractable, but ex- tremely inilolent, and given to intoxication, and other vices. Cain- bling in particular they indulge in to an unlimited extent: tlio, pledge the very clothes on their backs, and not unfrequently liav been known to play for each other's wives. They have several games of their own, besides some with cards, which have been taught them by the Spaniards. Those which are most common, and are derived from the wild Indians, are tousse called by the Span- iards pares y nones, odd or even ; escondido, or hunt the slipper; and takersia. The first, though sometimes played as in England, generally con- .sists in concealing a piece of wood in one hand, and holding out both for the guessing party to declare in which it is contained. The intense interest that is created by its performance has been anms. ingly described by Perousc. The second, escondido, needs no de- scription ; the last, takersia, requires some skill to play well, and | consists in rolling a circular piece of wood with a hole in its centre I along the ground, and throwing a spear through it as it rolls. If the | spear pierces the hole, it counts ten towards the game ; and if it ar- rests the wood in such a manner that it falls upon the spear, two k\ reckoned. It is a sport well calculated to improve the art of throw- ing the spear : but the game requires more practice to play it well than the Indians usually bestow upon it. At some of the missions they pursue a custom said to be ofgreatl antiquity among the aborigines, and which appears to afford thenil much enjoyment. A mud house, or rather a large oven, called te-f meschal by the Spaniards, is built in a circular form, with a small m trance, and an aperture in the top for the smoke to escape throujbJ Several persons enter this place quite naked and make a fire neai the door, which they continue to feed with wood as long as theycaJ bear the heat. In a short time ♦hey are thrown into a most profusi perspiration, they wring their Ijair, and scrape their skin withi sharp piece of wood or an iron-hoop, in the same manner as coaclj horses are sometimes treated when they come in-heated ; and thei plunge into a river or pond of cold water, which they always tak^ care shall be near the temeschal. A similar practice to this is mentioned by ShelekofF as beins; i use among the Konaghi, a tribe of Indians near Cook's River, wh have a method of heating the oven with hot stones, by which thejj avoid the discomfort occasioned by the wood-smoke ; and, insteai of scraping their skin with iron or bone, rub themselves with grai and twigs. Formerly the missions had small villages attached to them, ij which the Indians lived in a very filthy state ; these have almost af disappeared since Vancouver's visit, and the converts are dispose t,* ■«-?■ '7'^'>m [Nov. clable, but ex- r vices. Gam- 1 extent: they requently liav y have several liich have been most common, led by the Span- int the slii^per; \, generally con- , and holding out contained. The has been aniiis- do, needs no de- to play well, and I hole in its centre IS it rolls. Iftlie ame ; and if it ar- the spear, two is e the art of throw- ;ice to play it well said to be of great! ars to afford theraf re oven, called te- 1, with a small enJ to escape throujbJ I make a fire neaj as long as theycaJ nto a most profusf their skin withi manner as coacb heated; andiM they always taki llekoff as bein?i^ Rook's River, wl fes, by which tliej loke; and.instea' iselves with gn Itached to them.' lese have almost ; Iverts are dispose! 1826.] AND DGERINO'S STRAIT. 313 of in liuts as before described ; and it is only when sickness prevails ;o a great extent that it is necessary to erect these habitations, in order to separate the sick from those who are in health. Sickness ill general prevails to an incredible extent in all the missions, and on coniparing the census of Jie years 1786 and 1813, the propor- tion of deaths appears to be increasing. At the former period tlu-re liad been only 7,701 Indians baptised out of which 2,388 had died; hut in 1313 there had been 37,437 deaths to only 57,328 baptisms. The establishments are badly supplied with medicines, and the rev:;rend fathers, their only medical advisers, are inconceivably ig- norant of the use of them. In one mission there was a seaman who pretended to some skill in pharmacy, but he knew little or nothing of it, and perhaps often did more harm than good. The Indians are also extremely careless and obstinate, and prefer their own sim- ples to any other remedies, which is not unfrequently the occasion of their disease having a fatal termination. The Indians in general submit quietly to the discipline of the missions, yet insurrections have occasionally broken out, particular- y in the early stage of the settlement, when father Tamoral and other priests suffered martyrdom.* In 1823, also, a priest was mur- I dered in a general insurrection in the vicinity of San Luis Rey ; and in 1827, the soP'ors of the garrison were summoned to quell [another riot in the same quarter. The situations of the missions, particularly that of San Jose, arc l.'j^eneral advantageously chosen. Each establishment has fifteen |si|uare miles of ground, of which part is cultivated, and the rest ap- Ipropriated to the grazing and rearing of cattle ; lor in portioning out Itlie ground, care has been taken to avoid that which is barren. Illiemost productive farms are held by the missions of San Jose, ISanta Clara, San Juan, and Santa Cruz. That of San Francisco Ijppears to be badly situated, in consequence of the cold fogs from lltie sea, which approach the mission through several deep valleys, Ijh^ turn all the vegetation brown that is exposed to them, as is the jcase in Shetland with the top of every tree that rises above the walls. itill, with care, more might be grown in the mission than it is at [present made to produce. Santa Cruz is rich in supplies, probably Ion account of the greater demand by merchant vessels, whalers in Iparticular, who not unfrequently touch there the last thing on leav- linj the coast, and take on board what vegetables they require ; the [quantity of which is so considerable, that it not unfrequently hap- Ipens that the missions are for a time completely drained. On this ♦ Noticias de California, by Miguel Venegas. 40 ^ J ■# »--S- v«< 'It 314 VOYAGE TO THF, PACIFIC [Nov. I pi, » '' '. / »' I I' mi ):.")■ account it is advisal)'^, on amvinp; at any of the ports, to take an early opportunity of ordering every tiling that may be reciuiied. A quantity of grain, such as wheat and Indian corn, is aniumlK raised in all the niissions, except San Francisco, which, ncjtwiih. standing it has a farm Hurri IJurri, is sometimes obliged to have re- course to the other establishments. Harloy and oats are said to bo scarcely worth the cultivation, but beans, peas, and other Icgumi- nous vegetables are in abundance, and fruit is plentiful. Tlio laiuj requires no manure at present^ and yields on an average twenty for one. San Jose reaps about 3,(K)() fancgas * of wheat annually. Hides and tallow constitute the principal riches of the missions, and the staple commodity of the conmierce of the country : a prof. itable revenue might also be derived from grain, were the deiiuiml for it on the coast such as to encourage them to cultivate a larner quantity than is required by the Indians attached to the missions, San Jose, which possesses 15,000 head of cattle, cures about i2,(l()0 hides annually, and as many botas of tallow, which are either dis- posed of by contract to a mercantile establishment at Monterey, or to vessels in the harbour. The price of these hides may be jiidsed by their finding a ready market on the Lima coast. Though there are a great many sheep in the country, as maybe seen by the mis- sion San Jose alone possessing 3,000, yet there is no export of wool, in consequence of the consumption of that article in the man- ufacture of cloth for the missions. Husbandry is still in a very backward state, and it is <* ito.j that the soil is so fertile, and that there are abundance of 1 < to perform the work, or I verily believe the people would be conten- ted to live upon acorns. Their ploughs appear to have descended from the patiiarchial ages, and it is only a pity that a little of the skill and industry then employed upon them, should not have de- volved upon the present generation. It will scarcely be credited by agriculturists in other countries, that there were seventy ploiis;lis and two hundred oxen at work upon apiece of light ground often acres ; nor did the overseers appear to consider that number unrcc- essary, as the padre called our attention to this extraordinary ad- vancement of the Indians in civilization, and pointed out the mon able workmen as the plougii: passed us in succession. The great- er part of these ploughs followed in the "nina furrow without ma- king much impression, until they approached the padre, when the ploughman gave the necessary inclination of the hand, and the! share got hold of the ground. It would have been good policy for the padre to have moven gradually along the field, by which hi would leave had it properly ploughed ; but he seemed to be quiti • A fancga is ono hundred pounds weight. ,,,, -s, ■ '■"'\V'«i l8Hi.\ AND UKUIlINf! S STKAIT. 315 satisfied with tlio performance. Several of the missions, hut partic- iilaily that of Santa JJarhara, make a wino rosenihhns chiret, though not near so pahitablo, and they also distil an ardent spirit rosenibling arrack. In this part of California, besides the missions, there are several pueblos, or villages, occupied by Spaniards and their families, who have availed themselves of the privileges granted by the old govern- ment, and have reliniiuished the sword for the ploughshare. There arc also a few settlers who are farmers, hut, with th 'se exceptions, the country is almost uninhabited. Perhaps I cannot convoy a bet- ter idea of the deserted state of the country, or of the capability of its soil, than by inserting a short narrative which I have compiled from the journals of throe of my oflicers who travelled over land from San Francisco to " the liimous port of Monterey." I have already stated that it was found expedient to make this journey to learn whether any supplies could bo procured lor the ship: and in consequence Mr. Collie the surgeon, Mr. Marsh, the purser, and Mr. Evans, who was well acquainted with the Spanish language, were requested to proceed on this service. As it was of importance that no time should be lost in acquiring this information, they had very little time allowed to prepare them for so long, and to seamen, so unusual a journey ; but as the mode of travelling in that rude country admitted but few incumbrances, the omission of these preparations was of less consequence. , In order to reach a tolerable halting-place for the night, the first (la^'s journey was necessarily long, and consequently by daylight on llie 9th November the three officers were on the road to the mission ; liaving found horses and an escort prepared in pursuance of previous arrangements. Setting off at a round trot, they made the best of their way over three or four miles of ground so overgrown with dwarf oaks and other trees, that they were every moment in danger of being thrown frnni their horses, or having their eyes torn out by the branches as they passed. In half an hour, however, they reached the mission of San Francisco, and soon forgot the little annoyances they had hitherto met with in the hospitable welcome of the good priest, who regaled them with excellent pears and new milk. Nor was his con- versation less palatable than his cheer ; for, notwithstanding the introduction of half a dozen unnecessary si senors in each sentence, lie contrived to amuse the vacant time with a flow of most genuine humour, for which Tomaso was always prepared, till the rattling accoutrements of a Californian dragoon announced the arrival of the passport from the governor. Intrusting their baggage to the care of Uvo vaqueros (Indian cattle drivers) who were to accompany them, and receiving each a blessing from the padre, they set off with their escort about ten o'clock in the forenoon. The cavalcade consisted ,«•' «i ■*•■ y J ^^ 316 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC Nov I 'H' of ti.ree officers of the Blossom, the two vaqueros, and their cham- pion the dragoon, proceeded by nine or ten loose horses, ''liven on before as a relay, to be used when those they mounted siiould be- come fatigued. Thes" Rozinantes are not much inclined to devi- ate from the road, but if any thing should inspire them witli a spir- it of straying, the "nnerring lasso, the never-failing appendage to a CaiiMrnian saddlebow, soon embraces their neck or their feet, and brings them back af ain to tlie riglit way. I must not, however, permit the party to proceed without intro- ducing to the notice of the reader tl;'? costume and equipments of this dragoon of California. As for hi? person, I do not find it de- scribed, but bis dress consisted of a round blue cloth jacket with red cuffs and collar ; blue velvet breeches, which being unbuttoned at the knees, gave greater display tc a pair of white cotton stock- ings, cased more than half way in a pair of deer-skin boots. A black hat, as broad in the urim as ix was disproportionably low in the crown, kept in older, by its own weight, a profusion of dark hair, which met behind, and dangled half way down the backimhe form of a thick q \e. A long musket, with a fox skin bound round the lock, was balanced upon the pummel of the saddle ; and our hero was further provided for defence against the Indians with a bull's hide shield, rn which, notwithstanding the revolution of the colony, were emblazoned the royal arms of Spain, and by a double- fold deer skin cn'rarjs as a covering for his body. Thus accoutred he bestrode asadd'e, which retained him in his seat by a high puu'- mel in front and ;> corresponding rise behind. His feet were ai.lied at the heels with a tremendous pair of iron spurs, secured by a met- al chain ; arid were thrust through an enormous pair of wooden box shaped sti: ups. Sucli wps the person into whose charge our ship- mates were placed by the governor, with a pas?port which com- manded him not to permit any person to interfere with the party, either in its advance or on its return, and that it was tc be escorted from place to place by a soldier. Leaving the mission of San Francisco, tho party receded from the only part of the country tliat is wooded for any considerate distance, and ascended a chain of hills about a thousand feet in height, where they had an extensive view, comprehending the sea, the Farallones rocks, and the distant Punta de los Reyes, a head- 1 land so named by the expedition under Sebastian Viscaino in 1(502, The ridge which afforded this wide prospect was called Sierra de San Bruno, and for the most part was covered with a burnt-up I grass, but such places as were bare presented to the eye of the | geologist, rocks of sandstone conglonier,ite, intersected by a few veins of jaspar. Winding t\ rough the Sierra de San Bruno, they cross. d a river oi' that name, and opened out the broad arm of the! ind their cliam- >rses. ''liven on AND BEEUINg's STRAIT 317 sea ^vliich leads from th« port to Santa Clara, and is confined be- tween the chain they were traversing and the Sierra de los Bol- bones, distinguishable at a distance by a peaked mountain 3,783 feet high by trigonometrical measurement. Upon the summit of that part of the sierra bordering the arm ». f sea called Estrecho de San Jose, a thick wood, named Palos Colorados from its consisting principally of red cedar pine, stands conspicuous on the ridge. I nientici this particularly, and wish to call attention to the circum- stance, as the straggling trees at the south extreme of the wood are used as landmarks for avoiding a dangerous rock which v-e dis- covered in the harbour, and named after llie Blossom. About noon they reached a small cottage named Burri Burri, about twelve miles from San Francisco ; and being unused to trav- elling, especially upon Californian saddles, which are by no means constiiicted for comfort, they determined to rest, until the baggage iliat had been left in the rear should overtake them. The house in ivliich they lodged was a small miserable mud cottage full of holes, nhich, however, at/orded them some repose and some new milk. its inhabitan'.s had been engaged in tanning, in which process they Used a liqniu extracted from oak bark, contained in a hide suspend- ed by liie corners. They had also collected in great quantities a I very useful root called in that country amoles, which seems to an- swer all the purposes of soap. Fiom Burri Burri, a continuation of the Sierra de San Bruno I passes along the centre of tlie peninsula formed by the sea and the lEstrc'cho de Sa i Jose, and h separatee' from this arm of the har- jbourby a plain, upon which the traveiliJrs now descended from the mountains, and journeyed at a more easy and agreeable rate than iliey had done on the rugged paths among the hills. This plain hear the sea is marshy, and having obtained the name of Las Sa- liiiias is probably overflowed occasionally by the sea. The number of ..ild geese whlc): frequent it is quite extraordinary, and indeed jnould hardly be credited by any one who had not seen them cov- je J whole acres of ground, or rising in myriads with a clang that I may be heard at a very considerable distance. They are said to [arrive in California in November, and to remain there until March. Tlieir flesh in general is hard ana fishy, but it was reported by pa- dre Luis Gil, of the mission of Santa C -uz, that those which have I yellow feet are exceptions to this, and are excellent eating. The blackbirds are almost equally numerous, and in their distant flight jrcscniWe clouds. Among the marshes there were also a great many [itorks and cranes, which in San Francisco have the reputation of affordins:; a most delicious repast. Travelling onward, the hills on their right, known in that part as tlie Sierra del Sur, began to a,iproach the road, which passing over Mi ^^ — 4«^ 1 318 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Noi, 4 w „ _ ¥ ' fk:\if^:H a small eminence, opened out upon a wide country of meadow land with clusters of fine oak free from underwood. It strongly resenib. led a nobleman's park : herds of cattle and horses were grazing upon the rich pasture, and numerous fallow-deer, startled at tlie approach of strangers, bounded off to seek protection among tlie hills. The resemblance, however, could be traced no further. Ii,. stead of a noble mansion, in character with so fine a country, the party arrived at a miserable mud dwelling, before the door of wbldi a number of half-naked Indians were basking in the sun. Several dead geese, deprived of their entrails, were fixed upon pegs aroiUKJ a large pole, for the purpose of decoying the living game into snares, which were placed for them m favourable situations. Heaps of I bones also of various animals were lying about the place, and sadly disgraced the park-like scenery around. Ti)is spot i? named Saii Matheo, and belongs to the mission of San Francisco. Quitting this spot, they arrived at a farm-house about half wav between San Francisco and Santa Clara, called Las Pulgas (fleas); a name which afforded much mirth to our travellers, in which tliey were heartily joined, by the inmates of the dwelling, who were very well aware that the name had not been bestowed without ,^ause, | It was a miserable habitation, with scarcely any furniture, surround- ed by decaying hides and bones. Still, fatigue renders repose I sweet upon whatsoever it can be indulged, and our party were glad enough to stretch themselves awhile upon a creaking couch, tliel only one in the hut, notwithstanding that the owner had a n-^'iier- ous family. Here, had there been accommodation, and had tliel place not acquired the reputation its name conveys, they wouldj willingly have ended their day's journey ; but the idea of las f gas, sufficiently numerous in all the houses of California, deteiiiiiii-i ed them to proceed as soon as they conveniently could. The plain! still continued animated with herds of cattle, horses, and slieepl grazing ; but the noble clusters of oak were now varied with shrub-[ beries, which afforded a retreat to numerous coveys of Californianj patridges, of which handsome species of game the first specimen wail brought to England by the Blossom, and is now living in the gar-l dens of the Zoological Society. They are excellent food ; i the birds, in the country now under description, are so tarae tliati they would often not start from a stone directed with Indian skill. The sun went down before they reached Santa Clara, which wasl to terminate that day's journey, and, being unaccustomed to rldeJ the whole party were thoroughly fatigued. Indeed, so wearying was the journey even to the animals that bore them, that but fortiiel relays of horses, which were now brought in with a lasso, tlie\i might have been compelled to pass the night upon the plain among the geese, the jackals, and the bears, which in the vicinity of Sand 182G.] AND BEERINO*S STRAIT. 319 '4 Clara are by no means scarce. The pleasure of removing from a jaded horse to one that is fresh is not unknown probably to my readers, and our party rode in comparative comfort the remainder of the journey, and reached the mission of Santa Clara at eight o'clock. Santa Clara, distant by the road about forty miles from San Francisco, is situated in the extensive plain before described, which here, however, becomes more marshy than that part of the ground over which they had just travelled. It nevertheless continues to be occupied by herds of cattle, horses, sheep, and flocks of geese. Here, also, troops of jackals prowl about in the most daring manner, making the plain resound witli their melancholy bowlings ; and in- deed both wild and domesticated animals seem to lose their fear and become familiar with their tyrant man. The buildings of the estab- lisnment, which was founded in 1768, consist of a church, the dnelling-hr use of the priests, and five rows of buildings for the accommodiition of 1,400 Indians, who, smce Vancouver's visits, jkve been thus provided with comparatively comfortable dwellings, instead of occupying straw huts, which were always wet and miser- I f,ble. Attached to these are so.ne excellent orchards, producing an abundance of apples and pears. Olives and grapes are also plen- tiful, and th a padres are ennbled to make from the latter about twenty barrels of wine annually. They besides grow a great quan- tity of wheat, beans, peas, and other vegetables. On the whole I this is one of the best regulated and ?nost cleanly missions in the [country. Its herds of cattle amount to 10,000 in number, and of llorses there are about 300. When our travellers visited the mission it was governed by padres I Jose and Machin, two priests of the mendicant order of '^'iii Fran- Itisco, to which class belong all the priests in Upper 'ifornia. JTliey appeared to lead a comforiable life, though not over well pro- Ivided with its luxuries. We will not, however, piy too narrowly into the internal arrange- Iraents of the good fathers' dwelling ; let it suffice, that they gave jour travellers a cordial welcome, and entertained them at their [board in a most hospitable manner. After joining them in a dram jof aquadente, they allowed their guests to retire to their sleeping [apartment, where, stretched upon couches of bull-hide, as tough land impenetrable as the cuirass of their friend the dragoon (who [left them at this place), they soon fell asleep — thanks to excessive [weariness — and slept as soundly as las pulgas would let them. Having breakfasted the following morning with the padres, and [being provided with fresh horses, a new escort and vaqueros, the [party was about to start, but were delayed by the punishment of [an Indian who had stolen a blanket, for which he received two doz- h •:■ I ■:< I ( H: ^20 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Nov] en lashes with a leathern thong upon that part of the human frame which, we learn from Hudibras, is the most susceptible of insult.' Some other Indians were observed to be heavily shackled, but thol causes of their punishment were not stated. A beautiful avenue of trees, nearly three miles in length, leads i from the mission to the pueblo of San Jose, the largest settlement I of the kind in Upper California. It consist of mud-houses miser. ably provided in every respect, and contains about 500 inhabitants! — retired soldiers and their families, who under the old governmentj were allowed the privilege of fc ming settlements of this nature [ and had a quantity of ground allotted to them for the use of tlieirj cattle. They style themselves Gente de Razon, to distinguislij them from the Indians, whose intellectual qualities are frequent sub-l jects of animadversion amongst these enlightened communities.i They are governed by an alcalde, and have a chapel of their own 1 at which one of the ])riests of the mission occasionally officiates. About eighteen miles from Santa Clara, the party alighted uponi the banks of a limpid stream, the first they had seen in their ride.l It was too favourable a spot to be passed, and placing some millcj and pears, which had been furnished by the hospitable priests attliel mission, under the cool shade of an aliso-tree, they regaled thein-f selves for a few minutes, and then resumed their journey. At t'lel distance of eight leagues from Santa Clara, they passed some re-j markable hills near the coast named El ojo del coche; and a fewj miles further on, they descended into the plain of Las Llagas,io\ called from a battle which took place between the first settlers aiiii| the Indians, in wiiich many of the former were wounded. Stop{ ping towards the extremity of this fertile plain at some cottawiJ named Ranchas de les animas, the only habitations they had seenf since the morning, they dined upon some jerk beef, which, accoid-l ing to the old custom in this and other Spanish colonies, was servedjj in silver dishes. Silver cups and spoons were also placed befurel our travellers, offering a singular incongruity with the humble wood-l en benches, that were substituted for chairs, and with the wliolel arrangement of the room, which, besides the board of smoking jerk beef, contained beds for the family, and a horse harnessed a flour mill. Leaving Llano de las Llngas, they ascended a low range of hil and arrived at a river appropriately named Riode los Paxaros, from the number of wild ducks which occasionally resort thither. Tlia banks of this river are thickly lined with wood, and being very steea in many places, the party wound, with some difficulty, round trunks of the trees and over the inequalities of the ground ; bul their Californian steeds, untrammelled with shoes, and accustonieij to all kinds of ground, never once stumbled. They rode for so'.i«^ lf,26.] AND BLiERING S STRAIT. 321 tinie along the banks of this river, though so much broken, were very agreeable, and crossing the stream a few miles lower down, tliey left it to make its way to-.vards the sea in a south-west direc- lion, and themselves entered upon the Llano de San Juan, an ex- tensive plain surrounded by mountains. It should have been told, before the party reached thus far, that as they were riding peacea- bly over the Llano de Jas Animas, the clanking of their guide's liuge broadsword, which had been substituted for the long musket of the soldier from th^ oresidio, drew the attention of the party to bis pursuit of a wild mountain-cat, which he endeavoured to en- snare with his lasso for the sake of its skin, which is said to be valuable. Two of these cats, which in species approach the oce- lot, were shot by our sportsmen at San Francisco. Their skins irere preserved to be brought to this country, but on opening the 1 collection they were not found, and we have reason to suspect that a man who assisted the naturalist, disposed of these, as well as other specimens, to his own advantage. Twilight approached as the party drew near to the njission of I San Juan, where they alighted, after a ride of fifty-four miles, just as the bell tolled for vespers, and, stiff and tired, gladly availed themselves of the accommodation afforded by padre Arroyo who in hospitality and good humour endeavoured to exceed even the good fa. bar of Santa Clara. This worthy man was a native of Old [Castile, and had resided in Californian since 1804, dividing his time Ibetween the duties of his holy avocation, and various ingenious jinventions. Supper was served in very acceptable time to the fa- liigued visitors, and the good-natured padre used every persusaion llo induce them to do justice to his fare ; treating them to several jappropriote proverbs, such as " Un dia alegre vale cien anos de Ipesadumbre," (one day of mirth is worth a hundred years of grief,) land many more to the same purpose. Though so many summers Iliad passed over his head in exile, his cheerfulness seemed in no jffay diminished, and lie entertained his guests with a variety of an- ecdotes of the Indians and of their encounters with the bears too long to be repeated here. Nor was his patriotism more diminished than his cheerfulness, and on learning that one of tlie party had Ibeen at the siege of Cadiz, his enthusiasm broke forth in the cele- Ibraled Spanish patriotic song of " Espana de la guerra," &i,c. Hav- ling served them with what he termed the vlatico, consis'ing of a Iplentiful supply of cold fricole beans, bread, and eggs, lie led the Iparty to their sleeping apartment amidst prora;>3s of horses for the Imorrow, aud patriotic songs of his country adapted to the well-known jai'- of Malbrook. Interrupting the good man's entl;usiasm, they lendcavoured to persuade the priest to allow them to proceed early jiii the morning, before t|^e commencement of mass ; thi^, however, 41 *•/ U '(\ 3'22 VOYAOE TO THK PACIFIC [Xov. Iff 1^ ;'& was impossible, and he shut thcni into their apartment, repeating the proverb, " Oir misa y dar cebada no impede Jornada" (to hear mass and bestow alms will not retard your jonrney.) When the morning came, it was a holiday, and the vaqneros, not at all disposed to lose their recreation, had decamped with the sad- dles, and the party were obliged to pass the day at San Juan. Af- ter a small cup of chocolate, and a strip of dry bread, the only meal ever served in the missions until twelve o'clock, the party strolled over the grounds, and visited about thirty huts belonging to some nnwly converted Indians of the tribe of Toolerayos (bulrush. cs.) 'ii.i'r tents were about thirty-five feet in circumference, con. structed with pliable poles fixed in the ground and drawn together at the top, to the height of twelve or fifteen feet. They are then interwoven with small twigs and covered with bulrushes, havinn an aperture at the side to admit the inhabitants, and another at tiietop j to let out the smoke. The exterior appearance of these wretched wigwams greatly resembles a bee-hive. In each dwelling were nine or ten Indians of both sexes, and of all ages, nearly in a state of nudity, huddled round a fire kindled in the centre of the apartment, a prey to vermin, and presenting a picture of misery and wretched- ness seldom beheld in even the most savage state of society. They [ seemed to have lost all the dignity of their nature ; even the black birds (oriolus niger) had ceased to regard them as human beiiiij?, and were feeding in flocks among the wigwams. This was said to I be the state in which the Indians naturally live, and the reader will not be surprised to hear that this party had voluntarily come fromj the mountains to be converted, and to join their civilized brethrcnl at the mission. Happy would it be for these savages could theybel once taught to make a proper use of that freedom which ougiit toj follow their conversion to the pure religion of Christ, even undeil the restrained form of Catholicism, that their minds might become j by this means sufliciently improved to allow of their settling in in- dependent Christian communities ; but, judging from their presentl mental capacity, it must be long before so great and desirable al change can be effected. The experiment of liberating the Indians! has been tried and has failed ; and appearances certainly justify tliel assertion that the Indian is happier under control than while indulg-l ing his free soul in the wilds of his native country. What might seem a remarkable example of this was met with onj turning from the dwelling of wretchedness just described to a scenel of the greatest mirth and happiness amongst some converted Indi-j ans, who were passing their holiday in amusement. Some were] playing at takcrsia, a game which, as already described, consists trundling a hoop, or rather a piece of wood with a hole in it, and! in endeavouring to pierce it with a short l^nce as it rolls. Anotlier| [Nov. i 1826J 3nt, repeating the la" (to hear mas>< the vaqueros, not ped with the sad- it San Juan. Af. bread, the only )'clock, the party huts belonging to olerayos (bulrush- rcumference, con- d drawn together They arc then Irushes, having an another at the top of these wretched dwelling were nine arly in a state of] e of the apartment, sery and wretcbed- of society. They •e ; even the black | as human beings,. This was said to] and the reader \vi ntarily come from I civilized brethren ages could they be I m which ought to irist, even undetl inds might become leir settling in in- 1 from their present! and desirable al lerating the IndiansI ertainly justify tlie| than while induli- •^' 1 I lis was met witli oni escribed to a scene le converted Imli-f lent. Some werej scribed, consists in! a hole in it, 'm it rolls. Anotherl AND BKEKINCi S STKAIT. 3-23 party were playing at a game resembling hoclcoj, and in various parts of the plain adjoining the mission many others were engaged in pleasnt recreations, passing their day in exercise, content, and enjoyment. In the neighbouring meadows there were several large herds of cattle ; and the geese settled there in (locks, as at the mission of Santa Clara. The rocks, where they protruded, were ascertain- ed by Mr. Collie to be sand-stone conglomerate with a calcareous basis. The welcome peals of the mission bell assembled the party at dinner ; but the padre, who for some time before had been earnestly engaged in endeavouring to convert one of his heretic guests, was unwilling to quit the train of theological disquisitions which in his own opinion he had almost brought to successful issue, until re- minded by his other visitors, who had not been accustomed to go so long without their breakfast, that they required something more substantial. I will not attempt to stimulate the appetite of my reader by enu- merating the various exquisite dishes which successively smoked on the board of the generous priest, suffice it that there were many food ones, as the padres in California are careful to have their table well supplied at all times of the year, and have an indulgence from the pope to eat meat even during the greater part of Lent, in con- sequence of the difficulty of procuring fish. Having performed the honours of the table, padre Arroyo retired to indulge his usual siesta : this, however, caused but a brief sus- pension to the efforts he most industrioyly continued to make, for die purpose of converting his heretical opponent to the true faith, reading him innumerable lectures in refutation of the Ijutheran and Calvinistic doctrines, and in favour of the pope's s'-.^/tumacy, infal- libility, and power of remitting offences. It more than once occurred to the party — and I believe, not with- out good foundation for their opinion — tiiat it was the hope of suc- cess in this conversion which occasioned all the little lUiiiceuvring to delay them, that I have before described. But having at length given his pupil over as irrevocably lost, he consented to their de- parture on the following morning. Tlic padre appeared to be of an active mind, and had constructed a water-clock which commu- nicated with a bell by his bedside, and which by being arranged at night could be made to give an alarm at any stated hour. It was here that our travellers were surprised at the intelligence of the north-west passage having been effected by a Spaniard, and were not a little amused at the idea of having stumbled upon the long-sought north-west passage in an obscure mission of Cali> fornia. Ljm\ "4^' V. 334 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Nov. 4 I I The padre, however, was quite in earnest, and produced a work published by the Duke of Ahnodobar, Director of the Royal Acad- emy in Spain, in which was transcribed at full length the fictitious voyage of Maldonado. It was in vain they endeavoured to per- suade the padre that this voyage was not real, seeing that it bore even in its detail all the marks of truth, and that it emanated from such high authority. His credulity in this instance affords a curi- ous proof of the very secluded manner in which these holy men pass their time, for it may be remembered, that it was in the very ports of California that both Vancouver and Quadra anchored, af- ter having satisfactorily proved the voyage in question to have been a fabrication. A still greater instance of the simplicity of the priest is related at his expense by persons in the mission. A youthful Indian couple who had conceived an affection for each other eloped one day, that they miglit enjoy each other's society without reserve in the wild and romantic scenery of the forests. Soldiers were immediate]}' sent in pursuit, when, after a week's search, the fugitives were brought back ; upon which padre Arroyo, to punish their misbe- haviour, incarcerated them together, and kept them thus confined until he thought they had expiated their crime. In addition to his other manifold accomplishments, padre Arroyo was a grammarian, and said that he had written a vocabulary and grammar of the Indian languages, but he could not be prevailed upon to show them. Such works, were they in existence, would, I believe, be the only ones of the kind ; and it is a pity that tliey should not be given to the world as a matter of curiosity, though I cannot think they would be of much use to a traveller, as the lan- guages of the tribes differ so materially, and in such short spaces, that in one mission there were eleven totally different dialects. I cannot omit to mention padre Arroyo's disquisition on the etymol- ogy of tlie name of the Peninsula of California. I shall observe first, that it was never known why Cortes gave to the bay * whicli he first discovered, a name which appears to be composed of the Latin words calida and fornax, signifying heat and furnace, and which was afterwards transferred to the peninsula. Miguel Vene- gas supposed it arose from some Indian words which Cortes mis- understood, and Burney, in his history of voyages in the Pacific.t observes, that some have conjectered the name to have been given on account of the heat of the weather, and says, it has been re- marked that it was the only name given by Cortes which was im- mediately derived from the Latin language. Without entering into | ♦ B'^rnal Diaz de Castillo, in his " Conquest of Mexico," calls California a bay. t Vol. I. p. 178, 4to, alls California a bay. 19-26.] AND BEEniNG S STRAIT. .3iJ5 a discussion of the subject, which is not of any moment, I sliall observe, that it was thought in Monterey to have arisen in conse- quence of a custom which prevails throughout Cahfornia, of the Indians shutting themselves in ovens until they perspire profusely, as 1 have already described in speaking of the Temeschal. It is not improbable that the practice appeared so singular to Cortes that he applied the name of California to the country, as being one in which hot ovens were used for such singular purposes. Padre Arroyo, however, maitained that it was a corruption of colofon, ffliich, in the Spanish language, signifies resin, in consequence ol the pine trees which yield that material being so numerous. The first settlers, he said, at the sight of these trees would naturally ex- claim, " Colofon," which, by its similarity to Californo, (in the Catalonian dialect, hot oven,) a more familiar expression, would soon become changed. Our travellers, after taking leave of the hospitable and anmsing priest the proceding evening, with the intention of preceding early in the morning, experienced much delay in consequence of the re- fusal of the guard to start without hearing mass and receiving the benediction of the priest : but at length they quitted the plain of San Juan, and ascended with difficutly some steep hills commanding a view of the spacious bay of Monterey. Then winding among valleys, one of which was well wooded and watered, they entered an extensive plain called " Llano del Rey," which until their arri- val, was in the quiet possession of numerous herds of deer and jack- als. This tract of land is bounded on the north, east, and south- east, by mountains which extend with a semicircular sweep from the I sea at Santa Cruz, and unite with the coast line again at Point Pi- jaos. It is covered with a rank grass, and has very few shrubs. Tn traversing this plain, before they could arrive at some ranchos, nam- ed Las Salinas, where they proposed to dine, the party had to wade ilirough several deep ditches and the Rio del Rey, both of which were covered with wild ducks. The cottages called Las Salinas are on the farm of an old Scotchman, to whom the land was granted in con- sequence of some services which he rendered to the missions. They rested here, and to the provision they had brought with them very tladly added some pumpkins, procured from the Indiana. Hpre, also, they were surprised with the novel occurrence of having water brought to them in baskets, which the Indians weave so close, that when wet they become excellent substitutes for bowls. The remainder of the plain over which they passed toward Mon- terey was sandy, and covered vv;!th.i\a|rn^nt,^outhernwo^od.^b^^^^ liere and there by dwarf oaks, and shrubs of the syngenesious class of plants. As they approached the town, pasture lands, covered with herds of cattle, succeeded this wild scenery : and riding on- 4; U' I fi'|;\l''^^felj •J' ' i 326 VOVAC.K TO THE PACIFIC [At ward, trees of luxuriant growth, houses scattered over tlic plain, the Tort, and llio shipping in the hay, announced the speedy tcrniiiiiiiiun of thuir journey. At five o'clock in the evening they aliglited in the spuaro at .Monterey, and met a kind recei)tion from Mr. Hart- nell, a merciianl belonging to the firm of Begg and Co. in Lima, wlio was residing there, and who pressed them to accept llie use of his house while they remained in the town — an offer of which ilicv thankfully availed themselves. Gonzales, the governor to whom the party went to pay ihcir re- spects, was an oflicer who had been raised by his own merit fiijin the ranks to be captain of artillery and governor of Monterey : hi? family were residing with him, and having been educated in Mexi- co, complained bitterly of their banishment to this outlandish part of the world, where the population, the ladies in particular, were ox- tremcly ignorant, and wretched companions for the Mcxiranus in- stniidas. Besides, there were no balls or bull-fights in Monteiov: and for all the news they heard of their own country, they might a^ well have been at Kamschatka. To compensate for these dieadful privations, the ladies generally amused themselves in the evening by smoking and playing cards, and relating the perils they encoun- tered in the land journey from Mexico to the shores of the Pacific. Politness and attention, however, were the characteristics of the good people, who offered our party every assistance in their power during their stay at Monterey. Upon inquiry after the stores and medicines the ship stood in nwd of, the result was highly unfavourable ; as there were no medicines to be had, and some stores which were essential to the ship could no- where be procured. The exchange on bills was favourable, hut there was no specie : Mr. Marsh therefore purchased what stores he could from the inhabitants and from the shipping in the roads, and arranged with a person who had con^e out from Ireland for the purpose of salting meat for the Lima market, to cure a quantity for the use of the ship, and to have it ready on her arrival at MiMiie- rey. They then hastened their departure ; but the same diiiicul- ties arose about horses as before, and they were much inconveni- enced in consequence, being obliged to alter a plan they had con- templatofl of returnmg' by a different route. This, very unexperi- edly to padre Arroyo, brought them again under his roof. Tlie padre either did not like this second tax on his hospitality, or was put out of temper by the increase of a complaint to which he was subject, as he gave them a less cordial reception, and appeared very little disposed to conversation. It was imagined, however, that he "still entertained hopes of the conversion of one of the party, and that with this view he again occasioned a delay in furnishing hor- ses for the next day's journey ; offering as excuses, that some of the !^ ' 1 AHD BKERINn's STRAIT. 3'27 ver the plain, the icedy tcriuiiiiiiiuii they alighted in from Mr. Hart- nd Co. in Lima, accept the use ui let of which ilioy to pay their re- 1 own merit Irani )f Monterey : Im lucated in Mexi- outlandish part of ticuhir, were ox- 10 Mcxiranus in- lits in Munteroy: try, they might a^ for these dreadful es in the evenin; 3rils they encoun- ires of the Pacific. acteristics of the ice in their power ship stood in need vere no medicines le ship could no- IS favourable, but ased what stores ing in the road?, rom Ireland lor ;o cure a quantity arrival at Moiiie- le same dillicul- inuch inconveni- m they had con- very unexpect- his roof. The ospitality, or was to which he was d appeared very owever, that he f the party, and I furnishing hor- thatsonie of the horses of the mission were engaged by soldiers in pursuit of a Mexi- can exile, who had deserted ; tiiat others had been taken ljy the vaijiicros to look after a male and female Indian, who had likewise abjconded ; and that the rest were gone to join the expedition aiainst Los Gentiles, the Cosemenes. Vexed at this delay, the par- w endeavoured to hire horses at their own expense, hut the price Jtnianded was so exorbitant that they determined to wait the return of those that were said to be absent. It is more tlian probable that some one of my readers may have been in the same predicament — in a strange town, in a strange conntry, with a beast fatigued to death, and an urgent necessity for proceeding ; he will then easily remember the aimable and benevo- lent alacrity with which tlie inhabitants endeavoured to lighten his load of every stray crown they could obtain from him, on every pre- tence that ingenious cupidity can invent. So at least did the good people at San Juan, when padre Arroyo would no longer assist our poor companions. Private horses could be had, it was true, but terms were either thirteen shillings sterling for the journey, or seventeen Mailings sterling for the purchase of the horse, which in California is considered so exorbitant that our shipmates did not think proper to Hitler the imposition, and awaited the horses belonging to the mis- sion. After a day's delay during which they again heard many invec- tives against the new goverment of Mexico, which had deprived the priesthood of their salaries, and obliged the missions to ])ay a tithe iothe state, they resumed their journey, and arrived at San Fran- cisco on tiie 17th of INovember. In this route it will be seen that, with the exception of the mis- sions and pueblos, the country is almost uninhabited ; yet the pro- ductive nature of the soil, when it has been turned up by the mis- Mons, and the immense plains of meadow land over* which our trav- ellers passed, show with how little trouble it might be brought into iiisth cultivation by any farmers who could be induced to settle there. The unwelcome intelligence brought by this party of the nature of the supplies to be obtained at Monterey, obliged me to relinquish the plan 1 had contemplated of completing the survey of that pr-.rt of the coast of California which had been left unfinished by Van- couver: and rendered it necessary that I should proceed direct either to Canton or to Lima, as the most likely places for us to meet with the medicines and stores " oi wTiiciF we Vere'iii' such 'mim'nent need. The western route of these two afforded the best opportuni- ty of promoting the objects of the expedition, by bringing us into ihe vicinity of several groupes of islands of doubtful existence, at ^^liicli, in the event of their being found, our time might be useful- ■»^ * ^^ ^ fi ; ,. ■3: 328 VOYACE TO THK PACIFIC [A or, ly employed until it sliould be necessary to proceed to Herring; Strait. An additional reason for tliis decision was, a request whicli I had made to the consul of the Sandwich Islands, if jiossibk', tu purchase provision for the ship at that place. 1 therefore dcttrmin. ed, after taking on board the few stores that were purchased at Monterey, to proceed to the Sandwich Islands, searching in our way thither for some Islands said to have been discovered by an Anicri- can vessel, and from thence prosecute the voyage to Canton. While we remained at San Francisco refitting the ship, tlieboatj were constantly employed sounding and surveying the harbour, in which the duty we received every assistance from Martinez, ti, governor, who allowed us to enter the forts and to take what aiidus and measures we pleased, requiring only in return for this indul- gence a copy of the plan, when finished, for his own governmeiit; I liis proposal seemed so fair that I immediately acceded to it, and, on my return to the place the following year, fully complied with \\\< request. It is impossible to pass unnoticed the difference belwe , this liberal conduct of Martinez and that of the former Spanish au- thorites, who watched all Vancouver's actions with tlie greatesil suspicion, and whose jealousy has been the subject of animad- version of almost every voyager who has touched at this port. On the 12th of December a salute was fired from the battery;! higli mass was said in all the missions, and a grand entertainment, to which all the officers were invited, was given at the presidio, in horiour ol Santa Senora Gaudaloupe. There was also to have Ikiii) a fight between a bear and a bull, but for some reason not knowiol us — |)robably the trouble it required to bring the animal so ki; . the bears do not come within many miles of the presidio — it did not! take place ; and we were all greatly disappointed, as we hadotruredj to reward the soldiers for their trouble and had heard so much ofl these exhibitions from every body that our curiosity had beiiij highly excited. This is a favourite amusement with Calilbrnians, but it is of rare occurrence, as there is much trouble in gettin;^ a| bear alive to the scene of combat, and there is also some risk and! expense attending it. We were informed that when a fight is de-j termined upon three or four horsemen are dispatched with lassos toj the woods where the bears resort, and that when they come to anj advantageous spot they kill a horse or a bullock as a bait, and liidej themselves in the wood. Sometimes they have to wait a wliolej day or more before any of these animals appear, but when tlieyi come to' partake "of *'tlie"Tob'(i; tlie men seize a'lavourao? opportunity,! and rush upon them at different points with their lassos, and eu-l tangle one of them until he is thrown upon the grouud, when theyl manage to suspend him between the horsemen, while a third per^onj dismounts and ties his feet together ; he is then extended upon al [Sot I IB2C.] las also lo have brtii AND llEKiUNTr. 9 STRAIT. 329 hide and ilracfi^ed lioiuo ; diirine; u liicli time it is necessary ,thcy say, to keep him constantly wet to allay his thirst and iaii;o, which amounts almost to madness — and woe he to him wiioshonld ho near if lio were to hreaU away iVom his fasteninj^s. Tlic cntanjiiiling ot" the animal in the (irst instance appears to he by no means devoid of ri.sk, as in case of the lailuro ol'a lasbo it is only hy speed that a ri- der can save himseir and his horse. The Lear being canght, two or three men are dispatched for a wild bull, wliich they lasso in an i'i|iiiilly dexterous manner, catchint;; him 'nher by the horns or by uiiiclisoever lug they please, in order to trip him up and retain liim between them. It is necessary to begin the figlit as soon as the animals are brought in, as the bear cannot be tempted to eat, and is continually exhausting himsell'in struggling for his liberty. The two animals are then tied together by a along rope, and the battle begins, some- times to the disadvantage of the bear, who is half dead with exhaus- tion, but in the end almost always proves fatal to the bull. It is re- markable that all the bears endeavour to seize the bull by the tongue, ht which purpose they spring upon his head or neck and first grap- ple with his nose, until the pau|. compels the bull to roar, when his adversary instantly seizes his tongue, pierces it with bis sharp talons, and is sure of victory. TI' jsc battles were the everlasting topic ol conversation with the Californians, who indeed have very little else to talk about, and they all agreed ns to the manner ol^ the fatal ter- mination of the spectacle. The lasso, though now almost entirely confined to Spanish Amer- :fl. is of very great antiquity, and originally came from the east. It was used by a pastoral people who were of Persian descent, and of whom 8,000 accompanied the army of Xerxes.* By Christmas-day we had all remained sufficiently long in the harbour to contemplate our departure without regret : the eye had become familiar to the picturesque scenery of the bay, the pleas- ure of the .chase had lost its fascination, aud the roads to the mis- sion and presidio were grown tedious and insipid. There was no society to enliven the hours, no incidents to vary one day from the other, and,to use the expression of Donna Gonzales, California appeared to be as much out of the world as Kamschatka. On the 26th, being ready for sea, I was obliged to relinquish the survey of this magnificent port, which possesses almost all the re- (|uisites for a great naval establishment, and is so advantageously situated with recard to Nonh America -afi4-€i>vria,-aviiilu«Pjitific in general, that it will, no doubt, at some future time, be of great importance. We completed the examination of those parts of the ♦ Renucll on the 20 Satrapies of Darius Hystaspcs, P. 287. 42 i 'V ■ !\ "■*?i- ♦• i# ■ipp" ■ ■ l»«l 330 VOYAGE TO THE PACiriC [D 'ec. f'H'' m If '■■t^' «> harbour which were likely to be frequented by vessels for some years to come, in which it is proper tq mention, in order to give as much pu jlicity to the circumstance as possible, that we discovered a rock between Alcatrasses and Yerba Buena Islands,dangerouo to both shipping and boats, in consequence of its rising suddenly from about seven fathoms, so near to the surface as to occasion strong overfalls with the tides. A shoal was also found to the eastward of the landing place off the presidio, which ought to be avoided by boats sailing along shore. On the 28th we took leave of our hospitable and affable friends, Martinez and Padre Tomaso, full of gratitude for their kindness and attention to our wants ; weiglied anchor and bade adieu to the Port of San Francisco, in which we had all received material benefit from th salubrity of its climate, the refreshing product of its soil and the healthy exercise we had enjoyed there. In the ship's company in particular, there was the most apnr rent amend- ment ; some of them, from being so emaciated on their arrival that the surgeon could scarcely recognize them, were now restored to their former healthy appf" .ranee, and we had the satis- faction of sailing without a single qmc of sickness on board. We had to regret during our stay the loss of one of our best men, Jo- seph Bowers, a marine. He had accompanied one of the officers on a shootin,^ excursion, and was led by his naturally ardent and bold dispositibn to plung into a lake after some wild fowl that had been shot, forgetting that he could not, swim. Hi^ eagerness led him beyond his depth, and in his attempt to regain his footing, he unfor- tunately perished before any aid could be brought. His body was | interred at the burial g,round near the presidio landing-place, and was followed to the gravei by all the officers. As the coffin wasj lowering into the ground, the good understanding that existed be- tween the ship's company and the inhabitants was tesitf^ed in the I most gratifying manner, by the latter approaching and performing the last office for the deceased, by dropping the earth in upon his coffin. I cap.oot recollect ever having met with such conduct in any other foreign port, and the act, most certainly, did not lessen our! regard for the inhabitants. % «.' me.] AND BERRINg's STRAIT. 