SHIPWRECKS
SHIPWRECKS
and
DISASTERS AT SEA;
NARRATIVES OF THE MOST
idemarlkabU ConSagratúin¿,
MUTINIES,
SíC.
COMPRISING
" THE LOSS OF THE 'WAGER.,"
■" MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY," AND SEVERAL OTHERS.
ENTIRELY UNABRIDGED.
** Truth is strange,
Stranger than fiction."—Lord Byron,
LONDON :
H. G. BOHN, YORK STREET, COVENT GARDEN.
1853.
=í)\0.^
s S5
CONTENTS.
♦
TAUB
I. Wreck of the Seí Venture, an English Tessel,
on the Bermuda Islands (1609) I
II. . A Narrative of the Destruction of the New Horn,
by fire (I6I9) . 16
III. Explosion of a French vessel commanded by the
SiEuR de Montauban, On the coast of Guinea
(1695) 37
IV. Adventures of Philip Ashton, who, after escaping
from pirates, lived sixteen months in solitude on
a desolate island (1723) 51
V. The Hon. John Byron's Narrative of the great
distresses suffered by himself and his com¬
panions on the coast of Patagonia ; with a
description of St. Jago de Chili, and the man¬
ners and customs of the inhabitants ; and a
relation of the loss of the Wager, man-of-war,
one of Admiral Anson's squaaron (from 174U
till 1746) 71
iv
contents.
PAGE
VI. Hardships suffered by part of the crew of the
Wager man-of-war, after their departure from
Wager Island (1741) 159
VII. Adventures of Alexander Campbell, and some
of the officers of the Wager (1741) . . . 167
Vlll. Dangers and distresses of Isaac Morris, a mid¬
shipman of the Wager, and seven companions,
abandoned on the coast of Patagonia (1742). . 175
IX. Famine suffered by the Crew of the American
S.oop Peggy (1765) 197
X. Wreck of the Antelope Packet (1783). . . 205
XI. Captain Bligh's Narrative of the Mutiny of the
Bounty, on a voyage to the South Seas (from
1787 to 1790) 241
Xll. Wreck of the Pandora (1791) 411
XIII. Loss of H. M.'s packet. Lady Hobart, on an
Island of Ice, by Captain Fellowes (1803) . 416
WRECK
OF
THE SEA VENTURE,
aN ENGLISH VESSEL, ON THE BERHODV ISLANDS,
1609.
♦
The following account of a shipwreck, less interesting from
concomitant calamities than from the turbulence of the crew
and its ultimate consequences, is contained in a letter irom
one of those whose safety was endangered. Though we are
unacquainted with his peculiar capacity on occasion of the
voyage, both his experience and intelligence are sufficiently
conspicuous.
"Late on Friday evening, the second of June, our fleet,
consisting of seven good ships and two pinnaces, weighed
anchor from Plymouth Sound, and kept company until the
23d of July. We were, by reckoning, within seven oreight da^'
sail of Cape Henry, on the coast of Virginia, when the ni^t
of Sunday seemed tp announce a storm. On Monday, July
the 24th, St. James's day, the clouds began to thicken around,
and the whistling of the wind, unlike what is usually heard,
induced us to cast US' our pinnace, hitherto totiiedc/astern.
A dreadlul storm commenced from the N.E., which, swelling
and roaring, eis it were by fits, was some hours more violent
than at others, and at length seemed to extinguish all the
light of Heaven, and leave utter darkness. The blackness
of the sky, and the howling of the winds, were such as to
inspire the boldest of our men with terror, for the dread of
death is always more terrible at sea, as no situation is so
entirely destitute of comfort or relief as one of danger there.
