Celebrated Travels and Travellers

sland-Cumberland, Henry Islands, &c.-Tahiti-Howe, Boscawen, and Keppel Islands-Wallis Island-Batavia-The Cape-The Downs-Discovery of Pitcairn, Osnaburgh, and Gloucester Islands b

scientific expeditions which were to prove so fruitful of

w, the officers, and sailors, are constantly brought face to face with unforeseen difficult

al wars, was it not fully as much owing to this stern training of the British seaman, as to the i

heir preparations appear to have been far too hasty. The Dauphin only anchored in the Downs at the be

t tell what qualities commended him to the Admiralty in preference to his companions in arms, but in any case, the noble lords had no reason to regret their decision. Wallis hastened the nee

oth were most distinguished officers who had just returned from a voyage round the world wit

keel was not studded with nails, which might have served instead of sheathing to protect her from parasites. Again the provisions and marketable commodities were so unequally divi

not get further than the Falkland Isles, but none the less h

lis long to find out that the Swallow was a bad sailer, and that he might anticipate much trouble during hi

a copy of his instructions, and selected Port Famine, in the

n allow his crew to land. Shortly after leaving the Equator, the Prince Frederick gave signs of distress, and it was necessary to send the carpenter on

ordinary appearance, moving in a straight line towards the S.W. with marvellous rapidity. It was visible for al

w and Prince Frederick. A crowd of natives awaited them upon the shore, and received with apparent satisfaction the knives, scissors, and other trifles which it was usual t

feet six inches in height, several were five feet five

these were English feet, wh

s the giants mentioned by previous naviga

eight feet long. They used them like slings, holding one of the stones in the hand, and whirling the other round the head until it attained sufficient velocity, when they threw it towards the object they wished to st

a thousand grimaces before the mirrors, shouted with laughter, and conversed animatedly among themselves. Their attention was attracted by the pigs for a moment, but they were immensely amused with the

a thousan

ed the Swallow to head the squadron for

fruits similar to cranberries and barberries, were to be found in this harbour, and in the course of about a fortnight these remedies completely restored the numerous sufferers from scurvy

not obtainable. At the same time he had hundreds of young trees carefully dug up, and the roots covered in their native soil to facilitate their transpla

e Dauphin and the Swallow. The former taking s

apid currents, heavy seas and fogs, which more than once brought the vessels within an inch of destruction. The Swallow especially, was in such a dilapidated conditio

ble. I am aware that the Swallow is a bad sailer; I will accommodate myself to her speed, and follow her movements, for it is most

reply, but he augured badly fo

s which sent the vessels on to the breakers, a chopping sea, contributed to detain the navigators in the straits until the 10th of April. On that d

ched natives of Tierra del Fuego, and of the general appearance of their country. These wretches,

ur it, beginning at the head and finishing at the tail, without rejecting the bones, fins, scales, or entrails. In fact, these people swallowed everything that was offered to them, cooked or uncooked, fresh or salt, but they refused all drink but water. Their sole covering was a miserable seal-skin reaching to the knees. The

possible to these savages, so nearly allied to brutes. Civilization is a dead letter to them, and they still vegetate like

the height of summer the weather is foggy, cold, and stormy, where almost all the valleys are without verdure, and the mountains

d in spite of dense fogs, and with high wind and such a heavy se

, to which scurvy shortly succeeded. Upon reaching 32° south la

islands were discovered

coa-nuts and anti-scorbutic plants were obtained, but although the English found huts and sheds, they did not meet

nd 137° 56' west longitude. Like the follow

ill-disposed and the coast was so steep, that it was impossible to land. After tacking about all night, Wallis despatc

nished by the sight of two large pirogues with double m

vered several pits full of good water. The soil was firm, sandy, covered with trees, more espec

were beautiful. Some coarse material formed their garment, which was tied round the waist, and appeared to be intended to be raised round the shoulders. In the afternoon, Wallis

o remain in this region for a week, in order to pro

wls. They also noticed boats in course of construction, made of boards joined together. But they were most of all astonished

ts, nails, bottles, and other things as repara

as put into practice upon most occasions. Humanity had made great strides. Difference of colour no longer presented an insuperable barrier to a man's bei