331 CHAFTER XIV. Observations on the Country of California and its Trade — Climate — Meteorological Remarks — Short Account of the Wild /ndians— Natural Productions — Monterey —Mission of San Carlos — Departure. The more we bec"B^ ■;^ 036 VOYAGF. TO THE PACIFIC [Not They cultivate no land, and subsist entirely by tbe chase, and upon the spontaneous produce of the earth. Acorns, of wlncli there is a great abundance in the country, constitute their princi- pal vegetable food. In the proper season they procure a supply of these, bake them, and then bruise them between tvv^o stones into a paste, which will keep until the following season. The paste be- fore H is -hied is subjected to several washings in a sieve, whid, they say deprives it of the bitter taste common to the acorn. We cannot but remark the great resemblance this custom bears to the method adopted by the South-Sea Islandei's to keep their breaclthiit, nor ought we to fail to notice the manner in which Providence points o{it to different tribes the same wise means of preserving j their food, and providing against a season of scarcity. The country inhabited by the Indians abounds in game, and the j rivers in fish ; and those tribes which inhabit the sea-coast make use of muscles and other shell-fish, of which the haliotis gigantea is the most abundant. In the chase they are very expert, and avail them- 1 selves of a variety of devices to ensnare and decoy their game, The artifice of deceiving the deer by placing a head of the animal I upon their shoulders is very successfully practiced by them. Tol do this, they fit the head and horns of a deer upon the head ofal huntsman, the rest of his body being painted to resemble the colourl of a dee". Thus disguised the Indian sallies forth, equipped wiilij hi'- bow and arrows, approaches the pasture of the deer, whose ac-f tions and voice he then endeavours to imitate, taking care to conJ ceal his body as much as possible, for which purpose he generally! selects places which are overgrown with long grass. This strati gem seldom fails to entice several of the herd within reach ofJiis aiv rows, which are frequently sent with unerring aim to the heart ( the animal, and he falls without alarming the herd ; but if theaiiii should fail, or the arrow only wound its intended victim, the wbol^ herd is immediately put to flight. Their method of taking ducks and other wildfowl is equalljl ingenious. They construct large nets with bulrushes, and repai' to such rivers as are the resort of their game, where they fixaloiiWu-'thi pole upright on each bank, with one end of the net attached totlii^ pole on the opposite side of the river to themselves. Several arti ficial ducks made of rushes are then set afloat upon the water ba tween the poles as a decoy ; and the Indians, who have a line hi tened to one end of the net, and passed through a hole in the uppa end of the pole that is near them, wait the arrival of their gamei concealment. When the birds approach, they suddenly extend tlij net across the river by pulling upon the line, and intercept tliemi their flight, when they fall stunned into a large purse in the net, ani are captured. They also spread nets across their rivers in the eva AND BEERINC'S STRAIT. 337 ning, in order that the birds may become entangled in them as they fly. The occupation of the men consists principally in providing for tlieir support, and in constructing the necessary implements for the chase and for their own defence. The women attend to their do- mestic concerns, and work a variety of baskets and ornamental parts of their dress, some are very ingenious, and all extremely la- borious. Their closely wove baskets are not only capable of con- taining water, but are used for cooking their meals. A number of (mall scarlet feathers of the orilus phoeniceus are wove in with the wood, and completely screen it from view on the outside ; and to ihe rim are affixed small ' lack crests of the Californian patridges, of which birds a hundred brace are required to decorate one bas- ket: — they arp otherwise ornamented with beads, and pieces of mother-of-pearl. They also embroider belts very beautifully with feathers of different colours, and they work with remarkable neat- ness, making use of the young quills of the porcupine, in a similar manner to the Canadian Indians ; but here they manufacture a fine cloth for the ground, whereas the Canadians have only the bark of the birch-tree. They also manufacture caps and dresses for their chiefs, which are extremely beautiful ; and they have a great I many other feather ornaments, which it would be stepping beyond I the limits of my work to describe. The stature of the Indians which we saw in the missions was [by no means diminutive. The Alchones are of good height, and the Tuluraios were thought to be, generally, above the standard of Englishmen. Their complexion is much darker than that of the South-sea Islanders, and their features far inferior in beauty. In jllieir persons they are extremely dirty, particularly their heads, hvhich are so thatched with wiry black hair that it is only by sepa- rating the locks with the hand that it can be got at for the purposes of cleanliness. Many are seen performing such acts of [kindness upon their intimate friends ; and, as the readiest means of disposing of what they find, consuming it in the manner practiced I by the Tartars, who according to Hakluyt — " cleanse one anothers' heades, and ever as thei take an animal do eate her, saeing thus wille lldoe to our enemies."* Their bodies are in general very scantily clothed, and in summer I many go entirely naked. The women, however, wear a deer skin or some other covering about their loins : but skin dresses are not common among any of the tribes concerning whom we would pro- cure any information. The women are fond of ornaments, and suspend beads and buttons about their persons, while to their ears ♦ Hakluyt's Selection of curious and rare Voyages, Supplement 43 338 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Dec. ii 11 K« S they attach long wooden cylenders, variously carved, which serve the double purpose of ear-rings and needle-cases. Tattooing is practiced in these tribes by both sexes, both to or- nament the person, and to distinguish one clan from the otiier. |t is remarkable that the women mark their chins precisely in t|)e same way as the Esquimaux. The tribes are frequently at war with each other, often in conse- quence of trespasses upon their territory aud property ; and ueak tribes are sometimes wholly annihilated, or obliged to associate themselves with those of their conquerors ; but such is their warmth of passion and desire of revenge that very little humanity is in gen- eral shown to those who fall into their power. Their weapons con- sist only of bows and arrows ; neither the tomahawk nor the spear is ever seen in their hands. Their bows are elegantly and ingeni- ously constructed, and if kept dry will discharge an arrow to a con- siderable distance. They resenilale those of the Esquimaux, be'ni" strengthened by sinews at the back of the bow, but here one sinew-! the size of the wood, occupies the whole extent of the back, and embraces the ends, where they are turned back to receive the string ; the sinew is fixed to the bow while wet, and as it becomes dry draws it back the reverse way to that in which it is intended to be used. The Indian manner of stringing these bows is precisely similar to that practiced by the lovers of archery in England ; hui it requires greater skill and strength, in consequence of the increased curvature of the bow, and the resistence of the sinew. The religion of all the tribes is idolatrous. The Olchone, \vlio inhabit the sea-coast between San Francisco and Monterey, worship the sun, and believe in the existence of a beneficent and an evil spirit, whom they occasionally attempt to propitiate. Their ideas of a future state are very confined : when a person dies they adorn the corpse with feathers, flowers, and beads, and place witiiita bow and arrows ; they then extend it upon a pile of wood, and burn it amidst the shouts of the spectators, who wish the soul a pleasant journey to its new abode, which they suppose to be a country in the direction of the setting sun. Like most other na- tions, these people ' i/e a tradition of the deluge ; they believe also! that their tribes originally came from the north. The Indians in their wild state are said to be more healthy than I those which have entered the missions. They have simple reme- dies, derived from certain medicinal herbs, with the property oil which they have previously made themselves acquainted. Soniej of these roots are useful as emetics, and are administered in cases oi'j sickness of the stomach : they also apply cataplasms to diseased [ parts of the body, and practise phlebotomy very generally, usinj the right arm for this purpose when the body is affected, and the 1826.J AND BEEIUNg's STRAIT. 339 left wliere the limbs. But the temischal is the grand remedy for most of their diseases. The very great care taken of all who are afTected with any dis- ease ouglit not to be allowed to escape a remark. When any of iheir relations are indisposed, the greatest attention is paid to their ,vants, and it was remarked by Padre Arroya that filial affection is itrongerin these tribes than in any civilized nation on the globe ,(itli which he was acquainted. Our knowledge of the natural history of this country cannot be expected to be very extensive. In the woods not immediately bor- dering upon the missions, the black bear has his habitation, and when food is scarce it is dangerous to pass through them alone in ihe dusk of the evening ; but when the acorns abound there is noth- ing to apprehend. It is said that the white bear also vists this dis- trict occasionally, from the northward. The lion {fdis concolor?) and the tiger (fclis oncal) are natives of these woo(ls, but we never M\v them : the inhabitants say they are small, and that the lion is less than the tiger, but more powerful. A large species of moun- uincat (goto del monte) is common : a polecat (yiverra putorius) also is found in the woods : wolves and foxes are numerous, and the I niQtas, or jackalls, range about the plains at night, and prove very destructive to the sheep. The fallow deer browses on the pasture land, not only in the interior, but also upon some of the islands and around the shores af the harbour; it is sought after for its skin, of which the Spaniards make boots and shoes, &;c. The rein deer lilso is found inland, particularly upon a large plain named Tulu- nyoSjOn account of the number of bulrushes growing there. In lie months of May and June the Spaniards resort to this plain with I liieir lassos, and take as many of these animals as they can ensnare, lor the sake of their fat, of which they will sometimes procure be- lireen four and five arobas from one animal. The fields are burrowed by a small rat, resembling the mus arva- is, by a mountain rat of the cricctus, species, and also by the ar- lillo, a species of sciurus, rather a pretty little animal, said to be I mod to eat ; another of these species was seen among the branches of the trees. A small variety of lepus cuniculm is very common in llie sand hills near the presidio ; hares are less common, and indeed lis doubtful whether any were seen by us. Raccoons are found in I the mountains at a distance from the coast. The sea-otter musse- ' lutris) is not an unfrequent visitor in the harbour of San Fran- Icisco, but very few of them are taken, notwithstanding their fur is jvahiable. Judging from the accounts that have been published, llhese animals are becoming less numerous upon the coast : in 1786 lii was stated that 50'000 of them might be collected annualy, Iwhercas at present the number is reduced to about 2'000. For- i V 340 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Dec. poises and wliales are numerous outside the harbour, and the com- mon seal may occasionally be seen basking on the rocks of Yerlm- buena, and other places. The feathered tribe in San Francisco are very numerous, and have as yet been so Httle molested that there must be a rich harvest in store for the first naturalist who shall turn his attention to thjs place. We succeded in killing a great many birds of dilForent species, several of which were found to be quite new, and will h^, described in the natural history which will shortly appear as a sup. plement to this voyage : but there are not many which deliglit, ci- ther by the brilliancy or beauty of their plumage, or by the melo'ly of their note. The birds of prey are the black vulture (vultus aura,) sometimes large ; several species of falco, one of which at- tacks the geese, and is in consequence called inato gansas, also n kite, and a sparrow hawk. The horned owl (a variety of tlie strii virginiana!) Hies about after dark to the terror of the superstitious Indians, who imagine its screech forbodes evil. Several species of oriohis are met \. ith in the plains, and one, the oriulus phwniciui is seen in immense flocks. The natives say that this bird, which in its first year is of a greyish black colour, changes to deep black in the second, and ultimately becomes black with red sliouklers; hut Mr. Collie thinks there is some error in this. There is another oriohis which frequents moist and i ly places; crows in great numbers,sonie which are white, and smaller than those of England ; and several spe- cies of finches, buntings, and spar rows, prove very destructive loths grain when sown. The magpie is also an inhabitant here, and a small blue jay frequents the woods. The California qivd\\(^tctrao virginm- Ms,)wood pigeons with bronzed imbricated feathers on the backofihe neck, plovers (charadrius hiaticula ?), snipes, several species of sanderlings (tringa,) razorbills (^/k matojms,) herons (^ardeu,) cur- lew (scolopax linosa and recurvirosta.) and two species of rallm, afibrded amusement to our sportsmen, as did also some of the mam species of the geese, ducks, widgeon, and teal, which frequent the lakes and plains. The two latter species, and one of the anm (enjcthropus I) were similar to those which had been seen in Kot- zebue Sound ; and the natives remark that they arrive from the north in the month of September, and depart again in IMay. The grey geese are said to be good to eat, but we found them all fishy ; not so the ducks, the greater part of which are palatable : these birds, of which we procured about twenty species and the niallaid, are so common that several were frequently killed at one shot. It was observed that some kinds of ducks always preferred salt water to the lakes, particularly a species with a dark-coloured body and a white head, which we did not obtain. Among those which frequent the fresh water there were generally and abundance of water-hens. .^•26.] AND BERRINO S STRAIT. 341 Pelicans (pclicanus onorcrathns) may be seen morning and eve- nins winging their long line of flight across the harbour, and set- ilini; upon the little island of Alcatrasses, which they have coniplcte- Iv covered with their exuvia;, and rendered extremely ofibnsive to persons passing near the place. Shags (pclicanus frraculus) also abound in the harbour. 1 ought. to have noticed in its proper place •Jic luimniing bird, which, notwithstanding the high latitude of the country, is an inhabitant o(" the woods, and if we may rely upon padre Tomaso, may be seen there all the year round. We noticed several of them fluttering about some gooseberry bushes near our anchorage, and shot one in full flesh : as this was in the middle of winter, the information of the padre was probably correct. To this list of birds several were added the succeeding year at Monterey, which, being found so near the place we are describing, niay justly be classed with them : these consisted of the golden winged wood-pecker, a goat-sucker, several species of small birds unknown to us, and a golden-crested wren. At this place there ivere also several species of picus. 1 shall pass rapidly over the reptiles, which are not numerous at San Francisco, and none were procured during our stay. The Span- iards assert that there is an adder in the wood which is venomous, and that there are rattlesnakes upon the island of Mokite in the arbour ; but we saw neither the one or the other, notwithstanding )Ir. Elson and a boat's crew landed upon Molate, which is very •mall indeed. Fish are not much sought after in California, in consequen e of iie productions of the land being so very abundant ; several sorts, Mwever, are brought to the tables of tlie missions. In the Bay of Jlonterey we noticed the scomber colias, and anothei kind of mack- irel, the torpedo and another species of raia, achimara, and swarms :t small fish resembling the Sardinia. Muscles are found in consid- ciable quantities upon the shores, and form a large portion of the sod of the Indians bordering upon the coasts and rivers. At Mon- lerey two species of haliotis of large size arc also extremely abund- 3nt, and equally sought after by the Indians. They are found on liie granite rocks forming the south-east part of the bay, which ap- peal's to be their northern limit. The natives make use of these ■Jiells for ornaments, and decorate their baskets with pieces of them. Besides these shell-fish, there were noticed a few patella, limpet, turbo, cardiuni, and mya shells, and among other lepas, a rare spe- cies of /. anotifera and a chiton (tunicatus ?) The forests of this part of California furnish principally large trees of the pinus genus, of which the p. rigida and the red cedar are most abundant, and are oi sufficient growth for the masts of vessels. Two kinds of oak arrive at large growth, but near the >^J U ' »■ 342 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Dec. ]' coast they do not appear to be very numerous. There is here a low tree with a smooth reddish-brown bark, bearing red berries, which from the hardness of its wood, would serve the purpose of lignum vitac : there are also some birch and plane trees ; but tliere are very few trues bearing fruit which are indigenous ; the cherry tree and gooseburry bush, however, appear to be so. The shrubs covering the sand hills and moors are principally syngenesious, or of the order rhamnus, while those which prefer the more fertile and humid soils are a gaudy-flowered currant hush, and a species of honeysuckle ; but the most remarkable shrub in this country is the yedra, a poisonous plant affecting only particular constitutions of the human body, by producing tumours and violr in inflamation upon any part with which it comes in contact ; and in- deed even the exhalation from it, borne upon the wind, is said lo have an effect upon some people. It is a slender shrub, prel'enini' cool and shady ])laces to others, and bears a trefoil crenated leaf, Among other useful roots in this country there are two wl)icli are used by the natives for soap, amote and jamate. From San Francisco we proceeded to Monterey to take in the stores that had been purchased at that place, and to procure some spars, which grow more conveniently for embarkation there than at San Francisco. Though the distance between these two places is very little more than a hundred miles, our passage wus prolonged to two days by light winds. On the la ; day of the year we passed Punto ano nuevo, which witli I'unto Pinos forms the bay of Monterey. This is a spacious sandy bay about twenty miles across, and according to Perouse with anchorage near the shore in almost every part ; but it is not advis- able to enter it in any other place than that which is frequented as an anchorage, in consequence of a heavy swell which almost always rolls into it from the westward. The mission of Santa Cruz is sit- uated at the north extremity of the bay near Punto ano nuevo, and vessels occasionally anchor off there for fresh water and supplies of vegetables, neither of which are to be had in any quantity at Mon- terey. Care should be taken in landing at Santa Cruz, as the surf is very heavy, and the river of St. Lorenzo has a bar off it, which it is necessary to pass. We dropped our anchor in Monterey Bay on the first of Janu- ary, and with the permission of the governor, D. Miguel Gon.:ales, immediately commenced cutting the spars we required ; for each of which we paid a small sum. Through the assistance of Mr. Hart- nell, we procured several things from the missions which we should otherwise have sailed without, and our thanks are further due to him for his kindness and attention during our stay. The anchorage of Monterey is about two miles south-east of point Pinos, in the south angle of the great bay just described. U AND BEGRINo's STRAIT. 343 riiere is here a ring red borrins, the purpose of trees ; but there ous; the cherry iO. 3 are principally 3se which preltr sred currant Imsli, arkable shrub in ing only particular mours and violoiu contact ; and in- ! wind, is said lo r shrub, preferrint; oil crenated leaf. e two wliich art' jy to lake in tlie I to procure some ation there llian at these two places our passage was On tlie la t day Inch with I'unto a spacious sandy ' to Perouse with lut it is not advis- ;h is frequented as | [hich almost always Santa Cruz is sit- to ano nuevo,and ,ter and supplies of j quantity at Mon- Cruz, as the surf bar oft' it, wliioh ' Ithe first of J ami- Miguel Gon^ale?, luire'd ; for each of lince of Mr. Hart- which we should l-e further due to les south-cast of list described, h is necessary to lie close to the shore, both on account of the depth of water, and in order to receive the protection of point Pinos, without which ships could not remain in the bay. It presents to the eye a very exposed anchorage, hut no accidents iiave ever occurred to any vessel properly found in cables and anchors ; in which respect it very much resembles the bay of Valparaiso, nearly in the same parallel in the southern hemisphere. The village and presidio of Monterey are situated upon a plain between the anchorage and a range of hills covered with wood.s of pine and oak. The presidio is in better condition than that at San Kraiicisco ; still as a place of defence it is quite useless. The fort is not much better, and its strength may be judged of from its hav- iiii^ hccn taken by a small party of seamen who landed from a Buenos Ayrean pirate in 1819, destroyed the greater part of the jiins, and pillaged and burnt the town. At the distance of a league to the southward of the presidio lies the mission of San Carlos, a small establishment containing '2(50 In- dians. It is situated in a valley near the river St. Carmelo ; a ?it]all stream emptying itself into a deep rocky bay. The shores of this bay, and indeed of the whole of the coast near Point Pinos, is armed with rocks of granite upon which the sea breaks furiously ; and, as there is no anchorage near them on account of the great depth of water, it is dangerous to approach the coast in light or variable winds. Fortunately some immense beds of sea weed [fucus pyrifonnis) lie off the coast, and are so impenetrable that lihey are said to have saved several vessels which were driven \nlo ihem by the swell during calm and foggy weather. The ride from llie presidio to San Carlos on a fine day is most agreeable. The scenery is just sufficiently picturesque to interest, while the hillf. ite not so abrupt as to inconvenience a bold rider. The road lead > principally through fine pasture lands, occasionslly wooded with tall pine, oak, and birch trees ; but without any underwood to give it a wihlness, or to rob it of its park-like aspect. Before the valley of San Carmelo opens out, the traveller is apprized of his approach Itothe mission by three large cro.sses erected upon Mount Calvary; md fiiriher on by smaller ones placed at the side of the road, to leach of which some history is attached. In the church is a draw- jug of the reception of La Perouse at the mission, executed on 1 the Astrolabe, by one of the officers of his squadro: I luch wished to possess this valuable relic, with which however the padre was unwilling to part. We found lying in the port of Monterey an American brig en- favouring to dispose of a cargo of dry goods, and to procure hides ad tallow in retrun ; and we opportunely received from her a supply fspirits,as the last cask was abroach. On the 4th a Russian brig, . f;^. ■ .( 1 .'-L if •i^ m^ 1 344 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jan. named the Baikal, belonging to the Russian American Fur Com- pany, anchored in the buy. This ve.^sol was employed upon tlie coast, trading between Sitka, Bodega, and several ports in Cali- fon;ia, either in carrying or arranging the supplies for the Russian secllements to the northward. She w^s commanded by an oflicer ij) the Russian navy, and had on boara Mr. Klcbnekofl', the aaon*. 'jniiere are several of these vessels upon the coast carrying ^lii),; find wearing pendants. On the 5th we took leave of cur hos|iii;,. ble acquaintances, and put to sea on our passage to the Suuduich Islands. i mm mmm wmmmm 327.] AND BF.EniNfj's STRAIT. 345 CHAPTER XV. P,i=s;\!ro to the SiUKlwicl. Islamic— Wo;i]ioo—IIi^',,rior 1 Rkt-tcli of the IsIukIs— I'rutrirs.-^ ill Ch ilizalion — Sane Tamehameha, we find that on the arrival of Vancouver in 179^ he had acquired supreme authority both in Owyhee and Mowee. He soon afterwards attacked and con(|ucred Woahoo, and, assisted by his valiant protege Krymakoo, in 1817 became sovereign of all the Sandwich group. Vancouver was very instrumental in establishing the power of this chief on a firm basis, by noticing Tamehameha in a manner which could not escape the observation of the other chiefs, and by build- ing him a decked vessel, which gave him a decided superiority of force, and enabled him to keep them in subjection. In return for these important benefits, the grateful chief, in presence of V'ancon- ver and the Eries of the group, made a formal cession of the is- lands to the king of Great Rritain, and the natives have ever sinre considered themselves under the im media' c protection ol thi; coiiatry. mmm' IP 1?27.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 347 In the early stage of our intercourse with tiiese islands, several acts, such as the death of Cook, the murder of L • iitenant Her- jerst, and the treacherous seizure of an American vessel, rendered nieichant vessels cautious of communicating with savages of ap- parently so ferocious a character ; but when it was known that the perpetrators of these murders were punished by Tamehandia, and ivlien his real character was made public by the voyages of Vancou- ver and other navigators, every vessel employed in tlie Pacific was desirous of visiting his dominions. In course of time a reg'jlar market was established for the sale of the productions of the island ; ihe natives were instructed to accept Spanish dollars and European clotliiiig in exchange for their goods, and several foreigners^ by tlie liing's persuasion, were induced to settle upon the ii^lanJs. The na- tive cliiefs, in imitation of their sovereign, began to dress in the Euro- pean style. A fort was built for the protection of the principal lown, and a number of the natives were instructed in the use of lire-arms. The harbour of f lonoruru soon became crowded with jjiips of all nations, and latterly the place has assumed the appear- ance of an European colony. The discovery of sandal wood in the mountains opened a profil- I able channel of commerce ; and several adventurers, chiefly from |ilie United States, remained to collect it from the natives. They bund a ready market for it in China ; the goods of that country ere brought in return to the Sandwich Islands, and thus was laid jiiie foundation of a trade which still continues. Tamehameha liav- lin!: purchased several vessels with this precious wood, attempted to Iconduct this trade with his own resources, and sent a schooner Ikaring his flag to Canton ; but, owing to the forms and impositions jpractised in China, and other circumstances which be could not Jcoim'ol, the speculation failed, and this advantageous trade has since (been carried on by the Americans. In all these plans for the benefit of his country, for the int'-oduc- lliou of civilization among his subjects, and for the establisiiments of Ills assumed authority, Tamehameha was greatly indebted to the laJvicc and assistance of two respectable English seamen. Young land Davis, whom he persuaded to remain in the islands. Their Services were not unrequited by the great chief, whose generous dis- Ipositiou and intimate knowledge of human nature induced him to fetow upon them both rank and fortune, by raising them to the lilation of chiefs, and giving them estates. They in turn proved hiatel'ul to their benefactor, and conducted themselves so properly llliat every visitor to the islands has spoken of them in the highest llernis. Davis died in 1608, and was buried at Woahoo, where the place of his interment is » 1 survives, at the advanced ied by a humble age of eighty-tw tombstone Besides Young these .1 I 1 •' <■■< 1 M^ y my y h. i 1 ) 1 I .f«l;K 348 TOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jm. advisers, Tamehamelia had a faithful and wise counsellor in Kry- niakoo, afterwards better known by the appellation of Billy Pitt. Tamehamelia having seen his country emerge from barbarism under his well-directed eflbrts, and having conferred upon it other important benefits, died in May ldl9, at the age of sixty-three. His biographer will do him injustice if he does not rank him, how- ever limited his sphere, and limited his means, among those gre^ men who, like our Alfred, and Peter the Great of Russia, have res- cued their countries from L-irbarIsm, and who are justly esteemed the benefactors of mankind, lii'^ loss as a governor, and as a fatli- er to his people, was iinivcrsally felt by his subjects. It is paiiifulto relate that, though his death occurred so recently several human vic- tims were sacrificed to his names by the priests in the morals ; and, ac- cording to the custom of the islands, some who were warmly aitacli- ed to him committed suicide, in order to accompany his corpse to the grave ; while great numbers knocked out their 'vuiit teeth, and otherwise mutilated and disfigured themselves. Tamehamelia vvas no sooner dead than his son Rio Rio, who succeeded him, efiected the most important change tlic country had yet experienced. Having held conferences with the Chiefs, ami obtained the sanction of Keopuolani, a powerful female of rank, he ordered all the morals to be destroyed, and declared the religion of the ibreigners, — of the principles of which he was then very l;j:no- rant, should henceforth bo the religion of the state. The buriiini; of the idols and the abolition of the taboo immediately succeeded this destruction of the morals, and put an end to many cruel and degrading customs, both injurious to the interests of the country and oppressive to the people, especially to the females, who were I thenceforth admitted to an equality with the men. The prejuilices of Tamehamelia bad ahvay^s opposed this chanm I in the religion of his subjects, not so much, 1 am inforiuei!, from his I being bigoted to idolatry as from its being better adapted to his politics. The maxims of our religion he thought would tend to] deprive him of that despotic power which he exercised over the lives and fortunes of his subjects. The terror inspired by luiiium| ncrifices, and the absolute command which the superstitions of his ic''.)1iaious subjects gave him, suiitnl the plan of his government het- ter than any ol'.ier religion, and he, consecpiently, oppose'" every | attempt to propagate the gospel among his people. V]) to this period no missionaries had reached the Sandv.ich h lands, .lud lor nearly a year there might be said to be no religion in I tiie couiiuy ; but at the expiration of thai period (in 1H-li. But machines of this nature have already cost a very large siiin, and have not hitherto succeeded, partly, perhaps, in consequcme of the want of proper materials. A cargo of this sugar it \v;is| hoped would be ready for exportation in 18-27, which was then to be carried to the Californian market, where, as it has already been said, sugar attains a high price. But the Sandwich Islands, until much more advanccfl in the science of cultivation, will always havel to compete with manilla in the sale of this material. Tobacco, coffee, and spices have been introduced into the islands, and it is| to be hoped they will succeed under the fostering had of the inde- fatigable individual before mentioned. An attempt was niiide tol encourage the planting of cotton, which was tolerably successfi the first year, but for some reasons, which were ascribed to lli rigid observance of the church duties, the labourers were prevcntJ ed from gathering the crop, and it rotted in the pod. It is iiartirii.| larly unlbilunate that the atl(>mpt to cultivate this plant, vViclJ would be of great advantage to the islands, should have failed li'jtlJ in the Society and Sandwich groups, as it will probably disooun^ef the inhabitants from any further endeavour to produce it. Sattliai been collected from some lakes near the town, and for some tinia past has produced a small revenue. Hereafter it is likely to be iij greater rctiuest, for the purpose of curing meat for sea store, or loi exportation to Kamschatka, where it is in great demand. Flux oj a good quality grows upon Owhyhce, and rope for the vessels the country is made from a species of urticn 1 As jet, lioweverl the sandal wood is the only matei'ial that has produced any reveniid of consequence. Soon after the Christian religion had been introduced into Sandwich Islands, several of the chiefs were taught to read and vvriiel AND BEERINO S STUAIT. .353 and were so delighted at the idea of being able to comiminicatc their thouglits to friends at a distance, without the necessity of disclosing then!; and free from the risk of misinterpretation, that some of the scholars laboured at their task as if the prosperity of the islands depen- jed upon penmanship alone. Education in other respects has liiado much slower progress than every well-wisher ol' the country foidd desire. A few individuals who have had the advantage of fontinucd instruction, have acquired a limited knowledge of the Scriptures, but many remain ignorant even of the nature of the prayers they repeat; and in other subjects are entirely uninstructed. The missionaries appear to be very anxious to difuse a due knowledge of the tenets of the Gospel among all the inhabitants, and have laboured much to accomplish their praiseworthy purpose : but the residents in Honururu well know what little effect their tu- tors having mistaken the means of diffusing education. In the San- dwich Islands, as in all other places, there is a mania for every thing new, and, with due reverence to the subject, this was very Hiucli the case with religion in Honoruru, where almost every person might be seen hastening to the school with a slate in his hand, in i!ie hope of being able soon to transcribe some part of the "pala pa- id (the Scriptures). This feeling under judicious management might have produced the greatest blessings Woahoo could have en- pyed : and the gentlemen of the mission might have congratulated iheniselves on having bestowed upon the inhabitants very important benefits. But they were misled by the eagerness of their hopes, ind their zeal carried them beyond the limits calculated to prove kneficial to the temporal interests of a people, still in the earliest iiaje of civilization. The apparent thirst after scriptural knowl- idie in Honoruru created a belief among the missionaries that this ieling was become general, and auxiliary schools were established n different parts of the island, at which we were mformed every id'jlt was required to attend several times a day. While this demand upon their time was confined within reasona- lile limits, the chiefs, generally, were glad to find their subjects lis ten to instruction ; but when men were obliged to quit their work, and to repair to the nearest auxiliary scho-^' so frequently during tlie day, so much mischief was produced by loss of labour, and iuch ruinous consequences threatened the country, that many of ilie chiefs became desirous of checking it. Kahumana and her party, however, persisted in considering it desirable, and in suppor- ting tlie missionaries ; while a powerful party, at the head of which wre the king and the regent, exerted themselves to counteract ibeir endeavours. Thus dissensions arose very prejudicial both to ilie cause of religion and to the interests of the country. The thiefs lost their influence, the subjects neglected their work, 45 /:^f 351 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jan on the one side, and intemperance on the otlier, became the pie. vailing errors of the time ; ilie latter indulged in jjrobably to a great- er extent, with the view of bringing ridicule on the opposite party ; a scheme in which it is said that IJoki himself condescendt.'d to join. At length the regent and other chiefs determined to break tliioii'li this rigid discipline. The ten commandments had been recom- mended as the sole law of the land. This proposition was ohsti- nately opposed ; a meeting was called by the missionaries to jusiitV their conduct, at which they lost ground by a proposal that the younger part of the community only should be obliged to attend the schools, and that the men should be permitted to continuu at their daily labour. The king, whose riding, bathing, and other exercises had been restricted, now threw off all restraint, and appeared in public wearing the sword and feather belonging to the uniform pre- sented to him from this country by Lord Byron, which his preco]i- tor had forbid iiim to use, under the impression that it might cxciie his vanity. The boys, following the example of their youthful sovereign, resumed their games, which had been suppressed : and among other acts which, though aparently trifling discovered to the common people a spirit of opposition, and an earnestness on the part of the chiefs to overthrow the system that had been hvoudit into operation, Koanoa, who had long been enarmoured of a female chief, Kenow, whom Kahumana intended for the king (altlious;h she was old enough to be his mother), being refused the marriage ceremony by the mission, carried off the object of his desire, and took her to his home. This was the state in which we found Woahoo, and from it the j missionaries might exact a useful lesson while imparting religious instruction to mankind, of the necessity of combining their temporal interests with those which relate to their prospects of futf ;y. It was supposed, from the manner in which Kahumana persever- ed in her support of the missionaries, that she was actuated by a I deeper policy than appeared. Her jealousy at the investment of the sovereign power in the king and Boki was well known ; and it was surmised that she entertained hopes of creating a party which in the event of the death of Pitt, then daily expected, would for- ward her ambitious views. Whether this surmise was just I do not I pretend to say ; but she certainly did not succeed, that event hav- ing passed off during our stay without any movement in her fa- vour. Amidst this conflicting interest of parties, we were gratified to ob- serve the cordiality between the chiefs and the English and Amer- ican residents, neither of whom took part in these State quarrels,] To strengthen this feeling, a public dinner was given by the offi cers of the Blossom and myself to the king and all the royal family. conlimu; at their id other exevciscs and appeared in the iinil'onn piv- \vhicti his preccp- at it might excite of their youthful suppressed : iind discovered to the arnestness on the had been bvousht loured of a female le king (altlioush ised the maniaje of his desire, and 1S27.] AND BUEUING S STRAIT. 355 the consuls, the chiefs, and the principal merchants resident in the place. On tills occasion the kiiiij; was recei\ed with the honours due to hi'^ rank. Ho was (h'essed in fidl uniform, and altoi^ether made a very elegant apjiearance. His hcliuviour at table was iiiarlvcd with the greatest propriety, and though he seemed fully anarc of the superiority of Europeans, he appeared at the same [ime conscious that the attentions he received were no more than a just tribute to his rank, lioki, the regent, Koanoa, the colonel of iroops, and Manuia. the captain of the port, were dressed in the Windsor uniform ; and Kahumana, and the two female chiefs next ill rank, were arrayed in silk dresses, and had expended a profu- sion of lavender-water upon their cambric handkerchiefs. Many loyal and patriotic toasts succeeded the dinner, some of which were proposed by IJoki, in compliment to the king of England and the ['resident of the United States, between both of whom and his roy- al protege he expressed a hope that the warmest friendship would ahvays subsist. The chiefs drank to the health of several persons tvho had shown them attention in London, and in compliment to llie ladies of England proposed as a toast, " The pretty girls of the Adelphy." Throughout the day the islanders acquitted themselves very creditably, and their conduct showed a close observance of European manners. A few days afterwards the king gave an entertainment, at which I his guests were seated at a long table spread in the European style, and furnished with some very good wines. Among other good things we had Leuhow, a dish of such delicious quality that excur- sions are occasionally made to the plantations for the pleasure of dining upon it ; and, from this circumstance, a pic-nic and a Leu- liiow party have become nearly synonymous. The ingredients of I the dish are generally the tops of the taro plant and mullet which liave been fattened in ponds ; these are wrapped in large leaves £ad baked in the grounil, though sometimes fowls and pork are I used. In order to amuse us, the king had also assembled several (lancers and the best bards in the island ; and we had the pleasure of witnessing some native performances, which were the more inter- 1 Citing, as these entertainments will shortly lose all their originality by the introduction of foreign customs. On the present occasion, [indeed, it was diflicult to procure performers of any celebrity, and botli bards and dancers were sent for from a considerable distance ; and even then only two of the latter were considered worth our notice. The performance opened with a song in honour of Tani- |ehameha, to which succeeded an account of the visit of Rio Rio nd his queen to England ; their motives for undertaking the voy- I ije were explained , 'hLir parting with their friends at Woahoo ; liieir sea-sickness ; their !inding in England ; the king's attempts /. .. • \ ^p .0^. \^t IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 i^^ I.I 1.25 U. 11.6 Hiorsgraphic Scences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) e72-4503 4^ l\ iV \ :\ '1>\^^^ ^ .*!.' 1 356 VOYxVGE TO THK PACIFIC [Fc/j. 4« » I'm "1 to speak English ; the beautiful women of tbis country ; and the sickness and death of the youthful royal pair, were described with much humour, good-nature, and feeling. The natives were delighted with this performance, especially with that part which exhibited the sea-sickness, and the efforts of the king to speak English ; but our slight acquaintance' with the language did not enable us fully to appreciate the allusions. In the next performance, however, this defect was less felt. The song was executed by three celebrated bards, whose grey beards hung down upon their breasts : they were clothed in their rude native costume, and each had the under part of his right arm tattooed in straight lines from the wrist to the armpit. They accompanied themselves upon drums made of two gourds neatly joined together, and ornamented with black devices. Each bard had one of these instruments attached to his left wrist by a cord ; the instrument was placed upon a cushion, and the performer throughout measured time by beating with his right hand upon the aperture of the gourd. The subject related to the illustrious Tamehameha, whose warlike exploits are the constant theme of the^-e people. Occasionally the bards seemed to be inspired ; they struck their left breasts vio- lently with the palms of their hands, and performed a number of evolutions with their drums, all of which were executed simulta- neously, and with ease, decision, and grace. On the whole it was an exhibition very creditable to the talents of the performers. To this succeeded several dances : the first, performed by a native of Atooi, was recommended principally by a display of muscular en- ergy ; the next was executed by a man who was esteemed the most accomplished actor of his time in Woahoo, and the son of the most celebrated dancer the islands ever had. He wore an abund- ance of native cloth, variously stained, wrajiped about his waist, and grass ornaments fixed upon his legs above the ancles. A gar- land of green leaves passed over his right shoulder and under his left arm, and a wreath of yellow blossoms, very commonly worn in the Sandwich Islands, was wound twice round his head. Unlike the former dance, the merit of this consisted in an exhibition of graceful action, and a repetition of elegant and unconstrained move- ments. The dance of the females was spoiled by a mistaken refinement, which prevented their appearing, as formerly, with no other dress I than a covering to the hips, and a simple garland of flowers upon the head ; instead of this they were provided with frilled chemises, j which so far from taking away the appearance of indecency, pro- duced an opposite efTect, and at once gave the performance a stamp of indelicacy. In this dance, which by the way is the only one the I females of these islands have, they ranged themselves in a line, ami i^.1 . ■* ' •-1 K AND BKEKING S STKAIT. 357 intry ; and the described with ancc, especially i the efforts of mtance- with the llusions. In the elt. The song ■ey beards hung heir rude native arm tattooed in ,ey accompanied f joined together, lad one of these ; the instrument jughout measured ture of the gourd. a, whose warlike ,e. Occasionally ir left breasts vie- (led a number of executed simulta- the whole it was ; performers. To pd by a native of r of muscular en- vas esteemed the and the son of the ; wore an ahund- about his waist, e ancles. A gav- ler and under Im ;ommonly worn in | lis head." Unlike an exhibition of iconstrained move- Istaken refinement, Ih no other (he?^ of flowers upon! Ih frilled chemise^: If indecency, pio- Mormancc a stamp Jis the only one the lelves in aline, ami began swinging the arms carelessly, but not ungracefully, from side to side ; they then proceeded to the more active part of the dance, the principal art of which consisted in twisting the loins without moving the feet or the bust. After fatiguing themselves in accom- plishing this to the satisfaction of the spectators, they jumped side- vise, still twisting their bodies, and accompanying their actions with a chorus, the words of which we supposed bore some allusion to ihe performance. We had afterwards a sham-fight with short ipeais, wherein very little skill was exhibited, and, compared with the dexterity of the warlike Tamehameha, who is said by Van- couver to have successfully evaded six spears thrown at him at the iame instant, the present representation was quite contemptible. These exercises are now seldom practised, and in a short time, no doubt, both they and the dances will cease to be exhibited. On the 12th of February, we received the melancholy intelli- gence of the death of Krymakoo, who had long suffered under a dropsical complaint, for which he had undergone frequent operations. Only four days previously he went to bathe in the sea at Kairnu, in Oivyhee, and on coming out of the water he was taken ill, and died very soon afterwards. He was at an advanced age., and had been j present at the death of our immortal countryman in Karakakoa Bay, and perfectly recollected that fatal transaction. Krymakoo, or, as lie was more generally called, Pitt, from the circumstance of his heing a contemporary prime minister with our great statesman, be- came a protege of Tamehameha shortly after the departure of Cook's ships. He is first introduced to our notice by Vancouver, Inho particularly remarks his superior '.r.inners and conduct. His life was devoted to the adantage of his country, and to the support hf his illustrious patron, in whose service he distinguished himself lalike as a warrior and a counsellor. Intelligent, faithful, and brave, he was confided in and beloved by his king and his countrymen, and lilt was a chief in whom the foreign residents place implicit reli- ance. His ardent spirit and anxiety for the welfare of his country I led Tamehameha on one or two occasions of insurrection to suspect liis fidelity, and in order to put it to the test he is said to have de- Iprived him for the time of his estates ; an act of injustice, calculated liailier to increase than to allay any dissatisfaction that mignt have lexisted in his mind. Pitt, nevertheless, remained faithful, and fought by the side of his patron. After the death of Tamehameha, he enjoyed almost sovereign power, which he employed to the benefit and civilization of his countrymen. His command of tem- Iper was not less praiseworthy than his other virtues. On the occa- hion of some misunderstanding betweeu the missionaries and the sea- Imen of an American vessel, the crew went on shore with the view of burning Mr. Bingham's house, but, mistaking the place, they set '^1 m M 358 VOYAGE TO TllL PACIFIC U'U. I i . ■^ fire to one belonging to Pitt. The natives iminediately flew to pro- tcct the property of their fuvourite chief, and a serious quarrel was about to take place, to the disadvantage of the Americans, when Pitt, who had escaped the flames, harangued the mob with the greatest composure, induced them to desist from acts of violence, and persuaded the crew, who by this time had discovered their mistake, to return to their vessel. It has been asserted of Pitt that he was extremely ambitious ; but his ambition seems to have haj no other object than the welfare of his country : had he aspired to the crown, there were many favourable opportunities of whicli bo might have availed himself without much risk of failure, of which the death of Tamehameha, the revolt of Kekoakalane, the insur- rection of Atooi, and others, are sufficient instances. He left one son, whom he was very anxious to have educated in England, and pressed his request so earnestly t'lat 1 had consented to take hini on board the Blossom, but the vessel which was sent to bring liim from Owyhee returned hastily with the news of the death of the chief, which frustrated the plan. Immediately this event was known the flags of the forts and the shipping were lowered half-mast, and the shores of the bay resounded with the wailings of the inhab- itants. It had been supposed that the ambition and jealousy of Kabu- mana and the conflicting interests of the chiefs would have display. ed themselves in insurrection on this occasion, and that the disaf-j fected chiefs would have availed themselves of this moment to remove the supreme power from the hands of the young kini'; but, whatever results this melancholy event might have produced! had it occurred at an earlier date, nothing was now attempted. Boki, however, thought it prudent to assemble the troops in the fort, and the Blossom was put in readiness to preserve order, if necessary, and to receive the foreign residents, should their safety require it, Anxious to witness the effect of this occurrence upon the court, I immediately paid a visit of condolence to Kahumana, wlio wasj seated amidst a motley assemblage of attendants, looking very sor-[ rowful. It appeared, however, from the following incident, tliatl the sincerity of her grief was questionable. Happening to cajtl her eye upon a Bramah inkstand which I was conveying to tliel observatory, she seized it with both hands, and declared, her coun- tenance brightening into a smile, how much she should like to iiavs it. As it was the only one 1 possessed, I did not intend at first loj grr'ify her majesty's wisiies, but she fairly tore it from me : sotlial,! making a virtue of necessity, I presented it to her. After bestowJ ing some praise upon the invention, she passed it to Karui, a feniiilel chief next in rank to herself, and then dismissing her pleasant looks,! m' fcU^i ■"•'W AND BEEUING S STItAIT. 359 ely flew to pro- ous quarrel was .mcricans, when mob with tho :ts of violence, discovered ilieir srted of Pitt thai ins to have had lad he aspired lo ies of which he failure, of which calane, the insur- es. He left one I in England, and ited to take hiin sent to bring liim the death of ihi; 3 event was known. red half-mast, and ngs of the inhab- jealousy of Kalm- vould have displiiy- md that the disaf-i f this moment to the young kins:; ght have produced attempted. Mi, lops in the fort, and ,i-der, if neccssiuy, safety rcqu'm it. , upon the court, 1 lahumana, who was ., looking very sor iwing incident, tk JHappening to cast] conveying to tlie declared, her coun- should like to luvo ot intend at first lo lit from me : so that,] icr. After bestow X to Karui, a femal her pleasant looks jlie resumed her sorrow, and convinced every person present that slie was quite an adepf. in this barbarous custom of the country. Many of the court seemed to consider this moment one of ap- prehension, and every person who approached tho queen's abode ^^as at first supposed be the bearer of the news of some insurrec- tion or other convulsion of the state. As he entered the room, therefore, there was a dead silence ; but when it was found that these visits w"re made merely to inquire after the health of the (lueen, the wailing, as if it had suffered bj the disappointment, burst forth with redoubled energy. Kahumana herself evidently anticipated some disturbance, for she whispered to me to be upon inv guard, as there was a probability that the people would be mis- chievous. Nothing, however, occurred to disturb the tranquillity of the town but the wailings around tho royal abode. It is unnecessary here to describe many instances of the extent to which tliis liypocritical aflectation of grief was carried ; suffice iitosay, that several persons, as if t^ptermined to perpetuate the barbarous practice of self-mutilation, knocked out their front teeth irith hammers. Tho queen almost immediately after the death of her brother embarked for Owyhee in a native schooner, to the great satisfaction of the chiefs and the Eurc pean residents in Woahoo. As it was probably the last time she vould see us, she was complimented with 1 royal salute on leaving the harbour. "Sxt •■♦ ^ f i H t,- 3G0 VOYACE TO THE PACIFIC [Feb. I'M;) [\rM4i CHAPTER XVI. Further Remarks on the Inhabitants — Treaty of Alliance— Climate — Medicinal Pro- perties of the Ava — Supplici- — Departure — Pussiinr-e to China — Ladrone and B;i- shcc Islands — Arrival at Micao— Transactions there — Departure — Bottl Tobaw Xinia — Arrival at the Great Loo Choo. On the return of the ship to the Sandwich Islands the chiefs were very anxious to learn where she had heen, and to be informed whether in some of the countries she had visited, the produce of their dominions might not find a favourable market. Kaliumana, in particular, was so much interested in these inquiries that she condescended to direct her attention to them, and laid aside a mis- sionary book with which she had been instructing her mind Avhile i the back part of her body was undergoing the soothing operation of I being pinched by one of her female attendants. The conversation f happening to turn upon Bird Island, Boki, on hearing it was so near to the Sandwich group, meditated its addition to the domiii-j ions of the king, no doubt under the impression of its being similarj to one of the Sandwich Islands, and was greatly disappointed when [ informed that the island was not worth his possession. The account! of the high price of sugar in California quite put him in good hu- mour with his sugar-mills, which for some time past had been a sub- ject of annoyance to him, in consequence of the expense incurredj by their continually breaking. All parties were evidently desiiousi to extend their com.merce, and a spirit of enterprise appeared tol have diffused itself amongst them, which it is to be hoped nwl continue. During our absence two important political events had occurredl — the negociation of a treaty of alliance between Captain JoncsJ of the United States' sloop Peacock, on the part of America, Boki, the regent, on the part of the Sandwich Islands ; by whicli the reception of the American vessels in the Sandwich Islands, onj the footing of the most favoured ration, was guaranteed to Am in the event of that nation being involved in hostilities with anjl other power. The other was the resignation of Pitt, who, being ^i$«fc^:5«i^>. _ ^: [Feb. 1827.] AND BKERINo's STUAIT. 