The storm continued foui-and-tw enty hours without inter-
B
2
WH|;CK OF THE SEA VEKTÜRE.
mission, and blowing with violence so great that we could not
conceive it possible to admit of any augmentation. But we
found it only more severe and unabating, and appearing as if
one followed another in succession, always with redoubled
fury. It is impossible to express the noise and outcries that
were heard ; and if there were prayers in the heart and on
the lips, they were drowned in the clamours of the people,
and roaring of the thunder. Our sails were close clewed
up ; if we shewed only a reefed foresail to guide the vessel,
SIX and sometimes eight men were not enough to steer her,
which may partly indicate the strength of the gale, in a
manner swelling the sea above the clouds. It did not rain,
but poured ; and the winds seemed to grow more loud and
tumultuous always els the sheets of water fell.
I had been out in storms before on the coast of Barbary,
Algiers, and in the Levant, and once in greater extremity in
a Candian ship on the Adriatic, yet all that I ever experienced,
put together, was not equivalent to this ; for the sudden part¬
ing or oversetting of the vessel was what I every moment
expected. Nor was this all, for a dangerous leak sprung in
the beginning of the storm. Before we were aware, the ship
had discharged the oakum from all her seams ; which is more
hazardous than any other casualty at sea, and the water rose
five feet above her ballast, so that we were almost drowned
within, when expecting destruction from without. This
created indescribable alarm ; the most hardy mariner was
appalled with the prospect of speedy death, unless the evil
could be remedied ; and he who, buoyed up with fortune,
never before felt the sorrows of others, now began to grieve
for himself. All were busily occupied in searching out the
cause of the disaster; with candles in their hands they crept
about the ribs of the ship, narrowly inspecting every corner,
and, at the same time, listening attentively to discover the
place where the water entered. Many leaks were thus found,
and hastily stopped ; but the principal one could not be
discovered. Though the pumps were kept constantly going,
the water still rose ; but, from the quantities of bread brought
up, the leak was conjectured to be in the bread-room, where
the carpenter made a search equally unsuccessful as else¬
where.
I cannot describe the perplexity which this occasioned :
I had little hope or desire of life during the storm, nor can
I tell why we laboured so hard to preserve it. Surely it was
either because a few lingering hours are so dear to mankind,
or because we are taught by nature and Christian knowledge
to struggle for self-preservation.
The leak was at length discovered in the hold, on Tuesday
WRECK OF THE SEA VENTURE.
3
morning, when our governor divided the whole people, being
one htindred and forty men, besides women, into three por¬
tions ; and, opening the ship in three places, under the fore¬
castle, in the waste, and close by the bittack, appointed each
man to his duty. All came regularly to the pumps and
buckets for one hour, and rested the next. I may well say
that men were seen to labour for life ; and the highest among
us, even the governor and admir al themselves, took their turn,
to give an example to the rest. The others stripped them¬
selves naked like galley-slaves, the better to resist the effects
of the salt water, by which they were continually drenched,
and thus toiled three whole days and four nights. All this
time they were destitute of any external comfort, and des
pairing of deliverance, yet testifying how willing they were
to make the greatest exertions, though almost drowning
amidst them.
Once such an immense sea broke over us that it covered
the ship from stem to stern, as if with a sheet of water. For
a time it filled her brim full within, from the hatches up to
the spar-deck. The force of the water d,ashed the man from
the helm, forcing the tiller out of his hand ; and, on his at¬
tempting to recover it, he was tossed from starboard to lar¬
board, in such a manner that it was wonderful he was not
killed. Being driven from his post, another man took it, who
gave up the ship for lost, and called on his comrades fOr
assistance ; the governor was then below at the capstan, en-.
oouraging the men to labour ;—the wave struck him from his
seat, and three other persons, the whole who were around
him, down on their faces. Although the ship was going nine
or ten leagues in a watch, without a rag of sail, her course
was checked, and the vehemence of the shock interrupted
her. Fortunately, amidst so many calamities, every passenger
was able to assist and relieve the men ; and those who had
never known, their whole lives, what it was to work, now
toiled four successive days equally with the strongest.