s nor inhabitants were to be found, and it evidently was merely a rendezvous for the hunters and fishers of the neighbouring islands. Wallis therefore decided not to stop. It received the name of Egmont, in honour of Earl Egmont, then chief L

less difficult. His pre-vision was right. As the sun rose upon the 19th, the English sailors were astonished at finding themselves surrounded by pirogues of all sizes, having on board no less than eight hundred natives. After

g palm-leaves as

nimal upon its hind legs preparing to attack him again. Overcome with terror, he jumped back into t

r upon petty thefts. However, only one officer had his hat stolen. The vessel all the time was fol

were sheltered by shady woods, in which flourished graceful clusters of cocoanut-trees. Graduated chains of hills, with wooded summit

of pirogues. Wallis, to avoid a collision, gave the order for the discharge from the swivel gun ab

egarded, threw some sharp stones which wounded a few sailors. But the captains of the boats replied to t

aking soundings, however, was attacked by blows from paddles and sticks, and the sailors were forced to use their weapons. One native was killed, a second severely wounded, and the rest jumped into the water. Seeing that they were not pursued, and conscious that they themselves had been the aggressors

en sea to run with the wind, when all at once Wallis perceived a bay seven or eight miles distant, which he determined t

sounded. It was consequently impossible to cast anchor, or to use the capstan. What course had best be pursued in this critical situation? The vessel beat violently against the rocks, and a host of pirogues waited in expectation of a

ways to be armed. And he ordered guns to be fired. But after one or two rounds the number of pirogues increased, and no

e shot. The natives, after some slight hesitation and disorder, returned to the attack with great bravery; and the captain, noticing the co

s one which appeared to contain a chief, as from it the signal of at

was then towed into port, and so placed as to protect the disembarkation. Lieutenant Furneaux landed at the head of a strong detachment of sailors and marines, and pl

t fortunately Wallis, who was detained on board by severe illness, perceived preparations for a simultaneous attack by land and sea upon the men sent to find wate

them to destroy every pirogue which was hauled up on the beach. More than fifty, many of them sixty feet long, were hacked to pieces. Upon this the Tahitians decided to give in. They brought pi

their stay in the island, now that the natives had once realized the power and effect of the strangers' weapons. Wallis, therefore, ordered a tent to be prepared near the water supply, and disembarked all the sufferers from scurvy, whi

par E.

th. All the responsibility of the expedition fell upon Furneaux, who was quite equal to the task. After a rest

l. The natives, spoilt by the abundance o

eculiar to persons habituated to command, that she was of high station. He presented her with a blue mantle, a looking-glass, and other gewgaws, which she received with an expression of profound contentment. Upon leaving the vessel she invited the captain to land, and to

greatly from the effects of the walk, to relieve himself took off his wig. A sudden exclamation from one of the Indians at this sight, drew general attention to the prodigy, and all fixed thei

en Oberoa, in acknowledgment of her gracious reception

s. She herself distributed them with her own hands to each of her guests, who were sitting and standing all round the house. When this was over, she seated herself upon a

he market was once more fully supplied with provisions, although no l

The English were everywhere well received. They found a pleasant country, densely populated, whose inhabitants appeared in no hurry to sell their c

ater from the boiler into the teapot, turned the tap and received the scalding liquor upon his hand. Finding himself burnt, he uttered most frightful screams, and ran round the cabin making most extravagant gestu

e ship to obtain screws, nails, bolts, and all the bits of iron which united them to the timbers. Wallis treated the offence rigorously, but nothing

at every step the way became more difficult. A peak, distant about six miles from the place of landing, was climbed, in the hope of thus discovering the entire island, even to its smallest recesses. But the view was intercepted by yet higher mountains. On the side towards the sea, however, nothing interfered with the magnificent view which stretched before their gaze, ev

planted, as well as lemon, orange and lime pips, and sowed quantities of vegetable seeds. At the same time he gave the quee

o the last moment, and as it set sail "embraced us," says Wallis, "in the tenderest way, weeping plenteously, and our friends the Tahitians bade us farewell, with so much sorrow, and in so touching a manner, that I felt heavy-hearted, and my eyes

l only enumerate the few following, as we shall have occasion to return t

rust through a hole in the centre, and it recalled the "zarapo" of the Mexicans, and the "poncho" of the South American Indian. The second piece was rolled round the body, without being tightened. Almost all, men and women, tattoo their bo

s of native

e of early

did not understand earthenware vessels. Wallis, therefore, presented the que

that upon entering certain places, which he took to be cemeteries,

y well. Jonathan-so they had named him, was quite proud of his new outfit. To put the finishing touch to his manners, he desired to learn the use o

islands or islets in succession, upon which he did not touch. For example, Charles Saunders, Lord Howe, Scilly, Boscawen,