361 natc — Mcdlcii.al Pro- a — Ijaclvonc and B;i- irture — Botcl Tobago slands the chiefs ,nd to be informed the produce of ket. Kahumana, inquiries that slie i laid aside a mis- y her rnir^d while iothing operation of The conversation hearing it was so ion to the doram- of its being similar disappointed when fion. The accountj t him in good hii- ast had been a sub- expense incurred evidently desirousi :prise appeared to to be hoped may lents had occurredj jn Captain JonesI ; of America, and| islands; by wh'cli idwich Islands, on [ranteed to Am lostilities with an| If Pitt, who, beni^ aware of his approaching dissolution, retired to Owyhee, and left his brother Boki to act as regent. Boki, who it may remembered, accompanied tlie late king Rio-Rio to England appears to have Jerived much benefit from that visit, and on his return to the Sand- wich Islands to have beconio very desirous of improving the con- dition of his countrymen. He was, however, a less active govern- or than Pitt, and less capable of effecting those changes which ex- perience had nevertheless convinced him were necessary for their advancement. The town of Honoruru had now a more cleanly and lively ap- pearance than on our Ibrmer visit, and the streets, occupied by happy little children who had resumed their games, wore a more cheerful aspect. There was an improvement also in the society of the place, arising apparently from the arrival of some Europe- ans, particularly of the consul's family, which was of very great advantage to the females of Woahoo, who seemed anxious to imi- tate their manners, and were so desirous of becoming acquainted nith the method of arranging their different articles of dress, that it required an unusual share of good nature to avoid taking offence at the rude manner in which they gratified their curiosity. I he fe- I niales of Woahoo are shrewd observers of these matters, and on great occasions endeavour to imitate foreigners as nearly as they lean; but the powerful influence of fashion has not been yet able entirely to get the better of that other powerful principle, early habit, and the women of the Sandwich Islands in retirement still adhere to their old customs, affording as curious an instance as I was ever beheld of barbarism walking hand in hand with civili- liation. The lower class of the inhabitants of Woahoo have varied their Ijress very little from its original style ; thou2;h in Honoruru some liemales may be seen clothed in the cotton of Europe, and even in he silks of China, with green and red shoes, and sometimes with [parasols. They obtain these articles as presents from the crews of such ships as touch at the port. In every uncivilized country which 1 as much foreign intercourse as Woahoo, incongruities must be lof frequent occurrence ; thus we were daily in the habit of seeing dies disencumber themselves of their silks, slippers, and parasols, |and swim off in fine style to different vessels, carrying their bpndles 1 their heads, and resuming their finery when thej got on board. |\or was it less amusing to observe them jump overboard soon after Idaylight, and continue sporting and swimming about the vessels in llhe harbour like so many nercids ; practices to which they adhere IRith as much fondness as ever. Many, however, now think it nc- [ce?sary to put on a bathing gown when they take this recreation. 46 362 VOYAGE TO THE PACII IC [Feb. v^i ! 7) ' am '^.i^' "r^ ^■ Tlie men make very tolerable seamen, and are particularly use- ful in boats. Accustomed from their infancy to the water, they are as much at home in that clement as on land ; and having fee- quontly encountered gales of wind at sea in their open canoes, they have no apprehension of them on board a strongly built ship They are active and honest, and many of them are taken on board merchant ships visiting the islands, as part of their crews. In the course of time it is to be hoped that they will become sufficiently enlightened to navigate their own vessels, as tlioy at present depend upon foreigners for the performance of that service, Their vessels are now generally chartered to Americans, who bear a certain proportion of the expenses of the voyage, and have carle blanche to proceed where thp.y please, and to collect, sell, and pur- chase cargoes at their discretion, and as it may seem most advim- tageous for themselves and the owners, who divide the profits of the venture at the end of the voyage. Their occupation consists pijn- cipally in trading with California and the islands of the Pacific, or in making sealing voyages ; in which case the skins they obtain are carried to some foreign market, and the proceeds applied to the purchase of a new cargo adapted to the wants of the Sandwich Is- landers ; such as horses, or furniture, and other household materi- als. Upon the whole, these returns are said to be by no means equal to the risk and expenses of the voyage ; and the ships, bein^ I built of slight materials, require constant repair, and soon wear out : so that their navy, at present, is of no great advantage to the state. No duties have as yet been imposed on any goods, either ir, por- ted or exported, and the only charges made by the government arel the port dues, which are very prudently lighter on vessels touch-f ingatthe islands for refreshments only, than upon those which bring cargoes of merchandize : the charge in the former case is six, and in the latter fifty cents per ton for the outer anchorage, audi ten and sixty cents per ton resnectively for tJie inner anchorage. The Sandwich Islanders will apparently make as good soldiers asl they do sailors, and are so proud of the honour of being embodied in the corps of the state, that they cannot suffer a greater dNgracel than to have the regimentals taken from them and to be turned oii{ of the ranks. They were repatedly drilled by our serjeant of marJ ines, and though under the disadvantage of not understanding thej language in which the word of command was given, they improvcJ quite as much as men in general would have done who had becJ in the habit of seeing the exercise performed. The inhabitants apj pear disposed to learn any thing that does not require labour, and soldiering soon became so completely a mania, that the king had the choice of his subjects ; and little boys were seen in all partj (i and applied u suitable dressing for the ulcers, with appropriate sup- port to the oudematous extremities, 1 have no hesitation in .sii\ii)(r that the plan would have succeeded. Even with all these disad. vantages, I am inclined to believe that a cure will be cflectcd if lie abstains from liquor." In this account of the Sandwich Islands, I have avoided touch- ing upon subjects connected with the mythology, traditions, and early manners and customs of the islanders, from a conviction that I 1 could give but an imperfect sketch of them, and from a hope that they will hereafter be laid before the public by the author of Pol- 1 ynesian llescarches, who from his intimate knowledge of the Ian- guage, his long residence in the Pacific, and from the nature of hisi occu])ations, has greater opportunities of becoming acquainted uiihj them than any other foreigner. My endeavour has been to give asl faithful an account as I could of the government, and of the state of! society in the islands at the time of our visit, and of the resouicesl and commerce of the country. Had my occupations been less mi- mere IS, 1 might have done more justice to these subjects ; but diel detorinination of the position of the place, and attentior; .■ iiierf observations, occupied my time so completely, that T had veryjittlal leisure for other pursuits. During the absence of the ship from the Sandwich Islands, Caj)] lain Charlton, the consul, had succeeded in procuring a supply i .salt provision for her. This was the more opportune, as the mei which had been corned in California was found on exaniiatioii tJ be so bad that it was necessary to throw the whole of it overboardl We at first imaL:;ined that this failure proceeded from our ignoranq of the method of curing the meat, but that which had been jjrcparel at Monterey ; by a person brought up to the business, was found I be equally bad : and the failure, in all probability, arose from thi heated and feverish state in which the animals were slaughtered We frequently remonstrated with the governor of San Fraucisoj against being obliged to kill the animals in this state, and begged! would have them penned up until the following day, as they \ve^ quite wild, and had been harassed with lassos, and dragged many i by tame bullocks. We did not however, succeed, and if the animal werenotslaughteredas they were delivered into our charge llieyc ther made their escape, or, as was the case with several, broke (hd mr- The uva was fleets us 1)0 fore were eleuu and he luul been ahlo d-sUlo : he had ic have procured appropriate sup- italion in sa^ini^ all these disad- be eftccted if he /e avoided touch- ry, traditions, and i a conviction that I 1 from a hope that I le author of Pol- wlcdge of the lau- 1 1 the nature of his I .!"• ac(iuaintc(l with I has been to give as! and of the state o(l nd of the resourcesl Ltions been less nu-l i subjects; buttliej attention :■ iMciT liat I bad very ' [iwicli Islands, Cap •ocuring a supply l)ortunc,asthemei |d on cxamiation ti lolc of it overboard! from our ignoranci had been prepare! .iness, was found' [Uty, arose fromthi were slaughierei" ,rofSan Francisi |tate, and begged ; dny, as they wei dragged many mil* .,andifthennimr I our charge llii;}'' several, broke th( 01.] AND BGERINO S STIIAIT. 367 necks in tlicir struggles for freedom. The prc£;'::!nt supply of provi- ,joii was consequently of the greatest importance. In addition to iliis wc procured a few other stores, but not sudicieiu for the i)m'- posp, and there were no medicines to be had, so that it was still necessary to proceed to Ciiina. As soon as the ship was ready for sea, therefore, we cndoavour- ,(lto sail, but the wind about this time blew from the south-west, ind kept us imprisoned a fortnight ; the harbour of Honoruru being jO difllcult of egress, that unless the wind be fair, or there be a per- fect calm, a vessel cannot proceed to sea. On the 4th of March, kowever, we tcok our leave of the authorities and residents of the place, from botu of whom we had received the greatest attention, ind put to sea on our way to Macao. Upon leaving the Sandwich Islands I directed the course to the [ioiithward: and next day, having gained the latitude of 18° 'i"2' N., istood to the Westward, with the intention of pursuing the above- jsientioni d parallel as far as the Ladrone Islands. I did this with iview of keeping fairly within the limit of the trade wind, which, at ie season of the year in which this p.o- ijtc was made, is frequent- ly variable in a higher latitude, and evon subject to interruptions joni strong north-westerly winds. I w is also desirous of ascertain • k die position of an island bearit ; the name of Wake's Island, Lpon Arrowsmith's chart situated .'.iioctly in the- route between the pndwich Islands and China. A fresh trade wind attended us until the tifth day after our depar- are, when it was interrujited by a brneze from the southward. JTlie serenity of the sky which accompanied the trade, now became kijcured by heavy thunder clouds, which gathered aioimd us until lie night of the Gth, when they completely blackened the sky. fe had lightning frequently during the day, whlcii increased so iiuch towards night, that from eight o'clock to day light the folow- morning, the sky presented an uninterupted blaze of light. It ►as unusually near , the forked lightning passed between the masts jevcral times, and the zenith occasionally presented a fiery mass of liiort curved lines, which shot off in different directions like as ma- Iv arrows; while the heavy peals of thunder wb.ich generally ac- tompany these storms were subdued by crackling discharges not mlike the report of musketry from a long line of infantry. About le commencement oi this storm the temperature fell four degrees, Btgradually rose again to its former height. The sympeisometcr pnot sensibly affected. [On the following day fine weather was restored, the trade took i proper direction ; and the sea, which had been much agitated IV the changeable winds, abated, and we pursued a steady course. pout four days afterwards a brilliant meteor was discharged from im i ^\ »j,- - ^ 368 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Feb. the zenith towards the north-west, in the direction of some heavy clouds (nuiibi), which were pouring down torrents of rain. It pre- sented a long bright liquid flame of a bluish cast, and was followed by a train of sparks, until it had reached within 15° of the horizon, when it exploded, and three distinct fragments, having the appear- ance of being red hot, were discharged. They gradually lost their brilliancy as they fell, and were quite extinguished before lliey came in contact with the water. With the exception of the nimbi in the north west, the sky was perfectly clear, particularly at the zenith, whence the meteor appeared first to be discharged. After these meteorological disturbances we had fine weather almost all the remainder of the passage. At two o'clock on the 15th we were within a few leagues of the situation of Wake's Island, and the ship was brought to until day- light; but seeing no land at that time we bore away again, and at noon were exactly on the spot where the island is placed in Arrow- smith's chart. A few tern and a gannet were seen about ei^lit o'clock in the morning, but we had no other indications of land; still in the expectation of falling in with it, we continued the course due west, and ran throughout the night, which was clear and fine, but without being more successful. I afterwards learned that the I master of an American trader landed upon a coriil island, nearly in the same longitude, in the latitude 19° 18' N. which is about twen- ty-three miles to the northward of the island in Arrowsmith's chart j and in all probability is the same place. With fine weather and a fair wind we pursued our course, with- out experiencing any inconvenience except that occasioned by aj long swell from the northward, which made the ship roll heavily al-f most all the passage. On the 25th we saw the island of Assum|H tion, and the next day passed close to it, in order to determine its posi-l tion. The island is about a league in circumference, and riscsl from the sea in the perfect form of a cune to the height of 2,0-26l feet. Time must have made an agreeable alteration in the appear-J ance of this island since it was visited by La Perouse. Instead oil a cone covered with lava and volcanic glass, and presenting M forbidding aspect he describes, we traced vegetation nearly to thai summit, and observed woods of palm-trees skirting its base ; parJ ticularly in the south-west side. We were more fortunate than ' Perouse in obtaining a view of the crater formed at the apex of thJ cone ; it appeared very small and perfect, and to emit no smnkej La Perouse, in sailing to leeward of this island, experienced strong sulphorous odour. There was none, however, when uJ visited the spot ; but it is very probable that the volcano may ^lavJ been in action when he passed, which miglit also account for thj desolation of which he speaks. 1827.] AND BERRINO S STRAIT. 369 1 of some heavy of rain. It pie- ,nd was followed ° of the horizon, ving the appear- idually lost their shed before they ition of the nimbi , particularly at to be discharged. le weather almost few leagues of the ught to until di\y- iway again, and at placed in Arrow- 5 seen about ei5hl indications of land ; antinued the course was clear and fine, s learned that the ■al island, nearly in j vhich is about twen- Arrowsmith's chart j jd our course, with- hat occasioned by a hip roll heavily al- e island of Assunip- to determine its posi- inference, and rises] he height of 2,0i>i)| ration in the appear- •erouse. Instead ol and presenting thf tation nearly to tk rting its base ; paf re fortunate than b d at the apexofthj d to emit no smoke nd, experienced however, when wi le volcano may ''3V' also account fov i^* There appeared to be no danger near this Island, but on the con- trary, judging from the deep blue colour of the sea, there was deep water close to the base of the island. The south-west side is the least abrupt, but even in that direction La Perouse informs us ships are obliged to come very close to the shore before they can find an-s- chorage, and then only with a very long scope of cable. This bank is formed of lava and scoria;, and, being on the leeward side of the island, has probably been raised by frequent eruptions of the volcano. There were no projections in any part of the island, that we could perceive, sufficient to afford protection to a boat attempt- ing to land, and the sea in consequence broke heavily against it in every direction. The day being clear, wc looked to the southward for the island of Agrigan, which on Arrowsmith's chart is placed within twelve miles of the Mangs, but no land could be discerned in that direc- tion, and from the state of the weather, I should think there could not have been any within at least twelve leagues distance of us. Tliis would make the channel between Assumption and Agrigan about forty miles wide ; the Jesuits extend it to sixty ; but this cannot be the case, as it would place Agrigan near the latitude of 18o 45' N. in which parallel Ybargottia, according to Espinosa, has placed the island of Pagon. It seems necessary, therefore, to con- tract the channel between Assumption and Agrigan as marked in the Jesuits' plan, and to reduce the size of Agrigan in order to rec- loncile the position of the islands. Arrowsmith has incorrectly placed the Mangs on the south side of Assumption : by our astro- liioinical bearings they are situated N. 27° 7' 30" W. (true) from jiie south east end of this island, and are in Latitude 19° 57" 02' N. iThey consist of three high rocks, lying in a south-easterly di- Itection.* From what I saw of the island of Assumption it appears to be a Itery proper headland for ships coming from the eastward and bound Iio Canton to steer for. It is high, and may be safely approached linthe night if the weather is ilear ; and there is a wide channel to Ithe southward of it. It is far preferable to adopt this channel than to pass to the northward of the Mariana group, which is sometimes Idone : as I am credibly informed that there '^ JpuQ||^ J;;j;2-"1^^^^^^;^r [ *Itie somewhat remarkable that in pasa;;;,'.^ .!„ ,, , ,,, ., i.mption,at the distance of four Jief '5 "i^V^^-T'"''. '![•*''*' '"'^"'^ °^^«- fhid> Captain Frcycinct has oup^ '^t^ h^fho ^ ' '"^ t'^ ,"°l ^''^r^' ^^^ '°^^^ p. Our latitude \vhen in thc^ ' -l- , .*"" Mang-s, situated in latitude 19° 32' EcvS^nt that we must 4te prscd wUy .t^Hn ^ T?^ '^° ^l ^- ''^. "''^^'^ '' Uitudcs be corr^,.', -j„J^ tV r .u • . ""'"^ °^ ^^^"^ '■oc'fS' provided both lave stood t.wh;=; ,u ^K"°*n°fthe.r existence at the time, I should certainly imm^Ll^fih^M '''^'u\°A^^'^.'' '•°»««ctthem by trian^ulation with "he l^^umpt.on and the Mangrs , but Captain Freycincfs discoveries were not then put 47 ^ i I \i 370 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [April, in that direction. We have as yet no good chart of this group of islands. Under the lee of tlie island we observed a great many birds, prln- cipally of the pelican tribe, of which there was a species supposed by our naturalists to be new. It is described as being smaller than the frigate-bird, and of a dark brown colour, with the exception of the belly and breast, which were white, and the bill, which was ei- ther white or of a light lead colour. From the Ladrones, I directed the course for the Bashee Islands and on the 7th of April, after experiencing light and variable winds, got sight of the two northern islands of that group. The long nor- therly swell, which had attended us almost all the way from the Sandwich Islands, ceased immediately we were to the westward of the Ladrones ; and indeed the sea between them and the Bashee Islands was so smooth that its heave was scarcely perceptible. We found by our observations that the magnetic meridian intersects the channel between these two groups of islands in the meridian of 226° 48' W. in the latitude of 20° 12' N. The Bashee Islands, so called by the Buccaneers, in consequence of a drink of that name, which was extracted by the natives from the sugar-cane, form a long group very similar to the Ladrones, and ex- tend in the same direction nearly from north to south. Until these Islands were surveyed by Captain Horsburg their positions were as incorrectly determined as those of the Ladrones are at present. A contrary wind, which rendered it necessary to beat through the chan- nel between them and Botel Tobago Xima, afforded an opportunity of connecting these islands trigonometrically, and of obtaining tran- sit bearings when in immediate stations between them. The longi- tude also was afterwards measured backwards and forwards between them and Macao, and we thus had an opportunity of examining the chart of Captain Horsburg, which appeared to be constructed with great truth and with his usual accuracy. I regret not having seen the Cumbrian x-eef ; we stood purposely i towards- it until sun-set, and were within six miles of its situation | when we were obliged to go about by the approach of night. The lext day we stood toward the island of Formosa, and tack- "*} 7*,h;n four miles of the Vele rete rocks, the largest of which ha» | the appearance otiL vessel under sail. They lie off the south encL of the island of Formosa,* and-are surrounded by breakers, whitf in thick weather could not be approached with safety. We obserJ ved strong ripples in the water near them ; but the wind did not perl mit us to enter any for the purpose of sounding ; late in the evel ning, however, when we were several leagues from them, the weathj ♦ The large rock bears S. 29" 09' 15" E. from the west end of Lamay Island. 1827.] AND BEGRINO S STRAIT. 371 of Lamay Island. er being nearly calm we were diawn into one of these ripples and continued in it several hours, during which time we tried for soun- dings with a hundred fathoms of line without success. Upon trial a current was found to set S. E. seven furlongs per hour ; this ex- periment, however, was made from the ship by mooring a buoy, and was probably incorrect, as the water was much agitated ; and had a vessel seen it, or even heard it in the night time (for it made a considerable noise), she would have taken it for breakers and put about. A peculiar smell v/as detected in the atmosphere while we remained unmanageable in this local disturbance of the water, which some ascribed to sea weed, and others to dead fish, but it was never ascertained whence :t arose. Some seamen have an idea, though it is not very general, that this peculiar odour precedes a change of weather, and sometimes a storm, particularly in the Med- iterranean. On the present occasion nothing of the kind occurred immediately, though about twenty-six hours afterwards when cros- sing the channel between Formosa and the main land, the temper- ature fell sixteen degrees from the average height of the proceeding day, and the wind blew strong from the northward. Before daylight on the 10th, while we were crossing the channel to the westward of Formosa, going at the rate often miles an hour, we found ourselves surrounded by Chinese fishing boats, and narrow- ly escaped running over several of them, as it was very dark, and they were so thick that in trying to escape one we endangered an- other, and were obliged to lie to until daylight. These joats are large vessels, and would endangei- a small merchant ship wert she to run foul of them. We were informed that they were upon their usual fishing ground, and vessels therefore in approaching the spot should be cautious how they proceed, as these boats carry only a large paper lanthern, which cannot be seen far off, and I believe they only show this when they perceive a strange vessel. They were fishing in pairs, one vessel being attached by cables to each end of an enormous net, which kept them both broadside to the sea ; they were constantly covered with the spray, and being light, were washed about in so violent a manner that it scarcely appeared pos- sible for people to stand upon their decks. Still the crews of sev- eral which we passed consisted prinrjsiiy -oi 'iema"i«?s,*HW^'mu lioi' lippeaFto be m tne least mconvenie'nced by their situation. In the forenoon we passed Piedra Branca, and in the evening [entered the channel between the Great Lemma and Potoy. As no pilot offered, I stood on guided by the chart of Lieutenant Ross, thich was extremely accurate, and at ten at night brought up in ilie Lantao passage, and at nine o'clock next morning anchored in ilie Typa. In entering this harbour we found less depth of water ilian 's marked in the plan of Captain King; and by the survey i^ »i -^3*. ^*. 373 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Al-pil, which we subsequently made, it appeared tliat at low water a ship cannot depend upon a greater depth than two fathoms, until after she passes the rocky head on her right. Immediately after we were anchored, I visited the late Sir Wil- liam Fraser, who was then chief officer of the company's factory at Canton, and we both waited upon the Portuguese governor. He gave us a very ungracious reception, for which we could account in no other way than by supposing he felt annoyed at our unceremo- nious entry of the Typa, without either pilot or permission ; for the Portuguese at Macao, I understand, claim the Typa as their own, under the emperor's original grant of Macao to them for their ser- vices to China. Some Portuguese officers who came on board dur- ing my absence, intimated that the ship would not be allowed to remain in the harbonr. We heard nothing more cf the matter, however, for several days, when a mandarin waited upon Sir Will- iam Fraser to inquire into the business of the man of war anchored in the Typa. About the same time several war junks, two of which had mandarin's flags, came down the river, beating their gongs, and anchored not far from us. The mandarin received a satisfactory answer from Sir William Fraser ; but some days after, the Hoppo finding the ship did not go away, addressed the following letter to the Hong merchants :— " Wan, by imperial appointment, commissioner for foreign duties of the port of Canton, an officer of the imperial household, cav- alry officer, &CC. &ic. &c. raised three steps, and recorded seven- teen times, '•' Hereby issues an order to the Hong merchants. "The MsiCSiO Wenguin have reported, that on the 18th of the 13th moon, the pilot Chinnang-Kwang announced that on the I'lh an English cruiser, Peitche,* arrived, and anchored at Tausac. " On the pilot's inquiring, the said captain affirmed that he came from his own country to cruise about other parts, but gales of wind forced him in here, where he would anchor awhile till the wind was fair, and then he would take his departure. I could only in obodience ascertain these circumstances, and also the following par- ticulars : '^'V''l?inj9.ii^Hii''t1iVsi*n'i)^i\>^ 26 guns, 60 muskets, 60 swords, 700 -atties of powder, arid iOO'balls. ' « This imormation is hereby communicated to higher authority. " Coming before me, the Hoppo, I have inquired into the case, and since the said vessel is not a merchant ship nor co..,^./ to mer- chantmen, it is inexpedient to allow pretexts to be made tor lier anchoring, and creating a disturbance. I, therefore, order her to ♦ The Chinese call their vessels by the names of the persons who commaud tliera r V^ii 1827.] AND BEKRING^S STRAIT. 373 be driven out of the port, and on the receipt of this order, let the merchants, in obedience thereto, enjoin the said nations, foreigners, to force her away. They will not be allowed to make glossing pre- texts for her lingering about, and creating a disturbance which will implicate them in crime. Let the day of her departure be report- ed. Haste ! Haste ! a special order. " Taou Kwang, "7th year, 3d month, 24 day." The Hong Merchants transmitted this bombastic letter of the Hoppo to the British factory with the following letter : but I must observe that the pilot was incorrect in saying that he derived his information from me, or that such a pretext for putting into the Typa was made. " We respectfully inform you that on the 23d inst. we received an edict from the Hoppo concerning Peitche's cruiser anchoring at Tausae, and ordering her away. We send a copy of the docu- ment for your perusal, and beg your benevolent brethren of the committee to enforce the order on the said Peitche's cruiser to go away and return home. She is not allowed to linger about. " We further beg you to inform us of her departure, that we may with evidence before us report the same to government. " We write on purpose about this matter alone, and send our compliments, wishing you well in every respect. " To the chiefs : " We the merchants : Mr. Fraser, . Wooshowchang, (Howqua's son,) Mr. Toone, and others." Mr. Plowden." The officers of the factory were aware of the ground upon which the Chmese founded their appeal, it being understood, I believe, that a vessel of war is not to enter the C.unese territory except for the purpose of protecting their own trading ships. At the same time they were sufficiently acquainted with the Chinese style of writing to know that this was only a common remonstrance, how- ever strong the language used might appear, and they amicably airra'iged the business until near the time of our departure, when another letter arrived, to which they were able to give a satisfactory answer by our moving out of the Typa. As our object was to procure the stores we required, and to pro- ceed to sea as quickly as possible, our movements were not in any way influenced by this order of the Poppo ; and had it not been necessary to proceed to Canton to ascertain what was in the market there, we should have sailed befove this dispatch reached its destin- ation. It appeared that we had arrivuu at an unfortunate period, as " M \ IS - 374 VOYAOK TO THE PACIFIC [April, there were very few naval stores in the place, and the Chinese were either so dilatory, or so indifferent about delivering some that had been bargained for in Canton that we were obliged to sail without them. We, however, procured sufficient supplies to en- able us to prosecute the voyage, and on the ^Oth of April took our departure. During our stay at Macao we received the greatest attention from the officers of the Company's establishment, who politely gave us apartments in their houses, and in ever way forwarded our wishes ; and I am happy to join in the thanks expressed in my officers' journals for the hospitality we all experienced. Soon after our arrival in the Typa, a febrile tendency was exper- ienced throughout the ship, and before we sailed almost every ofli. cer and seaman on board was affected with a cold and cough, which in some cases threatened aneumonia ; but the officers who resided in the town were free from complaint until they returned to the ship. The probable causes of this were the humid state of the air, the cold heavy dews at night, and the oppressively hot weather during the day, added to the currents of air which made their way between the islands into the Typa, where the atmosphere, penned in on all sides by hills, was otherwise excessively close. On this account I think the Typa very objectionable, and should recommend the anchorage off Cabreta Point in preference. By a plan of the Typa, which we contrived to make during our I visit, it appears that the depth of water is diminishing in the har- bour, and that in some parts of the channel there is not more than ten feet and a half at low water spring tides ; the rise of the tide at j this time being seven feet one inch. The channel has shifted since the surveys of Captains King and Heywood, and new land-marks for entering, which I have given in my Nautical Remarks, are be- 1 come necessary. On leaving Macao we hoped that the S. W. monsoon would set] in, and carry us expeditiously to the northward ; instead of th however, we were driven down upon the island of Leuconia in the I parallel of 17" 16' N. where we perceived the coast at a great distance. Here it fell calm, and the weather, which had been in- creasing in temperature since our departure from Macao, became oppressively hot, the thermometer sometimes standing at 89° in the shade, and the mean height for the day being 85°, 7 of Fahren- heit. About this time we saw several splendid meteors, which left I trains of sparks as they descended. On the 6th a parhelion was visible at 51" 50' on the south side of the sun, when about 2°of| altitude, and as we passed Orange Island wc felt a sudden shock. ^vm ^ [April md the Chinese ivering some that e obliged to sail t supplies to en- of April took our greatest attention lent, who politely ^ay forwarded our expressed in my jnced. ndency was exper- almost every offi. i and cough, which icers who resided y returned to the nid state of the air, ively hot weather ch made their way tmosphere, penned y close. On this 1 should recommend I ;n make during our pishing in the har- ] :e is not more tl rise of the tide at I lel has shifted since new land-marks] Remarks, are be- nonsoon would set instead of this, of Leuconia in the coast at a great hich had been in- m Macao, became jding at 89° in the 15'', 7 of Fahren- Bteors, which left . a parhelion was I when about 2° of] a sudden shock, 1937.1 AND BEERINO's STRAIT. 375 I ^a accompanied by a momentary gust of wind which threatened the ,i,asts : the sky at this time was quite clear and cloudless. On the 7th we saw the south Bashee Islands, celebrated as one of the resorts of the Buccaneers, and the day following made tlie Island of Botel Tobago Xima. While off the Bashee Islands we noticed a great rippling in the Balingtang Channel, and during the night we experienced so strong a current to the north west that in- stead of passing the Cumbrian Reef ten miles to the eastward, aji ffe expected, on the following morning we found, greatly to our surprise, that we had been set on the opposite side of it, and much closer than was consistent with security in a dark night. These nirrents render precaution very necessary ; that b^ which we were I affected ran N. 56° W. twenty-six miles during the night, or about mo miles and a half per hour. We continued to leel this effect antil we were a full day's sail from Botel Tobago Xima, and we were obliged in consequence to beat through the channel between I that island and Formosa. In doing this we had an opportunity of ex- amining the shores of Botel Tobago Xima, and of constructing a tolerably good plan of its nothern and western sides, besides deter- mining its position more accurately than had been done when we passed it on the former occasion. The aspect of this part of the island is both agreeable and pic- I luresque. The mountains are covered with wood and verdure to iheir summit, and are broken by valleys which open out upon ains sloping rather abruptly from the bases of the hills to the sea I coast. Almost every part of this plain is cultivated in the Chinese man- lier, being walled up in steep places, like the sides of Dane's Island Bthe Tigris. Groves and tufts of palm trees break the stifRiess Khich this mode of cultivation would otherwise wear, and by their liraceful foliage greatly improve its appearance. In a sand bay on north side of the island there is a large village consisting of low I kiuses with pointed roofs. There are several rocky points on the north-west side, and some I detached rocks lie off the northern extremity, which are remarka- I He for their spire-like form. The coast is rocky in almost every rt, and probably dangerous to land upon, as these needle rocks I are seen in many parts of the island. With the exception, how- ever, of those off the north extreme, they are attached to the is- land by very low land, but the shore under water often assumes the character of that which is above, in case a vigilant look out for rocks would here be necessary in rowing along the coast. At three miles distance from the land we had no bottom with 120 fathoms I of line. After beating two days off Tobago Xima without being able to ■¥\ i^ti \ — ^B!"'""'^ 376 VOTAOK TO THE PACIFIC >,^>' |] [May, make much progress against the current, which on the average ran a mile and a quarter per hour, on the 10th a change of wind ena- bled us to steer our course. We took our departure from Sam- sanna, an island to the northward of Tobago Xima, situated by our observations, nearly in latitude 22** 42' N., and exactly 8' vvest of the eastern extreme of the Little Tobago Xima. I intended, on leaving Macao, to explore the sea to the eastward of Loo Choo, particularly that part of it where the Yslas Arzo- bispo, the Malabrigos, and the Bonin Islands, are laid down in vari- ous charts. It was, however, no easy matter to reach thus far, and what with light, variable winds, and contrary currents, our progress was extremely slow, so that on the 15th we found ourselves not far from the Great Loo Choo, with a contrary wind. About this time it was discovered that the water we had taken on board at Macao was extremely bad, owing to the neglect of the comprador in filling the casks, and as I had no object in reaching Kamschatka for nearly two months, I determined upon proceed- ing to Napakiang in Loo Choo. I was further induced to do this, on account of the longitude of the places we might meet between it and Petropaulski. We therefore bore away to the westward, and in the evening saw the island bearing W. by N. ten leagues distant. The following morning we were close to the reefs by which the Island of Loo Choo is nearly surounded, and steered along them to the southward, remarking as we passed the excellent harboui-s which appear to be formed within them ; and planning a chart of them as correctly as our distance from the shore, and other cir- cumstances, would permit. The sea rolled furiously over the reefs, which presented a most formidable barrier to encounter in a dark night, but we were glad to find that this danger was lessened by soundings being found outside them, in a depth of water which would enable a vessel to anchor in case of necessity. This depth gradually increased to seventy-five fathoms, at four miles distance from the reefs. Daylight had scarcely dawned the following morning before several fishermen paddled towards the ship, and fastened their ca- noes alongside. They had taken several dolphins, which they ex- changed for a very small quantity of tobacco, tying the fish to a rope, and without the least mistrust contentedly waiting until the price of it was handed to them. Their canoes were capable of holding five or six persons each, but there were seldom more than two or three in any of them. They were hollowed out of large trees, and rather clumsily made ; but it was evident, from the neat manner in which the inside was fitted with bambo gratings, that the v.. ^, .* i- V. :: 1827.] AND BEERINC S STRAIT. 377 I the average ran ige of wind ena- rture from Sam- la, situated by our xactly 8' west of ja to the eastward the Yslas Arzo- laid down in vari- •each thus far, and rents, our progress d ourselves not far eefs by which the eered along them excellent harbours planning a chart )re, and other cir- isly over the reefs, ;ounter in a dark was lessened by of water which lity. This depth lur miles distance constructors of llieiii were capable of much better workmanship. They bad no outriggers, and their sail was made of grass. After remaining alongside some time they ventured upon deck, and saluted us in tlie Japanese manner, by bowing their heads very low, and clasping their hands to their breasts. They appeared to be a very diminutive race, and were nearly all bow-legged, from the habitual confinement of their canoes. Many of them were naked, with the exception of a maro ; but t' se who were clothed wore coarse cotton gowns with large sleeves ; and almost every person liad a pipe, tobacco-pouch, and match fastened to his girdle. As the Loo Chooans are reputed to be descended from the Japanese, ne naturally sought in the countenances of these people features characteristic of that nation, but found that they bore a much nearer resemblance to those of the Malay tribe. Their manners, however, were very different from those of the Malays ; and they were marlc- ed with a degree of courtesy and good breeding, which we certair.ly should not have expected to find in persons of their humble occu- pation, and inferior condition in life. Having obtained permission to look over the ship, they examined attentively those things which interested them, and when their curiosity was satisfied they made a low bow, and returned to their canoes, leaving us well pleased with their manners. About this lime several dolphins swam round the ship, and the fishermen threw I over their lines, and met with tolerable success. Our lines had for some time been towing overboard with various devices of flying- lish, pieces of cloth, &c. attached to them, and springing from the water with the rise of the ship, in imitation of the action of the iying-fish, but without any success, and we \ ere happy to take a lesson from our new acquaintances. Their lines were similar to purs, but their snoeuds were made of wire, and their hooks, when properly baited, were quite concealed in the body of a flying-fish riiich had one side of the flesh cut away. Several lines thus pre- pared were allowed to run out to the length of about ten fathoms, and when the dolphins were near, speed was given to the canoe, that the bait might have the appearance of a fish endeavouring to escape pursuit. In this manner several were taken at no great dis- I tance from us. If the fish happened to be large, the line was care- fully drawn in, and they were harpooned with an instrument which I every canoe carried for the purpose. We stood towards Loo Choo, accompanied by several of these canoes, until within a kw miles of the land, when fearing to be seen from the shore, they quitted us, first making signs for us to go round I to the other side of the island. About sunset the wind left us close off the south extremity of the Great Loo Choo ; and all the next day it was so light that the boats 48 .*:'i < i^i'., < 1^1 ; V '- , ^ 378 VOYAGE TO THE PACiriC [Muu, were obliged to tow the ship toward the harbour. This slow pro- gress would have been far less tedious had we been able to see dis- tinctly the country we were passing, and the villages situated in the bays at the back of the reefs ; but this prospect was unfortunately destroyed by a dense haze which rendered every distant object in- distinct, and tantalized our expectations by the variety of fallacious appearances it created. Our course, until four o'clc ': in tlie after- noon, was along the western side of Loo Choo, batween it and a reef lying about midway between this western shore and the Kirra- ma islands. About that time we arrived off Abbey Point, and were entering the harbour of iiapakiang, guided by our charts, when we were obliged to drop the anchor to avoid striking upon a coral bank with only seven feet water on its shallowest part. Upon examina- tion we found that this bank, which had hitherto escaped observa- tion, had a deep channel on both sides of it; we therefore weighed and steered through the southern passage. It afterwards became necessary to beat up to the anchorage, in doing which we discover- ed another rock, and had a still narrower escape,* We reached our destination a little before sunset, and then came to an anchor off the town of Napa. ♦ Tho positiona of these rocks are given in the plan of Napakiang, which wc conBtructed during our stay here. r;> 1 1 "''' i V_^. Napakiang, which we 1827.] AND BKCHINg's STRAIT 379 CHAPTER XVII. Appearance of Loo'Choo — Visits of the natives — Deputation— Permiision given to land — Excursions into the Country — Discover Money in Circulation — Mandarin visits the Ship — Departure of a Junk with Tribute — Visit of ti»c Mandarin return- ed— Further Intercourse — Transactions of the Ship — Departure — Observations upon tlie religion, manners, and Customs of the People ; upon their Laws, Money, Weapons, and Punisliments : tlieir manufactures and Trade — Remarks upon the Country, its Productions and Climate — Directions for entering' the Port — Histori- cal Sketch of the Kingdom of Loo Choo. Loo Choo from the anchorage presents a very agreeable land- scape to the admirers of quiet scenery. The land rises with a grad- ual ascent from the sea-coast to something more than five hundred feet in height, and in almost every part exhibits a delightful picture of industry. The appearance of formality is just removed by a due proportion of hill and valley, and the monotonous aspect of continu- ed cultivation is broken by rugged ground, neatly executed cemete- ries, or by knots of trees which mingle the foliage of the temperate zone with the more graceful vegetation of the tropics. The most remarkable feature is a hill named Sumar, the summit of which com- mands a coup-d'ceil of all the country round it, including the shores 1 of both sides of the island. Upon this hill there is a town appar- ently of greater importance than Napa, called Shui or Shoodi, sup- posed both by Captain Hall apd ourselves to be the capital of Loo Choo. With our telescopes it appeared to be surrounded by a wall, and it had several flags (hattas) flying upon tall staffs. The hous- es were numerous, but the view was so obstrur' - '. by masses of fol- iage which grew about these delightful residences that we could form no estimate of their numbers. Upon a rise, a little above the I site of the other houses of the town, there was a large building half obscured by evergreen trees, which some of us imagined might be I the residence of the king, who had chosen so elevated a situation, in I order to enjoy the luxury of breathing a high current of air in a country occasionally exposed to excessive heat. A rich carpet of verdure sloping to the westward connects this part of the landscape •»■• h ..-*; ,i<^^^^:-j. . -* « ■^■'" 380 VOVAGK Tl> THE I'ACIi'IC [Ma,j with the bustling town of JVa|)a, or Na,)a-cliing,* of which wc could SCO little inoro tiiaii a number of red roofs turiifd up at the conicrs in Ciiinese style, or at most only a few feet down tl;c (•hunainmod walls which support thctu, in consequence ofa high wall surroiiiid- ing the town. To the right of the town along stone causeway stretches out into the sea, with arches to allow the water a free ac- cess to the harbour at the back of it, and terminates in a large scjimn; building with loop-holes. To this causeway sixteen junks of thf. largest class were secured : some had prows formed in imitation of animals, and georgeously coloured ; others pscsented their sides and sterns highly painted and gilt ; while, frou) among their clumsy cordage aloft, and from a nu-nber of staffs placed erect alon"; iho stern, were suspended variously shaped flags, some indicating, by their colour, or the armorial bearing upon them, the mandarin cap- tain of the junk ; some the tributary Hag of the Celestial Knipiie, and others the ensign of Japan. Many of these were curiously ar- ranged and stamped in gilt characters on silken grounds. To the left of Napa is the public cemciry, where the horse-jlioe sepulchres rise in galleries, and on a sunny day dazzle the eye with the brightness of their chunammed surfaces, and beyond them again, to the northward, is the humble village of Potsoong, with its jos- housc and bridge. The bay in every part is circimiscribed by a broad coral ledge, which to seaward is generally occupied by fishermen raising and de- pressing nets extended upon long bamboo poles, similar to those of the Chinese. Beyond these reefs are the coral islands of Tzcc, tlie more distant islands of Kirrama, and ilir, in a northern direction, the cone of Ee-goo-sacoo, said to be covered with houses rising in a spi- ral direction up its sides. Tlie whole, when viewed on a liie day, and when the harbour is enlivened by boats passing to and fro, with well-dressed people chanting their harmonious boat song, lias a pleasing effect which it is difficult to describe. Before our sails were furled the ship was surrounded by boats of various descriptions, and the tops of the houses on shore, the, walls and the forts at the entrance of the harbour, were crowded with spectators watching our operations. Several persons came on board, and with a respectful salutation begged permission to be allowed to look over the ship; but they were interrupted by the approach ofa boat with an officer, apparently of rank, whom they endeavoured to avoid. His person underwent a severe scrutiny through our teles- ♦ Napa is decidedly the name of the villag'e, and tlie words ching &nd kcang, which are occasionally subjoined, in all probability are intended to specify wlictlier it is the townj'or the river near it, that is intended ; c/uVig- being in Chinrse lan- guage a town, and keang a river ; and though these substantives are ditVcrcntly expressed in Loo Choo, yet when thus combined, the Chinese expression may probi- Wy be used. [May wliicli wo could J) lit the covMors :;;c clinnammotl 1 wall suri'oiiiul- stonc causeway I water a iVoo ao- i ill a large s(iu;ire teen junks ot" iIm; !cl in imitation ot" Jilted tlieir sides long their clumsy d creel alon;; llip ne indicating, by he nvdndariu cap- :;;elestial Knuiire, vcro curiously ar- ounds. re the horsc-^lioe az/.le the eye with leyond them again, ong, with its jos- broad coral ledge, nen raising and de- similar to those of lands of Tzec, the lern direction, the )uses rising in a spi- rt-ed on a line day, ing to and fro, with joat song, has a )unded by boats of m shore, the .walls were crowded with ons came on board, n to be allowed to r the approach ol a ley endeavoured to through our teles- )r(ls ching and kcang, tied to specify wlie"'" g- being in Cliinose Ian- fantivcs arc dillcrcnlly I expression may prob.i- \'i'i^•] AND U££niNU S KTII.VIT. 381 opc! long before he came on board, and we could distinctly see that lie liad not tiie /latchcc-inatc/icr, or low cylindrical cap worn by jiersions of rank in Loo Clioo, in the same manner as the cap and liutlons arc by tlie mandarins of China, yet he was evidently a man ofconse(iuencc, from the respect paid l)im by the natives in making room fur his ajiproach. Wiicn he came along side he was invited upon deck, but for some time he stood minutely examining the out- side of the ship, counting the number of port-holes, and apparently forming an estimate of her length and height. At last be ascended ihe side and made a low salutation on the quarter deck, bowing bis licad in a respectful manner, and clasping his hands to bis breast, as before described. Finding we could not understand his language he waved his band to seaward, in intimation that we should not be allow- ed to remain in the port. He then looked dow n upon the gun deck, and pursued his examination of the inside of the ship with the >aine rigour that he had bestowed upon the exterior, making notes of what he saw. When he was satisfied, he expressed his thanks for our civility and returned to the shore. Soon after his departure, several well-dressed persons, with boys liolding parasols over them, were observed coming off to us : they [ were seated in Chinese style upon mats spread in the bottom of the boat, over neat ratan platforms, and were propelled by several per- sons working at a large oar as a scull, keeping time to a song, of which the chorus was yn ha nmshmvt/i/, or words very similar. They were elegantly dressed in ;owns made of grass cloth, of I which the texture was fine and open, and being a little stiff, formed a most agreeable attire in a country which was was naturally warm. I To prevent this robe being incommodious while walking, it was llound at the waist with a girdle, linen or silk, according to the rank lofthe wearer. They bad sandals made of straw, and one of them, whose name was An-yab, had linen stockings. None of them had nny covering to the head, but wore their hair turned back from all parts, and secured in a knot upon the crown, with two silver pins, hmcsashe and oomcsashe, the former of which bad an ornamental head resembling a flower with six petals ; the other was very simi- lar to a small marrow-spoon. Each person had a square silken to- bacco-pouch embroidered with gold and silver, and a short pipe of which die bowl and mouth-piece were also silver, and one who was secretary to An-yah carried a massy silver case of writing materials. They saluted us very respectfully, first in the manner of their I own country and then of ours, and An-yah, by means of a vocabu- lary which he brought in his pocket, made several inquiries, which occasioned the following dialogue. ** What for come Doo Choo V* •This word is pronounced Doo-Choo by the natives, but ns it is known in England I as Loo Choo, I shall preserve that orthography. i '< 1 Ul ,*l. m\ 38-2 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [May, To get some water, refit the ship, and recover the sick." "How many mans ?" *< A hundred." "Plenty mans! you got hundred ten mans ?" " No, a hundred." " Plenty guns ?" <' Yes." " How many ?" "Twenty-six." " Plenty mans, plenty guns ! What things ship got ?" " Nothing, ping-chuen." " No got nothing ?" '• ]\o nothing." " Plenty mans, plenty guns, no got nothing !" and turn- ing to his secretary he entered into a conversation with him, in which it appeared almost evident that he did not wholly credit our statement. It was, however, taken down in writing by the secre- tary. In order more fully to explain myself I showed them some sen- tences written in Chinese, which informed them that the ship was an English man of war : that the king of England was a friend of the emperor of China ; and that ships of our nation had frequent intercourse with the town of Canton. The secretary, who read these sentences aloud, immediately wrote in elegant Chinese char- acters! "What is your reason for coming to this place ! How ma- ny men are there on board your ship ?" and was both sorry and surprised to find I could not understand what he had written. In- deed he appeared to doubt my sincerity, particularly after I had shown him the next question, which happened to be an answer to his question, but which naturally followed the first, stating that we were in want of water and fresh provision, and that the sick required to be landed to recover their health, and concluding by specifying our desire to be allowed to pay for every thing that was supplied toi us. An-yah received this information with satisfaction, and replied, " I speakee mandarin ; Doo Chooman want no pay." Tliese sentences were kindly furnished me by Dr. Morrison, at | my own request, in case circumstances should render it necessary to put into Loo Choo, and they were written in Chinese charac- ters, which Dr. Morrison was well aware would be quite intelligi- ble to the literati of Loo Choo, who express themselves in the , same character as the Chinese, though their language is totally dif- ferent. They contained many interesting inquiries, and afforded the j means of asking questions without the chance of misinterpretation, To several of them the negative or affirmative was all that was re- 1 quired, and these are expressions understood by most people. It I happened, however, that An-yah had learned enough of the Eng- lish language to say something more than these monosyllables ; so i that what with his proficiency, and the help of these sentence^, be- sides a dictionary, vocabulary, and dialouges in both languages, which Dr. Morrison had also very generously given me, we had tlie t This, as well as several other papers written by the Loo Chooans, was aftor^ wards interpreted by Mr. Hultinann of the Asiatic Society, to whom, and also u^ f/^ Sir William Ousely, I beg- permission to be allowed to cxpvess my thanks. H*r(ckei HW^IS^SHtSl""* P [May, ■ 1827.] jsick." "How ou got hundred «'Yes." "How IS I What tilings athing?" "No, ingl" and turn- ion with him, in vhoUy credit our ing by the secre- 1 them some sen- that the ship was id was a friend of tion had frequeut icretary, who read gant Chinese char- place \ How ma- ?as both sorry and had written. In- jularly after 1 had to be an answer to rst, stating that we at the sick required iding by specifying hat was supplied to faction, and replied, pay-" ly Dv. Morrison, at lender it necessary I Chinese cliarac- be quite intelligi- themselves in the ^uage is totally dif- fes, and afForrled tlie |f misintevpretatioti, as all that was re- most people. It iough of the En§- monosyllables; so lese sentences, be- jinboth languages, 'en me, we had tbe ^,„ Chooans, was aft«- fy, to >ivhom, andaUowj Ibs my thanks. AND BEERINC S STRAIT. 383 means of gaining a good den' of information ; more, probably, than ffe could have done throug'. an indifferent interpreter. As, howev- er, opinions vary concerning the written character of China being in general use in Loo Choo, I shall hereafter offer some observa- tions on the subject. After our visiters had satisfied their curiosity concerning our ob- ject in putting into Loo Choo, they sat down to dinner, which was ready, and with much address and good humour showed us they had learned to chin-chin, or drink healths in the English manner. I was very anxiouo io ?nd out who my guest with the vocabula- ry was, as it first occurred to me that it might be Madera, of whom Captain Hall so frequently speaks in his delightful publication on Loo Choo ; but then he did not seem to be so well acquainted with the English langnage as Madera appears to have been, and, be- sides, he must have been much younger. His objection to answer- ing our inquiries on this head, and disclaiming all knowledge of any vessel having ever been at Loo Choo before, put it out of my pow- er at first to inform myself on the point, and had not his own cu- riosity overcome his prudence, it would perhaps have long remained a secret. The manner in which the discovery was made is curious ; after I tbe sackee * had gone round a few times, An-yah inquired if " ship uot womans ?" and being answered in the negative, he replied, somewhat surprised, " other ships gotwomans handsome womans !" alluding to Mrs. Loy, with whom the Loo Chooans were so much Icaptivated that, it is thought, she had an offer from a person of high iiuthority in the island. I then taxed him with having a knowledge lofother ships, and when he found he had betrayed himself, he [laughed heartily, and acknowledged that he reccollectcd the visit lofthe Alceste and Lyra, which he correctly said was 144 moons Iigo, and that he was the linguiu An-yah whom Captain Hall calls ].\n-yah Toonshoonfa, but he disclaimed all right to this appendage 1 10 his name. Havmg got thus far, I inquired after almost all the [characters which so much interested me in reading the publication Ijiluded to above ; but they either prevaricated, or disclaimed all iRcollection of the persons alluded to, and I found it extremely diffi- jcult to get a word in answer. At last one of them said Ookoma was at the other end of the is- ind, and another immediately added that he had gone to Pekin. \S. third stated that Madera was very ill at the capital, while it was Inserted by others that he was dead, or that he was banished to iPatanjun.t They all maintained they had never any knowledge ♦ The Loo Choo name for wine or spirits ♦An island aituated near Ty-pingchan, upon which Captain Rroughton was |»recked. r mji'4 ^ "il^M 384 VOYAGC TO THE PACIFIC [Mmj, of such persons as Shangfwee, and ShUiig Pungfwee, the names giv- en to the king and prince of Loo Choo in Captain Hall's publica- tion. From this conversation it was very evident that they knew perfectly well who Ookoma and Madera were, but did not intend to give us any correct information about them. I was a little vexed to find that neither An-yah nor Isaacha-San- doo, who was also of our party, and is mentioned by Captain Hall, made the slighest inquiry after any of the officers of the Alceste or Lyra, by whom they had been treated in the most friendly man- ner, and for whom it might have been inferred, from the tears that were shed by the Loo Chooans on the departure of those ships/ that the greatest regard had been entertained. The only time they alluded to them was when Mrs. Loy recurred to their imag- ination. When they had drank enough sackee they rose to take their leave, I and, emptying the contents of the fruit dishes into their pockets,] retired in great good humour ; but An-yah, not quite satisfied about] the number of men on board the ship, probably imagining, from the number he saw aloft, that there were many more, again asked the] question, "How many mans!" and on being answered as before, replied " Not got hundred one ?" which he wrote down a second] time ; and having satisfied himself on this knotty point shook us by the hand and said, " Well, I speakee mandarin, to-morrow cornel water ; Doo Cbooman no want pay : fife day you go away." " That,"! I returned, "will depend upon the health of the sick, who must ba allowed to land and walk about." I then desired him to tell the mandarin, that to-morrow I should go on shore and wait on him ia his own house. An-yah, alarmed lest the threat might be came(| into execution, hastily exclaimed, " No, no, I speakee mandarin,! mans go ashor walk about, no go house — no go house." ThujT by threatening to do more than was intended, we obtained a tacij consent to that which we wanted without much chance of giviiia offence. Unwilling to give him any further uneasiness, I permitteJ him to go, requesting he would deliver to the mandarin an invita! tion to visit the ship, which he promised to do ; and seating himself and his companions on the mat in the boat, he sculled on shore t^ the musical chorus of " ya-ha-me-shawdy." Our decks were by this time crowded witli spectators, who lia! been coming off in boat loads. The place did not appear to afforJ many of these conveyances, and they had to go backwards and foij wards between the ship and the shore a great many times, alwai singing their boat songs as they sculled themselves along. Oi( visitors had paid us the compliment of putting on their best attir^ all of which was made of the grasscloth in the manner before dei scribed ; the colours were various, but mostly blue. lIPiHPI [May, , the names giv- Hall's publica- ihat they knew did not intend nor Isaacha-San- 3y Captain Hall, of the Alceste ost friendly man- ^ ,m the tears that of those ships, The only time d to their imag- o take their leave, ito their pockets,^ uite satisfied about magining, from the 5, again asked the iswered as before, te down a second ly point shook us in, to-morrow come] JO away. a' ? sick, who must be d him to tell thf and wait on him it .might be cavfd peakee mandarin, house." Tld obtained a taci^ . chance of givmS asiness, I permits landarin an invitaj and seating himself iculled on shore « pectators, who hai iot appear to affor backwards and toi nany times, alway lelves along. 0" In their best attir( manner before A »lue. " t 1827.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 385 The utmost good breeding was manifested by every one of them, not only in scrupulously making their bow wlien they entered and fjuittcd the ship, but in not allowing their curiosity to carry them beyond what they thought perfectly correct. They all seemed deterniined to he pleased, and were apparently quite happy in be- ing perniitted to indulge their curiosity, which was very great, and bespoke them a people extremely desirous of information. It was aiiiMsing to observe which objects attracted the particular attention of each individual, which we thought always accorded with the trade or profession of the party ; for, as we had at different timos all the population of Napa c^ board the ship, we must have had persons of all occupations. We observed two of these people, after hav- ing gratified their curiosity about the deck, seat themselves in their canoes, and commence drawing a picture of the ship — one selected a broadside view, and the other a quarter, each setting at defiance rules of perspective. The artist on the quarter had of course Itbe most difficult task, and drew the stern as a continuation of the broadside, by which it appeared like an enormous quarter galley the ship. That they might make an exact representation, they liook their station at the distance of twenty feet from the side of the fhip, and commenced their drawing upon a roll of paper about six feet in length, upon which they pourtrayed not only the outline of ihe ship, but the heads of all the bolts, the but ends of the planks, jind before it was finished, no doubt, intended to trace even the pin of the wood. Whatever merit might have been attached to drawing, the artists were entitled to commendation for their per- bverance, which overcame every difficulty ; and they had some few lio contend with. A little before sunset they rolled up their paper id paddled on shore. We were scarcely up the following morning before our ears were sailed by the choruses of the boatmen bringing off new visiters ihe ship, who continued to pass between her and the shore the (hole of the day, carrying a fresh set at every trip, so that the liar- Dur, if possible, presented a mere lively scene than it did the day efore : on shore the walls and housetops were occupied by groups (ho sat for hours looking towards the anchorage. Our visiters as efore were well dressed and well bred people, and extremely ap- fehensive of giving offence or even of incomiTioding us. The mandarin, however, fearful we might experience some an- oyance from having so many people on board without any person icontrol them, sent off a trusty little man with adisproportionably tinj bamboo cane to keep order, and who was in consequence nam- Master-at-Arms by the seamen. This little man took care that lie importance of his OiTice should not escape notice, and occasion- lly exercised his baton of authority, in a manner which seemed 49 t ! 4 Hint .V "^CT" 386 VOVAOE TO THE PACIFIC [Mmj, to me much too severe for the occasion ; and somethnes even drew forth severe the ugh ineffectual animadversions from his poacciiblc countrymen : but as I thought it better that he should manage mat- ters in his own way, I did not allow him to be interfered with. Among the earliest of our visiters were An-yah, Shtafacoo, and Shayoon ; three intelligent, good-natured persons, who, I have no doubt, were deputed to watch our movements. They were the bearers of a present of a pig and some vegetables. As An-yah had promised, several boats commenced supplying the ship with water, bringing it off in large tubs.* In reply to my request that the officers and invi:lids might be allowed to walk about on shore, An-yah said he had s^oicen to the mandarin, who had sent off a] Loo Choo physician to administer to the health of our invalids, and i in fact who would see whether our statement concerning them was correct or not. A consequential little man, with a huge pair ofl Chinese spectacles, being introduced as the Esculapius in question,] begged to be permitted to visit the sick and to feel their pulse. The surgeon says — '* he gravely placed his finger upon the rabial arteiyj first of one wrist and then of the other, and returned to the first! again, making considerable pressure for upwards of a minute upoiij each. To one patient affected with a chronic liver complaint, audi in whom the pulsations are very different in the two arms, in con-| sequence of an irregular distribution of the arteries, he recommend- ed medicine : of another person affected with dyspepsia whose pulsol was natural, he said nothing ; no other part of the animal econo^ my attracted his notice. He appeared to be acquainted with quick- silver and moxa, but not with the odour of cinnamon." After this careful examination he returned to the cabin and wrot^ in clumsy Chinese characters that one of the patients had an affec-i tion of the stomach rnd required medicine ; and inquired of anotlH er if he were costive. This report, which we did not understanq at the tim was satisfactory to An-yah, who immediately gave id permission . 5 land at Potsoong and Abbey Point, but with an imJ derstanding that we were not to go into the town. He then producJ ed a list of inquiries, which he had been ordered to make, such al the dimensions of the ship, the time we had been fvom England! Canton, &c., and lastly, what weather we had experienced, as hi said Loo Choo had been visited by a violent tyfoong in April, whiclj unroofed the houses and did much other .mischief. The permission to land was immediately taken advantage of b]j several of the officers, who went to Potsoong, and were received ii| ♦ This water proved to be bad, for though it had no very unpleasant taste, it wal found, upon being- analysed, to contain in solution a large proportion of niagrnesil and some salt ; a circumstance which should be borne in mind by vessels (il)tainiii| ;i supply at this place. AND BEKniNO S STRAIT. 387 a very polite manner by a great concourse of spectators, who con- ducted them to tlic house in which Sir Murray Maxwell and his officers had been entertained ; and regaled them with (tsha) tea, and (ainasa) sweet cakes. Some of the party, instead of entering the house, strolled inland to botanize, and to look at the country ; but they had not proceeded far before two or three persons ran to- wards them, and intimated that their company was expected at the house where the other officers were assembled drinking tea, and were waiting for them. This was the Loo Choo polite manner of preventing their proceeding inland, or of making themselves ac- i|uninted with the country ; and thus, whenever any parties landed I afterwards, they were shown to this house, where there was always tea ready prepared, and kept boiling in a kettle, inclosed in a neatly I japanned wooden case ; there were also trays of charcoal for light- ing pipes, and a box to receive the ashes when they were done with : the natives endeavoured, by every possible means, to engage llieir attention at this place, by putting a thousand inquiries, offer- ing pipes, and pressing them to smoke, and to drink tsha, which ns always poured out in small cups, and drank without milk or [sugar, which, as it was quite new, and not of the best kind, or much improved by being kept boiling, had a very insipid taste ; it, how- I ever, served to quench the thirst on a hot day. On no account would these people receive any present, nor would I ihey sell any of their property in public ; but if they thought we desired to possess any thing they could spare, they would offer it lor our acceptance. I one day made a present to a person who liad been very civil in showing me over his grounds, which he at j first refused, and when I insisted on his taking it, and placed it in pocket, he gave it me back again ; but finding I would not re- Iceive it, he threw it after me ; and it was not until after 1 had re- I turned it in the same manner, that he was prevailed upon to accept Upon doing this, he first exhibited it to the crowd around him, land then thanked me for it. On another occasion one of the offi- cers offered a man, named Komee, two Spanish dollars for his pouch, Uhich he declined, and could not be prevailed upon to accept ; but with perfect good breeding he presented to him the object he de- sired, and insisted upon his keeping it. In private, however, they had less objection to presents, and even asked for several things : small bargains were also effected. From :his time we visited the shore daily, and made many ex- cursions into the country, confining our rambles within reasonable imiits, to avoid giving uneasiness to our guides, vvho^ "W^ai-e v( much distressed whenever we stravefM'-A!,'j={Jl)(j\vhat they considered strictly within the limits '''(jfescribed by their instructions. We met hnanv r>P2S3j:;iis and other persons in these excursions, all of whom 388 VOYAG£ TO TllK PACIFIC [May, '] * -A seemed eager to sliow us attention, and with whom there was less reserve, and less disinclination to our proceeding inland, tlian was manilested by our guides liom Napa, who were evidently acting under much constraint. Lieutenant Wainwright, who, since leaving San Francisco, liad been an invalid, having suffered severely from a disease of the iicart, was provided with a horse by the natives, and permitted to ride every day for his health. He was attended by a guide, and receiv- ed much kindness and attention, from the humane Loo Chooans, who, though they often gave us many reasons to suspect the purity of their intentions, were, by their acts, certainly entitled to our giat- titude. On the 19th we received a bullock weighing IQOlbs., five pigs, a bag of sweet potatoes, some firewood, and some more water. Sev- eral of the officers landed and walked into the country, attended by the natives, who endeavoured by every species of cunning, and even by falsehood, to prevent tl>eir going near the villages, or pen- etrating far inland. We had again a ship full of visiters, and the two artists were employed the greater part of the day in completing their drawing which tlioy refused to part with. After the strangers were gone on shore, a thermometer that was kept upon deck for the purpose of registering the temperature was missed, and the nat- ural conclusion was, that it han attracted the attention of some of our visiters, who it must be remembered, were of all classes. It was a curious coincidence, but I believe perfectly accidental, that the day after the instrument was missed not a single person came off to the ship, except those employed in bringing water; when Au-yah came on board the next morning I made our loss known to him ; he was much distressed at hearing of it, and said he would maKe every inquiry about it on shore, and added — "Plenty Doo Ohoo man teef — plenty mans teef," he also advised us at the same time to look well after our watches, handkerchiefs, and particularly any of the instruments that were taken on shore. These precautions I am almost certain were unnecessary, and I am inclin- ed to believe that An-yah painted his countrymen in such odious colours to make us take proper precautions. Though the Loo Chooans are extremely curious, and highly prize such an instru- ment, yet the theft is not in character with the rest of their con- duct, and however appearances may condemn them I am inclined to believe them guiltless of taking the thermometer, which probably was left in the tub used for drawing up sea-water to try its tempera- ture, and Wua r^'fi Hen tally thrown overboard. And yet in so large a body of people there must iiu:i;r,?11y be some who are bad ; how- ever, we never heard any thing more of thi; ♦liprmometer. A little before noon I landed to observe the meridional aiJiliiL't), m 1 1327.] AND BEERINg's STUAIT. • 11^ '1 -l 1 i'''^ 1, '■ 1 . V: IVrk leridiouai allitrJt'; •«->—. and met Slitafaccc and several other Loo Clioo gentlemen, who, ffere attended by little boys holding parasols over tliem, and carry- ing small japanned cases containing smoked and dried meals, small cups of preserves, and boiled rice, sackee, a spirit resembling the samchevv of China, and fresh water. They ordered mats to be spread for us, and we made a good luncheon of the many nice things in their boxes. We afterwards crossed over to Potsoong, where we were met by an elderly gentleman, who made a very low obesiance, and pressed us to come into the house in which the officers of Sir Murray Maxwell's squadron and of the Blossom had been entertained, and which appeared to be set apart entirely for our use. It was situated in a square area laid out in lawn and (lower beds, and enclosed by a high wall ; the house was built of wood, and roofed with tiles in the Chinese style ; the floor was rai- sed about two feet from the ground, and the rooms, though small, were capable of being thrown into one by means of shifting panels. To the right of the house there was a large brass bell, which wa» struck with a wooden club, and had a very melodious tone ; at the further end of the garden was a joshouse, a place of worship, which as it has been described by Captain Hall, I shall notice only by the mention of a screen that was let down before the three small ima- ges on the inside. It was made of canvas stretched upon a frame forming two panels, in each of which was a figure ; one represen- ting a mandarin with a yellow robe and hatchee matchee, seated upon a bow and quiver of arrows and a broad sword , the other, a commoner of Loo Choo dressed in blue, and likewise seated upon a bow and arrows. The weapons immediately attracted my atten- tion, and I inquired of my attendant what they were, for the pur- pose of learning whether he was acquainted with the use of them, and found that he was by putting his arms in the position of draw- ing the bow, and by pointing to the sword and striking his arm for- ward ; but he implied that that weapon belonged to the mandarins only. A great many pieces of paper were suspended on each side of the picture, some of them marked with Chinese characters, and were, no doubt, invocations to the deities for some temporary ben- efits, as all the sects are in the habit of writing inscriptions of this kind, and depositing them in the jos houses, or placing them upon stones, of which there are several in Loo Choo under the name of Karoo. Under a veranda which surrounded the temple there were several wooden forms strewed with flowers, and upon the middle one a drum was suspended by thongs in a handsome jappaned stand. A building in front of this jos house, mentioned by Captain Hall lias been rebuilt, but was not quite finished at the time of our vis- it; though so near to the temple, the panels were scrawled over ■» IW ado VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Ma;,, ;r'\ with groups of figures some of which were very inappropriate to such a situaf inn. After we had partaken of tea in the dwelHng-house we determin- ed upon a walk in the interior, much to the discomfiture of the old gentleman, who used every means he could think of to induce us to desist, and produced pipes, sweet cakes, tsha, and massa choiassa, preserves with which they tempted us whenever they feared our walk would he directed inland. Finding he could not detain us, lie determined to be our companion, and endeavoured to confine us to the beach by praising the freshness of the breeze, saying how hot we should find it inland, and what bad paths there were in that di- rection, every word of which proved to be false, as we found the roads very good, and by gaining elevated situations we enjoyed more of the breeze. We passed some tombs excavated in the cliffs, and in one that was broken down we discovered a corpse lying upon its back, half decayed and covered over with a mat ; a jar of tea and some cups were placed by it, that the spirit might drink ; but there was noth- ing to eat, and our guide informed us that it was customary to place tea only by the side of the bodies, and that food was never left there. He turned us away from this shocking spectacle as much disgusted as ourselves, and seemed sorry that we had hit upon it. This dis- covery seems to strengthen some information which I afterwards re- ceived concerning the manner in which the dead were disposed of, namely, that the flesh is allowed to decay before the bones arc plac- ed in jars in the cemetery. From this place we ascended a hill covered with tombs, which were excavated in the rock in a manner very similar to those near Canton ; they had almost all of them niches, wherein bowls of tea, lamps, and cups were placed, and appeared to be kept in good or- der, as they had a cleanly and decent appearance. We wandered among these some time, without finding any open, but at last we came to one of an inferior kind, in which the door was loosely plac- ed before the entrance ; it consisted of a large slab of red pottery, pierced with a number of holes about an inch in diameter. Having removed this, we saw about twenty jars of fine red pottery covered with lids shaped like mandarins' caps; the size ofthejai'S was about twenty inches deep by eight in the brodest part, which was one t'vid of the way from the mouth ; they were also perforated in several places with holes an inch in diameter. We did not remove any of the lids, as it seemed to give offence, but were told that the jars contained the bones of the dead after the flesh had been stripped off or had de- cayed, on putting the question whether they burned the bones or the flesh off them, it was answered by surprise, and an inquiry whether we did so in England ? Therefore, unless the custom has altered, , -wi-4. m # * ti nappropnate to 1827.] ANT) BGERINO S STIIAIT. 391 the account of Supao Koang, a learned Chinese, who visited Loo Ciioo in 1719, is incorrect. After visiting the grave of one of the crew of the Alceste who was buried in this island, we were satisfied with this tour of the tombs, and turned off inland, very much to the discomfiture of our guide, and in spite of a great many remonstrances. He was a si- lent companion until we came to a path that went back to the beach, and there, politely stepping forward, said it was tiie one that would take us where we wished to go, and, touching our elbow, he would have turned us into it had he not thought it rude ; but we pursued oiir original path, followed by a crowd of persons, who seemed to enjoy the discomfiture of our companion, and laughed heartily as we came to every track that crossed ours, each of which our officious and polite conductor would have persuaded us to take, as being far more agreeable than the other, and as leading to our destination. The mirth of the crowd pretty well satisfied us there was no great danger in advancing, and we went on further than we should otherwise have done ; but in a little time they began to drop off, and we were at last left alone with the guide, who really became alarmed. We had reach- ed the foot of the hill on which the capital is situated, and were as- cending to have a near view of the houses, when he threw himself on his knees in evident alarm, bowed his head to the dust, embrac- ing our knees implored us to desist, assuring us that the mandrin would take his head off if we did not. Some of the officers who went in another direction were told by their guide that he would get bambooed if they did not turn back, which is more probable than that the heavy penalty apprehended by our companion should be attached to so light a crime. To quiet the irritation of the poor old man, who trembled vio- lently, we ascended a hill some distance to the left, which com- manded an extensive view of the country, and from whence we could survey the capital with our telescopes. The country was highly cultivated, and the grounds irrigated with Chinese ingenuity and per- severance by small streams of water passing through them, keeping such as were planted with rice thoroughly wet. We noticed in our walk sweet potatoes, millet, wheat, Indian corn, potatoes, cabbages, barley, sugar-cane, tea shrubs, rice, taro, tobacco, capsicums, cu- cumbers, cocoa nuts, carrots, lettuces, onions, plantains, pomgran- ates, and oranges ; but amidst this display of agricultural industry there were several eminences topped with pine trees, on which the hand of the farmer might have been advantageously employed, but which were allowed to lie waste, and to be overrun with a rank grass. Such places, however, being usually the respositories of the dead, it may have been thought indecorous by the considerate Loo Chooans to disturb the ground near it with a hoe. These eminences, \ ]\ .• I U( .W: ■>r' noa VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [May, n ! Li t It 1^ \H Pll like the basis of the island, bcinp; formed of a very porous cnlca- reous rock, are peculiarly adapted to the excavation of tombs, and the natives have taken ad\ lUtage of them to dispose of their dead in tlicm. The capital, for such 1 am disposed to call the town on the JiiH, notwithstanding the denial of several of the natives, was surround- ed by a white wall, within which there were a great many houses, and two strong buildings like forts ; with, as already mentioned, sev- eral small masts with gafls, bearing flags of different colours. This space was thickly interspersed with trees, whence we conjcctuied the houses were furnished with gardens. There seemed to be very few people moving about the island, even between the upper anil lower towns, with which it would be supposed there must necessa- rily be much intercourse. We rested awhile on the eminence that afforded this agreeable view of a country but very little known, and were joined by several persons whom fear or indolence had pie- vented keeping pace vvith us. Our guide now lighted his pipe and forgot his apprehension in the consoling fumes of tobacco, while some of the parly amused themselves with viewing the capital through a telescoi)e, each preventing the other having a quiet view by their anxiety to obtain a peep. Our clothes in the meantime were undergoing an examination from the remainder of the party, who, after looking closely into the texture of the material, ex- claimed — choorassa, choorassa ! (beautiful.) While we sat here a Japanese junk bore down from the north- ward, and according to the information of those around us, which afterwards proved to be correct, she came from an island called Ooshimar, to the northward of Loo Choo, and was laden with rice, hemp, and other articles. Her sails and rigging resembled tlie drawing of the Japanese junks in La Perouse's voyage. She pass- ed close to the Blossom at anchor, and from the report of the officers her crew had their heads shaved in the fashion of the Japanese. Her arrival excited general interest brought all the inhabitants to the housetops, and a number of canoes crowded round her before she reached the inner harbour, where she was towed and secured alongside several other junks bearing the same On our return we passed through a village consisting of a num- ber of square inclosures of low stone walls, separated by lanes planted on both sides, and so overgrown with bamboo and ratans that we could neither nee the houses nor the sky ; several handsome creepers entwined themeselves round the stems of these canes, and a variety of flowers, some of which were new to us, exhaled a de- licious fragrance from the gardens which bordered these deliglitfiil avenues. A more comfortable residence in a hot climate could not '^ 'M 1827.] AND UEERING b STRAIT. 39:) well be imagined, but 1 am sorry to say that the fascination was gaatly lessened by the very filthy state of the dwellings and of tlic people who occupied them. In one of these huts there was a spinning-wheel and a hand loom, with some grass-cloth of the country in a forward state of preparation for use. Several little children accompanied us through these delightfully cool lanes, running before us catching butterflies, or picking flow- ers, which they presented with a low Chinese salam, and then ran away laughing at the idea of our valuing such things. Wo after- wards crossed two high roads, on which there were several horses and jack-asses bearing panniers ; but we saw no carriages, nor the marks of any wheels, nor do I believe there are any in Loo Choo. The horses, like the natives, were very diminutive, and showed very little blood. Several peasants, both male and femalo> were work- ing in the plantations as we passed through them, neither of whom endeavoured to avoid us, and we had an opportunity of beholding, for the first time,several Loo Choo women. They were of the labour- ing class,and of course not the most attractive specimens of their sex; but they were equally good-^looking with the men, and a few of them were pretty, notwithstanding the assertion of An-yah, that " Loo Choo womans ugly womans." There was nothing remarkable about them to need particular description 5 they were clothed much in the same manner as the men, and generally in the same colours ; their hair, however, was differently dressed, being loosely fastened at the side of the head by a pin resembling a salt-spoon with a very long handle. Their fee* were of the natural size, and with- out shoes or sandals. We noticed some were tattooed on the back of the hand, which we were told was done to distinguish all those who were married ; An-yah said the custom prevailed equally in high life. Upon the high road we met a man with a bundle of firewood, on liis way to town ; and were much pleased at the confirmation of a fact, which we had no doubt existed, though the natives took every precaution to conceal it. None of our visiters to the ship had as yet shown us any money, and An-yah, if I understood him correct- iy, said there was none in Loo Choo ; our meeting with this peas- ant, however, disclosed the truth, as he had a string of cash* (small Chinese money) suspended to his girdle, in the manner adopted by the Chinese. I examined the string with much interest, and offer- ed to purchase it with Spanish coin, but my guide would not per- mit the woodman to part with it, and tucking it into his belt that it might not be seen again, he said something to him in an angry tone, • Tiicse coins being of small value, they are strung' together in hundreds, and liave ii knot at each end, so that it is not necessary to count them, 50 f) 1 Un. 304 VOTACi: TO TUB PACIFIC liU«^ ll and tlic poor fellow walked on with his load to iho town. VVc af- terwards fi;ol some of iliis money, which was exactly the sanio us that which is current at Canton, and found that it was also in cir- culation in Loo Choo. Thouj^h they afterwards adniilted this fuel, tliey denied having any silver or gold coin in tho country. Our suhsetjnent excursions were nearly a repetition of what lius been descrihed, and were made nearly to tho same places, witii the exception of two or three, which I shall describe hereafter. In all these the san»o artifice was practised to induce us to confine our- selves to the beach, and particularly to prevent a near approach to the villages. Tobacco, tsha, and chorassa niasa were the great temptations held out to us ; but neither the tea, nor the massa, wliiclij by the by, was seldom produced, had sufficient charms to dissuude some of our young gentleman from gratifying their curiosity, though it was at the expcisc of the convenience of the natives, whose dresses were very ill adapted to speed ; and thus, by outrunnini; thom, they saw many places which they would not otherwise have been permitted to enter, and got much nearer, to the town than 1 felt it would be right for me to do in consequence of my promise to An-yah. I shall, therefore, give such extracts from their jour- nals as are interesting, but in a few pages in advance, that I may not disturb the order of the narrative. On the 21st, An-yah came off to say, that the mandarin had ac- cepted my invitation to visit the ship, and would come on board that day : we conse([uently made preparation to receive him. As it ap- peared to me that Napa-keang possessed no boat sufficiently good for so great an occasion, I offered to send one of ours to tho town for his accommodation, which, in addition to obliging the mandarin, would afford an opportunity of seeing the place ; but An-yah would not permit it, and fearful that we might really pursue this piece of politeness further, got out of the ship as fast as he could, saying the mandarin was at Potsoong, and not in the town. About two o'clock he pushed ofl' from that |)lace with his party in two clumsy jiunls, sculled by several men singing a chorus, which differed, both in words and air, from that used l)y the boatmen in general. The mandarin w'as seated in the largest of these boats, under a wide Chinese umbrella, w ith two or three mandarins of inferior rank by him ; the other boat contained An-yah, Shtafacoo, Sandoo, and oih- t rs, with whom we were well acquainted, and who rowed on before the mandarin, and announced his approach by presenting a crimson scroll of paper, exactly a yard in length, on which was elegantlv vrittcn in Chinese characters, " Ching-oong-choo, the magistrate I of Napa, in the TjOo Choo country, bows his' head to the ground, and pays a visit." By this time the other boat with the great man I was alongside the ship, and four domestics with scarlet hatchee- ■:if \ 1827.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 395 own. Wc af- y the sanio as rus also in cir- Imiitcd this fuel, Kintry. ion of what has phiccs, with tlie lorcafter. In all to confine oui- loar approach to were the great the massa, which, arms to ilissuiulo ■curiosity, though le natives, whose iS, by outnuinini; Dt otherwise have the town than I ; of my promise ; from their joiir- rancc, that 1 may inntchecs ascended tlic side, one of them hearing a hir^e square liatclioe-niatcliou box, in which llierc was an old comb. Thoy pul- led up the side ropes, and carefully iuspecled then\, to see whether they were strong enough to hold their master, and let them down again for the mandarin, who, very little accustomed to such (eats, ascended the side with diliiculty. He was received with a guard under arms, and a mandarin's sa- lute was fired as he put his foot upon the deck, with which he was much gratified, and lie shook every officer by the hand witli unaf- foctcd pleasure. The yards had been manned as he was coming ofl', and when the pipe was given for the seamen to come down, the evolution produced a little surprise, and must have impressed the Loo Chooans with the decided advantage of our dress over theirs, where activity is required. Ojee, one of the party, who also styled himself Jeema, and is mentioned by Captain Jlall, fol- lowed, and then the rest of the mandarins iu yellow hatchee-mat- chees and gowns. To persons who had visited a fine English frigate, disciplined by one of the ablest officers in the British Navy, the Blossom could have presented nothing extraordinary ; and as the greater part of our visiters were familiar with the Alceste, they were very little interested in what they saw ; but Ching-oong-choo had not been long from Pekin, and never, probably, having put his foot on the deck of a ship before, a Chinese junk excepted, examined every thing very attentively, and made many inquiries about the guns, powder, and shot. None of the natives offered to seat themselves in the cabin in the presence of the mandarin until dinner was brought in, but they then dispensed with formalities, and those who were familiar with European customs chinchinned each other with wine, and reversed their glasses each time, to the great amusement of their superior. During dinner the fate of Madera was inquired into, but we got no satisfactory answer, and a mystery seemed to hang over his fate, which made us suspect he had in some way or other been disgraced. Jeena took the opportunity of showing he recollected his visit to the i^Llceste and Lyra, but he did not make any inquiry after his friencs in either vessel. As we had lately been at Canton, we were provided with many diings which were happily to the taste of our guests, who would otherwise have fared badly, as they did not appear to relish our joints of meat ; nor did some bottled porter accord better with their taste, for after occasioning many wry faces, it was put aside as being bitter: a flavour which 1 have observed is seldom rolislied for the first time. Not so some noyeau, which was well adapted to the sweet palate of the Loo Chooans ; nor some effervescing draughts, ""^■P 996 VOYAGE TO THE PACTTlC [May, ■ii ■fi J '-\ which were quite new to them, and created considerable surprise They, however, seemed to enjoy themselves a great deal ; were jo- vial without being nois\-, and with the exception cf a dissagreeahlc practice of eructation, and even worse, they were polite people; though I cannot say I approved of their refinement upon our pocket handkerchief, An-yah often intimated to me that he thought it was a disagreeable practice to use a handkerchief and carry it about all day, and thought it would be better for us to adopt their custom of having a number of square pieces of paper in our pockets foi- this purpose, and one of which could be thrown away when it had been used. 1 did not at first think he was in earnest, and wlien 1 observed my guests pocket these pieces of paper, 1 sent for some handkerchiefs, but they declined using them, saying paper was much better. V/hile we were at dinner a large junk which we had observed taking in a cargo the day before, was towed out of the harbour by an immense number of boats, making the shores echo with her deep-toned gong. She grounded off the entrance of the harbour, but was soon got off and placed outside the reefs. A more unwiel- dy ark scarcely ever put to sea, and when she rolled, her masts bent to that degree that the people on her deck seemed to be in imminent danger of their lives. She was decorated with flags of all sorts and sizes ; at the fore there was hoisted the white flag of the emperor ; at the main, the Loo Choo colours, a triangular Hag, red and yelow, with a white ball in it, denoting, I believe, a tribu- tary state ; there were besides several others, and a great many mandarins'flags upon staffs along the stem. Ching-oong choo said she was the junk with tribute which was sent every second year from Loo Choo to Fochien. Her cargo, before it was stowed, was placed upon the wharf in square piles, with small flags upon sticks stuck here and there upon bales of goods, which were apparently done up in straw matting : for it was only with our telescopes that we were allowed to see this. Aficr dinner was over, the mandarin went on shore, and begged to have the pleasure of our company to dinner at Potsoor>g the next day ; but the rest of the company obtained permission to stay and enjoy a little more sackee, after which they jwcketed the remaiivs of the dessert as usual, and as a token of their friendship, they each threw down their pipe and tobacco-pouch, and begged my accep- tance of them ; but as I knew these articles Avere valuable in Loo Choo, and was conscious that with some of them rt was only a mat- ter of form, I declined accepting them. The next day it rained heavily, but An-yah came off to keep us to our engagement, saying the mandarin was at Potsoong in roadi- ^jcs.s to receive us ; we accordingly went, and were met at the hui- ^■.\ V\\ tl [May, lerablc surpvisc, t deal ; wore jo- f a dissagrccal)lc e polite people ; upon our pocket lat he thought it nd carry it about opt their custom f) our pockets fov way when it had lest, and when 1 •, 1 sent for some paper was much je had observed f the harbour by ; echo with her ;e of the harbour, A more unwiel- rolled, her masts k seemed to be in Eited with flags of the white flag of , a triangular flag, I believe, a tril)u- and a great many ng-oong clioo said very second year t was stowed, was |l flags upon sticks were apparently |ur telescopes that ^horc, and begged *otsoor>g tho nest Ission to stay and ieted the rcniaiivs Indship, they each legged my accep- le valuable in Loo ft was only a niat- 110 ofi' to keep us l*otsoong in readi- le met at the laii- T827.] AND BEERINO7S STRAIT. 397 (ling place by Jeenia and a great crowd of Loo Chooans, with un*- brellas, who accompanied us to the house, where we were received l,y the mandarin in a most cordial and friendly manner. For con- venience both apartments were thrown into one, by the removal of shifting panels, and the servants were regaled upon the floor in the inner room, while we were seated at a table in tiic cu:er apartment. Our table, which had been made in Japan, was nicely lacquered, and had Chinese characters gilt ujxyn its edges and down the sides of the legs, recording the date and place where it was made, as nell as the name of the workman, &c. It was covered with disho* containing a variety of eatables, principally swcetmrats, and two sorts of spirits, sackee and moo roo fa coo. The former resembles the samscheu of China, and the other is a dark coloured cordial possessing a bitter-sweet taste. We were seated on one side of the lahle, myself in an old fashioned chair, and the other oflicers upoi: camp stools with japanned backs, and the host, Jeema,and the oth- er mandarins, on the other side ; and each person was provided with a small enamelled cup and a saucer with a pair of chopsticks laid acioss it; the crowd all the while surrounding the house, and watching through its open sides every motion we made. Pipes and moo roo fa coo vvcre first offered to us, and then each dish in suc- cession : of which we partook, according to our different tastes,, without being aware of the Chinese custom of giving the sweets first and reserving the substantial part of the dinner for the last. Among the dishes, besides some sweet cakes made very light, I were different kinds of pastry, one of a circular form, called Iwnna-' \kre"- another tied in a knot, hard and dissagrecable, called mntzn bi, and a third called kooming, which ei>closed some kind of fish. There was also amamalade, called tshecptang, a dish of hard boiled Icsgs without the shells, painted red, and a pickle whicli was used instead of salt, called dzccseckedakoonee ; Ijesides a small dish of 1 sliced cold liver called watshaingo, which in this course was the nly meat upon the table. We ate more plentifully of these sweet I tilings than we liked, in consequence of our ignorance of what was to follow, and partly from our not being aware that their politeness prevented them from sending away any dish as long as we could be puvailed upon to partake of it — a feeling which induced them cou- liniially to press us to eat, and offer us part of every dish on the end of il'oir chopsticks. The next course induced us to regret that we bad not made the taste more a matter of form, for it consisted j of several good dishes, such as roast jwrk, hashed fowls, and vcr- inicelli pudding, &ic. After these were removed tiioy brought ha- jiiis of rice, but seeing we would eat no more, they ordered the wliole to be taken away. During the whole time wo were closely plied with sackee iin ' m 'M 1 • :>f M i\U>, W- 4' 398 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC n {May, stnoU o[»aque wine glasses, which held about a thimblefuU, and were coinpelled to follow the example of our host and iurn our glasses down : but as this spirit was of a very ardent nature, I be"-- ged to be allowed to substitute port and madeira, whicJi was readi- ily granted, and we became more on a footing with our hosts, who seemed to think that hospitality consisted in making every person take more than they liked, and argued that, as they had been in- toxicated on board, we ought to become so on shore. After dinner was removed, Jeema favoured us with t^vo soni's which were very passable, and much to the taste of the Loo Choo- ans, who seemed to enjoy them very much. Nothing could exceed the politeness and hospitality of the mandarin throughout, who be». ged that dinner might be sent off to one of the officers, whose health would not permit him to risk a wetting, and that all the boats crews might be allowed to come to the house and partake of the feast. Though there was a little ceremony in receiving and seat- ing us, yet that almost immediately wore off and Ching oong choo to make eery person at his ease took off his hatcee-matchee, and witii the rest of the mandarins sat without it. By this piece of po- liteness we discovered that his hair wns secured on the top of the head by a gold hair pin, called liamcsach" ..he first and the only one ! we saw made of that precious meta'. \V^e afterwards took a short walk *. fAi<. »:,arden, when 1 was sur-| prised to find An-yah and '^htafacoo in the dress and hatchee-match- ee of mandarins of the second class : whether this was intenuud as I a trick, or, following Madera's example, they preferred making their I first aquaintance in disguise, is not very clear ; but as they both I possesed a great deal of influence, and were much respected by tlief lower orders of the inhabitants, it was probably their proper dress. As soon as Ching-oon-choo permitted us, we took our leave, audi were accompanied to the boat by a great crowd of persons, whol opened a passage as we proceeded, and were officially anxious tol be useful in some way or other ; and we then parted with Jeemal and the rest amidst the greetings and salutations of hundreds on voices. On the 21st, one of the officers made an excursnin (c the soul ward of Abbey Point, and was attended asusui-' ' >' < r .i STIIAIT. 401 the priesthood f of the port, re- nd obtained some )ns ; *.hc day of 3vent, after wliicli 3, was, 1 believe, es ; not that we | 3 could not enjoy | ^ were daily ex- Ithout the liberty ne extremely irk- hailed with pleas- 1 I the troublesome I ng upon our nio- i suspicion on the I forward, even had] leir port. possess a set of tliej From their con- le other value at- 1 th, or there would I lem. Seeing they ! natives could be I Lvould acquaint the! he would procure ily deliver my uies-l ,ht a set of the mostl had received somej that this conductj of silver ; his opin- idded that he wouldl [owing morning liel man, no give youl my request shouldl in procuring a set! rewarded his gcn-j ._e cut glass decan-| in Loo Choo eveiil Ing, by hoisting ourj had been our con-l 3 good people \m count, and had so fent appi'oached, I really believe the desire for our departure was proportionably less- ened ; and when the day arrived, they testified their regret in a warm but manly manner, shook us heartily by the hand, and each gave some little token of regard, which they begged us to keep in remembrance of them. As we moved from the anchorage, the in- habitants assembled on the house-tops, as before, upon the tombs, in the forts, and upon every place that would afford them a view of our operations, some waving umbrellas and others fans. Having brought to a conclusion the sketch of our visit to Loo Choo, I intend in the few pages that follow to embody what other information was coUef-ted from time to time, and to offer a few re- marks on the state of the country as we found it, as compared with that which has been given by Captain Hall and the late Mr. M'Leod, surgeon of the Alceste. In the foregoing narrative I have avoided entering minutely into a description of the manners and persons of the inhabitants ; and I have omitted several incidents and an- ecdotes of the people, as being similar to those which have al- ready been given in the delightful publications above mentioned. Loo Choo has always been said to be very populous, particular- ly the southern districts, and we saw nothing in that part of the island which could induce us to doubt the assertion. On the con- trary, the number of villages scattered over the country, and the crowds of persons whom we met whenever we landed, amply tes- tified the justness of the observation. We were, certainly, in the vicinity of the capital, and at the principal seaport town of the is- land ; but, in forming our estimate of the population, it must be borne in mind that we were very likely to underrate its amount, in I consequence of the greater number of persons who crowd into Chinese towns than reside in villages of the same size in countries from which we have taken our standard. The people are of very diminutive stature, and according to our estimation their average height does not exceed five feet five inches. As might be expected, from the Loo Chooans being descendants of the Japanese, and numerous families from China having settled in the island, there is a union of the disposition and of the manners, as well as of the features of both countries. Tlie better classes seemed by their features to be allied to the Chinese, and the lower orders to the Japanese ; but, in each, the manners of both countries may be traced. Their mode of salutation, their custom of putting lo their foreheads any thing that is given to them, their paper pocket handkerchiefs, and some parts of their dress, are peculiarly Japanese. In other respects they resemble the Chinese. The hatchee-matchee and the hair-pins are, I believe, confined to their own country, though smaller metal hair-pins are worn by the ladies 51 ^'^■i .v> ( U •^w^w^w^^tmm^ 402 VOYAGE TO TIE PACIFIC [MmjA li X Urn of Japan.* On the whole they appear to be a more amiable peo- ple than either the Chinese or Japanese, though they are not with- out the vices natural to mankind, nor free from those which chaiac-l terise the inhabitants of the above mentioned countries. Theyl have all the politeness, affability, and ceremony of the Chinese I with more honesty and ingenuousness than is generally possessedj by those people ; and they are less warlike, cruel, and obsequiousj than the Japanese, and perhaps less suspicious of foreigners thanl those people appear to be. In their intercourse with foreigners tiieir] conduct appears to be governed by the same artful policy as thatl of both China and Japan, and we found they would likewise some- times condescend to assert an untruth to serve their purpose ; andl so apparent was this deceitfulness, that some among us were ledl to impute their extreme civility, and their generosity to strangers,[ to impure motives. They are exceedingly timorous and effeminate I so much so that I can fancy they would be induced to grant ahnost| any thing they possess rather than go to war ; and as one of officers justly observes in his journal, had a party insisted upon en- tering the town, they would probably have submitted in silence,! treated them with the greatest politenes-, and by some pluasiblel pretext have got rid of them as soon as they could. They appear to be peaceable and happy, and the lower orders! to, be as free from distress as those of any country that we know] of ; though we met several men working in the fields who were in rags, and nearly naked. The most striking peculiarity of the peo pie is the excessive politeness of even the lowest classes of inhab itants : on no account would they willingly do any thing disagreeaJ ble to a stranger, and when compelled, by higher authorities than themselves, to pursue a certain line of conduct, they did it in the manner that was the least likely to give offence ; and it was quitel laughable to notice the fertility of their invention in order to obtain this end, which was seldom gained without a sad sacrifice of integJ rity. Their reluctance to receive remuneration for their trouble, oJ for the provisions which they supply to foreigners, is equally rej markable. Captain Broughton and Captain Hall have noticeq their conduct in this respect. In the case of a whale ship whica put into Napa-keang >n 1826, and received nearly two dozen bul] locks and other supp.ies, the only remuneration they would receivi was a map of the world. And in our own instance (though wJ managed by making presents to the mandarins and to the people I prevent their being losere by their generosity,) An-yah's reply td my question, whether we should pay for the supplies we receive] in money or goods ? was, *' Mandarin give you plenty, no vvant nay, 1 ♦ See Langadorff's Travels, vol. ii. •Tt 1 4' m [A/f.i/,Hld'i7.J AND BEKKINO b STRAIT. 403 But with all this pohteness, as is the case with the Chinese, they laniiot be said to be a poHshed people. Our means of judging of their education were very limited : a Jfew only of the lower orders cculd read the Chinese characters, jiod still fewer were acquainted with the Chinese pronunciation ; leven among the better classes there were some who were ignorant lof both. Schools appear to have been established in Loo Choo as hr back as the reign of Chun-tine, about the year 1 187, when char- licters were introduced into the country, and the inhabitants began I read and write. These characters were said to be the same as lihose of the Japanese alphabet yrofa.