. Was it wise, under such circumstances, to sail for Cape Horn or the Straits of Magellan? Would it not be running the risk of certain sh

t, and upon the 19th of September, after a voyage which was too for

lities for provisioning, or the temperature of the country, any more than his predecessors. But the sufferers from scurvy recovered in a

d a succession of frightful storms, which tore the sails, reopened the leakage, broke

and, and New Island were recognized, as also, Condor, Timor, Aros, and Pisang, Pulo-Taya, Pulo

gh to state that from Batavia, where the crews took the fever, Wallis proceeded by the Cape, thence to St. Hele

arried out the orders he had received au pied de la lettre. We have seen that he followed with little variation the route traced by his predecessors, in the Pacific Ocean. In fact, nearly

turous enterprise to a successful close. He is equally to be honoured for his humanity and the efforts he made to collect reliable information of the

ay with the

. This separation was most unfortunate for Captain Carteret. He knew better than any of his crew the dilapidated condition of his vessel and the insufficiency of his provisions. In short, he was well aware tha

ther experienced by the Swallow upon the Pacific Ocean (most misleading name), allowed no time for reflection. The dangers

which he had on board, he found it quite insufficient for the voyage he had undertaken. He determin

fury, and the sails being extremely wet, clung round the masts and rigging so closely, that it was impossible to work them. Next day a sudden wave broke the mizen-mast, just where there was a flaw in the sail, and submerged the vessels for a few moments. The storm on

prised at seeing a large number of men upon the shore, and at perceiving a battery of four pieces on

upon the shore interfered with his operations, and it was only with the utmost difficulty that he succeeded in shipping a few casks of water. Some of the crew, who had been forced by the state of the sea to remain on land, kill

f noticing Mas-a-Fuero, corrected many of the errors in the account of Lord

e had counted upon, he determined to seek St. Ambrose, and St. Felix Island, or the island of St. Paul. Now that the Spaniards

ind them. In re-reading the description given by Waser, Davis' surgeon, he thought these two islands were identical with the land met with by that filibuster, in his route to the south of the Galapagos Is

, which we were seeking so carefully. But a stiff breeze rising again, we steered quarter S.W. and reached 28?° southern latitude, from which it follows that if this land or anything answering to it exis

ceive that Davis' Land was but a small island, a spot lost in the immensity of the ocean. As he found no co

h of winter. The sea ran continually high, violent and variable winds, dull, foggy, and cold weather was accompanied by thunder, rain, and snow. No doubt it was owing to the great darkness, and to the

of all, the voyage was continued by day and night in a westerly direction until the 2nd of July. Upon this day land was discovered to the north, and on the morrow, Carteret was sufficiently close to recognize it. It was only a great rock five miles in circumference, covere

latitude, and 145° 34' longitude. It received the n

eatables nor water were found. The sailors caught many birds in their

e despair of all navigators, for the few resources they offered. Carteret thought he recognized Quiros in

hip had sustained, made her progress very slow. Carteret thought it necessary to follo

world. In fact, I had settled in my own mind, if I could find a continent where sufficient provisions were procurable, to remain near its coast until the sun had passed the Equator, then to gain a dista

rue explorer, rather stimulated than intimidated by dang

table. Above all, although Carteret navigated in the neighbourhood of D

yron in his last voyage had passed the northern limits of this portion of the ocean, in which the Solomon Islands are said to be situated, and as I have been my

fresh alarm for the captain arose. A leak was reported, just below the load water-line; it was impossible to stop it, as long as they were in the open sea. By unexpected good fortune land was seen on the morrow. Needless to say what cries of delight, what acclamations foll

pply. The natives were black, with woolly hair, and perfectly naked. They app

ng with mountains and impenetrable forests of trees and shrubs reachin

y presents. He was expressly enjoined not to expose himself to danger, to return if several pirogues advanced against him, not to

oat on shore for water. Some natives attacked

e arrows in his body, and half his crew were so dangerously w

n numbers, and several large pirogues advanced towards his sloop, and he was unable to rejoin it until the very moment when the attack commenced. Pursued by the arrows of the

he arrows of

ly, Carteret heaved his ship down where he was, and efforts were made to stop the leak. If the carpenter, the

usketry from the sloop. Still the sailors worked for a quarter of an hour, when they were attacked by a shower of arr