* In the year 1372, other Ischools were established, and the Chinese character was substituted Ifor that of the Japanese ; rind about the middle of the seventeenth Itentury, when the Mantchur dynasty became fixed upon the throne lof China, the Emperor Kang-hi built a college in Loo Choo for lihe instruction of youth, and for making them familiar with the IChinese character. An-yah intimated that schoolmasters had re- liently been sent there from China ; and one day while I was ma- lting some observations, several boys who were noticed among the Icrowd with books, and who seemed proud of being able to read the ICliinese characters, were pointed out by An-yah as being the schol- |irs of those people, I am of opinion tljat the inhabitants of Loo Choo have no writ- len character in use which can properly be called their own, but liliat they express themselves in that which is strictly Chinese. Ift'e certainly never saw any except that of China during our resi- lience in the country. The manuscripts which I brought away with |iii( were all of the same character precisely, and some were writ- by persons who did not know that I was more familiar with the |Chinese character than with any other. It is very probable that the Japanese character was in use for- Imerly ; but it is now so long since schools have been established in ILoo Choo for teaching the Chinese character, viz. since 1372, and lihe Chinese, whose written character is easier to learn than the lotlier, have always been the favourite nation of the Loo Choo peo- Iple, that it is very probable the Japanese characters may now be lobsolete. An-yah would give us no information on this subject, loor would he bring us any of the books which were in use in Loo IChoo, One which I saw in the hands of a boy at Abbey Point lippeaied to be written in Chinese characters, which are so dif- Iferent from those of the Japanese that they may be readily de- flected. M. Grosifr on this subject, quoting the Chinese authors, says * Recucil de Pere Gaubil. i-d ^'1 ' 404 voYAOi: TO TUii I'ACiFic l-^iuv that letters, accounts, and the king's proclamations are written in Japanese characters ; and hooks on morality, history, medicine, as- tronomy, &ic. in those of Cliina. One of the authors whom ho quotes adds, that the priests tliroughout the kingdom have schools for teaching the youth to read according to the precepts of the Jan. anese alphabet Y-ro-fa, As we may presume they teach morality in these schools, it would follow, as books on those subjects are all written in Chinese characters, that the boys must be taught both languages ; but, had this been the case, 1 think we should have seen the Japanese character written by gome of them. It is to be observed, that the invocations in the temples and on the kao-roo stones are all in the character of China. While upon this subject, I must observe, that the idea of Mons. P. S. Du Ponceau,* " that the meaning of the Chinese characters cannot be understood alike: in the different languages in which they are used," is not strictly correct, as we found many Loo Ciioo peo- ple who understood the meaning of the character, which was the same with them as with the Chinese, but who could not give us the Chinese pronunciation of the word. And this is an answer to another observation which precedes that above mentioned, viz. that, " as the Chinese characters are in direct connexion with the Chinese spoken words, they can only be read and understood by those who are familiar with the spoken language." The Loo Choo words for the same things are difFerent from those of the Chinese, the one being often a monosyllabic, and the other a polysyllable ; as in the instance of charcoal, the Chinese word for it being tan, and tlie Loo Chooan cha-ehec-jing, and yet the people use precisely the same character as the Chinese to express this word ; and so far from its being necessary to be familiar with the language to understand the characters, many did not know the Chinese words for them. Their language throughout is very different from that of the Chinese, and much more nearly allied to the Japanese. The observation of M, Klaproth, in Archiv fur Asiatische Lilteratur, p. 152, that the Loo Choo language is a dialect of the Japajjese with a good deal of Chinese introduced into it, appears to be perfectly correct, from the inforniation of some gentlemen who have compared the two, and are familiar with both languages, The vocabulary of Lieutenant Clifford, which we found very correct, will at any time afford the ipeans of making this comparison. The inhabitatns of Loo Choo are very curious on almost all sub- jects, and seem very desirous of information ; but we were wholly ♦ See n k'Ucr from tliis peiitlcinan to Captain Busil Hall, R. N. published in tlio AmiuU of Pliilosopliy for Jiuiuary, 1829. .■*^m. .■■■,»«■■ \&iT.] AM) BKEKINU » STllAIT. 405 N. published ill tin unable to judge of their proficiency in any subject, in conseijuence of the great disadvantages under which we visited their country. Like the Japanese, they have always shown a determination to resist the attempts of Europeans to trade with then), partly, no doubt, in consequence of orders to that efTect from China, and partly from their own timidity ; and whenever a foreign vessel arrives it is their policy to keep her in ignorance of their weakness, by confin- ing the crew to their vessel, or, if they cannot do that, within a limited walk of the beach, and through such places only as will not enlighten them on this point ; and also to supply her with what she requires, in order that she may have no pretext for re- maining. Mr. Collie in his journal has given a phrenological description of the heads of several Loo Chooans which he examined and measur- ed, in which proportions he thinks the lovers of that science will find much that is in accordance with the character of the people. The article, I am sorry to say, is too long for insertion here, and I only mention the circumstance that the information may not be lost. We had but few opportunities of seeing any of the females of this country, and those only of the vvork'.ng class. An-yah said they were ugly, and told us we might judge of what they were like from the lower orders which we saw. They dressed their hair in the same manner as those people, and were free from the Chinese custom of modelling their feet. The Loo Choo people dress extremely neat, and always appear cleanly in their persons ; they observe tlie Chinese custom of going, bareheaded, and when the sun strikes hot upon their skulls, they avert its rays with their fans, which may be considered part of the dress of a Loo Chooan. In wet weather they wear cloaks and broad hats similar to those of the Japanese, and exchange their straw sandals for wooden clogs. They have besides umbrellas to protect them from the rain. Of their occupations we could not I judge : it was evident that there were a great many agriculturists among them, and many artizans, as they have various manufactures, of which I shall speak hereafter. They appear to be very temperate in their meals, and indulge Illy in tea, sweatmeats, and tobacco, of which they smoke a great (|uantity ; it is, however, of a very mild quality and pleasant flavour. Their pipes are very short, and scarcely hold half a thimbleful ; this is done that they may be the oftener replenished, in order to enjoy the flavour of fresh tobacco, which is considered a luxury. For further information on the manners, the dress, and minor points of interest belonging to these people, I must refer to the publications of Captain Hall and i\Ir. Maclcod, who have so interes- liiigly described all the little Uaiis of character of the simple lioo t < f ' <'K^ 5 'h i\\ (IIP u 406 voyAuu TO TUii: pacific [May, Cliooaiis, and who Imve pourtrayed their conduct with so niucli spir- it, good feeling, and minuteness. These descriptions, though they have been a little overdrawn from the impulse of grateful recollec- tions, from the ignorance in which the authors were kept by tlic cautious inhabitants, and from their desire to avoid giving oHence, by pushing their inquiries as far as was necessary to enable thenj to form a correct judgment upon many thin^ ■;, are upon the whole, very complete representations of the people. The supposition that the inhabitants of Loo Choc possessed no weapons, offensive or otherwise, naturally excited surprise in Eng- land, and the circumstance became one of our chief objects of in- quiry. I cannot say the result of the investigation was as satisfac- tory as I could have wished, as we never saw any weapon whatev- er in use, or otherwise, in the island : and the supposition of their existence rests entirely upon the authority of the natives, and upon circumstantial evidence. The mandarin Ching-oong-choo, and several other persons, declared there were both cannon and muskets in the island : and An-yah distinctly stated there were twenty-six of the former distributed among their junks.* We were disposed to believe this statement, from seeing the fishermen, and all classes at Napa, so familiar with the use and exercise of our cannon, and particularly sc from their appreciating the improvement of the flint lock upon that of the match lock, which I understood from the na- tives to be in use in Loo Choo ; and unless they possessed these locks it is difficult to imagine from whence they could have derived their knowledge. The figures drawn upon the panels of the jos-houst, seated upon broad swords and bow and arrows, may be adduced as further evidence of their possessing weapons ; and this is material- ly strengthened by the fact of their harbour being defended by three square stone forts, one on each side of the entrance, and the other upon a small island, so situated within the harbour, that it would present a raking fire to a vessel entering the port ; and these forts having a number of loop-holes in them, and a platform and parapet formed above, with stone steps leading up to it in several places. This platform would not have been wide enough for our cannon, it is true ; but unless it were built for the reception of those weapons, there is apparently no other use for which it could have been designed. I presented the mandarin with a pair of pis- tols, which he thankfully accepted, and they were taken charge of by his domestics without exciting any unusual degree of curiosity. Upon questioning An-yah where his government procured its pow- der, he immediately replied from Fochien. It is further extremely improbable that these people should have ♦Tlicie were none on beard the junk which sailed for China. ti [May, so niucli s\Vir- 1, tlio\i|:;,h thoy Lteful recollec- e kepi by tlic giving olVciice, enable tben» to pon tbe whole, )0 possessed no urprise in Eng- f objects of in- ivas as satisfac- .reapon whatev- iosition of their itives, and upon oong-choo, and :ion and muskets were twenty-six 'e were disposed n, and all classes our cannon, and jment of the flint ood from the na- sessed these locks .ve derived their (f the jos-houst, ty be adduced as this is material- Ting defended by entrance, and the [e harbour, that it port ; and these id a platform and ip to it in several e enough for our ithe reception of [or which it could ith a pair of pis- taken charge of •ree of curiosity, 'rocured its pow- lople should have for China. 1827.1 AND BEKRINO S STHAIT. 407 no weapons, considering tlio expeditions wiiich have been successive- ly fitted out by both China and Japan against Loo Choo, and the civil wars which unfortunately prevailed in the island, more or loss, during the greater part of the time that the nation was divided into three kingdoms.* Besides, the haughty lone of the king to the I commander of an expedition which was sent, in A. D. 605, to de- mand submission to his master the Emperor of China, viz. " That ho would acknowledge no master," is not the language of a people des- titute of weapon?. Loo Choo has been subdued by almost every ex- pedition against it, yet it is not likely the country could have made even a show of resistance against the invaders, had the inhabitants been unarmed ; they nevertheless resisted the famous Tay-Cosama, and though conquered, threw off the yoke of Japan soon afterwards, and returned under the dominion of China. It was afterwards re- taken by Kingtchang with 3,000 Japanese, who imprisoned the king, and killed Tching-hoey, his father, because he refused to ac- knowledge the sovereignty of Japan. f They are, besides, said to have sent swords as tribute to Japan. In 1454 the king Chang-tai- keiou had to sustain a civil war against his brother, who was at first successful, and beat Chang-lai-keiou in a battle, in which he fought at the head o( his troops. It is not improbable that all this warfare and bloodshed should have transpired without the Loo Chooans be- ing possessed of arms ; besides, it is expressly stated by Supao-Ko- ang, that arms were manufactured in the island. I am, therefore, disposed to believe that the Loo Chooans have weapons, and that they are similar to those in use in China. And with regard to the objection which none of them having ever been seen in Loo Choo would offer, I can only say, that while I was in China, with the exception of cannon in the forts, I did not see a weapon of any kind, though that people is well known to possess them. It was also thought that the Loo Choo people were ignorant of I the use of money. But this point has now been satisfactorily de- dermined, by our having seen it in circulation in the island, and having some of it in our own possession. The coin was similar to the cash of China. An-yah declared th^.t there were no gold or sil- ver coins in the country, not even ignots, which are in use in China ; but this will hereafter, perhaps, prove to be untrue, as he even de- hied the use of the cash until it was found in circulation. There is very little doubt that money has been long known to, if not in use I among, the Loo Chooans. About the year A. D. 1454, in the * From its division under Yut-Ching in 1300, tintil it wo I'-.ed under Chang- I pat-chi, about a century afterwards. 1 t Report of Supao-Koang, a learned Chinese physician, sent by the Emperor of China to Loo Choo in 1719, to report upon the country. — Lottres Edifiantes ct Cri-u eases, vol. xxviii. ■J t S" h II ■ .1 408 VOYAUk: TU TUC PACIFIC Way, loigii of Cliang-tai-keiou, -ve are told that so largo a quantity of sil- ver and brass coin was taken from China to Loo Choo, that the provinces of Tchc-Kiang and of Fochien complained to the empe- ror of the scarcity it had occasioned in those places ;* and Pcre Gaubil, quoting Supao-Koang,t after enumerating several articles of trade, says ** tout cela se vende et s'achete, ou par echange ou en deniers de cuivres de la Chine." Our countrymen were further led to believe, from what wo saw of the mild and gentle conduct of the superior orders in Loo Clioo towards their inferiors, that the heaviest penalty attached to the com- mission of a crime was a gentle tap of a fan. Our friend with his bamboo cane, who was put on board to preserve order among his countrymen, afforded the first and most satisfactory evidence wo could have had of this being an error, and had we possessed no oth- er means of information, his conduct would have favoured the pre- sumption of more severe chastisement being occasionally inflicted. It happened, however, fortunately, that I had purchased in China a book of the punishments of that country, in which the refined cruelty of the Chinese is exhibited in a variety of ways. By showing tiiese to the Loo Choo people, and inquiring if the same were practiced in their country, we found that many of their punishments were very similar. Those which they acknowledged were death by strangu- lation upon a cross, and sometimes under the most cruel torture; and minor punishments, such as loading the body with iron chains; or locking the neck into a heavy wooden frame ; enclosing a person in a case, with only his head out, sha ""d, and exposed to a scorch- ing sun ; and binding the hands ar t, and throwing quicklime into the eyes. I was further assure confession was sometimes extorted by the unheard-of cruelty of dividing the joints of the fin- gers alternately, and clipping the muscles of the legs and arms with scissors. Isaacha Sando took pains to explain the manner in which this cruelty was performed, putting his fingers to the muscles in im- itation of a pair of sheers, so that I could not be mistaken : besides, other persons at Potsoong told me in answer to my inquiry, for 1 was rather sceptical myself, that it was quite true, and that they had seen a person expire under this species of torture. However, lest it should be thought I may have erred in attaching such cruel- ties to a people apparently so mild and humane, I shall insert some questions that were pul to the Loo Chooans out of Dr. Morrison's Dictionary, and theii answers to them respectivtiy. " Do the Loo Choo people torture and interrogate" with the lash ?" " Yes." — " Do they examine by torture ?" Yes." — " Do they give ♦ Recueil de Pere Gaubil. tibid. p 403, Lettrca Edifiantes. T K^-27.| AND UEKRINfi S STRAIT. 409 false evidence tlimngli foar of torture ?" " Yes." — " Arc gront offi- rors of the third (iej^ree of rank and upwards, wlio are degraded and st'izod to be tried, sid)jected to torture r" " IN'o." — '• Is torture in- llictud in an illegal and extreme degree?" " Not illegal." — "Do yon torture to death the real ofi'ender ?" " Yes, sometimes." — •' What punishment do you inllict for murder?" " Kill by hanging nr stravgu/ation.'"* — " For robbery ?" " The same." — '"' For adul- tery ?" " Banish to Pantajun." (probably l*at-chong-clian, an is- and to tbe south-west of Typingsan.) — " For seduction ?" " The same." Minor otlences we were told were |.iniished with a bam- booing or flagellation witli a rod. Crimes are said to be few in num- ber, and speaking generally there appears to be very little vice in tbc people. I was assured by An-yali that marriages in Loo Choc were con- tracted as tliey are in China, by the ))arents or by a friend of the parties, without the principals seeing each other. Only one wife, I believe is allowed in Loo Clioo, though to the question, whether a plurality of wives was permitted ? both An-yah and Shtafacoo said tliat the mandarin had five, and that the king had several. f They, however, afterwards declared that in their country it was customary to have only one wife. Perhaps it is the same in Loo Choo as in China where a man may have only one lawful wife ; but with h r permission he may marry as many more as he can provide for. These wives are as much respected as the first wife, but they do not inherit their husband's proprty. In Loo Chou, as in China, there is no religion of the state, and Kveryman is allowed freely to enjoy his own opinion, though here, also, a distinction is made between the sects one being considered superior to the other. The sects in Loo Choo are Joo, Taou, and Fog, or Budh ; but the disciples of the latter consist almost entire- ly of persons of the lowest order, and An-yah appeared to think very lightly of its votaries, saying there were " no good" It is upon rec- ord that it is 1011 years since this sect passed from China to Loo Choo. For several centuries its doctrines appear to have been ad- vocated by the court as well as by the common people : but with the latter classes they have since been supplanted by those of Con- fucius. We are told that in the year 1372 several families from Fochien settled near Napa-kiang, and introduced ceremonies in hon- our of the great Chinese philosopher, whose memory was further honoured by a temple being erected to him in Loo Choo, in 1663, by the Manshur Tartar, Emperor Kang-hi. Confucius is now honoured and revered by all classes in Loo Choo. The sect Taou * The worils in itulios were implied by sig-ns. t Supno-Koiiiig' s.Tvg ;i plurality of wives in permitted. 52' r ,'»i I ^■ 410 \0\-ACV. TO THE PACIFIC [Mai/, which is eq'ially corrupt with that of Foo, has but few advocates among the better classes of society. Like tlie Chinese, the Loo Chooans are extremely superstitious and invoke their deities upon every occasion, sometimes praying to the good spirit, and at others to the evil. Near the beach to the northward of Potsoong, upon thj shore which faces the coast of China, there were several square stones with pieces of paper attacli- ed to them. The natives gave us to understand they were the prayers of individuals ; but we could not exactly understand the na- ture of them. A label similarly placed to those upon the beach wan carried away by Captain Hall, and found to c( ntain a prayer for the safe voyaj^e of a friend who had gone from Loo Choo to Chi- na ; it is very probable, therefore, that those which we saw were for similar purposes. At the Jos House at Potsoong I have men- tioned pieces of paper being suspended between the panels, and have also suggested the probability of their being supplications of a similar nature. Indeed one of these also was taken to Macao by Lieutenant ClifTord, and found to be an invocation of the Devil.* ill a natural cave near Abbey Point, I found a rudely carved im- age, about three feet in height, of the goddeso Kwan-yin (pronoun- ced Kwan-yongby the Loo Chooans). In front of the do'ly tirie w*^re several square stone vessels for offerings, and upon one of thrm short'pieces of polished wood were placed, which Iconj ctured to he for the purpose of deciding questions, in the manuer practised by the Foo sect in China, by being tossed in the air, or rattled in a bamboo case, until one falls to the ground with its mark uppermost, Tvhen it is referred to a number in the book of the priest, and an answer is given accordingly. The natives were very unwilling to allow me to approach this figure, and pulled me back wliei I step- ped into a small stone area in front of it, for the purpose of exam- ining these pieces of wood. In China there arc fasts in honour of this goddess, and no doubt there are the same in Loo Ciioo. The following answers to several questions which I put to the na- tives of Loo Choo will fully explain the religion of the people, " How many religions are there in Loo Ciioo ?" "Thltc"— " What are these religions ?" " Joo, Shih, Taou, Shih is the same as Foo," — " Are there many persons of e religion of Joo :' " Plenty,"— " Foo ?" "No good."— ''Taou ?" "Few."— "Does the sect Joo worship images ?" " Sometimes kneel down to heaven sometimes pray in heart, sometimes go priest house (temple),"— " Do they go to the temple of Kwan-yin ?" " Yes." — " Do they go to the temple of Pih-chang ?" " Sometimes." — " Do they go to ♦ Hall's Loo Chio, 4to. p, 206. 1827.1 AND BEERIKg's SillAIT. 411 the temple of Ching-lnvang ?"* "No." — <"Do Joo, Shili, and Taou believe that heaven will reward the good and punish the bad ?" "Yes." To the sentence, " At heart the doctrine of the three religions is the same ; and it is firmly believed that heaven will do justice by rewarding the good and punishing the bad," An-yah did not assent. To the following sentence, " Both in this life and in the life to come there a; ? rewards and puninshments ; but there is regard to the offences of men, whether heinous or not : speedy punishments are in this life ; those that are remote in the world to come," An-yah replied, " Priest say so." " God created and constantly governs all things ?" " Englishman's God, yes." — " When God creat'jd the great progenitor of all men, he was perfectly holy and perfectly happy ?" "No." — "The first ancestor of the human race sinned against God, and all his descen- dants are naturally depraved, inclined to evil, and averse from good." " Good." — " If men's hearts be not renewed, and their sins atoned for, they must after death suffer everlasting misery in hell." "Priest say so: An-yah not think so." — " Do the three sects believe in metempsychosis ?" This was not understood. — " Do ihey believe that all things are appointed by heaven?" "Yes." — "Are there any atheists in Loo Choo ?" " Many." In Loo Choo the priesthood are as much neglected and despised PS in China, notwithstanding their being consulted as oracles by all classes. Several of them visited me in the garden at Potsoong, and remained while I m^^de my magnetical observations. As these occupied a long time, ! had an opportunity of particularly remark- ing these unfortunate beings, and certainly I never saw a more un- intellectual and care-worn class of men. Many persons crowded round the .spot to observe what was going forward, and the poor priests were obliged to give way to every new comer, notwithstand- ing Lhey were in their own garden. Their heads were shaved, similar to those of the Bodzes in China. I am not aware in what this practice originated, but as an observer I could not help noticing that the same operation is performed on the heads of criminals, or of persons who are disgraced in China and from I'Abbe Grosier it appears to be considered a similar disgrace in Loo Choo.f I endeavoured to distribute amongst the inhabitants some religious bouk'- which Dr. Morrison had given me in China, but there was a very great repugnance among the better part of the community to suffer them even to be looked iito, much less to being carried away ; a.id several that were s( ;retly taken on shore by the lower ♦ Ching'-liwang is tlie goddess of Canton. i Description dc la Ciiinc, vol. II, p. 113. •Ml' . u t -Jtr "■F' I < . 'Vmi( «* 412 VOYAGE TO TH" PACIFIC [Miti/, m orders were brought back the next day. However I succeeded in disposing of a lew copies, and Mr. Lay, 1 am glad to find, was efjually fortunate with some which he also obtained from the same gentleman. It has been shown, in the course of the narrative, that the pres- ent manner of disposing of the dead differs from that described by Pere Gaubil, who says they burn the flesh of the deceased, awd preserve the bones. It is not improbable that the custom may liave changed, and that there is no mistake in the statement, as there is no reason to doubt the veracity of the Chinese author whom he quotes. They pay every possible attention and respect to their departed friends by attending strictly to their mourning, frequently visiting the tombs, and, for a certain time after the bodies are interred, in supplying the cups and other vessels placed there with tea, and the lamps with oil, and also by keeping the tombs exceedingly neat and clean. We have frequently seen persons attending these lamps, and Lieutenant Wainwright noticed a;i old man strewing Howers and shells upon a newly made grave, which he said contaii 'd his son, and watching several sticks of incense as they burned slowly down to the earth in which they were fixed. The trade of this island is almost en'irely confined to Japan, Chi- na, and Formosa ; Manilla is known as a commercial country, and it is recorded that a vessel has made the voyage to Malacca. In China their vessels go to Fochien, which they call Wheit-yen, and sometimes to Pekin. Commerce between Japan and Loo Choo is conducted entirely in Japenese vessels, which bring hemp, iron copper, pewter, cotton, culinary utensils, lacquered furniture, ex- cellent hones, and occasionally rice ; though this article when wan- ted is generally supplied from an island to the northward belong- ing to Loo Choo, called Ooshima : but this is only required in dry jjaasons. The exports of Loo Choo are salt, grain, tobacco, sam- schew spirit, rice, when sufficiently plentiful, grass hemp, of which their clothes are made, hemp, and cotton. In return for these they faring fron' China different kinds of porcelain, glass, furniture, med- icines, silvsr, iron, silks, nails, tiles, tools, and tea, as that grown upon Loo Choo is of an inferior quality. Several other articles of both export and import are mentioned by Supao-Koang, such as gold and silver from Formosa, and iron from China ; among the former, mother-of-peaal, tortoise-shell, bezoar-stone, and excellent hones. The last mentioned articles, however, if found in Loo Choo are certainly not very plentiful, as they are carried thither from Ja- pan ; and An-yah denied there being any mother-of-pearl tliere. This trade is conducted in two junks belonging to Loo Clioo, which go annually to China : and they have besides these their trih- ute vessel. 18-27.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 413 The trade with Japan appears formerly to have been lirn'ted at I25thails (tael of Canton,) beyond which nothing was allowed to be sold. The goods carried to the country consisted of silks and other stuffs, with Chinese commodities, and the produce of their own country, such as corn, rice, pulse, f uits, spirits, mother of pearl, cowries, and large flat shells, which are so transparent that they are used in Japan for windows instead of glass.* Their manufactures do not appear to be numerous, and are prob- ably only such as are necessary for their own convenience. I have spoken of the rude hand-looms in use, the spinning-wheel, and the mills worked by cattle ; these were the only machines we saw, though it may be inferred they have others. A short distance to the southward of Napia-kiang I was told there was a paper manufac- tory, and had a quantity of paper g'ven rne said to have been made there It closely resembled that oi'China, but appeared to be more ivooUy. Grass-cloth, of a coarse texture, rnd coarse cottons, are also wove upon the island ; but I believe all the finer ones come from China, as well as the broad cloth of which their cloaks are made. Red pottery moderately good, a bad porcelain, and tiles, are among their manufactures, and also paper fans, of which the skeleton is bamboo ; pipes, hair pins, and wicker baskets, and two sorts of spirits distilled from grain ; moroofocoo, already described ; and another called sackee, resembling the samshew of China ; salt, from the natural deposition of the sea, is collected in pans. Supao-Koang mentions, among the manufactures of this country, silk, arms, brass instruments, gold and silver ornaments, a paper even thicker than that of Corea, made of hs cocons, and another made of bainboo, besides that manufactured from the bark of the paper tree. He states they have woods fit for dyes, and particular- ly esteem one made from a tree, the leaves of which resemble those of the citron tree ; and mentions bras?, pewter, saddles, bridles, and sheaths as being manufactured tli considerable taste and neatness upon the island, and as forming | 'i.^ A](i VOYAGK TO THE PACIFIC •# \Maif, level surface. In a Chinese nlan of Leo Choo, all these eminen- ces are occupied by palaces and by courts of the king. Tiie hiaili. er parts of the island are, in general, surmounted by trees, generally of the pinus niassoniana, and the cycas ; though they are sometimes hare, or at most clothed with a diminutive and uesless vegetation. It not unfrcquently happens that small precipices occur near the summits of the hills, and that large blocks of a coral-like substance are seen lying as if the they had been left there by the sea. This substance, of which all the rocky parts of the island that we exam- ined were composed, is a cellular or granular limestone, bearing a great resemblance to coral, for which it might easily be mistaken. It has a very rugged surface, not unlike silex macliere. Lieuten- ant Belcher found sandstone of a loose texture, enclosing balls of blue marl, and in one instance interstratified with it in alternate sean)s with the coral formation. This formation constituted part of a reef, dry at low water. In the marl he found cylindrical and elon- gated cones, similar to the belemite, of a light colour, and occasion- ally crystalizations of calcareous spar. The precipices inland, as well as those which form clifTs upon the coast, are hollowed out beneath, as if they had been subjected to the action of the waves. Upon the sea-coast this has no doubt been tlie case, and the Capstan Rock, spoken of before, presents a curi- ous instance of its effect ; but it is not quite so evident that the sea lias reached the cliffs near Abbey Foint, as they are separated from it by a plain covered with vegetation, and the violence of the waves is broken by reefs which lie far outside them. j The soil in the vicinity of Napa-kiang is generally arenaceous and marly but to the south-east of Abbey Point there is a stratum of clay, which, in consequence of its retaining moisture better than other parts of the soil, is appropriated to the cultivation of rice. The greater part of the island is surrounded by reefs of coral, i These are of two sorts ; one in which the animals have ceased to exist, and the other which is still occupied by them. Both are darker-coloured than the reefs in the middle of the Pacific, owing, probably, to the various depositions which the rains have washed from the land. The shells found upon them are very much incrus- ted. About eight miles to the northward of Napa-kiang there is a deep bay, the shores of which are very flat, and have been convert- j ed into salt-pans by the natives. A river which appears to have its! rise near the capital, after passing at the back of some hills, aboiitl five miles inland, empties itself into this bay. There is also anoth- er stream at Potsoong. The natives would not permit us to ascer-j tain how far inland the water flowed up the harbour ; nor wouldl they inform us whether it was a division of the island, as its appear-j ance induced us to suppose. In the Chinese plan already alludedj -■■».*— mi.] AND BEERINg's STRAIT. 41t lly arenaceous and e is a stratum of isture better than vat'ion of rice. jy reefs of coral. s have ceased to them. Both are le Pacific, owing, ^ ains have ^yashed very much incrus- »a-kiang there is a have been convert- appears to have its some hills, about ,ere is also anoth- .)errait us to ascer- [rbour ; nor would lland, as its appear- \n already alludedl to, the island is divided by such a channel ; but it is doubtful wheth- er tliis division may not be intended for the channel which separates Loo Choo from the Madjico-sima group, as the island to ihe south- ward has Ta-paingchan written upon it, and there is a small island close to the eastward of it called Little Lew Kew.* The relative positions of these are correctly given in the plan, but, if intended for those places, there is an egregious violation of all distance and proportion. It has been already mentioned that the vegetable productions of the torrid and temperate zones are here Ibund combined. The pal- nia;e, hoerhavia, scaivola, tournefortia, and other trees and shrubs recall the Coral Islands of the tropical regions to our view, while therosaceaj onagrariae, etc. remind us of the temperate shores of our own continent. The remarkable genus ofclerodendrum is here pe- culiarly abundant. Among the trees and shrubs which adorn the heights, the bamboo, hibiscus tiliaceus, thespesiapopularia, hibiscus, rosa sinensis, pandanus, piscidium, and several other trees and shrubs, some of which were new to us, were found uniting their graceful fo- liage ; while in the gardens we noticed plantain, banana, fig, and orange trees, though the latter were apparently very scarce. We were told that they had pomegranates, but that they had neither pine- apples, plums, nor leches, though they were perfectly acquainted with them all. The le-che is a fruit which is said to be peculiar to China : indeed Pere J. B. Dunhalde, in his Description de la Chine, vol. i. p. .104, says it grows only in two provinces of that great em- pire, Quang-tong, and Fokien. Pere Gaubil, however, affirms that it is at Loo Choo, and that there are also there citrons, lemons, rai- sins, plums, apples, and pears, none of which we saw. We were informed that the tea plant was tolerably abundant, and that the mild and excellent tobacco which was brought on board was the growth of the island. Gaubil affirms they have ginger, and a wood which they burn as incense, as well as camphor trees, ce- dai-s, laurels, and pines. Among the vegetable productions the sweet potatoe appears to be the most plentiful ; the climate seemed so favourable to its growth, that we observed the tops rising from a soil composed almost entirely ot sand. Both the root and the leaf are eaten by the natives. The soil appears to be cultivated entirely with the hoe, and there I are very few places on which this kind of labour has not been be- I stowed. Streams of water are not very abundant, and it is highly I interesting to notice the manner in which the u.iiabitants have turn- ed those which they possess to the greatest advantage, by conduct- • Formosa, notwithstanding' it is considerably larg-er than Loo Choo, was called I Little Licou-Kicon, from there being so few inhabitants upon it. — Recexieil de P. \ Gaubil. 53 V, '.p I h f.? 418 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [May, ing them in troughs from place to place, and at last allowing thcni to overflow flat places near the beach, for the purpose of raising rice and taro, which require a soil constantly wet. The principal animals which we saw at Loo Choo were bullocks, horses, asses, goats, pigs, and cats ; all of very diminutive size : a bullock which was brought to us weighed only lOOlbs. without the offal, and the horses were so low that a tall person had difliculty in keeping his feet ofFthe ground ; yet these animals must be esteemed in in Japan, as they are said to have formed part of the tribute to tliat place. The poultry are also small : we heard dogs, but never saw any. Klaproth, p. 187, asserts there are bears, wolves, and jack- als. A venomous snake is also said to exist in the interior. But the only other animals we saw were mice, lizards, and frogs ; the latter somewhat different to those of cur own country. The insects are grasshoppers, dragon-flies, butter-flies, honey- bees, wasps, moskitos of a large size, spiders, and a mantis, proba- bly peculiar to the island. There appeared to be very few birds, and of these we could pro- cure no specimens, in consequence of the great objection on the part of the natives to our firing at them, arising probably from their be- lief in transubstantiation. Those which we observed at a distance resembled larks, martins, wood-pigeons, beach-plovers, tringas, he- rons, and tern. An-yah said there were no patridges in the island. Fish are more abundant though not large, excepting sharks and dolphins, which are taken at sea, and guard-fish, which are often seen in the harbour. Those frequenting the reefs belong principal- ly to the genera chsetodon and labrus. A chromis, a beautiful sniall fish, was noticed in the waters which inundated the rice fields. Upon the reefs are several asterice. These animals are furnished with long spiny tentaculje, and are in the habit of conceiling their bodies in the hollow parts of the coral, and leaving their tentacuk to be washed about and partake of the waving motion of the sea ; and to a person unacquainted with the zoophytes which form the coral, they might be supposed to be the animals connected with its structure. Lieutenant Belcher remarks of these reefs that a change must have taken place in them since they were visited by the Al- ceste and Lyra, as he never observed any coral reefs apparently ca destitute of animation as those which surround Loo Choo. The sea anemone and other zoophytes were very scarce. We saw no shells of any value. A few cardium, trochius, and strombus were brought me by An-yah, and the haliotis was seen on the beach ; but the history of this island states that the mother of I pearl, large flat shells nearly transparent, and cowries, formed part of the tribute to Japan. An-yah, however, assured me there were no pearl shells upon the coast. 1827.] AND BEERINg's STRAIT. 419 Bd me there were Tl)c Climate o. Loo Clioo must be very mild, from the nature of ilie dwelling-houses and the dress of the people ; the mean temper- ature of the air, for the fortnight which we passed in the harbour, was 70". Unlike the Typa, we here experienced no great transi- tions, but an almost uniform temperature, which dissipated all the sickness the Typa had occasioned. We had, however, a good deal of rain in this time, which was about the change of the mon- soon. By An-yah's account this island is occasionally visited by violent ta-foongs (mighty-winds,) which unroof the houses and de- stroy the crops, and do other damage. They had experienced one, only the month previous to our arrival, which we were told had de- stroyed a great deal of rice, and was the cause of so many Japanese vessels being in the port. In 1708 it appears that one of these hur- ricanes did incalculable mischief, and occasioned much misery. The inhabitants seem to entertain a great dread of famine, and it is not improbable that these tu-foongs may occasion the evil. April, May, June, July, August, and September are the months in which these winds are liable to occur. The harbour of JNapa-kiang, though open to winds from the north, by the west to south-west is very secure, provided ships anchor in the Bampool, a bay formed by the coral, to the northward of the Capstan Rock. In the outer anchorage, at high water, there is sometimes a considerable swell ; and, were it to blow hard from the westward at the time of the spring tides, I have no doubt it would be sensibly felt. The reefs which afford protection to the harbour are scarcely above the sea at low water neap tides, and some remain wholly covered. In general they are much broken, and have many knolls in their vicinity, which ought to make ships cautious how they stand towards them. There are two entrances to the outer harbour, one from the northward, and the other from the westward. The former is narrow, and has several dangerous rocks in the channel, which, as they are not in general visible, are very likely to prove injurious to vessels ; and as it can seldom happen that there is a ne- cessity for entering the harbour in that direction, the passage ought to be avoided. The western entrance is divided into two channels by a coral bank, with only seven feet water upon it, which, as it was discovered by the Blossom, I named after that ship. The pas- sage on either side this rock may be made use of as convenient ; but that to the southward is preferable with southerly winds and flood tides, and the other with the reverse. A small hillock to the left of a cluster of trees on the distant laud, in the direction of Mt. Onnadake, open about 4° to' the eastward of a remarkable headland to the northward of Potsoong, will lead throiT^ih the channel ; and the Captsan Rock,with the highest part of the hill over Napa-kiang,which has the appi jarance of a small cluster of trees,vvill lead close over the ■^^ m 11 ii jp iH m /< ^1 420 VOVAGE TO THE PACIFIC* [Mny, north end of Blossom Rock. Tliis notice of the dangers of enter- ing the harbour will be sufficient in this place, and, if vessels are not provided with a chart or require further directions, it will be prudent to anchor a boat upon the rock. Though the inhabitants of Loo Choo show so much anxiety for charts, they do not appear to have profited much by those which have been given to them, nor by those published in China or Japan. Their knowledge of geography is indeed extremely limited, and, with the exception of the islands and places with which they trade, they may be said to be almost ignorant of the geography of every other part of the globe. I did not omit to inquire about Ginsima, Kinsima, and Boninsima, islands which were supposed to exist at no great distance to the eastward of Loo Choo. The two first have never been seen since their discovery, but the other group has long been known to Japan and if we can credit the charts of the Japanese, it has been inhabited some time, as several villages and temples are marked therein. The Loo Chooans, however, could give me no in- formation of it, or of any other islands lying to the eastward of tiieir own, and were quite surprised at hearing a Japanese vessel* had been cast away upon an island in that direction. The groups of islands seen in the distance to the westward of Loo Choo are called by the natives Kirrama Agoo-gnee. Kirrama con- sists of four islands, Zammamee, Accar, Ghirooma, and Toocast- chee, of which all but the last are very small. Agoo-gnee consists of two small island, Aghee and Homar. Both groups are peopled from and are subject to Loo Choo. Kirrama has four mandarins, one of the higher order, and three inferior ; and Agoo-gnee two of the latter. The islands are very scantily peopled : in Toocastchee, which is the largest, there are but five hundred houses. The small coral islands off Napa-kiang are called Tzee. To the northward of Loo Choo there are two islands, from which supplies are occasionally received ; Ooshima,t of which I have spo- ken before as being subject to Loo Choo, and Yachoo-chima, a col- ony of Japan. Ooshima produces an abundance of rice, and as in dry seasons in Loo Choo this valuable grain sometimes fails, Yacoo chima junks, which appear to be the great carriers to Loo Choo, go there and load. Ya-choo-chima is said to be an island of great ex- tent, but the chart which An-yah drew to show its situation was too rude for me even to conjecture which of the islands belonging to Japan it might be. In my narrative of Loo Choo I have made allusion to the works * See Ktempfer'3 Xistory of Japan. t Probably O-fousliiina of Supao-Koaiig, situated in latitude 30" N. ♦«>■ [Mny, ;ers of enter- vessels are not vill be prudent ;h anxiety for r those which bina or Japan, r limiteil, and, ich they trade, ^raphy of every ibout Ginsima, ed to exist at no first have never > has long been le Japanese, it ind temples are d give me no in- sastwavd of their lese vessel* had westward of Loo . Kirrama con- a, and Toocast- roo-gnee consists )ups are peopled four mandarins, goo-gnee two of in Toocastchee, ises. The small ands, from which hich I have spo- hoo-chima, a col- jf rice, and as in fmes fails, Yacoo to Loo Choo, go iland of great ex- [situation was too inds belonging to lion to the works litude 30« N. 1B27.] AND BEGRINg's STHAIT. 421 ofseveral Chinese and Japanese authors,* who have written upon that island. As their accounts generally wear the appearance of truth, and as they are the only records we have of the early history of a country so little visited by Europeans, I shall give a sketch of them, that my reader may become acquainted with what is known of the history of that remote country, without having to search dif- ferent books, only one of which has as yet been published in Eng- land. The inhabitants of Loo Choo are extremely jealous of their an- tiquity as a nation. They trace their descent, from a male and female, who were named Omo-mey-keiou, who had three sons and two daughters. The eldest of these boys was named Tien sun (or the grandson of heaven.) He was afterwards the first king of Loo Choo and from tho first year of his reign to thefirst of thatof C/hun-ticn, who ascended the throne A. D. 1187, they reckon a period of no less than 17,802 years. The kings were supposed to be descended from the eldest son, the nobility from the second, and the com- moners from the youngest. The eldest daughter was namtd Kun- kun, and had the title of Spirit of Heaven ; the other, named Tcho- tcho, was called the Spirit of the Ocean. We are told that five and twenty dynasties successively occu- pied the throne of Loo Choo, from the death of Tien-sun to the reign of Chun-tien ; but nothing further was known of the history of the country until the year A. D. 605, when the Emperor of China, of the dynasty of Soui," being informed there were some islands to the eastward of his dominions named Loo Choo, became desirous of reconnoitring their situation, and of becoming acquain- ted with the resources of the islands. He accordingly fitted out an expedition, but it did not effect what the emperor desired. It how- ever, brought back a few natives : and an embassador from Japan happening to be at the court of China at that time, informed the emperor that these people belonged to Loo Choo, and described their island as being poor and miserable, and the inhabitants as bar- barians. Being informed that in five days a vessel could go from his dominions to the residence of the king of these islands, the em- peror, Yang-tee sent some learned men with interpreters to Loo I Choo to obtain information, and to signify to the king that he must acknowledge the sovereignty of the emperor of China, and do him homage. This embassy succeeded in reaching its destination, but I as might have been expected from the ruler of an independent peo- ♦The works of these authors will be found inLcttres Edifiantcset Curienscs, torn. I sxiii. 1811 : Grosier6Hr la Chine, torn, ii. ; M. J. Klaproth, Memoires sur la ChinCv Kiinpfer's History of Japan, vol. i. ; P. J. B. Duhaldo. For other information on Doo Choo, the reader is referred to the Voyages of Benyowsky, Broughton, and of H. M. Bhips Alacstc and Lyra. f^ '.I '^'■: I l.s }\ 422 voYAflE TO THE PACIFIC [May j)Ie, it was badly received, and was obliged lo return with the haugh- ty answer to their sovereign, that the prince of Loo Choo would acknowledge no chief superior to himself. Indignant at being tlius treated by a people who had been described as barbarians, he put ten thousand experienced troops on board liis junks, and made a successful descent upon the Great Loo Choo. The king, who np. pears to have been a man of great courage, placed himself at tlio head of his troops, and disputed the ground with the Chinese ; hut unfortunately he was killed ; his troops gave way ; and the victori- ous invaders, after pillaging and setting fire to the royal abode, and making five thousand slaves, returned to China. It is said that at this time the Inhabitants of Loo Choo had nei- ther letters nor characters, and that all classes of society, even the king himself, lived in the most simple manner. It does not, how- ever, appear that the people wore entitled to the appellation of barbarians, which was given to them by the ambassador of Japan in China, nor that they merited the title of poor devils, which the word lieu-kieu implies in Japanese ; as they had fixed laws for marriages and interments, and paid great respr^t to their ancestors and other departed friends ; and they had other well regulated in- stitutions which fully relieve them from the charge of barbarism, Their count/y was not so poor nor so destitute of valuable produc- tion, or even of manufactures, but that Chinese merchants were glad to open a trade with it, and continue it through five dynasties which successively ruled in China after the conquest of Loo Choo notwithstanding the indifference of the emperors who, during that period, ceased to exact the tribute that had been made to their pre- decessors. It is not improbable, therefore, thai his stigma, which ought probably to belong to Formosa — whicli. ♦! ugh a much lar- ger island, was then called Little Loo Choo — may have been at tached to the island we visited from the similarity of names. Chun-tien was said to be descended from the kings of Japan, but it is not known at what period his family settled in Loo Choo. | Before he came to the throne, ho was governor of the town of Po- tien. On his accession his title was disputed by a nobleman named j Li-yong; but he being defeated and killed, Chun-tien was acknowl- edged King of Loo Choo by the people. Having reigned fifty-one years, and bestowed many benefits upon his subjects, whose happi- ness was his principal care, he died at the age of seventy two. In I this reign reading and writing are said to have been first introduced | from Japan, the character being that of Y-rofa. Very little mention is made of the son and successor of Chun-tien, but the reign of his grandson Y-pen is marked by the occurrence of j a famine and a plague, which nearly desolated the island ; and by f his abdication in favour of any person whom the people might ap- [May, ilh the hmigh- ) Clioo would , at being thus barians, he put ts, and made a 1 king, who ap- 1 himself at the B Chinese ; but and the victori- oyal abode, and J Choc had nei- ocicty, even the t does not, how- be appellation of iador of Japan in 'evils, which the ,d fixed laws for to their ancestors well regulated in- irge of barbarism, f valuable produc- ,e merchants were ugh five dynasties test of Loo Choo who, during that made to their pre- lis stigma, which uo'h a much lar- may have been at r of names, le kings of Japan, tied in Loo Choo. ,f the town of Po- I nobleman named ■tien was acknowl- ig reigned fifty-one ;cts, whose happi- i" seventy two. In len first introduced jssor of Chun-tien, the occurrence o( [he island; and by | people might ap- 1827.] AND nCKRINn'fl STRAIT. 423 point to succeed him. The choice foil upon Ynt-sou, the gover- nor of a small town ; but the king, desirous of ascertaining wheth- er ho was a competent person to succeed him, first made liim prime minister ; and being at length satisfied that the choice of the people was judicious, he abdicated in his favour, reserving a very mode- rate provision for himself and family. Vnt-sou ascended the throne A. D. 1260, and reigned forty years. He is said to have been the first to levy taxes, and to have introduced useful regulations for the cultivation of tho joil. In his reign Ta-tao, Ki-ki-ai, and other is- lands in the north-east and north-west came under tho dominion of Loo Choo. This reign was also marked by an attempt of the Em- peror of China to renew his demand of tribute, which had not been made for so many generations that the I^oo Chooans began to consid- er themselves absolved from the obligation. The Emperor of Chi- na however, determining not to relinquish the advantages which had been gained by his predecessor Yang-ti, equipped a fleet for the purpose of compelling payment ; but about this time China having suffered a serious defeat from the Japanese, and firom the kingdoms of Tonquin and Cochin China, and lost 100,000 men in her expeditions against those places, disaffection spread throughout the troops, and the expedition returned without even having reached its destination. Ynt-sou was succeeded by his son Ta-tchin, who was followed by his son Ynt-see, two princes much esteemed for their wisdom and benevJiince. Not so Yut-ching, a prince of avaricious and volup- tuous disposition, who ascended the throne of his father in 1314 ; during whose reign the state fell into considerable disorder. The governor of Keng-koaey-gin, revolted and decla-sd himself King of Chanpe, the northern province of the island. The governor of Ta- li also revolted, and bacame king of the southern province Chan-nan, leaving Yut-ching to govern only the centre of the ifland, which was called Tchong-chan. Thus this island, not sixty miles in length, divided into three independent kingdoms. The greatest an- imosity prevailed between these three principalities, and long and bloody wars ensued. About sixty years after the country had been thus divided, Tsay-tou, a prince beloved by his people and esteem- ed for his valour, came to the throne of the middle province. It was in his reign that Hong-vou, the Emperor of China, renewed overtures of protection ; and the embassy which he sent to the court of Tsay-tou acquitted itself so creditably, that the offer was accept- ed. The kings of the other districts of Loo Choo were no sooner apprised of the conduct of Tsay-tou, than they also put themselves under the protection of China ; and thus Loo Choo once more be- came tributary to the Celestial Empire. The Emperor Hong-vou was so much pleased with ihis conduct «l [if 1^: ' \ M i 424 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Mai/, of the kings of Loo Choo, tliat lie sent them large presents of iron, j)oi'celain, and other articles which he knew to be scarce in iheir do- ininions ; and also settled in the middle province thirty-six families from Fochien, \vIio established themselves at a place called Kumi a little to the nothvvard of Napa-kiang. These people introduced into Loo Choo the Chinese written character, and ceremonies in honour of Confucius. On tlie other hand, the kings of Loo Ciioo sent several youths to Pekin, among whom were the sons and brod). crs Tsay-tou, who were educated and brought up at the expense of the em])eror. The best und rsianding now existed between the kings of Loo Choo and the court of China ; and while the emperor was receiv- ing ambassadors from Loo Choo, that country had the satisfaction of seeing several islands to the northward and southward of its own position added to its dominions. On the death of Tsay-tou, wiiicii happened in 1396, his son Au-ning was installed king by the em- peror in the place of his father. He reinged ten years, and was succeeded by his son Is-tchao. The reigns of these two princ- es were not distinguished by any remarkable events ; but that of their successor, Change-patche, will ever be remembered by liie Loo Chooans from the advantageous union of the free provinces, for nearly a centu./ had been agitated by a continued state of war- fore ; and from the estimation in which the king of the island was he>d by Suent-song, then emperor of China, who made him large presents of silver, and bestowed upon him the title of Chang, which has ever since been the patronymic of the royal family of Loo Choo. The three following reigns p»'esent no occurrences worthy of no- tice. In 1456, the Chang-tai-kieou ascended the throne amidst difficulties and dii3i»fr3Ction. His ambitious brother disputed the el- evated rank he had obtained, and enlisted in his cause so powerful a body of the islanders, that the king was defeated, his palace burned, and liis magazines reduced to ashes. In this state of affairs he so- licited (lie protection of the emperor of China, who readily assisted him ; and not only restored tranquilily to the island by his interfer- ence, but caused tlie king to be "'emunerated for all his losses. The commerce of lioo Choo with China afterwards daily increas- ed ; and under the reign of tliis prince so great a trade was carried on between the two countnes, that the provinces of Tche-kiang and Fochien vv'er«- distressed by the quantity of silver and copper coin that was tarried awr.y to Loo Choo The people even complained to the Emperor of the scarcity, who ordered that in future t!ie trade between these f.vo places should be confined within certain limits. After a short reign of seven years, Chang-tf i-kieou was succeed- ed by liis son Chang-te, a prince whose name was rendered odious by the arts of cruelty J;e committed, and who was so mucij detesi- *^, ^mmmm. mmmmmmmm mm ■^"^ 1827.] AND RF.F.RINO S STRAIT. 425 le kings of Loo eror was receiv- the satisfaction iward of its own ["say-tou, wliicli ing by the em- 1 years, and was these two princ- ints ; but that of embered by liie le free provinces, ued state of war- ,f the island was made him large of Chang, wliich nilyofLooChoo. ;es worthy of no- he thione amidst jr disputed the el- Luseso powerful a [lis palace buined, s of affairs he so- readily assisted d by his interfer- lU his losses, ards daily increas- Lrade was carried ,f Tche-kiang and [and copper coin . even complained n future tlie trade [in certain limits. ^ou was succeed- rendered odious so much detest- ed, that after his death the people refused to acknowledge as king the person whom he had appointed to succeed him ; and elected in his stead Chan-y-ven, a nobleman of the island of Yo-pi-chan. Though the reign of this prince is distinguished in history only by the regulation of the number of persons who should accompany the ambassadors to Pekin, yet he is said to have been a great prince. His son, Chang-tchin?j, was a minor at the death of his father, and his paternal uncle was chosen to be his protector. In this reign Loo Choo became a comparatively great commercial nation. Many vessels were sent to the Formosa, to the coasts of Bungo, Fionga, Satzuma, Corea, and other places. Her vessels became the carri- ers of Japanese produce to China, and vice versa; and one of them even mtde the voyage to Malacca. By this extensive trade, and by bein-^ the entrepot between the two empires of China und Japan, Loo Choo increased in wealth and rose ii;to notice ; especially as it was found convenient by both these two great nations to have a mediator on any differences aris- ing betweei them. The advantage thus derived by Loo Choo was puilicuiari)' manifested on t.ie occasion of a remonstrance on the part of China against robberies and piracies committed upon the sliores of that country by a prodigious number of vessels manned by resolute and determined seamen, principally Japanese, who landed upon all parts of the coast, and spread consternation along the whole of the western shore of the yellow Sea, even down to Canton. The EmpciOr of China on this occasion sent ambassadors to Loo Choo ; and a representation was made to the Court of Japan of the numer- ous piracies committed in the dominions of the Emperor of China by the subjects of that country ; and succeeded so far that the sove- reign of Japan gave up to the King of Loo Choo a number of ves- sels and slaves which had been captured ; but as none of these ma- rauding vessels had been fitted out by his command, and as they were the property of individuals over whom he had no control, it was out of his power to put a stop to the depredations. The Em- peror of China rewarded the King of Loo Choo for this important service by sending him large presents of silk, porcelain, and silver, and brass money ; and granted to his suVijects very great privileges in their commercial transactions with China. The Japanese pirates, among which there were a great many ves- sels manned by Chinese, continued their depredations in spite of the efforts and remonstrances of the Emperor of China ; and latterly occasioned such alarm in that country, that the famous Tay-Cosa- ma, who was then secular ruler of Japan, determined to avail him- self of the panic, and premeditated an attack upon the coast of that mighty empire. It was necessary to the success of this bold enter- piise that the assault should be conducted with the utmost secrecy ; 6*^ r t i 1 -': f V V ' ' ».■ 1^ f -! ^' U ^ju.^.jvifiju.«r7=■ '^ 430 VOVAGE TO THE PACIFIC [June, :) CHAPTER XVIII. 1 Passaafc from Loo Choo eastward — Arrive at Port Lloyd in the Yalas del Azobispo— Description of those Islands — Pussagc to Kamaschatka — Arrival at. Pctropaulaky — Notice of tliat Place — Departure — Pass Bccring's Strait — Knter Kotzcljue Sound — Prosecute the Voyage to the Northward — Stopped by the Ice — Return to the Southward— Discover Port Clarence and Grantley Harbour — Description of these Harbours — Return to Kotzebuo Sound — Sliip strikes upon a Shoul. On tlie 25th of May we took our departure from Loo Choo, and steered to the eastward in search of some islands which were doubt- fully placed in the charts. On the third day we arrived within a few miles of the situation of Amsterdam Island without seeing any land, and passed it to the northward, as near as the wind would permit. The weather was very unfavourable for discoveiy, being thick and rainy, or misty, with very variable winds. On the third of June we regretted exceedingly not having clear weather, as the appearance of plover, sandlings, flocks of shear-waters, and several petrel and albatrosses, created a belief that we were near some is- land. Three days afterwards we were upon the spot where the Island of Disappointment is placed on the latest chf-ts. The weather was tolerably clear, but no land could be seen ; und as we were so near the situation of a group of islands which, if in existence, would oc- cupy several days in examining, I did not wait to search for Disaj)- pointment Island, which is said to be very small. 1 have since been informed that this island, which in all probability is the same as the island of Rosario, was seen by a whaler, who, not being able to find it a second time, bestowed upon it the name of Invisible Is- land. It is said to lie ninety miles N. W. from Port Lloyd, a place which I shall presently notice. The next evening wc reached the situation of the Bonin Islands in Arrowsi.Mth's chart, and the following morning made sail as usual without seeing any hind. We were almost on the point of declar- ing them invisible also, when after having stood to the eastward a few hours, we had the satisfaction to descry several islands exten- ding in u north and south direction as far as iho eye could discern. [June, 1827.] AND DFERTNo's STRAIT 431 m las del Azobispo — i\ ai. Pttropaulsky -Kilter Ki)tzcl)ue r the Ice — Return bour — DcBcriptioii poll a Slioal. Loo Choc, and ch weve doubt- arrived witli'm a liout seeing any the wind would discovery, being . On the tliird weather, as the ers, and several Ire near some is- jre the Island of [he weather was ^ve were so near snce, would oc- iarch for Disap- ll. 1 have since ility is the same », not being able of Invisible Is- [t Lloyd, a place le Bonin Islands ide sail as usual point of dcclar- the eastward a il islands extcii- |c could discern. They ail appeared to be small, yet they were high and very remar- kable ; particularly one near tlie centre, which l named after Cap- tain Kater, V. P. R. S. &c. As the islands to the southward appeared to be the largest I pro- posed to examine them first : and finding they were fertile, and likely to afford good anchorage, Lieutenant Belcher was sent on shore with a boat to search for a harbour. In the evening he returned with a favourable report, and with a supply of fourteen large green turtle. We stood ofF and on for the night with very thick weather ; and at daylight, when by our reckoning the ship should have been sev- en miles from the land, we unexpectedly saw the fog, about a fifth of a mile distant, and had but just room to clear them by going about. The depth of the water at that time was sixty fathoms ; so that had it bejn blowing strong and necessary to anchor, there would have been but an indift'erent prospect of holding on any length of time. The great depth of water, and the strong currents which set be- tween the islands iiiust make the navigation near them hazardous during thick weather. On the evening preceding this unexpected event, we found so strong a current setting to the south-west, to windward, that, though the ship was lying to, it was necessary fre- quently to bear away, to prevent being drifted upon the land. When the fog cleared away on the 9th, we discovered a distant cluster of islands bearing S. 5" E. true : I therefore declined an- choring in the bay which Lieutenant Belcher had examined the preceding evening, in the hope of being able to examine the newly discovered islands ; but, finding both current and wind against us, and that the ship could scarcely gain ground in that direction — as there was no time to be lost, I returned to those first discovered. In running along-shore we observed an opening, which, appearing to afford better security than the before-mentioned bay, the master was sent to explore ; and returned with the welcome intelligence of having found a secure harbour, in which the ship might remain with all winds. We were a little surprised, when we came back, to find two strangers in the boat, for we had no idea that these islands had been recently visited, much less that there were any residents upon them ; and we concluded that some unfortunate vessel had been cast away I upon the island. They proved to be part of the crew of a whale- ship belonging to London, named the William. This ship, which I had once belonged to his majesty's service, had been anchored in die harbour in deep water, and in rather an exposed situation (the port then not being well known,) and had part of her cargo upon deck, when a violent gust of wind from the land drove her from her anchors, and she struck upon a rock in a small bay close to the en- , i m' ^^ *i ! 432 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Jltnc trance, where in a short time she went to pieces. All the crew es- caped, and established themselves on shore as well as they could and immediately commenced building a vessel from the wreck of the ship,in which they intended to proceed to Manilla ; but before she was completed, another whaler, the Timor, arrived, and carried them all away except our two visiters, who remained behind at their own request. They had been several months upon the island, durini; which time they had not shaved or paid any attention to their dress and were very odd-looking beings. The master, Thomas Younger had unfortunately been killed by the fall of a tree fifteen days pre- vious to the loss of the ship, and was buried in a sandy bay on the eastern side of the harbour. We entered the port and came to an anchor in the upper part of it in eighteen fathoms, almost land-locked. This harbour is situat- ed in the largest island of the cluster, and has its entrance conspicu- ously marked by a bold high promontory on the southern side, and a tall quion-shaped rock on the other. It is nearly surrounded by hills, and the plan of it upon paper suggests the idea of its being an extinguished crater. Almost every valley has a stream of water, and the mountains are clothed with trees, among which the areca oleracea and fan-palms are conspicuous. There are several sandy bays, in which green turtle are sometimes so numerous that they quite hide the colour of the shore. The sea yields an abundance of fish ; the rocks and caverns are the resort of crayfish and other shellfish ; and the shores are the refuge of snipes, plovers, and wild pigeons. At the upper part of the port there is a small basin, form- ed by coral reefs, conveniently adapted for heaving a ship down ; and on the whole it is a most desirable place of resort for a whale- ship. By a board nailed against a tree, it appeared that the port had been entered in September, 1825, by an English ship named the Supply, which I believe to be the first authenticated visit made to the place. Taking possession of uninhabited islands is now a mere matter of forn^ t still I could not allow so fair an opportunity to escape, and decii. ;d them to be the property of the British government by nail- ing a sheet of copper to a tree, with the necessary particulars en- graved upon it. As the harbour had no name, I called it Port Lloyd, oi't of regard to the late Bishop of Oxford. The island in which it lu ituated I named after Sir Robert Peel, His Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home Department. As we rowed on shore towards the basin, which, in consequence of there being ten fathoms water all over it, was named Ten Fath- om Hole, we were surrounded by sharks so daring and voracious I that they bit at the oars and the boat's rudder, and though wounded with the boat-hook returned several times to the attack. At tlie j 1827.] AND BEERINC 3 STRAIT. 433 a mere matter of y to escape, aud vernment by nail- r particulars en- led it Port Lloyd, island in which it jesty's Secretary ., in consequence amed Ten Fath- Hng and voracious j 1 though wounded attack. At tlie upper end of Ten Fatiiom Hole there were a great many green tur- tle ; and the boat's crew were sent to turn some of them for our sea- stock. The sharks, to the number of forty at least, as soon as they observed tliese animals in confusion, rusiied in amongst them, and to the great danger of our people, endeavoured to seize them by the fins, several of which we noticed to have been bitten off. The tur- tle weighed from three to four hundred-weight each, and were so inactive that, had there been a sufficient number of men, the whole shoal might have been turned, Wittrein and his companion, the men whom we found upon the island, were living on the south side of the harbour, in a house built from the planks of the William, upon a substantial foundation of copper bolts, procured from the wreck of the ship by burning the timbers. They had a number of fine fat hogs, a well stocked pig- eon-house, and several gardens, in which there were growing pump- kins, water-melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and fricoli beans ; and they had planted forty cocoa-nuts in other parts of tlie bay. In such an establishment Wittrein found himself very comfortable, and contemplated getting a wife from the Sandwich Islands ; but I am sorry to find that he soon relinquished the idea, and that there is now no person to take care of the garden, which by due manage- ment might have become extremely useful to whale-ships, tht crews of which are often afflicted with the scurvy by their arrival at this part of their voyage. The pigs, I have since learned, have become wild and numerous, and will in a short time destroy all the roots, if not the cabbage-trees, which at the time of our visit were in abundance, and, besides being a delicate vegetable, were no doubt an excellent antiscorbutic. We learned from Wittrein, who had resided eight months upon the island, that in the January of 1826 it had been visited by a tre- mendous storm, and an earthquake which shook the island so vio- lently, and the water at the same time rose so high, that he and his companion, thinking the island about to be swallowed up by the sea, fled to the hills for safety. This gale, which resembled the typh- oons in the China sea, began at the north and went round the com- pass by the westward, blowing all the while with great violence, and "tearing up trees by the roots : it destroyed the schooner which the crew of the William had begun to build, and washed the cargo of the ship, which since her wreck had been floating about the bay, up into the country. By the appearance of some of the casks, the wa- ter must have risen twelve feet above the usual level.* We were informed that during the winter there is much bad weather from the north and north-west ; but as summer approaches ♦ The seamen affirmed that it rose twenty. 5.5 1^ f.f . t; ■M, »;■ .1 %_. 434 VOYAUC TO TUG PACIFIC [June, f! ' lliese winds abate, and are succeeded by others from tlie southward and south-east- ward, which prevail throughout tliat season, and are generally attended with fine weather, with the exception of foes which are very prevalent. Shocks of earthquakes are frequently felt during the winter; and Wittrein and his companion repeatedly observed smoke issuing from the summits of the hills on the island to the northward. Peel Island, in which we anchored, is entirely vol- canic, and there is every appearance of the others to the nortlnvard being of the same formation. They have deep water all round them, and ships must not allow their safety to depend upon the lead, for although bottom may be gained at great depths between some of the islands, yet that is not the case in other directions. We noticed basaltic colunms in several parts of Port Lloyd, and in one place Mr. Collie observed them divided into short lengths as at the Giant's Causeway ; he also remarked at the head of the bay in the bed of a small river, from which we filled our water casks, a sort of tessellated pavement, composed of upright angular columns, placed side by side, each about an inch in diameter, and separated by horizontal fissures. It was the lower part of the Giant's Cause- way in miniature. Many of the rocks consisted of tuffaceous ba- salt of a grayish or greenish hue, frequently traversed by veins of petrosilex ; and contained numerous nodules of chalcedony or of cornelian, and psalma 1 The zeolites are not wanting ; and tlio stilbite, in the lamellar foliated form, is abundant. Olivine and hornblc 'a are also common. The drusses were often found con- taining a watery substance, which had an astringent taste not un- like alum, but I did not succeed in collecting any of it. The coral animals have raised ledges and reefs of coral round almost all the bays, and have filled up the northern part of the harbor, with the exception of Ten Fathom Hole, which appears to be kept open by streams of water running into it ; for it was ob- served here, that the only accessible part of the beach was at the mouths of these streams. I have before observed, that the hills about our anchorage were wooded from the water's edge nearly to their summit. There were found among these trees, besides the cabbage and fan-palms, the tamanu of Otaheite, the pandanus odoratissimus, and, a species of purau ; also some species of laurus, of urtica, the terminalia, dodo- naea viscosa, eleocarpus serratis, &c. We collected some of the wood for building boats, and found it answer very well for knees, timbers, &.c. We saw no wild animals of the mammalia class except the vam- pire bat, which was very tame. Some measured three feet across the wings when fully extended, and were eight or nine inches in length in the body. We frequently saw them flying ; but they >. -*.. 1827.] AND BUKHING !> STItAlT. 433 were more fond of climbing about the trees, and lianging by ilieir hind claw, which appears to be their natural position when feeding. Some were observed with their young at their breast, concealed by the wide membrane of their wing. The tongue of this animal is unusually large, and furnished with fleshy papilla; on the upper surface. Here we also found another species of vespertilio. Of birds we saw some handsome brown herons with white crests, plovers, rails, snipes, wood-pigeons, and the common black crow; a small bird resembling a canary, and a grossbeak. They were very tame, and until alarmed at the noise of a gun, suffered themselves to be approached. The sea abounded in fish, some of which were very beautiful in colour. We noticed the green fish mentioned at Gambier Island, and a gold-coloured fish of the same genus, both extremely splen- did in their appearance. A dentex resembling our carp, a small rayfish, and some large eels, one of which weighed twenty pounds, were caught in the fresh water. We took forty four turtles on board for sea stock, besides consuming two a day .while we remain- ed in port, weighing each about three hundred weight. The weather during our stay was fine, but oppressively warm ; and though we had no rain, the atmosphere was generally saturated with moisture. There was a thick fog to windward of the islands almost the whole of the time ; but it dispersed on its passage over the land, and the lee side was generally clear. While our operations at the port were in progress, Lieutenant Belcher circumnavigated Peel's Island in the cutter, and discover- ed a large bay at the southeast angle of the island, which afforded very secure anchorage from all winds except the south-east ; as this is the prevalent wind during the summer, it is not advisable to an- chor in that season. I named it Fitton Bay, in compliment to Dr. Fitton, late president of the Geological Society. Mr. Elson also was employed outside of the harbour, and discovered some sunken rocks to the southward of ihe entrance to the port, on which ac- count ships should not close the land in that direction so as to shut in two paps at the north-east angle of Port Lloyd with the south bluff of the harbour. With these objects open there is no danger. On the 15th of June, we put to sea from Port Lloyd ; and find- ing the wind still from the southward, and that we could not reach the islands in that direction without much loss of time, I bore away to ascertain the northern limit of the group. We ran along the western shore, and at noon on the 16th observed the meridian alti- tude off the northernmost islet. The group consists of three clus- ters of islands lying nearly N. by E. and extending from the lat. of 27" 44 35' N. to 26" 30 N. and beyond, but that was the ut- most 'imit of our view to the southward. The northern cluster con- >* SlAihkv 436 VdVAfJK TO THE PACIVIC [June, iASts of small islands and pointed rocks, and lias much broken ground about it, wbicb runders caution necessary in approaching; it. 1 distinguished it by the name of Parry's Group, in coinplinient to the late hydrographer, under whose command 1 had the pleasure to serve on the northern expedition. The middle cluster consists of three islands, of which Peel's Island, four miles and a fifth in lengtli is the largest. This group is nine miles and a quarter in Icngili and is divided by two channels so narrow that they can only be seen when abreast of them. Neither of them are navigable by shipping, the northern, on account of rocks which render it impassable even by boats, and the other on account of rapid tides and eddies, whicli, as there is no anchoring ground, would most likely drift a ship upon the rocks. The northorn island I named Stapleton, and the cen- tre Buckland, in compliment to the Professor of Geology at Ox- ford. At the south-west angle of Buckland Island there is a sandy bay, in which ships will find good anchorage ; but they must be careful in bringing up to avoid being carried out of soundings by the current. I named it Walker's Bay, after Mr. Walker of the Hy- drographical Office. The southern cluster is evidently that in which a whale ship commanded by Mr. Coffin anchored in 1823, who was the first to communicate its position to this country, and who bestowed his own name upon the port. As the cluster was, however, left without any distinguishing appellation, I named it alter Francis Baily, Esq. late Pi-csident of the Astronomical Society. These clusters of islands correspond so well with a group named Yslas del Arzobispo in a work published many years ago in Manil- la, entitled Navigacion Espcciilativa y Practica, that I have re- tained the name, in addition to that of Bonin Islands ; as it is ex- tremely doubtful, from the Japanese accounts of Bonin-sima, wlictli- cr there are not other islands in the vicinity, to which the latter name is not more applicable. In these accounts, published by I\l, Klaproth in his Memoire sur la Chine, and hy M. Abel Renlu^at in the Journal des Savans for September, 1817, it is said that tiic islands of Bonin-sima, or Mou-nin-sima, consist of eighty-nine islands of which two are large, four are of a midling size, four small and the remainder of the group consists of rocks. The two large islands are there said to be inhabited, and in the Japanese chart, published in the Journal des Savans, contain several villages and temples, They are stated to be extremely fertile, to produce leguminous veg- etables and all kinds of grain, besides a great abundance of pastu- rage and sugar-canes, and the plains to affori! an agreeable retreat to man ; that there are lofty palm-trees, cocoa-nuts, and other fruits ; sandal wood, camphor, and other precious trees. Setting aside the geographical inaccuracy of the chart, which the Japanese might not know how to avoid, and the dissagrccmcnl of 1827.1 AND DERRINn S STRAIT. 437 distances and proportions, their description is so very unlike any tiling that vvc found in these ishuids, that if the Japanese are ut all to be credited they cannot be the same ; and if they are not to be behevcd, it may be doubted whether J3onin-sinia is not an imag- inary island. The group which wc visited had neither villages, temples, nor any remains whatever ; and it was quite evident that they had nev- er been resided upon. Tiiere were no cocoa-nut trees, no sugar canes, no leguminous vegetables, nor any plains for the cultivation of grain, the land being very steep in every part, and overgrown with tall trees. Neither in number, size, or direction will the Is- lands at all coincide : and under such dissimilarities, it may reason- ably bo inquired whether it is possible for these places to be the same. If we compare the number, size, and shape of the islands, or direction of the group, there is a yet wider discrepancy ; ports nre placed in the Japanese map where none exist in these ; rocks are marked to the full number, which seem only to create useless alarm to the navigator ; and throughout there is a neglect of the cardinal points. I have therefore, on this ground, presumed to doubt the propriety of the name of Bonin-sima being attached to tbcse islands. Were the situation of Bonin-sima dependent solely ujion the ac- count furnished by Kajmpfer, it might safely be identified with the group of Yslas del Arzo-bispo ; but the recent notice of that isl- and by the Japanese authors is so very explicit, that great doubt upon the subject is thereby created. Kajmpfer's account stands thus ; — In 1675 a Japanese junk was driven out of her course by strong winds, and wrecked upon an island three hundred miles to the eastward ofFatslssio. The island abounded in an-ack-trees (areca?) and in enormous crabs (turtle?), which wero from four to six feet in length ; and was named Bunesima, in consequence of its being uninhabited. In this staten)ent the distance, the areca-trees, the turtle, and the island being unoccupied, agree very well with the description of the island I have given above ? and it is curious that Wittrein, whom we found upon the island, declared he had seen the wreck of a vessel in which the planks w^ere put together i» a manner similar to that which was noticed by Lientenant Wain- wright in the junk at Loo Choo. It is remarkable that this group should have escaped the observa- tion of Gore, Perouse, Krusenstern, and several others, whose ves- sels passed to the northward and southward of its position. In the journals of the above-mentioned navigate ; we find that when in the vicinity of these islands they were visited by land birds ; but they never saw land, the three small islands of IjOS Volcanos ex- cepted, which may be considered the lust of the group. The con- " V-j -I I . . J HVU.! 438 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC ■CJ i ',;^.^" S4 \^- ^^J iyr'HP [•/unr. sequpiicc of their having thus escaped notice was, that all the islands except the three last-mentioned, were expunged from the charts • and it was not until 1823 that they re-appeared on Arrowsmith's rnap, on the autho'-ity of M. Abel Remusat. Near these islands we found strong currents, running principally to the northward ; but none of them equalled in strength that vvhicii is said by the Japanese to exist between Bonin-Sima and Fatsissio which indeed was so ''apid that it obtained the name of Kourosi-ea- wa, or Current of the black Gulf;* nor did their directions accord as the kou -rosi-gawa is said to set from east to west. At partic- ular periods, perhaps, these currents may be greater than wo found them, and may also run to the westward, but they are certainly not constant. To the southward of Jesso, Captain Brougli- ton experienced a set in the opposite direction — that is, from west to eusi, and so did Adiniraf Krusenstern. With us, as has been men- tioned before, the set was te the northward. June 16th. 1 had spent as much time in low latitudes, fixing the positions of all these islands, as was consistent with my orders, and it became necessary to make the best of our wj>y to the northward ; which we did, in the hope of being more successful in our .arcli for the land expedition than we were the preceding year. At first we stood well to the eastward, in order to get nearly into the me- ridian of Petrouaulski, that we might not be inconvenienced by easterly winds, which appear to be prevalent in these seas in the summer time ; and having attained our object, directed the cour&e for that port. Our passage between corresponding latitudes was very similar to that of the preceding year. Between the parallels of 30° and 35° we experluiiced light and variable winus, and 39" of latitude took a souihoily winJ, wDich continued with us nearly all the way. We entered the region of fog nearly in the same latitude as be- fore, and did not lose it until the day before we made the land, '.vhen, at before, it was dispersed by strong winds off the coast. The currents were similar to those of the preceding year ; but when near the Kurilo Islands we were impeded oy a strong south- erly current from the Sea of Okotsk. About this time we noticed so material a change in the colour of the sea that we were induced to try for soundings, but without gaining the bottom. Captain Clerke off the same place observed a similar change, and also tried for soi. ndings without success. It is probbble that the outset from the Sea of Okotsk, the shores of which are flat and muddy, may bring down a quantity of that substance, and occasion the al- teration. As we had very little to interest us in thi? passage, beyond that ' Dcsi riptiou d'un Ciouppe d Ilea pi.u coiiiiu, pn,r M. Rciiuisal. "^F^ [June, II the islands, the charts ; A.rrowsmith's ig principally ^th that which ind Fatsissio; if Kourosi-ga- RCtions accord t. At partic- iter than wc but they are iptain Brough- is, from west to has been men- jdes, fixing the my orders, and the northward ; il in our . area year. At first ly into the me- onvenienced by ese seas in the pted the course very similar to els of 30° and 39° of latitude irly all the way. latitude as be- made the land, s off the coast, ding year; but a strong south- time we noticed e were induced ttom. Captain lange, and also that the outset at and muddy, loccasion the al- ige, beyond thai Rciniu&t. 1827.] AND BECKING S STRAIT. 439 which always attends a material change of climate, wc watched the birds which flew around us, and found that tlio tropic birds de- serted us in 35° N. The brown albatross and shearwaters fell oft" in 40°. N. In 41° we saw the wandering albatross and black di- vers ; some petrel in 45° ; puflins, fulmar petrels, and ganncts in 49°, and as we approached Kamschntka, lummes, dovekics, and small tern. About the latitude of 42° we saw many whales, but they did not accompany us far. We observed driftwood occasion- ally, but it was not so plentiful as in the preceding year. On the 2d of July we made the snowy mountains of Kamschat- ka, but did not reach the Bay of Awatska before the evening of the next day, when, after experiencing the diflicullies which al- most always attend the entry and egress of the port, wc came to an anchor off the town of Petropaulski nearly in the same situa- tion as before. We found lying in t'>e inner harbour the Okotsk Packet, a brig of 200 tons, conunandod by a Russian sub-lieutenant, on Uie point of sailing wiih the mail for St. Petersburgh, and availed ourselves of the favourable opportunity of transmitting despatches and pri- vate letters by her. I received some official Ifetters which !iad been too late foi the ship the preceding year ; but neither in them nor in the Petersburgh Gazette, which finds its way occasionally to Kamschalka, was there intelligence to influence our proceedings, and we consequently began to refit the ship for her northern cruize. While this duty was in progress, we were also employed sounding and surveying the capacious bay and the harbours of Tareinski, Ra- kovya, and PetrO|iauIski, the plans of those places which had been constructed by Captain King being by no means complete. Before the ship was at an anchor we received from the governor, Captain Stankitski, a very acceptable present of some new potatoes, fresh butter, curds, and spring wate. — a mark of attention and po- liteness for which we were very thankful. On landing I had the pleasure to find all the colony in good health, but a little chagrined to learn the ship was not one of the periodical vessels from St. Pe- tersburgh. As these vessels bring out every kind of supply for the inhabitants, they are most anxiously looked for ; and if they are de- tained they occasion great inconvenience. We endeavoured to supply some of the deficiences of the place by presents of flour, rice, tea, and bottled porter, and three large turtle, with some water-melons, bjth the last-mentioned were great curiosities, as they had never been brought to the place before, or indeed seen by any of the inhabitants, except those in the gov- erment service. Much curiosity was consequently excited when the turtle were landed ; and very few would at first believe such forhidding animals were intended to be eaten. As no person knew •s * 410 VOYAGE TO TUE PACIFIC [Juhj, * how to drf»«« them, I sent my cook on shore, and they were soon ron verted init.o an excellent soup, some of which was sent round to each of the respectable inhabitants of the place ; but, as may be im- agiiied, after l«ving brought the animals so far, we were mortified at hearing se.v.'»»iJ persons derlare their preference for their own dishes made >i' »<»3Js' flesli. These turtle were the last of the sup- ply we bad Uk4in m board at Port Lloyd, three having died upon the passage, and the ship's company having continued to consume two everv day, which on an "verage was about five pounds a man. This last« for laWjut three weeks, during which time we saved half the usual alloWiWW'.e of jrovisions. The season at ^'rtro|>*rjlski was more backward than the preced- ing year and thouj^ii it v«as the beginning of July, the snow lay iliii 444 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [-4w^. our course towards Chepoonski Noss. A long swell rolled in upon the sliore as we crossed this spacious bay, in the depth of which the port of Awatska is situated, and convinced us of tlie difficulty that would be experienced in getting clear of the land with a strong wind upon the coast, and of the danger a ship would incur were she, in addition to this, to be caught in a fog, which would prevent her finding the port. Our winds were light from seaward, and we made slow progress, striking soundings occasionally from sixty to seventy fathoms, until the following morning, when we took our departure from the Noss, and entered a thick fog, which en' "loped us until we made Beering's Island on the 22d ; when it cleared away for the moment, we distinguished Seal Rock. We had no observation at noon, but by comparing the reckoning with the ob- servations of the preceding and following days, it gave the position of the island the same as before. We quitted the island witii the prospect of a quick passage to the Straits ; aiid, attended by a thick fog, advanced to the north- ward until the 26th, at which time contrary winds brought us in with the Asiatic coast in the parallel of 61" 58' N. When we were within a few leagues of the coast the fog cleared away, as it generally does near the land, and discovered to us a hilly country, and a coast apparently broken into deep bays and inlets; but, as we did not approach very closely, these might have been only valleys. In this parallel the nearest point of land bearing N. 74" W. true, thirteen miles, the depth of water was 26 fathoms ; and it increased gradually as we receded from the coast. The bottom near the shore was a coarse gravel, which, as that in the offing is mud or sand, is a useful distinctive feature. With a northerly wind and a thick fog we stood towards St. Lawrence Island, and on tlie ist August were apprised of our apjyoach to it, by the soundings changing from mud to sand, and several visits from the little cres- ted auks, which are peculiar to this island. We made the land about the same place we had done the preceding year, stood along it to the northward, and passed its N. W. extreme, at two miles and a half distance, in 15 fathoms water, over a bottom of stones and shells, which soon changed again to sand and mud. About midnight the temperature of water fell to 31", and soon after that of the air was reduced from 42° to 34. The wind shifted to north-west, and cleared away the fog. On ihe after-noon of the 2d we passed King's Island and the wind continuing to the northward, anchored off Point l{od- ney, for the purpose of hoisting out the barge. We came to anchor in seven fathoms, three miles from the land, King's Island bearing N. 70° 29' W. true, and Sledge island S. 65" E. true. Point Rodney is low, and the water being shallow, it is difficult to land. From the beach to the foot of the moimtains there is a ■w [Aug. rolled in upon epth of which the difficuhy with a strong lid incur were would prevent ivvard, and we from sixty to we took our lich en' I -loped ■hen it cleared We had no with the ob- ve the position Ick passage to [ to the nortli- brought us in v. When we red away, as it a hilly country, inlets ; but, as lave been only bearing N. 74^ fathoms ; and it The bottom in the offing is northerly wind and, and on the ]y the soundings 1) the little cres- e the land about |d along it to the jiiles and a half [ones and shells, lut midnight tlie .t of the air was est, and cieareci d King's Island ofF Point Rod- came to anchor Island bearing true. Uv, it is diflicull [itains there is a 1827.] AND BEEKING S STRAIT. 445 plain about two miles wide, covered with lichens and grass, upon which several herds of reindeer were feeding ; but the communi- cation is in places interrupted by narrow lakes, which extend sev- eral miles along the coast. Upon the beach there was a greater abundance of drift wood than we had noticed on any other part of the coast ; some of it was perforated by the terredo, and was cov- ered with small barnacles ; but there were several trunks which ap- peared to have been recently torn up by the roots. Near the spot where we landed were several yourts, and a number of posts driv- en into the ground, and in the lake we found several artificial ducks which had been left as decoys : but we caw no natives. About two miles irom the coast the country becones mountainous, and far inland rises to peaked hills of great height, covered with perennial snow. It was calm throughout the greater part of the day, with very fine weather. The temperature, which increased gradually as we left the snowy coast of Asia, at noon reached to 55", which was twenty one degrees higher than it had been on the opposite shore : and the mean for the last twenty-four hours was seven degrees higher than that of the preceding day. Part of this difference was evidently owing to the cessatitii of the northerly wind and our proximity to the land ; but part must also have been occasioned by one coast be- ing naturally colder than the other. During the time we were at anchor there was a regular ebb and flow of the tide : and there appeared by the shore to be about three or four feet rise of water. The flood came from the S. E,, and ran with greater strength than the ebb, which showed there was a current setting towards Beering's Strait. Captain Cook noticed the same circumstance off this part of the coast. The equipment of our little tender was always a subject of inter- est, and preparations for hoisting her out seemed to give the great- est pleasure to all on board. She was again placed under the com- mand of Mr. Elson, who received orders to examine the coast nar- rowly between our station and Kotzebue Sound, and to search for an opening to the eastward of Cape Prince of Wales, of which the Esquimaux had apprised us the preceding year by their chart upon the sand. Mr. Elson was ordered to look into Schismareff Inlet, and afterwards to meet the ship at Chamisso Island. This little ex- cursion was nearly being frustrated by an accident. In hoisting out tlie boat the boit in the keel gave way, in consequence of the coj)per having corroded the iron oi the clench ; a circumstance which should je guarded against in coppered boats. Fortunately she was not far off the deck, or the accident might have been of a very serious natmo, as her weight was as much as our yards would bear when shored up. * ] I I- % 'U h I li) ll ?^ '^nm^n^rwrnm 446 VOYAGE TO TUB PACIFIC I m [Aug. As soon as she was equipped, Mr. Elson proceeded in shore • and a breeze springing up shortly afterwards, the ship weighed, and entered the channel between King's Island and the main. The depth of water from the anchorage off Point Rodney decreased gradually as she proceeded, until nearly mid-channel, when the soundings became very irregular ; the alternate casts occasionally varying from nine to six fathoms, and vice versa. As it was blow- ing fresh at the time, the sudden change of soundings occasioned overfalls ; and, the channel having been very indifferently explored, it was unpleasant sailing. But, although I do not think there is any danger, it would still be advisable in passing through the channel, which is full of ridges, to pay strict attention to the lead, particular- ly as when Captain Cook passed over the same ground, there was, according to his chart, nothing less than twelve fathoms. The wind increasing, and a thick fog approaching, the course was continued with some anxiety ; but finding the same irregularity in the sound- ings, I hauled out due west to the northward of King's Island, which speedily brought us into 'twenty-eight fathoms, and showed that there was a bank, tolerably steep at its edge, extending from King's Island to the main. We now resumed our course for the strait ; but the fog being very thick we had some difficulty in finding the passage, and were obliged to haul off twice before we succeeded in passing it. In doing this we crossed a narrow channel, with thirty seven fathoms water, which is deeper soundings than have been hitherto found within a great many miles of the strait. As the depth on each side of the channel is twenty-four fathoms, it may serve as a guide in future to vessels circumstanced as we were at the mouth of thn strait in a thick fog. A little before noon we discerned the Fairway Rock, and passed the straits in confidence before a fresh gale of wind, which had just increased so much as to render our situation very unpleasant. On the morning of the 5th we passed Cape Espenburg, and in the evening came to anchor ofTChamisso Island, nearly in the same situation we had occupied so long the precet'ing year. On revisit- ing this island, curiosity and interest in the fate of our countrymen, of whom we were in search, were our predominant feelings ; and a boat was immediately sent to ascertain whether they had been at the island. On her return we learned that no new marks had been discerned upon the rocks ; no staff was erected, as had been agreed upon in the event of their arrival ; and the billet of wood contain- ing despatches was lying unopened upon the same stone on which it had been placed the proceeding year ; either of which facts was a conclusive answer to our inquiry. By some chips of wood which had been recently cut, it appeared that the Esquimaux had not long quitted the island ; and on exani- ^ [Aug. ed in shore ; weighed, and main. The ey decreased il, when ihe occasionally it was blow- rs occasioned [itly explored, ik there is any the channel, ad, particular- nd, there was, IS. The wind was continued ill the sound- 3 Island, which i showed that ng from King's B for the strait ; in finding the e succeeded in nel, with thirty than have been Istrait. As the fathonjs, it may we were at the on we discerned ilence before a as to render enburg, and in irly in the same ir. On revisit- 3ur countrymen, feelings ; and a | y had been at marks had been lad been agreed wood contain- itone on which ■hichfactswasa |cut, it appeared and on exam- 1827.] AND BEF.RINn S STRAIT. 447 ining the grave of our unfortunate shipmate we found it had been disturbed by the natives, who, disappointed in their search, had again filled in the earth. It would be unfair to impute to these people any malicious intentions from this circumstance, as they must have had every reason to suppose, from their custom of concealing pro- visions underground, and from having found a cask of our flour bur- ied the preceding year, that they would find a similar treasure, espe- cially as they do not inter their dead. The cask of flour and the box of beads, which had been deposited in the sand, had been un- molested ; but a copper coin which we nailed upon a post on the summit of the island was taken away. The swarms of mosquitos that infested the shore at this time greatly lessened our desire to land. However, some of our sports- men traversed the island, and succeeded in killing a white hare, weighing nearly twelve pounds, and a few ptarmigan ; the hare was getting its summer coat, and the young birds were strong upon the wing. For several days after our arrival the weather was very thick, with rain and squalls from the south-west, which occasioned some anxiety for the barge ; but on the 11th she joined us, and I learned from Mr. Elson that he had succeeded in finding the inlet, and that as far as he could judge, the weather being very foggy and boisterous, it was a spacious and excellent port. He was visited by several of the natives while there, one of whom drew him a chart, whicli cor- responded with that constructed upon the sand in Kotzebue Sound the preceding year. On his putting to sea from the inlet, the w<;ath- er continued very thick, so much so that he passed through Beer- ing's Strait without seeing land ; and was unable to explore Scis- mareff Inlet. The discovery of a port so near to Beering's Strait, and one ir,^ which it was probable the ship might remain after circumstances should oblige her to quit Kotzebue Sound, was of great importance ; and I determined to take an early opportunity of examining it, should the situation of the ice to the northward afford no prospect of our preceding further than we had done the preceding year. In order that Captain Franklin's party might not be inconveni need by such an arrangement, the barge was fitted, and placed under the command of Lieutenar* Belcher, who was ordered to proceed along the coast as in the preceding year, and to use his best endeavours to communicate with the party under Captain Franklin's command, by penetrating to the eastward as far as he could go with safety to the boat ; but he was on no account to risk being beset in the ice ; and in the event of separation from the ship, he was not to protract bis absence from Kotzebue Sound beyond the 1st of September. 11 ) hi *. ¥ i t K ,tM.^ 448 \'OYAfJE TO THE PACIFIC [Aug. He was also to examine the shoals ofF Icy Cape and Cape Krusen- steni, and to explore the bay to the nortliward .f Point Hope. Having made these arrangements, we endeavoured to put to sea but calms and fogs detained us at Chamisso until the 14th, and it was the 16th before we reached the entrance of the sound. The barge, however, got out, and the weather afterwards being very foggy , we did not rejoin for some time. Before we left the island we were visited by several natives whom we remembered to iiave seen the preceding year. They brought some skins for sale, as usual, but did not find so ready a market for them as on the former occasion, in consequence of the greater part of the furs which had been purchased by the seamen at that time, having rotted and be- come ofTunsive on their return to warm latitudes. Our visitors were as before, dirty, noisy, and impudent. One of them, finding he was not permitted to carry off some deep-sea leads that were lyins; about, scraped off the greasy arming and devoured it: another, after bargaining some skins for the armourer's anvil, unconcernedly seiz- ed it for the purpose of carrying it away ; but much to his surprise, and to the great J!vp;sion of the sailors who had played him ilie trick, he found its weight much too great for him, and after a good laugh received back his goods. A third amused the young gentle- men very much by his humourous behaviour. He was a shrewd, observing, merry fellow. For some time he stood eyeing the ofR- cers walking the deck, and at length appearod determined to turn them into ridicule : seizing therefore a young midshipman by the hand, he strutted with him up and down the deck in a most ludi- crous manner, to the great entertainment of all present. Tliey quit us late at night, but reticwed their visit at three in the morn- ing, and that they would have an opportunity of appropriating to themselves some of the moveable articles upon deck. There was otherwise no reason for returning so soon ; and from what we after- wards saw of these people, there is evt.y reason to believe that was their real motive. Off the entrance of Kotzebue Sound we were met by a westerly wind, which prevented our making much progress ; but on the 18th the breeze veered to the south-westward, with a thick fog, and as I had not seen any thing of the barge, I steered to the north- ward to ascertain the position of the ice. At noon Cape Thomson was seen N. 46" E. (true) three leagues distant, but was immediate- ly obscured again by fog. At midnight the temperature of both air and sea fell from 43" to 39", and rose again soon afterwards to 44" occasioned probably by some patches of ice ; but the weather was so thick that we could see only a very short distance around us. We continued to stand to the north-west, with very thick and rainy weather, until half past one o'clock in the afternoon, when I hauled 1827.] AND BtUlllNd'li STRAI'I^ 44^ jt Hope, to put to sea, e 14th, and it sound. Tlie :ds being very left the island ibered to liave ins for sale, as on the former furs which liad rotted and he- ir visitors were finding he was ;hat were lyins; ; another, after ncernedly seiz- to his surprise, played him the md after a good e young gentle- e was a shrewd, eyeing the offi- termined to turn Ishipman by the in a most Uidi- present. They e in the tnorn- appropriating to Ick. There was [1 what we after- Ibelieve that was to the wind, in conseqiiencio of the temperature of the water liaving cooled down to -35°, and the weather being still very thick. Ill half an hour afterwards we heard the ice to leeward, and had but just room to get about to clear a small berg at its edge. Our lati- tude at this time was 70" 01' N.> and loiigitudo 1C8° 50' W. ot about 160 n)iles to the westward of Icy Cape. The soundings in the last tweive hours had been very variable, increasing at one time to thirty fathoms, then shoaling to twenty-four and deepeiiiilg again to thirty-two fathoms, muddy bottom, an hour after this we shoaled to twenty-one fathoms, stones, and at the edge of the ice to nine- teen fathoms, stones. The body of ice lying to the northward prevented our pursuing this shallow water; to ascertain whether it decreased so as to become dangerous to navigation. Shortly after we tacked, the wind fell very light, and changed to west. We could hear ,he ice plainly ; but the fog was so thick that we could not see thirty yards distance ; and, as we appeared to be in a bay, to avoid being beset, we stood out by the way which we had entered. At nine o'clock the fog bleared off, arid we returned toward the ice. At midnight, bding close to its edge, we found it in a compact body, extending from W. to N. E. and trending N. 68° E. true. As the weather was urisettled, I stood off until four o'clock, and then tacked, and at eight again saw the ice a few miles to the south-eastward of our position the day before. We ran along its edge, and at noon observed the Mtitude in 70** 06' . N. Occasional thick weather and snow showei's obliged us to keep at a greater distance from the pack, and we lost sight of it for several hours ; but finding by the increase of temperature of the water that our course led us too much from it, at nine o'clock I steered N.N.E. true. And at midnight was again close upon it. The ice was compact as before, except near the edge, and extended (toni W.S. W. to N.N.E. mag* trending N. 56" E. triie. We now followed its course closely to the eastward, artd foUnd it gradually turning to the southward. At three o'clock the wind veered to south-west with snow showers and thick weather ; and as this brought us upori alee shore, I immediatly hauled off the ice, and carried a press of sail to endeavour to weather Icy C&pe. The edge of the packed ice at this time was in latitude 70** 47' N. trending south-eastward, and gradually approaching the land to the eastward of Icy Cape. By the information of Lieutenant Belcher, who was off the Cape at this time, though not within sight of the ship, it closed thd land about twenty-seven miles east of Icy Cape; The passage that was left between it and the beach was extremely narrow ; and, judging from the effect of the westerly winds off Ref- uge Inlet the preceding year, it must soon have closed up, as those winds blew with great strength about the time we hauled off. 57 i 5» i \ 'i . »,'' i u n n I* 'iu # IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 1.0 !f 1^ I I.I 1^ 50 ^ 1^ 11-25 III 1.4 - 6" 20 1.6 Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 y SET MAIN ST-igET V\IiBSTER,t4.Y. 14SS0 (716) 872-4503 « fV :\ \ '^..1* <.- i^^^^ & U.A 450 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFrC \Avg From lliis it appears thai the hno of packed ice, in tlie meridian of icy cape, was twenty-four miles to the southward of its position the preceding year, and that it was on llie wliolc much nearer the continent of America. With the ice thus pressing upon the Amcr- can coast, and with the prevalence of westerly winds, by which this season was distinguished, there would have been very little prospect of a vessel bent upon effecting the passage succeeding even in reacliing Point Barrow. The wind continuing to blow from the S. W. with thick weather and showers of snow, we endeavoured to get an offing, and at ten o'clock tacked a mile off the land near Icy Cape. In the after- noon we stood again to the southward, and the next day fetched in- to the bay near Cape Beaufort, and at night hove to ofTCape Lisbnrn with thick and cold weather. The next morning, being moderate, afforded us the only opportunity we had hitherto had of depositing some information for Captain Franklin's party. The boat landed near the Cape, and buried one bottle for him and another for Lieu- tenant Belcher, whom we had not seen since we parted atChamisso Island. In the evening we stretched toward Point Hope, for tliij purpose of depositing a bottle there also, as it was a point which could not escape Captain Franklin's observation in his route along shore ; but the wind increasing from the westward occasioned a heavy surf upon the beach, and obliged the ship to keep in the offing. Seeing that we could not remain sufficiently close in shore to be of use to our friends during the westerly winds and thick weather. I determined upon the examination of the inlet discovered by Mr Elson to the eastward of Cape Prince of Wales, and made sail for ttotzebue Sound, for the purpose of leaving there the necessary information for Captain Franklin and Lieutenant Belcher, in the event of either arriving during our absence. We passed Cape Krusenstern about sunset on the 25th ; and in running along shore after dark our attention was directed to a large fire kindled as if for the purpose of attracting our notice. As this was the signal agreed upon between Captain Franklin and myself, and as we had not before seen a fire in the night on any part of the coast, we immediately brought to, and, to our great satisfaction at the moment, observed a boat pulling towards the ship. Our anxie- ty at her approach may be imagined, when we thought we could discover with our telescopes, by the light of the aurora borealis, that she was propelled by oars instead of paddles. But just as our expectation was at the highest, we were accosted by the Esquimau:; in their usual manner, and all our hopes vanished. I fired a gun, however, in case their might be any persons on shore who could not come ofl'to us; but the signal not being answered, we pursued our course for Chamisso. For the first time since we entered Beering's Strait the night was '-9t' 1827.] AND BEEKINg's STRAIT. 