. The master died of his wounds. Lieutenant Gower was very ill. Carteret himse

le of navigating the Swallow to England,

nchored, Swallow. Although convinced that it was identical with the land named Santa Cruz by the Spaniards, the navigator nevertheless followed the prevailing mania of giving new appellations to all the places he visited. He then coasted the shore for a short distance, and asc

en Charlot

e of early

ll in water as on land, for they are continually jumping from their pirogues into the sea. One of the arrows whi

nd in their possession. The country in general is covered with woo

vering a little low island, which he named Gower, where cocoa-nuts were procurable. Next day he encountered Simpson and Carteret Islands, and a group of new islands which he took to be the Ohang Java, discovered by Tasman; then succes

port, and stopped in various bays, where he obtained water, woo

hat of a chestnut, and boiled it is superior to the best parsnip. We cut it into small strips, and boiled it in

-doves, parroquets, and other unknown birds

dwellings, these islanders were on the lowest rung of the social la

ing to the leak, which the carpenters doctored as well as they could. The sheathing was greatly wo

try in the name of George III., he then despatched one of his boats upon a reconnoitring expedition, wh

time, Carteret, alive to the dilapidated condition of his ship, determined to s

Carteret harbour, the best which he had met

and. This passage he found and named St. George. He describes it in his narrative with a care which should certainly have earned for him the thanks of all his contemporary

shells which they attach to their arms and legs. At the same time, they have adopted a fashion, without which our fashionable men and women are not supposed to be perfectly dressed. They powder their hair or rather the wool on their heads white, from which

nd another land, to which he gave the name of New Hanover,

is time, abounds in precious details, Carteret, a far more able and zealous navigator t

weakened and overcome by the illness to which I had succumbed through the duties which devolved upon me from want of officers. When I could scarcel

ss for several days prevented his coming on deck, and therefore he could not determine their position. He named

the groups they had just explored, these natives were not black, but copper coloured. They had very long black hair, regular features, and brilliantly white teeth. Of medium height, strong and active, they were cheerful and friendly, and came on board fearlessly. One of them even asked permission to ac

ater and provisions, Carteret in vain looked for the bay which Dampier had spoken of as abounding in game. A littl

s of Borneo and Celebes. They entered it on the 14th of November. The vessel then proceede

nds which we could not reach, exposed to tempests which we fo

night. But far from allowing themselves to be cowed by this new danger, the sailors defended

en the Swallow a

ow was in no condition to struggle against this wind and current to reach Batavia by the west. He must t

as thirty-five weeks since the

er, to ask for access to the port in order to secure provisions for his dying crew, and to repair his dilapidated ship, and await the return of the monsoon, not only could he not obtain permission to land, but the Dutch hastened to collect their forces

usal, even his hostile demonstrations, had no other result than the sale o

d procure more plentiful provisions there than in Macassar, from whence they would send him all that he could need. Fearing death

und themselves prohibited from going mor

than a thousand per cent. profit. All the complaints of the English were useless. They were forced to submit during their stay, to a surveillance to the last degree humiliating. It was only on the 22nd of May, 1768, o

d. The town of Macassar is built upon a promontory, and is watered by one or two rivers which cross it or flow in its vicinity. The ground is even a

t. Fowls, and as much rice and fruits as can be wished, are procurable. The woods abound with

itten, they yet contain a certain amount of truth. No incident marked the voyage to Batavia. After several delays, caused by the desire of the Dutch Company to make Carteret giv

umber of English sailors, without which it would have been impossible to regain Europe. Eighty of her original

69, Carteret set out once more, and a little beyond Ascension Island, at which he had touched, he met

Spithead roadstead, after thirty-one months o

important discoveries, under such conditions. If the perils of the voyage, add lustre to his renown, the shame of such a miserable equipment falls