451 clear, and the aurora borealis sweeping across the I'eavens remind- ed us that it was exactly on that night twelvemonth that we saw this beautiful phenomenon lor the first time in these seas. A short time before it began, a brilliant meteor fell in the western quarter. The aurora is at all times an object of interest, and seldom apj)ears with- out some display worthy of admiration, tliough the expectation is seldom completely gratified. The uncertainty of its movements, and of the moment when it may breakout into splendour, has, how- ever, the effect of keeping the attention continually on the alert ; many of us in consequence stayed up to a late hour, but nothing was exhibited on this occasion more than we had already repeatedly witnessed. We were more fortunate the following night, when the aurora ap- proached nearer the southern horizon than it h id done on any form- er occasion that we had observed in this part of the globe. It com- menced much in the usual manner, by forming an arch from W.N. VV. to E. N. E., and then soared rapidly to the zenith, where the streams of light rolled into each other, and, exhibited brilliant col- ours of purple, pink, and green. It then became dilFuscd over the sky generally, leaving about 8° of clear space between it and the northern and southern horizons. From this tranquil state it again suddenly poured out corruscations from all parts, which shot up to the zenith, and formed a splendid cone of rays, blending pink, pur- ple and green colours in all their varieties. This singular and beau- tiful exhibition lasted only a few minutes, when the light as before became diffused over the sky in a bright haze. We anchored at Chamisso on the 2Gth, and, after depositing the necessary information on shore, weighed the next morning to pro- ceed to examine the inlet. We were scarcely a league from the land when our attention was again arrested by a fire kindled upon llie Peninsula, and eight or ten persons standing upon the heights waving to the ship. The disappointment of the preceding night ought certainly to have put us upon our guard ; but die desire of meeting our countrymen induced us to transform every object ca- pable of misconstruction into something favourable to our wishes, and our expectations on this occasion carried us so far that some im- agined they could perceive the party to be dressed in European clothes. A boat was immediately despatched to the shore ; but, as the reader has already begun to suspect, it was a party of Esqui- maux, who wished to dispose of some skins for tobacco. This disappointment lost us a favourable tide, and we did not clear the sound before the night of the i29th. After passing Cape Es- pcnberg, a strong north-west wind made it necessary to stand off shore, in doing which the water shoaled from thirteen to nine fath- oms upon a bank lying off Schisniareff Inlet, and again deepened to I I • '.X V ■ h strait the night was I 4Sa VOYAGE TO THE PACJFIC [^1/^. thirteen : we then bore away for the strait, and at eleven o'clock saw the Diomede Islands, thirteen leagues distant ; and about four o'clock rounded Cape Prince of Wales very close, in twenty-seven fathoms water. This celebrated promontory is the western termination of a peak- ed mountain, which, being connected with the main by low ground, at a distance has the appearance of being isolated. The promon- tory is bold, and remarkable by a number of ragged points and large fragments of rock lyiag upon the ridge whidi connects the cape with the peak. About a mile to the northward of the cape, some low land begins to project from the foot of the mountain, taking fin a northerly and then a north-easterly direction to SchismarefF I»let. Off this point we afterwards found a dangerous shoal, upon which the sea broke heavily. The natives have a village upon the low land near the cape called Eidannoo, and another inland, named King^ a-ghe : and as they generally select the mouths of rivers for their res- idences, it is not improbable that a stream may here empty itself into the sea, which, meeting the current through the straight, may oc- casion theslioal^ About fourteen mJles inland from Eidannoo, there is a remarkable conical hill, often visible when the mountain-tops are covered, which, being well fixed, will be found useful at such t,iniea by aliips passing through the strait. Twelve miles further in- lapd, the country becomes moiuitainous, and is remarkable for its sharp ridges. The altitude of one of the peaks, wliich is nearly the highest on the range, is 2596 feet. These mountains, being thick- ly covered with snow, gave the country a very wintry aspect. To the southward of Cape Prince of Wales the coast trends near- ly due east, and assumes a totally different character to that which leads to SchismarefF Inlet, being bounded by steep rocky clifls, and broken by deep valleys, while the other is low and swampy ground. The river called by the natives Youp- nut must lie m one of these valleys ; and in all probability it is in that which opens out near a bold promontory, to which I have, given the name of York, in honour of his late Royal Highness. On nearing that part of the coast we found the water more shallow than usual. Having passed the night off Cape York on the 31st, we steercj to the eastward, and shortly discovered a low spit of land projecting about ten miles from the coast, which here forms a right angle, and haviog a channel about two miles wide between its extremity and the northern shore. We sailed through this opening, and entered a spacious harbour, capable of holding a great many ships of the line. We landed first on the low spit at the enti'auce, and then stood across, nine miles to the eastward, and came to anchor off a bold cape, having carried nothing less tlian five and a half fathoni.s water the whole of the way. ■ ^ 'q r 1— i» ■»— .'-.^-K.- ren o'clock saw )ut four o'clock -seven fathoms ation of a peak- by low ground, The promon- points and large ;ts the cape with sape, some low , taking fir-t a hismarefF lolet,. al, upon which J upon the low nd, named King- vers for thein res- empty itself into traight, may oc- Eidannoo, there le mountain-tops d useful at such ; miles further in- imarkable for its , wlkich is nearly tains, being thlck- ilry aspect, coast trends near- ter to that which rocky cliffs, and swampy ground, st lie m. one of ch opens out near lame of York, in that part of the 31sti, we sfceeicJ of land projecting a right angle, and ts extremitiy and ling, and entered loy ships of the itiauce, and then J to anchor off a ,d a half fathoms 1827.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 453 The following morning, Sept. 1st, we stood toward an opening at the north-east angle of the harbour; but finding the water get gradually shallow, came again to anchor. On examination with the boats, we found, as we expected, an inner harbour, ten miles in length by two and a quarter in width, with almost an uniform depth of two and a half and three fathoms water. The channel into it from the outer harbour is extremely narrow, the entrance being contracted by two sandy spits : but the w^ater is deep, and in one part there is not less than twelve fathoms. At the upper end of the harbour a second strait, about three hundred yards in width, was formed between steep cliffs ; but this channel was also contrac- ted by sandy points. The current rail strong through the channel, and brought down a, great body of water, nearly fresh (1.0096 sp.- gr.) The boats had not time to pursue this strait : but in all prob- ability it communicates with a large inland lake, as described by the natives in Kotzebue Sound. At the entrance of the strait, cal- led Tokshook by the natives, there is an Esquimaux village, and upon the northern and eastern shores of the harbour there are twa others ; the population of the whole amounted to about four hund- red perons.. They closely resembled the natives we had seen be- fore, except that they were better provided with clothing and their implements were neater and more ingeniously made. Among their peltry we noticed several gray fox and lan.drOtter skins,, but they would not part with them for less than a hatchot apiece. In addi- tion to the usual weapons of bows and arrows, these people had short iron spears neatly inlaid with brass, upon all which implementii they set great value, and kept them wrapped in skins. Among the inhabitants of the village on the northern shore named Choono- wuck, there were several girls with massive iron bracelets. One had a curb chain for a necklace, and another a bell suspended ip, front in the manner described the preceding year at Choris Penin- sula. There are very k\v natives in the outer harbour. On the »or- thera side there is a village of yourts, to which the inhabitants ap- parently resort only in the winter. At the time of our visit it was> in charge of an old man, his wife, and daughter, who received us civilly, and gave us some fish. The yourts were in a very ruinous condition : some were hajf filled with water, and all were filthy.. By several articles and cooking utensils left upon 1,he shelves, and by some sledges which were secreted in the bushes,, the inhabitants^ evidently intended to return as soon as the frost should consolidate all the stagnant water within and about their dwellings. One of these yourts was so capacious that it could only have been intended as an assembly or banquetting room, and corresponded with the de- Sicription of similar rooms tuuoiig the easteru Esquimaux. '(■ 'Ik- 1 1 '%» it n I I r- d this jioinl remarkable at a distance, were partly filled with waicr,*and partly with winter store of blubber and oil. From Icy Cape he stood E.N.E. ten miles, and then N. E. twen- ty-seven, at which time, in consequence of the weather continuing thick and the wind beginning to blow hard from the south-west, he hauled offshore and shortly fell in with the main body of ice, which arrested his course and obliged him to put about. It blew so strong during the night that the boat cajrtfl only show her close-reefed mainsail and storm-jib, under whicfi she plied, in order to avoid the ice on one side and a lee-shore on the other : the boat thus pressed leaked considerably, 'and kept the crew at the punij)s. On the 21st August, the weather being more moderate, he again made the ice, and after keeping along it some time, returned to ley Cape, and found that the edge of the packed ico was in latitude I T |i ft h >\ r -*w;l 460 VOYAOi: TO TIIK PACIFIC 70«> 41' N. in a N.N.W. direclioii from tlio cape, cxtciuling cast and west (true). On tlio i^yd August anollicr landing was niadc upon Icy C'apo and its latitude, by artificial horizon, ascertained to bo 70" 19 a^j. N., and variation by Kater's compass '.]'2° 49' E. Lieutenant Bel- cher's curiosity was here greatly awakened by one of the natives leading him to a large room used by the Esquimaux for dancing iuid by searching for a billet of wood, which his gestures implied had l)eoM left by some Europeans, but not finding it, he scrutinised several chips which were in the apartment, and intimated that some per- son had cut it up. This was very provoking, as Lieutenant liel- cher naturally recurred totho possibility of Captain Franklin hav- ing returned by the same route. Nothing, however, was found, and Lieutenant Belcher, after depositing a notice of his having been there, embarked and passed the night off the Cape in heavy falls of snow, hail and sleet. The next day he again fell in with ice in latitude ".O" 40' N. which determined him to stand back to tiie cape and examine the shoals upon which the ship lost her anchor the preceding year. On the 26th, the ice was again found in 70" 41' N. and the next day was traced to the E.S.E. to within five or six miles of the land, and at the distance of about twenty miles to the eastward of Icy Cape. The ice appeared to be on its passage to the southward, and the bergs were large and scattered. Under these circumstances. Lieu- tenant Belcher, to avoid being beset, stood back to the cape, and had some difliculty in maintaining his station off there, in conse- quence of the severity of the weather, which cased his sails, and the clothes of the seamen exposed to the spray, with ice. Three of his crew at this time became invalids with chilblains and ulcers occasioned by the cold : and the necessity of carrying a press of sail strained the boat to such a degree that she again leaked so fast as to require the junnps to be kept constantly at work. It be- came necessary, therefore, to seek slielter, and be bore up for Point Hope ; but before he reached that place 'he sea broke twice over tne stern of the boat, and nearly swamp 3d her. Upon landing at the point he was met by the natives, who were beginning to prepare their yourts for the winter. His crew here dried their clothes for the first time for several days, and Lieutenant Belcher having obtain- ed the latitude, again put to sea ; but findiug the weather still so bad that he could not keep the coast with safety, and the period of his rendezvous at Chamisso Island having arrived, he pursued his course for that place, where he found the instructions t had left for him be- fore I proceeded to examine Port Clarence. Among other things he was desired to collect a quantity of drift- timber, and to erect an observatory upon Choris Peninsula ; in which vKAvl^'tt* ■p fi^ extending cast ipon ley CapOj u 70" 19 28' jieutcnant Ik-l- R of tho natives for dancinc; and nplied had lioon utinised S(3vural that some per- Liciitenant liel- n Franklin liav- ^er, was found, ■ his having been in heavy lalls of ell in with ice in nd back to the lost her anchor ■ N. and the next miles of the land, vardof Icy Cape, uthward, and the umstances, Licu- 3 the cape, and ■ there, in conse- ed his sails, and th ice. th chilblains and carrying a press again leaked so at work. It he- bore up for Point )roke twice over Upon landing at mning to prepare their clothes for ler having obtain- e weather still so d the period of bis mrsued his course d left for him be- quantity of drift- ninsula ; in which 1 1827.] ANT) BF.F.UINn's STRAIT. 461 he was engaged, when the wind coming suddenly in npon the shore where the barge had anchored, the crew were iimnodiately ordered on board. It unfortunately happened that the weather was so fmu in the morning that only two persons were left in the vessel, anil the boat belonging to the barge being small could take only four at a time. One boat load had joined the vessel, but the surf rose so suddenly that in the attempt to reach her a second time, the oars were broken, and the boat was thrown back by the sea, and rendered nearly useless. Several persevering and unsucc 'ssful efforts were afterwards made to communicate with the vessel, which being anchored in shallow water struck hard upon the ground, and soon fdlcd. Some Es(jui- inaux liappenod to have a baidar near the spot, and Mr. Belcher compelled them to assist him in reaching the barge ; but the sea ran too high, and the natives not being willing to exert themselves the attempt again failed. The sea was now making a breach over the vessel, and Mr. Belcher desired the cockswain to cut the cable, and allow her to come broadside upon theshoie; 'nui whether through fear, or that the cockswain did not understand In.; i rders, it was not done. There were four men and a boy on bcaid at this time, two of whom, finding no hope of relief from the bore, jumped overboard, with spars in their hands, and attenij ltd to gain the beach, but we'-e unfortunately drowned. The others retreated to the rigginj, ; i.nong them was ahoy, whose cries were ior some time lieard on shore, but at length, exhausted with cold and fatigue. he iell from the rigging. and was never seen again. The party of Esquimaux, who had so reluctantly rendered their personal assistance, beheld this loss of lives with the greatest com- posure giving no other aid than that of their prayers and superstitious ceremonies ; and seeing the helpless condition of those thrown uporv shore, began to pilfer every thing they could, bringing tlie party some fish occasionally, not from charitable motives, but for the pur- pose of engaging their attention, and of affording themselves abet- ter opportunity of purloining the many articles belonging to the boat which were washed ashore. About eleven o'clock at night the sea began to subside, and at midnight, after very great exertions, a com- munication with the vessel was effected and the two remaining sea- men were carried on shore, and laid before the fire, where they re- covered sufficiently to be taken to a hut near the fatal scene. The morning after this unfortunate occurrence, part of the crew were employed collecting what was washed on shore, and preven- ting the natives conrnnitting further depredations. Seeing there was no chance of obtaining any thing more of consequence from the wreck, the party took up its quarters on Point Garnet, where we foiir.d them on our return from Port Clarence. Previous to this. 9 ♦: t t i } n 1 f h 4G^i VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Sept. several Esquimaux had pitched a tent in the bay close to the party and lost no opportunity of appropiating to themselves whatever tlioy could surreptitiously obtain. Among these were four persons whom Mr. Belcher had a short time before assisted, when their baidar was thrown on shore, and one of the party drowned. These peo- ple did not forget his kindness and brought him fish, occasionally, but they could not resist the temptation of joining their companions in plunder when it was to be had. Mr. Belcher seeing several ar- ticles amongst them which must have accompanied others in iheir possession, searched their bags, and recovered the boats ensign, and many other things. No opposition was offered to liils examination but on the contrary, some of the party which had been saved from the wreck of the baidar, intimated to Mr. Belcher that a man who was making off with a bag had part of his property ; and on search- ing him, a quantity of the boat's iron and the lock of a fowling piece were discovered upon him. Upon the whole, however, the natives behaved better than was expected, until the day on which the ship arrived. This appears to have been a timely occurrence ; for early that morning two baidars landed near -jhe wreck, and the Esquimaux party was increased to twenty-four. The man who had been searched the preceding eve- ning, finding his friends so numerous, and being joined by another ■ troublesome character, came towards our people, flourishing his knife, apparently with the determination of being revenged. It for- tunately happened that there was a person of authority amongst the number, with whom Mr. Belcher effected a friendship. He expos- tulated with the two refractory men, and one of them went quietly away, but the other remained brandishing his weapon : and there is but too much reason to believe that, had he commenced an attack he would have been seconded by his countrymen, notwithstanding the interference of the chief When the ship's boat came to the relief of our party, Mr. Belcher ordered the man who had been so refractory to be bound and taken on board the ship, intimating to the others that he should be kept until more of the stolen property was returned. This they appear- ed perfectly to understand, as the prisoner pointed to his boat where, upon search being made, the other lock of the fowling-piece, and a haversack belonging to Lieutenant Belcher, were found. The strength of this man was so great that it required as many of our people as could stand round to pinion his arms and take him down to the boat. As soon as this was effected, all the other Esquimaux fled to their baidars, and did not approach the place again ; the chief excepted, who returned almost immediately, and pitched one tent for himself and another for the prisoner. Lieutenant Belcher in concluding his account of this disastrous affair, speaks in liij:;li i 1827.] AND BKERtNO S STUAIT. 403 'i> terms oi" commendation of Mr. (now Licuionant) Rcndall, William Aldrige and Georg.: Shields, seamen and of Thomas Hazlehurst, marine ; and it is with much pleasure 1 cml)race the oj)portunity of giving publicity to their meritorious behaviour. I must exonerate Lieutenant Belcher from any blame that may attach to him as commander of the vessel ; for, though her loss was evidently occasioned by her i)eing too close in shore, and by too few a number of persons being left on board, yet it is to be obser- ved that she was only a boat ; that the cre\vr were upon the beach in readiness to assist her ; and that, had it been a case of ordinary nature, they would no doubt have succeeded in their object. In place of this, however, the wind changed suddenly, and the sea rose so fast that there wa? no possibility of effecting what, under general circumstances, would have been perfectly practicable ; the water besides, was two feet lower than usual. The strenuous exertions of Lieutenant Belcher to save the crew, and his resolute conduct toward the natives, after he was thrown amongst them unprovided with arms, a brace of pistols excepted, show him to be an officer both of humanity and courage. After the loss of our favourite boat, Parties were repeatedly sent to the wreck, in the hope of being able to raise her, or to procure what they could from her cabin and holds : but she was completely wrecked and filled with sand, and a few days afterwards went to pieces. Mr. Belcher was a great loser by this unfortunate accident, as he was well provided with instruments, books, papers, &lc., and had some expensive fowling-pieces and pistols, all of which were lost or spoiled ; and this was the more provoking, as some of them had been purchased to supply the place of those he had the misfor- tune to lose when upset in the cutter at Oeno Island. I am happy to say the government, on the representation of bis peculiar case, made him a compensation. On thel2th the body of one of the seamen, Thomas Urcn, was found near the place where the boat was wrecked ; and on the Sunday following it was attended to the grav - by all the officers and ship's company. The place of interment was on the low point of Chamisso Island, by the side of our shipmate who had been buried there the preceding year. On the 13th we were visited by two baidars, and among their crews discovered the party who had visited the ship so early in the niornii.g, when she was at the anchorage in August, one ol whom drew his knife upon the first Lieutenant ; they were also of the party which made an attack upon our cutter in Eschscholtz Bay the preceding year. They had with them a few skins and some fish for sale, but thoy were scrupulous about what they took for them ; and on being ovlcred away late in the evening, they twanged their . 1 ;'! 4, * T 464 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC {Sept. bows in an insolent manner, and, pushed off about a couple of yards only. The officer of the watch desired them to go away, and at length presented a musket at the baidar,on which they fired an ar'-ow into the sea in the direction of the ship, and paddled to the island, where we observed them take up their quarters. When the boats landed the next day to fill the casks, Mr. Smyth, who had charge of the party, was desired to arm his people, and to order the Esquimaux off the island if they were offensive to him, or interfered with the duty. On landing, the natives met him on the beach, and were very anxious to learn whether the muskets were loaded, and to be allowed to feel the edges of the cutlasses, and were not at all pleased at having their request refused. The arms were rolled up in the sail for the purpose of being kept dry, but one of the natives insisted on having the canvas unrolled, to see what it contained, and on being refused he drew his knife, and threatened the seamen who had charge of it. Coupling this act with the con- duct of the party on the before-mentioned occasions, Mr. Smyth ordered the arms to be loaded ; on which the natives fled to their baidar, and placed every thing in her in readiness to depart on a minute's warning, and then, armed with their bows and arrows and knives, they drew up on a small eminence, and twanged their bow- strings, as before, in defiance. A few minutes before this occurred, five of the party, who had separated from their companions, attack- ed two of our seamen, who were at some distance from Mr. Smyth, digging a grave for their unfortunate shipmate, and coming sudden- ly upon them, while in the pit, three of the party stood over the workmen with their drawn knives, while the others rifled the pock- ets of their jackets, which were lying at a little distance from the grave, and carried away the contents, together with an axe. The hostile disposition of the natives on the hill, who were drawn up in a line in a menacing atitude, with their bows ready strung, and theii knives in their left hands, obliged Mr. Smyth to arm his people, and, in compliance with his instructions, to proceed to drive them ofFthe island. He accordingly advanced upon them, and each in- dividual probably had singled out his victim, when an aged man of the Esquimaux party mad 3 offers of peace, and the arms of both parties were laid aside. The mediator signified that he wanted a tub, that had been left at the well, which was restored to him, and the axe that had been taken from the grave was returned to our party. The Esquimaux then embarked, and paddled towards Es- chscholtz Bay. 1 have been thus particular in describing the con- duct of these people, in consequence of a more tragical affair which occurred a few days afterwards. Strong winds prevented the completion of our water for several days ; but on the 29th it was in progress, when the same party land- ■'m- B9BP •y^ ivil \Sept. >uple of yards away, and at Sred an ar^ow to the island, s, Mr. Smyth, I people, and insive to him, let him on the muskets were cutlasses, and d. The arms dry, but one of 3 see what it and threatened t with the con- is, Mr. Smyth es fled to their to depart on a and arrows and iged their bow- re this occurred, ipanions, attack- om Mr. Smyth, coming sudden- stood over the rifled the pock- tance from the 1 an axe. The ere drawn up in Istrung, and theii arm his people, Id to drive them and each in- when an aged and the arms of ;hat he wanted ,red to him, and •eturned to our lied towards Es- ;ribing the con- ;ical affair which Iter for several fame party land- 1827.] AND BFERINC S STRAIT, 465 ed upon the island near our boat. The day being very fine, seve- ral of the officers had gone in pursuit of ptainiigan, which were about this time collecting in large flocks previous to their migration ; and I was completing a series of magnetical observations in another part of the island. The first lieutenant observing a baidar full of men approach the island, despatched Lieutenant Belcher to the place with orders to send them away, provided there were any of the party among them who had behaved in so disorderly a manner on the recent occasion. On landing, he immediately recognized one of the men, and ordered the whole party into the baidan They com- plied very reluctantly ; and while our seamen were engaged push- ing them off, they were occupied in preparations for hostility, by putting on their eider-duck frocks over their usual dresses, and un- covering their bows and arrows. They paddled a few yards from the beach, and then rested in doubt as to what they should do j some menacing our party, and others displaying their weapons. Thus threatened, and the party making no attempt to depart, but rather propelling their baidar sidewise toward the land, Mr. Belch- er fired a ball between them and the shore, and waved them to be- gone. Instead of obeying his summons, they paddled on shore in- stantly, and quitted their baidar for a small eminence near the beach, from whence they discharged a flight of arrows, which wounded two of our seamen. Their attack was of course returned and one, of the party was wounded in the leg by a musket ball. Until this time they were ignorant of the effect of P"?-armSjand nO doubt placed much confidence in the thickness of their clothing, as, in addition to their eider-duck dress over their usual frock, they each bound a deer-skin round them as they quitted their baidar ; but seeing the furs availed nothing against a ball, they fled with precipitation to the hills ; and the commanding officer of the Blossom observing them rimning towards the place where 1 was engaged with the dipping needle, fired a gun from the ship, which first ap- prised me of anything being amiss. On the arrival of the cutter, 1 joined Mr. Belcher, and with a view of getting the natives into our possession, I sent a boat along the beach, and went with a party over land. We had not proceeded far, when suddenly four of the marines were wounded with arrows from a small ravine, in which we found a party so screeuec. by long grass that it was not visible until we were close upon it. The natives were lying upon the ground, peeping between the blades of grass, and discharging their arrows as opportunity offered. In return, one of them suffered by a ball from Mr. Elson , on which I stopped the firing, and endeavoured ineffec- tually to bring them to terms. After a considerable time, an elderly man came forward with his arms and breasf rovered with mud, motioned us to begone, and decidedly rejected all offers of recon- 59 i; u I •t -115 i- ^ 1 1 t °!mm mmmmm i£ 466 VOYAGK TO THE PACIFIC \Scpt- Ir ! ciliation. Unwilling to chastise them further, I withdrew the party, and towed their baidar on board, which kept them prisoners upon the island. I did this in order to have an opportunity of bringing about a reconciliation, for I was unwilling to allow them to depart with sentiments which might piove injurious to any Europeans who might succeed us; and I thought that by detaining them we should be able to convince them our resentment was unjustiriably provok- ed, and that when theyconducted themselves properly, they should command our friendship. This baidar had a large incision in her bottom, made by the person who last quitted her when the party landed, and must have been done either with a view of preventing her being carried away, or by depriving themselves of the means of escape, showing their resolution to conquer or die. We repaired her as well as we could, and kept her in readiness to be restored to her owners on the first favourable opportunity that offered. The next morning a boat was sent to bring them to friendly terms, and to return every thing that was in the baidar, except some fish which they had brought for sale, in lieu of which some blue beads and tobacco were left, but the natives were averse to recon- ciliation, and kept themselves concealed. The night was severely cold, with snow showers ; and next day, seeing nothing of the par- ty, the baidar was returned. The natives removed her during the night to the opposite side of the island, where she appeared to be undergoing an additional repair; but we saw none of the people, who must have secreted themselves on the approach of the boat. We took every opportunity of showing them we wished to obtain their friendship, but to no purpose ; they would not make their ap- pearance, and the next night df camped, leaving a few old skin? in return for the articles we had left them. — On examining the rr.vine in which they had concealed themselves, we found one man lying dead, with his bow and quiver, containing five arrows, placed under his body, and clothed in the same manner as when he quitted the baidar. The ravine was conveniently adapted to the defence of a party, being narrow, with small banks on each side of it, behind which a party might discharge their arrows without much danger to themselves until they became closely beset ; to obviate which as much as possible, and to sell their lives as dearly as they could, we found they had constructed pits in ♦he earth by scooping out holes sufficiently large to contain a man, and by banking up the mud above them. There were five of these excavations close under the edges of th? banks, which were undermined ; one at the head of the ravine, and two on each side, about three yards lower down the latter had a small communication at the bottotri, through which an arrow might be transferred from one person to another, without Incurring the risk of being seen by passing it over the top. The :i# mmmm SSP> 1827.] AND BKERINg's STUATT. 467 construction of those pits must have occupied the man who presen- ted himself to us with his arms covered with mud ; as a defence they were as perfect as circumstances would allow, and while they show the resources of the people, they mark a determinaton of ob- stinate resistance. The effect of the arrows was fully as great as might have been expected, and had they been properly directed, would have inflic- ted mortal wounds. At the distance of a hundred yards a flesh wound was produced in the thigh, which disabled the man for a time ; and at eight or ten yards another fixed the right arm of a ma- rine to his side : a third buried itself two inches an a half under the scalp. The wounds which they occasioned were obliged to be ei- ther enlarged, to extract the arrows, which were barbed, or to have an additional incision made, that the arrow might be pushed through without further laceration. Most of these wounds were inflicted by an arrow with a bone head, tipped with a pointed piece of jaspar We were sorry to find our musketry had inflicted so severe a chastisement upon these people but it was unavoidable and richly deserved. It was some consolation to reflect that it had fallen upon a party from whom we had received repeated insult, and it was not until after they had threatened our boat in Eschscholtz Bay, insulted us along side of the ship, defied our party on shore, had twice drawn their knives upon our people, and had wounded several of them, that they were made acquainted with the nature of our fire arms ; and lam convinced the example will have a good eflect by teach- ing them that it was forbearance alone that induced us to tolerate their conduct so long. For the purpose of keeping together the particulars of our trans- actions with tlie Esquimaux, I have omitted to mention several oc- currences in the order in which they transpired. Many circum- stances indicated the earlier approach of winter than we had expe- rienced the preceding year. About the middle of September, there- fore, we began to prepare the ship for her departure, by completing the water, taking on board stone ballast, in lieu of the provisions that had been expended, and refitting the rigging. These operations were for several days interrupted by strong westerly winds, which occasioned much sea "it the anchorage, and very unaccountably had the effect of producing remarkably low tides, and of checking the rise which on several occasions was scarcely perceptible. On the 18lh a party of the ofllcers landed in Eschscholtz Bay to s . h for fossils, but they were unsuccessful ; in consecjuence of an irregularity in the tide, which was on that occasion unaccountably high, and scarcely fell during the day. The clifis had broken away considerably since the preceding year ; and the frozen surface of the cliff appeared in smaller quantities than bnfore, but the earth was ; ^• \ il '6' i ■1 \ mmm 468 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. found congealed at a less depth from the top. Tiiis examination tended to confirm more steadlhstly the opinion that the ice forms only a coating to the cliff, and is occasioned by small streams of wa- ter oozing out, which either become congealed themselves in their descent, or convert into ice the snow which rests in the hollows. On the 24th and 28th the nights were clear and frosty, and the aurora borealis was seen, forming several arches. On the 28th the display was very brilliant and interesting, as it had every appearance of being between the clouds and the earth ; and, after one of these displays, several meteors were observed issuing from parts of the arch, and falling obliquely toward the earth. This was also one of the rare instances of the aurora being seen to the southward of our zenith. In the beginning of October we had sharp frosts and heavy falls of snow. On the 4th the earth was deeply covered and the lakes were frozen : the thermometer during the night fell to 25°, and at noon on the 5th to 24°, and there was every appearance of the win- ter having commenced. It therefore became my duty seriously to consider on the propriety of continuing longer in those seas. We had received no intelligence of Captain Franklin's party, nor was it very probable that it could now appear ; and we could only hope, as the time had arrived when it would be imperative on us to with- draw from bim the only relief he could experience in these seas, that he had met with insurmountable obstacles to his proceeding, and bod retraced his route up the M'Kenzie River. Anxious, however, to remain to the last, on the chance of being useful to him, I again solicited the opinions of the officers as to the state of the season, and finding them unanimous in believing the winter to have commenced, and that the ship could not remain longer in Kotzebue Sound with safety, I determined to quit the an- chorage the moment the wind would permit. Weighing the proba- bility of Captain Franklin's arrival at this late period in the season, no one on board, I believe, thought there was the smallest chance of it; for, had his prospects the pereceding year been such as to justify his wintering upon the coast, the distance remaining to be ac- complished in the present season would have been so short that he could scarcely fail to have performed it early in the sunnner in which case we must have seen him long before this date, unless, indeed, he had reached Icy Cape and found it advisable to return by his own route, a contingency authorised by his instructions. Upon the chance of his arrival after the departure of the ship, the provision that had been buried for his use, was allowed to remain, and the billet of wood was aga'n deposited on the island, containing a state- ment of the behavior of the natives and of other particulars, with which it was important that he should be made acquainted. MM V 'M fl 18-27.] AND BEGRING S STRAIT. 469 i examination the ice forms ilreams of \va- selves in their lie hollows. Vosty, and the ,1 the 28th the ;rv appearance ;r one of these im parts of the ,vas also one of uthward of our ind heavy fiiUs 1 and the lakes to '25°, and at nee of the win- jty seriously to lose seas. We irty, nor was it •uld only hope, B on us to with- e in these seas, his proceeding, chance of being )fficers as to the in believing tlic ould not remain to quit the an- ling the proba- d in the season, smallest chance "lieen such as to laining to be ac- io short that he linimer in which dess, indeed, he ,urn by his own ins. Upon the p, the provision [remain, and the itaining a state- articulars, with laintcd. On tiie 6th, sharp frosty weather continuing, we weighed from Chamisso, and beat out of tlie sound. In pasingCape Krusenstern we perceived a blink in the N.W. direction, siijiilar to that over ice and it is not unlikely that the westerly winds which were so prevalent all the summer had drifted it from the Asiatic shore, where it rests against the land in a much lower parallel than upon the American coast. As we receded from the sound the wind freshened from the N.W. with every appearance of a gale ; we kept at a reasonable distance from the land until day-light and then steered towards Cape Prince of Wales, with a view of passing Beering's Strait. Our depth of water thus far had been about fifteen fathoms, but at eleven o'clock in the forenoon it began to diminish and the sea being high, the course was altered, to increase our distance from the coast : we had scarce- ly done this when the water shoaled still more and a long line of breakers was observed stretching from the land, crossing our course and extending several miles to windward. The weather was so ha- zy that we could scarcely see the land ; but it was evident that we- had run down between the coast and a shoal, and as there was no prospect of being able to weather the land on the opposite tack, the only alternative was to force the ship through the breakers, we ac- cordingly steered for those parts where the sea broke the least and kept the ship going at the rate of seven knots, in order as the shoal appeared to be very narrow that she might not hang, in the event of touching the ground. The sea ran very high, and we entered the broken water in breath- less suspense, as there was very little prosppct of saving the ship, in the event of her becoming fixed upon the shoal. Four fathoms and a half was communicated from the channels, a depth in which it may be reccollected we disturbed the bottom in crossing the bar of San Francisco ; the same depth was again reported and we pursued our course momentarily expecting to strike. Fortunately this wa& the least deptli of water, and before long our soundings increased to twenty fathoms, when, having escaped the danger, we resumed oux course for the strait. This shoal, which appears to extend from Cape Prince of Wales, taking the direction of the current through the strait, is extremly dangerous, in consequence of the water shoaling so suddenly, and having deep water within it, by which a ship coming from the norths ward may be led down between the shoal and the land, without any suspicion of her danger. Though we had nothing less than twenty- seven feet water, as near as the soundings could be ascertained in so high a sea, yet, from the appearance of the breakers outside the place where the ship crossed, the depth is probably less. It is re- markable that this spit of sand, extending so far as it does from the V >\y .1 A. »• - 1 470 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [OcL land, sliould have liitlierlo escaped the observation of the Russian-; as well as of our countrymen. Cook, in his chart, marks five fath- oms close off the cape, and Kotzebue three, but this spit appeared to extend six or seven miles from it. It is true that the weallior was very hazy, and we might have been deceived in our distance from the shore : but it is also probable that the spit may be extend- ing itself rapidly. We passed Beering's Strait about one o'clock, as usual with a close reefed topsail breeze, and afterwards ran with a fresh gale until midnight, when, as I wished to sec the eastern end of St Law- rence Island, we rounded to for daylight. It was, however, of lit- tle consequence, as the weather was so foggy the next day that we could not see far around us. As we approached the island, flocks of alca crestatella and of the eider and king ducks, and several spe- cies of phalaropes, flew about us, but no land was distinguished. About noon, the water shoaling gradually to eleven fathoms, creat- ed a doubt whether we were not running upon the island ; but, on altering the course to the eastward, it deepened again, and by tlie observations of the next day it appeared that the ship had passed over a shoal lying between St. Lawrence Island and the main. It is a curious fact, that this shoal is precisely in the situation assigned to a small island which Captain Cook named after his surgeon, Mr. Anderson ; and as that island has never been seen since, many per- sons, relying upon the genernl accuracy of that great navigator, might suppose the island to have been sunk by some such convul- sion as raised the island of Amnuk in the same sea ; while others might take occasion from this fact to impeach the judgment of Cook. I am happy to have an opportunity of reconciling opinions '^n this subject, having discovered a note by Captain Bligh, who wus the master with Captain Cook, written in pencil on the margin of the Admiralty copy of Cook's third voyage, by which it is evident that the compilers of the chart have overlooked certain data collected off the eastern end of St. Lawrence Island, on the return of the expe- dition from Norton Sound, and, that the land, named Anderson's Island, was the eastern end of the island St. Lawrence ; and had Cook's life been spared he would no doubt have made the necessa- ry correction in his chart. Thick weather continued until the 10th, when, after some hard showers of snow, it dispersed, and afforded us an opportunity of determining the position of the ship, by observation, which agreed very nearly with the reckoning, and showed there had been no cur- rent of consequence. Two days afterwards we saw the island of St. Paul, and endeavoured to close it, in order to examine its oudine. and compare our observations with those of the preceding year; but the wind obliged us to pass at the distance of eight miles to the 1- . 1 1 1827] •:D BF.EniNfi S STHAIT. 471 M7 \.i eastward, and uc could c ^ nccomplisli the latter. The next morning we passed to the eastward of St. George's Island, and fix- ed its position also. This was tiic island we were anxious to see the preceding year, as its situation upon our chart was very uncer- tain, and in soine of the most approved charts it is omitted alto- gether. OfFhero we observed a number of shags, a few albatrosses, flocks of ortolans, and a sea otter. At daylight on the 14th, we saw the Aleutian Islands, and steer- ed for an opening which by oi'.r reckoning should have been the same strait through which we passed on a former occasion ; but, the islands being covered more than halfway down with a dense fog, we were unable to ascertain our position correctly ; and it was not until the latitude was determined by observation that we discovered we were steering for the wrong passage. This mistake was oc- casioned by current S. 34° W. true, at the rate of nearly three miles an hour, which in the last twelve hours had drifted the ship thirty-five miles to the westward of her expected position. For- tunately the wind vvas fair, and enabled us to correct our error by carrying a press of sail. Before sunset we got sight of the Needle Rock in the channel of Oonemak, and passed through the strait. The strength and uncertainty of the currents about these islands should make navigators very cautious how they approach them in thick weather : whenever there is any doubt, the most certain course is to steer due east, and make the Island of Oonemak, which may be known by its latitude, being thirty miles more northerly than any other part of the chain ; and then to kept along its shores at the distance of four or five miles, until the Needle Rock, whicii lies nearly opposite the Island of Coogalga, is passed ; after which the coast on both sides trends nearly east and west, and a ship has an open sea before her. The Aleutian Islands, when we passed, were covered about two- thirds of the way down with snow, and indicated an earlier winter than they had done the preceding year. Having taken our final leave of Beering's Strait, all hope of the attainment of the principal object of the expedition in the Polar sea was at an end ; and the fate of the expedition under Captain Frank- lin, which was then unknown tous, was a subject of intense interest. Amidst the disappointment this failure in meeting with him had occasioned us, we had the consolation of knowing that, whatever vicissitudes might have befallen his party, our eftbrts to maintain oiu" station in both years had, by the blessing of Providence, been successful, so that at no period of the appointed time of rendezvous t i I I i 1 1 -■'f 1i^. •if 47Q VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC \Oci. M could lie have missed both the boat and the ship, or have arrived at the appointed place in Kotzebue Sound without 6nding tlic anticipated relief. The enterprising voyage of Captain Franklin down the Macken- zie, and along the northern shores of the continent of America, is now familiar to us all ; and, considering that the distance between the extremities of our discoveries was less than fifty leagues, and that, giving him ten days to perform it in, he would have arrived at Point Barrow at the precise period with our boat, we must ever re- gret that he could not have been made acquainted with our advan- ced situation, as in that case he would have been justified in incur- ring a risk which would have been unwarrantable under any other circumstances. Let me not for a moment be supposed by this to detract one leaf from the laurels that have been gained by Captain Franklin and his enterprising associates, who, through obstacles which would have been insurmountable by persons of less da- ring and persevering minds, have brought us acquainted with an extent of country which, added to the discovery it was our good fortune to push so far along the shore to the westward of them, has left a very small portion of the coast unknown. The extent of land thus left unexplored between Point Turna- gain and Icy Cape, is comparatively so insignificant that, as regards the question of the north-west passage, it may be considered to be known ; and in this point of view both expeditions, though they did not meet, may be said to have been fully successful. From the nature and similarity of the coast at Return Reef and Point Barrow, it is very probable that the land from Franklin Extreme trends gradually to the eastward to Return Reef, leaving Point Barrow in latitude 71°23' 30" N. the northern limit of the continent of America. The determination of this great geographical question is undoubt- edly important ; but though it sets a boundary to the new continent, and so far diminishes the difficulties attending an attempt to effect a passage from the Pacific to the Atlantic, yet it leaves the practica- bility of the North-west Passage nearly as doubtful as ever ; and it it is evident that it cannot be otherwise, until the obstructions set forth in Captain Parry's voyage are removed, as it would avail little to be able to reach Hecla and Fury Strait, provided that channel were always impassable. From what has been set forth, in the foregoing narrative of our proceedings, it is nearly certain that, by watching the opportunity, a vessel may reach Point Barrow, and in all probability proceed beyond it. Had we been permitted to make this attempt, we should no doubt be able to speak more positively upon the subject ; and, as I have always been of opinion that a navigation may be perform- mm 4 1827.] AND BF.EniNn S STHAIT. 473 ,^» cd along any coast of the Polar Sea tliat is continiiousy*! can see no in- surmountable obstacle to the exploit. In this attempt, liowever, it is evident that a vessel must be prepared to encounter very heavy pressure from the ice, and must expect, on the ice closing the coast to the westward of Point Harrow, which it unquestionably would • *th every strong westerly wind, to be driven on shore in the man- ner in which our boat was in 1826. As regards the question whether it be advisable to attempt the passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the advantage of being able to pursue the main land with certainty from Icy Cape is un- questionably great ; and the recollection that in that route every foot gained to the eastward is an advance towards the point whence supplies and succour may be obtained, is a cheering prospect to those who are engaged in such an expedition. But while I so far advo- cate an attempt from this quarter, it must not be overlooked that the length of the voyage round Cape Horn, and the vicisitudes of climate to be endured, present material objections to prosecuting the enterprise by that course. It does not appear that any preference can be given to the west- ern route from prevailing winds or currents, as both are so variable and uncertain, that no dependence can be placed upon them. In 1826 easterly winds prevailed almost throughout the summer, both on the northern coast of America, and in the open sea to the west- ward of Icy cape : while in 1827,inthelattersituationatleast, there- verse took place. And as the coincidence ofwinds experienced by Captain Franklin and ourselves in 1826 is very remarkable, there is every probability that the same winds prevailed to the eastward of Point Barrow. The current, though it unquestionably sets to the northward through Beering's Strait, in the summer at least, does not appear to influence the sea on the northern coast of America which is naviga- ble ; as Captain Franklin, after the experience of a whole season, was unable to detect any current in either direction. In the sea to the westward of Icy Cape, the current setting through Beering's Strait is turned off by Point Hope, and does not appear to have p"" perceptible influence on the water to the north-eastward of icy Cape ; for the current there, though it ran strong at times, seemed to be influenced entirely by the prevailing wind. The body cf water which finds its way into the Polar Sea must undoubtedly have an outlet, and one of these appears to be the Strait of Hecla and Fury : but as this current is not felt between the ice and the con- tinent of America, the only part of the sea that is navigable, it must rather impede than favour, the enterprise, by blocking the ice against both the strait, and the western coast of Melville Peninsula. Upon the whole, however, I am disposed to favour the western 60 I IKI 1 I \w f 474 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFrC [Oft. route, and am of opinion that could stoam vessels proper'y fiittd, and adapted to the service, arrive in Rood condition in Kotzobuo Sound, by the beginning of one suuuncr tlioy might with care and patience succeed in reaching the western shore of Melville Penin- sula in the next. There, however, they would undoubtedly i)o stopped, and have to encounter difliculties which had repulsed three of the most persevering attempts ever made toward the accomplish- ment of a similar object. I sbnlJ. FrOVi' -offer a few remarks upon the inhabitants whom wc met upon this coast. The western Esquimaux appear to bo intimately connected with the tribes inhabiting the northern and north-eastern shores of Amer- ica, in language, features, manners, and customs. They at the same time, in many respects, resemble the Tschutschi, from whom they are probably descended. These affinities I shall notice as I proceed with my remarks upon the people inhabiting the north- west coast of America, whom for the convenience of the reader, I shall call the western Esquimaux, in order to distinguish them from the tribes inhabiting Hudson's Bay, Greenland, Igloolik, and indeed from all the places eastward of Point Barrow. This line ought properly lO be drawn at M'Kenzie River, inconsequence of certain peculiarities connecting the people seen near that spot with the tribe to the westward : but it will be more convenient to confine it within the above-mentioned limits. These people inhabit the north-west coast of America, from 60o 34' N. to 71° 24' N., and are a nation of fishermen dwelling upon or near the sea shore, from which they derive almost exclusively their subsistence. They construct yourts or winter residences upon those parts of the shore which are adapted to their convenience, such as the mouths of rivers, the entrances of inlets, or jutting points of land, but always upon low ground. They form themselves into commu- nities, which seldom exceed a hundred persons ; though in some few instances they have amounted to upwards of two hundred. Be- tween the above mentioned limits we noticed nineteen of these vil- lages, some of which were very small, and consisted only of a few huts, and others appeared to have been deserted a long time ; but allowing them all to be inhabited in the winter, the whole pop- ulation, I should think, including Kovv-ee-rock, would not amount to more than 2500 persons. I do not pretend to say that this esti- mate is accurate, as from the manner in which the people are disper- sed along the coast in the summer, it is quite impossible that it should be so ; but it may serve to show that the tribe is not very numer- ous. As we landed upon every part of the coast, to which these villa- •!:■»* 1 827. J ANU UEElllNU S bTllAlT. 475 .r's mts whom wc lich these villa- ges appear to bo confined, it is not likely that many escaped our observation; neither is it probable that there are many inland or far up the river«, zs iVequent access to the sea is essential to the hab- its ol" the people. Besides, this may further bo inferred, from the circumstance of no Esquimaux villages being found up either the M'Kenvuie or Coppermine Rivers, and from the swampy nature of the country in general and the well known hostile disposition of the Indians towards the Esquimaux. Their yourts or winter residences are partly excavated in the earth and partly covered with moss laid upon poles of drift-wood. Tiiere are however several kinds of habitations which seem to vary in their construction according to the nature of the ground and the taste of the inhabitants. Some are wholly above ground, others have their roof scarcely raised above it ; some resemble those of the Tschutschi, and others those of the natives near Prince William Sound ; but they all agree in being constructed with drift wood cov- ered with peat, and in having the light admitted through a hole in the roof covered with the intestines of sea animals. The natives re- side in these abodes during the winter and when the season ap- proaches at which they commence their wanderings they launch their baiilars and taking their families with them, spread along the coast in quest of food and clothing for the ensuing winter. An ex- perienced fisherman knows the places which are most abundant in fish and seals, and resorts thither in the hope of being the first occupier of the station. Thus almost every poini )f land and the mouths of all the rivers are taken possession of by the tribe. Here they remain, and pass their time, no doubt, very happily, in the constat!^ occupation of taking salmon, seals, walrusses, and reindeer, and collecting peltry, of which the beaver skins are of very supe- rior quality, or whatever else they can procure which may prove useful as winter store. During their absence the villages are left in charge of a few el- derly women and children, with a youth or two to assist them, who besides preventing depredations, are deputed to cleanse and pre- pare the yourts for the reception of the absentees at the approach of winter. As long as the fine weather lasts they hve under tents made of deer-skins laced upon poles ; but about the middle of Sep- tember, they break up these establishments load their baidars with the produce of their labour, and track them along the coast with dogs towards their yourts, in which they take up their winter station as before, and regale themselves after their success, by dancing sing- ing and banquetting ' as appears to be the custom with the Eastern Esquimaux, and from their having largo rooms appropriated to such diversions. These winter stations may be always known at a distance by trunks 14 h-- I)*' W i. ir i! 1, 47G VOVAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. of trees, and frames erected near tliem ; some supporting sledges and skins of oil, and others the scantling of boats, caiacs, fishing im- plements, &.C. We had no opportunity of witnessing their occupations in the winter, which must consist in the construction of implements for the forthcoming season of activity, in making clothes and carving and ornamenting their property, for almost every article made of bone is covered with devices. They appear to have no king or gover- nor, but, like the patriarchal tribes, to venerate and obey the aged. They have sometimes a great fear of the old women who pretend to witchcraft. It seems probable that their religion is the same as that of the Eastern Esquimaux, and that they have similar conjurers and sor- cerer?. We may infer that they have an idea of a future state, from the fact of their placing near the graves of their departed friends the necessary implements for procuring a subsistence in this world, such as harpoons, bows, and arrows, caiacs, &.c. and by clothing the body decently ; and from the circumstance of musical instruments being suspended to the poles of the sepulchres, it would seem that they consider such state not to be devoid of enjoyments. Their mode of burial differs firom that of the Eastern Esquimaux, who inter their dead ; whereas these people dispose the corpse upon a platform of wood, and raise a pile over it with young trees. The position in which the bodies are laid also differs ; the head being placed to the westward by this nation, while in the eastern tribes it lies to the north-east. They are taller in stature than the Eastern Esquimaux, their aver- age height being about five feet seven and a half inches. They are also a better looking race, if 1 may judge from the natives I saw in Baffin's Bay, and from ;he portraits of others that have been pub- lished. At a comparatively early age, however, they (the women in particular) soon lose this comeliness, and old age is attended with a haggard and care-worn countenance, rendered more unbecoming by sore eyes, and by teeth worn to the gums by frequent mastica- tion of hard substances. They differ widely in disposition from the inhabitants of Igloo- lik and Greenland, being more continent, industrious, and provident and rather partaking of the warlike, irascible, and uncourteous tem- per of the Tschutschi. Neither do they appear by any means so deficient in filial affection as the natives of Igloolik, who as soon as they commenced their summer exertions left their aged and infirm to perish in the villages ; of whom it will be recollected that one old man, in particular, must have fallen a victim to this unnatural neglect, had not his horrible fate been arrested by the timely hu- manity of the commander of the polar expedition. 4 fting sledges s, fishing im- ations in the ments for the i carving and Bade of bone ing or gover- )ey the aged, lio pretend to as that of the irers and sor- a future state, their departed Istence in this , &,c. and by ice of musical ;lires, it would of enjoyments. n Esquimaux, he corpse upon g trees. The he head being astern tribes it LUX, their aver- es. Tliey are itives I saw in ave been pub- y (the women attended with e unbecoming uent mastica- Itants of Igloo- 1 and provident pourteous teni- any means so iho as soon as red and infum l^ted thai one I this unnatural bie timely hu- 1827.J AND BUEHINO S STIIAIT. 477 With the Western Esquimaux, as indeed w'tii almost all uncivi- lized tribes, hospitality seems to form one cLaractt;ristic feature of the disposition ; as if JNature, by the gift of this virtue, had intended to check, in some measure that ferocity which is otherwise so pre- dominant. Smoking is their favourite habit, in which they indulga as long as their tobacco lasts. Parties assemble to enjoy the fumes of this narcotic, and the pipe passes round like the calumet of the Indians but apparently without the ceremony being binding. Their pipes are short, and the bowls of some contaiij no m..re tobacco than can be consumed in a long whift'; indeed,the great pleasure of the party often consists in individuals endavouring to excel each other in exhausting the contents of the bowl at one breath, and many a laugh is indul- ged at the expense of him who fails, or who, as is very frequently the case, is thrown into a fit of coughing by the smoke getting into his lungs. They seldom use tobacco in any other way than this, though some natives whom we saw to the southward of Beering's Strait were not averse to chewing it, and the St. Lawrence islanders indul- ged in snufF. Their predilection for tobacco is no doubt derived from the Tschutschi, who are passionately fond of it, that they are said, by Captain Cochrane, to snufF, chew, and smoke, all at the same time. The practice of adulterating tobacco is common with the Tschutschi, and has, no doubt, passed from them to the Esqui- maux, who often adopt it from choice. That which finds its way to the N.W. coast of America is of very inferior quality, and often has dried wood chopped up with it. The ornaments worn in the lip, described in the course of this narrative, are peculiar to the males of the Western Esquimaux, and are in use only from Norton Sound, where they were seen by Cap- tain King, to the Mackenzie River, where they were worn by the party which attacked Captain Franklin. The practice is by no. means modern, as Deschnew, as far back as 1648, describes the in- habitants of the islands opposite Tschutskoi Noss as having pieces of sea-horse tusk thrust into holes in their lips. No lip ornaments similar to these have been seen to the eastward of the Mackenzie River ; and indeed we know of no other tribe which has adopted this singular custom of disfiguring the face, except that inhabiting the coast noar Prince William Sound, and even there the arrange- ment differs. It is remarkable that the practice with them is con- fined to the women, while in the tribe to the northward it is limited to the men. It is ako singular, that this barbarous custom of the males is confined to so small a portion of the coast, while that by which the females are distinguished extends from Greenland, along the northern and western shores of America, down to California. y>. ti "k i. ■^ 478 VOYAGK TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. 1/, ii '4 Nasal ornaments, so common with the tribes to the southvvaru of Oonalaska, were seen by us in one instance only, and were then worn by the females of a party whose dialect differed from that in general use with the tribe to the westward of Point Barrow. The custom disappears to the northward of Alaska, and occurs again in the tribe near the Mackenzie River. A similar break in the link of fashion in the same nation may be traced in the practice of shav- ing the crown of the head, which is general with the Western Es- quimaux, ceases at the Mackenzie River, and appears again in Hudson's Bay, and among a tribe of Greenlanders, who, when they were discovered by Captain Ross, had been so long excluded from intercourse with any other people, that they imagined themselves the only living human beings upon the face of the globe.* It was remarked that the inhabitants of Point Barrow had copper kettles, and were in several respects better supplied with European articles than the people who resided to the southward. Captain Franklin found among the Esquimaux near the Mackenzie several of these kettles, and other manufactures, which were so unlike those supplied by the North-west Company, as to leave no doubt of their being obtJ-lned from the westward. Connecting these facts with the behavior of the natives who visited us off Wainwright Inlet, and the information obtained by Augustus, the interpreter, it is very proba- ble that between the Mackenzie River and Point Barrow there is an agent who receives these articles from the Asiatic coast, and parts with them in exchange for furs. Augustus learned from the Es- quimaux that the people from whom these articles were procured resided up the river to the westward of Return Reef. The copper kettles, in all probability, coiiie from the Russians, as the Tscluit- schi have such an aversion to utensils made of that metal, that they will not even use one when lined with tin.f From the cautious manner in which the whole tribe dispose of their furs, reserving the most valuable for larger prices than we felt inclined to give, and sometimes producing only the inferior ones, we were induced to sus- pect that there were several Esquimaux acting as agents upon the coast, properly instructed by their employers in Kamschatka, who having collected the best furs from the natives, crossed over with them to the Asiatic coast, and returned with the necessary articles for the purchase of others. I regret that we never had an opportunity of seeing the Es(jui- maux in pursuit of their game, or in any way actively employed, except in transporting their goods along the coast. One cause for this is that they relinquished all occupation on our appearance, to * Woe a letter from Captain Ec'ward SabiiiP, Journal of S-icucc, vol. vii. + Cuptuiu Cochrane's Journey iu Siberia. k<»Ma«i Piu- 'i> [Oct. soutbwaru of d were then from that in arrow. The ccurs again in ak in the link ictice of shav- Western Es- jears again in ho, when they excluded from ed themselves obe.* row had copper with European card. Captain ;kenzie several £0 unlike those iO doubt of their se facts with the It Inlet, and the t is very proba- larrow there is ; coast, and parts 1 from the Es- s were procured f. The copper as the Tschul- metal, that they )m the cautious rs, reserving the id to give, and _ induced to sus- igents upon the imschatka, who jssed over with ecessary articles leing the Esqui- jivcly employed, One cause for appearance, to cc, vol. vii. 1827.] AND BEERINO S STRAIT. 419 obtain some of the riches that were on board the ship. It may, however, be inferred, from the carvings upon their ivory imple- ments, that their employments are numerous, and very similar to those practised by the Greenlanders. Of these, rein-deer hunting appears to be the most common. If we may credit the sculptured instruments, they shoot these animals with bows and arrows, which, from the shyness of the deer, must require great skill and artifice to effect. The degree of skill may be inferred from the distance at which some of the parties are drawn shooting their arrows, and the artifice is shown by a device of a deer's bead and horns placed upon the shoulders of a person creeping on all-fours towards the an- imal, after the manner of the Canfornian Indians, and of some of the inland tribes of North America. We found the flint head of an arrow which had been used for this purpose broken in a haunch of venison that was purchased from the inhabitants near Icy Cape. In some of the representations the deer are seen swimming in the water, and the Esquimaux harpooning them from their caiacs, in the manner represented in the plate in Captain Parry's Second Voyage, p. 508. As an instance of their method of killing whales, we found a har- poon in one that was dead, with a drag attached to it made of an inflated seal-skin. It must be extremely difficult for these people, with their slender means, to capture these enormous animals, and it must require considerable perseverance. The occupation, howev- er, appears to be less hazardous than of killing walrusses, which, by the devices upon the instruments, occasionally attack the caiacs. The implements for taking these animals are the same as described by Captain Parry. Seals are also captured in the manner describ- ed by him. Upon some of the bone implements there are correct representations of persons creeping along the ice towards their prey, which appears to have been decoyed by an inflated seal-skin placed near the edge of the ice ; an artifice frequently practised by the eastern tribes. These animals are also taken in very strong nets made of walrus-hide ; and another mode is by harpooning th§m with a dart about five feet in length, furnished with a barb, which is dis- engaged from its socket when it strikes the animal, and being fasten- ed by a line to the centre of the staff, the harpoon acts as a drag. This instrument is discharged with a throwing board, which is easi- ly used, and gives very great additional force to the dart, and in the hands of a skillful person will send a dart to a considerable distance. The throwing board is mentioned also by Captain Parry, by Crantz, and others, and corresponds with the womoru of New Zealand. We noticed in the possession of a party to the northward of Kot- zebue Sound a small ivory instrument, similar to the Iceipkuttuk of the Igloolik tribe. 4 #■) 'ill 480 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct, I Birds are likewise struck with darts which resemble the nvgvit of Greenland; they arc also caught in whalebone snares, and by having their flight arrested by a number of balls attached to thongs about two feet in lengtli : they are sometimes shot with arrows pur- posely constructed with blunt heads. The practice of firing at a mark appears to be one of the amuse- ments of the Esquimaux ; and judging from what we saw at Cham- isso Island there are some extraordinary performers in this way among the tribe. One day a diver was swimm'ng at the distance of thirty yards from the beach, and a native was offered a reward if he would shoot it : he fired, but the bird evaded the arrow by diving. The Esquimaux watched its comii'^ -o the surface, and the instant his head appeared he transfixed both eyes with his arrow. He was rewarded for his skilfulness, and the skin was preserved as a specimen of ornithology and of Indian archery. Generally speak- ing, however, I do not think they are expert marksmen. Their bows are shaped differently to those of Igloolik, and are superior to any on the eastern coast of America ; they are, how- ever, made upon the same principle, with sinews and wedges at the back of the wood. On the western coast driftwood is so abundant that the inhabitants have their choice of several trees, and are nev- er obliged to piece their implements. It requires some care to bring a bow to the form which they consider best ; and for this purpose they wrap it in shavings soaked in water, and hold it over a fire ; it is then pegged down upon the earth in the form required. If not attended to when used, the bows are apt to get out of order, and the string to slip out of its place, by which the bow bends the wrong way, and is easily broken. In these bows the string is in oo.itact with about a foot of the wood at each end, and when used makes a report which would be fatal to secrecy. The Californians, .iccustomed to fight in ambush, are very careful to have that part ' 'the string muffled with fur, but 1 never saw any precaution of the i.ind used by the Esquimaux. To protect the wrist from the abrasion which would ensue from frequent firing, the Esquimaux buckle on a piece of ivory called mun-era, about three or four inches long, hollowed out to the wrist or a gaurd made of several pieces of ivory or wood fastened together like an ironholder. Fishing implements are more numerous and varied with the Western Esquimaux than with the others, and some are constructed with much neatness and ingenuity ; but I do not know that any of them require description except a landing net, and that only because it is not mentioned by Captain Parry. This consists of a circular frame of wood or bone, about eight inches in diameter, worked across with whalebone like the bottoms of cane chain, and fixed upon a long wooden handle. 1827.] AND BEERINg's STIIAIT. 481 Of all their manufactures, that of ivory chains is the most inge- nious. These are cut out of solid pieces of ivory, each link being separately relieved, and arc sometimes twenty -six inches in length. For what purpose they are used 1 know not ;' but part of the last link is frequently left solid, and formed in imitation of a whale ; and these chains being strong, they may in some way or other be appropriated to the capture of that animal. Among a great many singularly shaped tools in the possession of these people, we noticed several that are not in Caplain Parry's catalogue, such as instruments for breaking wood short off; small hand chisels, consisting of pieces of hard stone fixed in bone han- dles adapted to the palm of the hand ; meshes for making nets ; an instrument made with the claws of a seal, for cleansing skins of their fat, &;c. Though I never saw the screw in use among this tribe, yet I found a worm properly cut upon the end of one of their fishing implements. The panna, or double-edged knife, is also in use with these people ; some of them were inlaid with brass, and undoubtedly came from the Tschutschi. The language of the Western Esquimaux so nearly resembles that of the tribes to the eastward, as scarcely to need any further mention, particularly after the fact of Augustus, who was a native of Hudson's Bay, being able to converse with the Esquimaux whom he met at the mouth of the Mackenzie River. It may, however be useful to show, by means of a vocabulary compiled from the people we visited, how nearly it coincides with that givew by Cap- tain Parry ; some allowances being made for the errors to which all collectors are liable, who can only make themselves understood by signs, and who collate from small parties, residing perhaps at a dis- tance from each other, and who, though they speak the same language, may make use of a different dialect. It does not appear that this language extends much beyond Norton Sound, certainly not down to Oonalashka ; for the natives of that island, who are sometimes employed by the Russians as interpreters, are of no use on the American coast, near Beering's Strait. The language, notwithstanding, has a great affinity, and may be radically the same. It is unnecessary to pursue further the peculiiriiies of these people, which are so similar to those of the eastern tribes, as to leave no doubt of both people being descended from the same stock ; and, though tlie inliabitants of Melville Peninsula declared they knew of peo})le to the westward of Akoolce, there is much reason to believe from the articles of Asiatic manufacture found in their possession, that there is an occasional communication between all the tribes on the north coa'^t of America. The subject of currents in Beering's Strait has lost much of its inter- 61 482 VOYAOE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. est by the removal of the doubt regarding the separation of the continents of Asia and America ; and it is now of importance only to the navigator, and to the natural philosopher. It does not appear., from our passages across the seaofKamschat- ka, that any great body of water flows towards Beering's Strait. In one year the whole amount of current fromPetropaulski to St. Law- rence Island vvasS. 54° W. thirty-one miles, and in the next N. 50" W. fifty one miles, and from Kotzebue Sound to Oonemak N. 79". W, seventy-nine miles. Approaching Beering's Strait, the first year, with light southerly winds, it ran north sixteen miles per day ; and in the next, with strong S. W. winds, north five miles ; and with a strong N.E. wind, N. 34° W twenty-three miles. Returning three different times with gales at N. W. there was no perceptible current. By these observations it appears that near the strait with southerly and easterly winds there is a current to the northward ; but with northerly and north-westerly winds there is none to the southward, and consequently that the preponderance is in favour of the former, and of the generally received opinion of all persons who have nav- igated these seas. I prefer this method of arriving at the set of the current to giving experiments made occasionally with boats, as they would lead to a result, which would err according to the time of the tide at which they were made. To the northward of Beering's Strait, the nature of the service we were employed upon confined us within a few miles of the coast; there the northerly current was more apparent. We first detected it ofFSchismarefF Inlet ; it increased to between one and two miles an hour, ofFCape Krusenstem, and arrived at its maximum, three miles an hour, off Point Hope : this was vi'ith the flood tide ; the ebb ran W. S. W. half a mile an hour. Heie the current was turned off to the north-west by the point, and very lutle was afterwards felt to the northward. The point is bold and shingly, and shows every indication of the current being prevalent and rapid. This current, as I have before remarked, was confined nearly to the surface and within a few miles of the land ; at the depth of nine feet its velocity was evidently diminished, and at three and five fath- oms there was none. The upper stratum, it should be observed, was much fresher than sea water ; and there is no doubt that this current was greatly accelerated, if not wholly occasioned, by rivers ; but why it took a northerly course is a question I am not prepared to answer. To the northward and eastward of Cape Lisburn we found little or no current until we arrived at Icy Cape. Off this projection it ran strong, but in opposite directions, and seemed to be influenced entirely by the winds. Near Point Barrow, with a southwesterly gale, it ran at the rate of three miles an hour and upwards to the Jt 1827.] AND BEERINC S STRAIT. 483 m N. E., and did not subside immediately with the wind; but the cur- rent must here have been increased by the cliannel between the land and the ice becoming momentarily arrowed by the pack clos- ing the beach ; and it must not be imagined that the whole body ol' water in the Polar Sea was going at the rapid rate above mention- ed, which would be contrary to our experiments in the offing. Another cause of this may be a bank lying to the westward of ley Cape, upon one part of which the water shoals from thirty-two fath- oms to nineteen, and the bottom is changed from mud to stones. It is evident, from the above mentioned facts, that a current pre- vails in a northerly direction, although we are unable to state with precision its amount, which cannot under any circumstances be great, nor, I should think, exceed a mile an hour on the average. To be able to speak positively on this subject would require a vast number of trials to be made in the same place, and at a distance from the land, out of the influence of rivers. Wc may however presume, that the above-mentioned direction is that of the prevail- ing current throughout the year ; for, upon examining the shoals oft' the principal headlands, we find them all to extend to the north- west, as may be seen on referring to St. Lawrence Island, Capes Prince of Wales, Krusenstern, and Lisburn, and also to Point Hope. This I conceive to be the most certain mode of deciding the ques- tion, without purposely stationing a vessel in the strait, and it is sat- isfactory to find that the result fully coincides with the experiments made near the shore by the Blossom and her boats.* Our obser- vations, of course, apply to one season of the year only, as no ex- periments have as yet been made in the winter. The course of this current, after it passes Cape Lisburn, is some- what doubtful ; we should expect it to diverge, and one part to sweep round Icy Cape and Point Barrow ; but the shoals off the former place, like the currents themselves, do not furnish any satis- factory inference. These shoals lie parallel with the shore, and may be occasioned by ice grounded off the point. It may be ob- ♦ I was ill hopes that I had expressed myself clearly on this subject in the first edition of my work ; but I find that I liave been misunderstood, and even suppo.sed in one place to have contradicted my statement in another. This apparrcnt disa- greement has arisen partly, if not wliolly, from an oversight in some of my readers, who have compared observations, made at the surface of the sea at one place, witli those &t Jive fathoms below it at another nearly '200 miles distant. If the reader will have the candour to compare the observations made at the surfaces at both places, he will find them to agree, with the exception that tlie current at one place ran faster than at the other, the reason of whicli I have endeavoured to account for in page 482 of this volume. I shouhl observe here, tliat although I have not encumbered my narrative with a notice of every time the current was tried, such observations were made repeatedly, whenever the nature of the service I was employed upon would admit of it ; liut I wish it to be I)ornc in mind, tliat tlie situation of the sliip, necessarily close in sliorc, was highly unfavourable to the determination of the ques- tion under discussiou. (f 1 ; ■ii»i^i IP %m I 484 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. served here, that voyagers have frequently mentioned westerly cur- rents along the northern coast of Asia and IVova Zcmbla, and we know from experience, that, in the summer, at least, there is a strong westerly current between Spitzbergen and Greenland. In the opposite direction, we find only a weak stream passing through the narrov,' strait of Hecla and Fury, and none through Barrow Strait. It seems, therefore, probable, that the principal part of llie water which flows into the Polar Sea, from the Pacific, finds its way to the westward. By many experiments made on shore at Icy Cape by Lieutenant Belcher, it appeared that southerly and westerly winds occasioned high tides, and northerly and easterly winds very low ebbs. It would seem, from this fact that the water finds some obstruction to the northward, and I think it probable that the before mentioned shoal, which closes the land toward Point Barrow, niay extend to the northward ; nay, it may even lie off the coast of some polar lands, too low and too far off to be seen from the margin of the ice ; and which can only be ascertained by journeys over the ice, in a similar manner to that in which the mountains to the northward of Shelatskoi Koss were discovered by the Russians. It was this shoaling of the water to the northward of Cape Lisburn that induc- ed the late Captain Burney to believe the continents of Asia and Amereica were connected. To the northward of Beering's Strait the tide rises about two feet six inches at full and change, and the flood comes from the south- ward. The quantity of drift wood found upon the shores of Beering's Strait has occasioned various conjectures as to the source from which it proceeds ; some imagining it to be brought down the rivers ; others to be drifted from the southward. We found some at almost every place where we landed, and oc- casionally in great quantities. There was more at Point Rodney than in any other part ; a great deal upon Point Spencer ; some upon Cape Espenburg, but more in Kotzebue Sound. Between Cape Krusenstern and Cape Lisburn there was very little, and in the bay to the eastward of the Cape scarcely any ; but when the coast turned to the northward it became more plentiful, and it vvas afterwards tolerably abundant, and continued so all the way to Point Barrow. In addition to this, it should be remembered, that a great deal is used by the Esquimaux for boats, implements of all sort, houses, and fuel. These trees are principally, if not all, either pine or birch ; all that we examined were of these two species, and we lost no oppor- tunity of making inquiry on this subject. The wood is often tougli and good ; indeed some that was taken from Clioris Peninsula was \Oct. iTcsteily cur- )la, and we St, there is a jenland. In ising through )ugh Bariow al part of the , finds its way ly Lieutenant ds occasioned )W ebbs. It obstruction to ire mentioned ay extend to )f some polar •gin of the ice ; r the ice, in a northward of It was this urn that induc- ts of Asia and about two feet )m the south- of Beering's source from 3wn the livers ; anded, and oc- Point Rodney jpencer ; some nd. Between little, and in but when the ful, and it was 11 the way to jembered, that [ilements of all or birch ; all lost no oppor- is often tough *eninsula was 1827.] AND beering's stuait. 485 superior to the pine we procured at Monterey ; but from this stage of preservation it may be traced to old trunks crumbling to dust. Some trees still retained their bark, and a[)pearod to have been re- cently uprooted ; and comparatively few showed marks of having been at sea. Some circumstances favour an opinion, by no means unconmion, that this wood is drifted from the sou h ward ; such as its being found in large quantities on Point Rodney, the many floating trees met with at sea to the soutward of Kamschatka, &;c. ; but the quantity of this material found by Captain Franklin and Dr. Richardson at the mouths of the rivers on the northern coast of America, and some being found by us high up Kotzebue Sound, in Port Clarence, and other places, where it is hardly possible for it to be drifted, consid- ering the outset of fresh water, renders it more probable that it is brought down from the interior of America. Rivers quite sunicient for this purpose will be found on an inspection of the chart ; hut without this we need only advert to the before-mentioned rapid cur- rent of nearly fresh water to prove their existence. Did the wood come by sea from the southward, we could scarcely have failed seeing some of it in our passage from Petropaulski, and during our cruises to the northward of Beering's Strait ; but scarcely any was observed between Kamschatka and St. Lawrence Island ; none be- tween that place and Beering's Strait ; and only six or seven pieces of short wood to the northward, notwithstanding the coast was close- ly navigated in both years by the ship and the barge. Beside, the westerly current, which is j)revalent to the southward of Beering's Strait, is very much against the probability of its being drifted from the southward. We passed the Aleutian Islands on the night of the Hlh, and as in the preceding year entered a region of fine clear weather. The volcano on Oonemak was still emitting flashes, which were visible at a very considerable distance. It being my intention now to make the best of my way to England, I directed the course towards Cal- ifornia, for the purpose of refitting the ship, and of recruting the health -^f the ship's company. In this passage nothing remarkable occurred until the 20th, on which day the sun was eclipsed, when we were overtaken by a violent storm, beginning at S. E. and going round the compass in a similar manner to the typhoons in the Chi- na Sea. As the gale increased, our sails were gradually reduced, until a small storm staysail was the only canvass we could spread. The sea had the appearance of breakers, and the birds actually thew themselves into the water, apparently to escape the fury of the wind. About four in the afternoon, just before the gale was at its m M i: w 486 VOYAGE TO TIIK PACIFIC [Oct. ¥■ ^, highest, the wind shifted suddenly eight points, and brought the ship's head to the sea, which made a clear breach over the forecas- tle. Anticipating a change of this nature, we fortunately wore round a few hours before it occurred, and escaped the consequences which must have attended the stern of the ship being opposed to such breakers. The barometer during this gale fell an inch in elev- en hours, and rose the same quantity in five hours, standing at 528 -I when at its lowest altitude. The temperature of the air rose nine degrees from eight in the morning to noon, and fell again to its for- mer altititude at eight at night. On the 24th, we were concerned to find several of the seamen afflicted with scurvy. Had this disease appeared the preceding year, in which they had been a very long time upon half allowance of salt provisions, and without any vegetable diet, it would not have been extraordinary ; but in this year the seamen had been on full allowance of the best kind of provision, and had been living upon fresh beefinChina, turtle and fish in the Arzobispo Islands and Petro- paulski, besides the full allowance of lemon juice, pickled cabbages, and other anti-scorbutics. The season to the northward, it is true, had been more severe than of the prec'iding year, and the duty in consequence more harassing ; but this i; not sufficient in my opin- ion to occasion the difference, and I cannot but think that the indul- gence in turtle, after leaving the Arzobispo Islands, which was thought so beneficial at the moment, induced a predisposition to the complaint. The disease assumed an unusual character, by scarcely affecting the gums, while patients were otherwise so ill that a dispo- sition to syncope attended the exertion of walking. Our cases for- tunately were not numerous, being confined to six ; and, after a few days' fresh provisions in California, were entirely cured. On the 29th we were apprised of our approach to the coast of California by some large white pelicans, which were fishing a few miles to the westward of Point Pinos. We soon afterwards saw the land, and at eight at night moored in the Bay of Monterey. Early the following morning 1 waited upon the governor, and des- patched messengers to the missions of St. Carlos and St. Cruz for vegetables, which were afterwards served daily in double the usual proportion to the ship's company, who benefited so much by the diet that, with one exception, they very soon recovered from all in- disposition. By some English newspapers, which were found in this remote part of the world, we learned the melancholy news of the death of His Royal Highness the Duke of York, and j)ut the ship in mourn- ing, by hoisting the flag half-mast during the time she remained in the port. In my former visit to this country i remarked that the padres -II 1827.] AND DF.F.niNn 3 STIIAIT. 487 were much mortified at being tlesircd to liboralc from the missions all the Indians who bore good characters, and who were accjiiainted witli the art of tiUing the ground. Jn consequence of their remon- strances the governor inoihfied the order, and consented to make the experiment upon a few only at first, and desired that a certain number might be settled in the jjroposed manner. After a few months' trial, much to his sur|)rise, he found that these people, who had always been accustomed to the care and discipline of schoolboys, finding themselves their own masters, indulged freely in all those excesses which it had been the endeavour of their tu- tors to repress, and that many, having gambled away their clothes, implements, and even their land, were compelled to beg or to plun- der in order to support life. They at length became so obnoxious to the peaceable inhabitants, that the padres were requested to take some of them back to the missions, while others who had oeen guil- ty of misdemeanors were loaded with shackles and put to hard work, and when we arrived were employed transporting enormouii stones to the beach to improve the landing-place. The padres, conscious that the government were now sensible of the importance of the missions, made better terms for themselves than they had been ofiered by the llepublican government. They were allowed to retain their places, and had their former salary of four hundred dollars a year restored to them, besides a promise of payment of arrears. In return for this a pledge was exacted from the padres, binding them to conform to the exlbting laws of the coun- try, and in every way to consider themselves amenable to them. Thus stood the missionary cause in California when we quitted that country. We remained in Monterey until the 17th, and then sailed for St. Francisco to complete our water, which at the former place besides being so scarce that wo could hardly procure sufficient for our daily consumption, was very unwholesome, being brackish and mingled with the soapsuds of all the washerwomen in the place, and with streams from the bath.ing places of the Indians, into which they were in the habit of plunging immediately on coming out of the Temeschal. San Francisco had undergone no visible change since 1826, except that the presidio had suffered from the shock of an earth- quake on the 22d of April, which had greatly alarmed its inhabi- tants. We had here the misfortune to lose James Bailey, one of our mar- ines, who had long been an invalid. The third of December we left the harbour of St. Francisco, the shores of which, being newly clothed with snow, had a very wintry appearance ; and on the 13th saw Cape St. Lucas. The next day •I' ! M ai W" --JhthwiAK-M .. .^ ■*« .,- «^x. r ' im VOYAnE TO THE PACIFIC [Oct. Wo wcroon'tlio Tros TMaiias, tliroo lii^h islands, sitiiatod sovcnty- (■|V(j niili's to tliu westwartl of Sail IJIas, and wtdl luiowii hy tlie IVo()iient mention of tlieni in tlic history ol'tlie Hiiccanccrs, and by (jllicr early iiavit^alois in tlicso seas. In constMiiiunco of a cnnvnt setting out of the (nilfol" Caniornia we were more to leeward than we were aware, and, with a vicnv oi'savin!^ time, passed tin'oiit,h tlio channel between the two northernmost ishmds. In doing this we were becahned several lionrs, and fully verified the old provcrl), that the longest way round is often iho shortest way home. This channel apjicars to be quite safe ; and in the narrowest i)art has from sixteen to twenty-four fathoms water ; but the ground in other places is very steep, and at two miles distance from the shore to the westward there is no bottom at a hundred fathoms. When the wind is from the northward it is calm in this channel, and a cur- rent sometimes sets to the southward, which renders it advisable, on leaving the channel, to take advantage of the eddy winds which intervene between the calm and the true breeze to keep to the northward, to avoid being set down upon St. (ieorge's Island. Wo found these islands twenty miles further from San IJlas than they were placed on the charts. The next morning the mountains on the mainland were seen lowering above the white vapour which hangs over every habitable part of the land near San IJlas. The highest of these, San Juan, (),'2''iO feet above the sea, by trigonometrical measurement, is the best guide to the Road of San Bias, as it may be seen at a great distance and is seldom obscured by fogs, while the low lands are almost al- ways so. In my chart of this part of Mexico I have given its ex- act position. When the Piodra de Mer can be seen, it is an equal- ly certain guide. This is a rock about ten miles west of the anchor- age, a hundred and thirty feet high, with twelve fathoms water all round it. The afternoon was well advanced before we anchored in the Road of San Bias, and the refreshing seabreeze, sweeping the shores of the bay, had already dispersed the mist, which until then steam- ed from the hot swampy savannahs that for miles surround the little isolated rock upon which the town is built. The inhabitants had not yet returned from Tepic, to which place they migrate during the iiimpo (h las aguos ; the rainy season, so called from the manner in which the country is deliiir-'d with rain in the summer time. At the time of our arrival in Mexico political afl'airs were very unsettled, and the propcrt;, o? British merchants was so much en- dangered, that I was coiiqieded to accede to a request of the nun- chants, made through the vice-consul of San JJlas, that I would do- lay my return to England, and remain until they could collect their funds, and that I would receive them on board for conveyance to [Oct. 1828.) ANn BRKRINfi' STU\IT. 489 tod scvcnty- lowii by the lULMS, ami by of a ciiiTent leeward than il tliroiii;!) tiio loiny; this \\c old provcib, loino. lanowost part lie ground in roin the shore loins. When lel, and a cur- ; it advisable, winds which keep to the 5 Island. Wo las than they id were seen very habitable ese, San Juan, lentjis the best great distance ; are almost al- given its ex- it is an equal- f the anchor- lonis water all chored in the ling the shores til then steain- ound the little habitants had ate during the n the manner nner time, lirs were very so much ea- st of the nicr- lat I would do- Id collect their conveyance to Europe. As it would require several weeks before this specie could be got logcthei-, I |)roposed to visit (i uaymas, and to examine the eastern coast of the (iulf of California ; but this was frustrated by the revolt of Bravo, the vice-president of Mexico, and by the affairs of the state becoming so disorgaiiized that the merchants furth- er requested me not to quit the ancliorage until they assumed a less dangerous aspect. Shortly after our arrival wo began to feel the effects of the un- healthy climate of San Bias, by several of the seamen being affec- ted with interm'Uont fevers and agues, the common complaints of the place, particularly with persons who reside upon low ground, or who are exposed to the night air ; and I regret to add that we here lost Thomas Moore, one of our most active seamen. On the 27th of January, 1828, the agitation occasioned by the revolt had subsided, but unfortunately to late for me to proceed to Guaymas. However, as the principle part of the specie was to be shipped at Mazatlan, we put to sea a few days earlier than was ne- cessary for that purpose, that we might examine the Tres Marias and Issabella Islands. On the 3d February we reached Mazatlan, a very exposed anchorage, in which ships are obliged to lie so close to the shore that there would be very great difficulty in putting to sea with tlie wind from the W.S.W, to S.E. In the course of our survey, a rock hav'n g only eleven feet of water upon it was discov- ered nearly in the centre of the anchorage, and occasioned no little surprise that of the many vessels which had put into the port all should have escaped being damaged upon it. Mazatlan is more healthy than San Bias, and our people here began to recover from the disorders they had contracted at that place. February 7tb. — Having embarked the specie on the 24th, we put to ^aon our return to San Bias, and ran along the shore with a northerly wind which is here prevalent from November to June. Liieutenant Belcher, in the cutter, kept in shore of the ship, and 61Ied in those parts of the ccast which could not be seen by her : and we thus completed a survey of the coast from Mazatlan to sev- eral miles South of San Bias. Between these two ports the water shoals so gradually that there is no danger whatever. In my former visit to this place I found it necessary to proceed to Tepic to meet the merchants in consultation, and on that occa- sion I carried with me the necessary instruments for determining its position ; by which it appears that it is only twenty-two miles direct from the port, though by the road it is fifty-two. It is in latitude 210 30' 42" N., and its height above the sea 2,900 feet. By a reg- ister kept there during our stay, its mean temperature was S'.l be- low that of San Bias, and the range 2'*.8 greater. Tepic is the second town in importance in Xalisco, now called 62 •I II I-* # T •'"X. ••^. i tS :i[;W 490 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [March, Guadalaxara, and contains 8000 inhabitants ; but this population is augmented to about 11,000 in the unhealthy season upon the coast, at which time the people resort to Tepic. The town stands in the lowest part of a plain nearly surrounded by mountains, and not far from a large lake which exhales a malaria fatal to those who attempt to live upon its banks. On hot sunny days, of which there are many the clouds as they pass often envelope the town, and strike a chill which proves fatal to hundreds of persons in the course of the year ; and immediately the sun has set behind the mountains a cold deposit takes place, which is so great that it soon wets a person through. Under these circumstances Tepic is itself scarcely more healthy than the sea-coast, and by the records of the Church it appears that the deaths exceed the births. About a league and a half from Tepic, at the foot of Mount San Juan, stands Xalisco, near the site of the ancient town of that name. This town, though so close to Tepic, is very salubrious. I had the ci-riosity to examine the parish books here, in order to compare them with those at Tepic, and found the births to exceed the deaths in the proportion eighty-four to nineteen. In a population of only 3000, there were several persons upwards of a hundred years of age while in Tepic there are very few above seventy two. The Span- iards are fully aware of this difference of climate, and often send in- valids from Tepic to Xalisco to recover their health ; yet they con- tinue to reside, and even to build new houses in the unhealthy spot their ancestors have chosen. The 1st of March was the day appointed for the embarkation of the specie at San Bias ; but it was the 6th before it arrived and the 8th before we could put to sea. On my way to the southward it became necessary to call at Acapulco for the purpose of securing the bowsprit previous to the passage round Cape Horn, as this could not be done conveniently in the open road of San Bias. While we were at anchor we received very distressing accounts of the state of affairs at Acapulco, and several vessels arrived from that place with passengers, who had been obliged to seek their safety by flight. It appeared that shortly after the revolt of Bravo, the Spaniards with certain exceptions, were expelled from the Mexican Territory ; and that Montesdeoca, a republican general, who was deeply indebted to some Spaniards at Acapulco, took advantage of this proclamation to liquidate his debt by marching against the town with a lawless troop of half-cast Mexicans, and by obliging the Spaniards to take refuge on board the vessels in the harbour, or to secrete themselves in the woods. On putting to sea from San Bias, we kept along the land ; the next day we determined the position of Cape Corrientes, a remar- kable promontory on this coast, and on the 10th were within sight t' ^2#^ f^iimi^ii'' ■ ■"-'■ ■''■^' t*5.-.. [March, opulation is n the coast, lands in the and not far who attempt !re are many strike a chill of the year ; cold deposit son through, healthy than appears that i" Mount San :>{ that name. s. I had the r to compare ed the deaths lation of only i years of age The Span- often send in- yet they con- inhealthy spot mbarkation of Irrived and the southward it »se of securing as this could IS. While we |of the state of lat place with by flight. It paniards with 'erritory; and eply indebted proclamation Iwith a lawless iniards to take ite themselves Ithe land; the [ntes, a remar- within sight 1828.] AND BEERING's STRAIT. 491 of the volcano of Colinia. This mountain, by our measurement from a base of forty -eight miles, is 1:2,003 feet above the sea ; ami is situated in latitude 19^ 25' 24" N. and longitude 1^41' 42" E. of the arsenal at San Bias. On the 11th, in latitude 17" 16 N., our temperature underwent a sensible change, previous to this date the thermometer had ranged between 71° and 73°, but on this day it rose to 82°, and did not fall again below 80° until after we quitted Acapulco. I notice the circumstance in consequence of Captain Hall having experienced precisely the same change in the same sit- uation.* Early in the morning of the 12th March we came within view of the Tetas de Coyuca, two peaked hills, which are considered by seamen the best guide to the port of Acapulco, pnd the next morn- ing came to anchor in the most perfect harbour of its size that can be imagined. The town of Acapulco was now tranquil, two Spanairds only be- ing left in the place, and Montesdeoca having retired to Tulincinga and disbanded his troops by order of the congress. The govern- ment of Acapulco was administered by Don Jose Manuella, a tool of Montesdeoca, who received me in his shirt, seated upon a Guyaquil hammock, in which he was swinging from side to side of the apartment. Having effected our purpose in putting into the port, and taken on board a supply of turkeys and fruit, which are finer here than in any other part of the world with which I am acquainted, we put to sea on the 18tb. On the 29th March we crossed the equator in 99° 40' W., and arrived at Valparaiso on the 29th of April, where we had the gratification to find, that his Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral had been pleased to mark his approbation of our pro- ceedings on our voyage to the northward in 1826, by honouring the Blossom with the first commissions for promotion which had been issued under his Royal Higlmess's auspices. Here also, I found ordero awaiting my arrival to convey to Europe the remmittances of specie, part of which arrived on the 19th May, and on the 20th we proceeded to Coquimbo to take on board the remainder. On the 23d, wher seven leagues S. W. 1-2 W, of this port, we were surprised by the shock of an earthquake, which shook the ship so forcibly, that some nf the seamen imagined the anchor had been let go by accident, aid was dragging- the chain-cable with it to the bottom ; while others supposed the ship had struck upon a shoal. An hour afterwards wo felt a second shock, but much light- er. On our arrival in Coquimbo wo found that these shocks had been felt by the inhabitants and that there had been one the pre- 1' Hall's South America, p. 18'2. ■% 492 VOYAGE TO THE PACIFIC [March, ceding night, which made the churches totter until the bells rang. Several slight shocks were afterwards felt by the inhabitants, who are very sensible o these subterraneous convulsions. We remained several days in this port, which enjoys one of the most delightful cliniates imaginable, where gales of wind are scarce- ly ever felt, and in which rain is a very rare occurrence. Situated between the ports of Valparaiso and of Callao, where the dews alone irrigate the ground, it seems to partake of the advantages of the climates of each, without the inconvenience of the rainy season of the one, or of the heat and enervating qualities of the other. On the 3d June all the specie was embarked, and we put to sea on our way to Brazil ; passed the meridian of Cape Horn on the 30th, ill very thick snowshowers and after much bad weather arrived at Rio Janeiro on the 21st July. Here we received on board the Right Hon. Robert Gordon, ambassanor to the court of Brazil, and after a passage of forty-nine days arrived at Spithead, and on the 12th October paid the ship off at Woolwich. ^ \ In this voyage, which occupied three years and a half, we sailt d seventy-three thousand miles,, and experienced every vicis, /ud of chmate. It cannot be supposed that a service of such dur ' .. and of such an arduous nature, has been performed without the icos of lives, particularly as our ship's company was, from tue commence- ment, far from robust ; and I have to lament the loss of eight by sickness, of four by shipwreck, of one missing, of one drowned in a lake, and of one by falling overboard in a gale of wind ; in a,ll fifteen persons. To individuals nothing probably can compensate for these losses ; but to the community, considering the uncertainty of life under the most ordinary circumstances, the mortality which has at- tended the present undertaking will, I hope, be considered compen- sated by the services which have been performed by the expe- dition. In closing this narrative 1 feel it my duty to the officers employ- ed under my command, particularly to those whose immediate assis- tance I have acknowledged in my introduction, briefly to enumerate these services, as they are of such a nature that they cannot appear in a narrative, and as my professional habits have unquali6ed me for executing, with justice to them, or with satisfaction to my- self, the task of authorship which has devolved upon me as com- mander of the expedition, and which I should not have undertaken had I not felt confident that the candid public would look more to what has been actually done, than to the mode in which the pro- ceedings have been detailed. In the Appendix to the quarto edi- tion I have collected as much information as the nature of the work PT i 1828.] AND BEERING S STRAIT. 493 would admit. Besides the interesting matter which it will be found to contain, the expedition has surveyed almost every place it touched at, and executed plans of fourteen harbours, of which two are new ; of upwards of forty islands, of which six are discoveries ; and of at least six hundred miles of coasts, one fifth of which has not before been delineated. There have also been executed drawings and views of headlands, two numerous to appear in one work j and I hope shortly to be able to lay before the public two volumes of natural history. In taking my leave, it is with the greatest pleasure I reflect that the Board of Admirality again marked the sense they entertained of our exertions, by a further liberal promotion at the close of the expedition. half, we sal'.t d ery vicls *i*'ac such dUi' .: without the loss tkie coramence- ss of eight by 3 drowned in a id ; in a]l fifteen ensate for these ertainty of life J which has at- idered compen- by the expe- *. ■i^'-'-fi- *^~ ly ~ji. ••v-^ ^»-* -J