During this interval the heavens were so much overcast
that it was impossible to make an observation ; for neither
was the sun to be seen by day, nor the stars by night. Our
admiral. Sir George Summers, being on the watch on Thurs¬
day night, observed a little round light, like a faint tremulous
star, streaming along, and sparkling with a blaze, sometimes
shooting from shroud to shroud, and appearing as if about to
settle on some of the fore shrouds, at half the height of the
main-mast. For half the night it kept with us, frequently
rtmning along the main-yard to the very end, and then return¬
ing; but, towards the morning watch. Sir George, and those
around him, by whom it was carefully observed, lost sight if
it, and kue'S' not which way it had gone. a 2
4
WUKCK OF THF, SK,\ V.iiNTURF,.
The superstilious sailors form many presages from this sea-
fire, which, nevertheless, is common in all storms. Perhaps
it is the same which the Greeks in the Mediterranean callee
Castor and Pollux. If only one light appeared without
another, they considered it an evil omen of a great tempest.
The Italians, and others on the Adriatic, call it A Sacred
Body, the Spaniards St. Elmo, and have an authentic and
miraculous legend concerning it. Be it what it will, we had
others prospect of safety or destruction than in its rising or
falling ; could it now have enabled us to take an altitude, we
should have been disposed to consider it miraculous.
But jve ran like men hoodwinked, sometimes N., N.E.,
N. by W., and in an instant again varying two or three points,
and even half the compass. However, we endeavoured as
much as possible to steer E. by S., which was not easy
to do, though the ship was greatly lightened by throwing
many articles over, and staving many casks of beer, oil,
cyder, wine, and vinegar. All our ordnance was hove over
the starboard side, and we proposed to cut away the main¬
mast to lighten her still more. Our men were now ex¬
hausted, their strength and their spirits failed, for they
had laboured from Tuesday to Friday morning, both day and
night, without either sleep or food. The leakage filling the
hold prevented us from getting at beer or fresh water, nor
could fire be lighted in the cook-room to dress any meat,
while our turn at the pumps and buckets, added to grief and
apprehensions, were enough to banish sleep from our eyes.
The quantity of water discharged from the ship was truly
surprising. During all those days, there was not an hour in
which twelve hundred buckets, each containing six or eight
gallons, were not emptied. We had three deep pumps con¬
tinually going ; two below at the capstan, and one above on
the half-deck, and each pump gave at least four thousand
strokes in a watch. Therefore, I may justly affirm that one
hundred tons of water were thrown out every hour ; and that,
from Tuesday noon imtil Friday noon, we discharged two
thousand tons; yet, notwithstanding our utmost exertions,
the ship had ten feet water in the hold, after the second watch
on Tuesday night, and had we ceased a single watch she
would have sunk. On Friday, the fourth morning, little was
wanting to make us determine on shutting up the hatches,
and cominit^ng the vessel to the mercy of the sea, and surely
that night woffld have been our last ; but happily, when least
in expectation, of it, Sir George. Summers discovered, and
cried out, Landl' The morning, now partly spent, was some¬
what clearer tfian^^e preceding days ; and, on steadily
looking out, trees seen on shore moving with the wind.
WRECK OF THE SEA VENTURE.
5
The governor ordered the helmsman to bear up ; and
the boatswain sounding first found thirteen fathom water,
and immediately afterwards struck the ground at seven
fathom, by which time we had got within a müe of the land,
under a point to the south-east, and in water a little smoother.
But having no hopes of being able to save the ship by coming
to anchor, we were undit the necessity of running on shore
as near the land as we could. Therefore, she grounded within
three quarters of a mile of it, when, getting out our boats, by
the mercy of God we landed all the men, women, and children,
to the number of one hundred and fifty.
We now found that we had reached a dangerous and
dreaded island, or rather islands, called the Bermudas, con¬
sidered terrible by all who have touched at them ; and from
the dreadful tempests, thunders, and other alarming events
prevailing, are commonly named the Devil's Islands. Owing
to such dangers, navigators anxiously avoid them.
They are broken islands, to the number of five hundred,
like an archipelago, small, though of irregular size, some
being larger than others, according as time and the sea have
formed a passage through them. All lie in the figure of a
crescent, within the circuit of six or seven leagues at most ;
but it is said that they formerly extended fourteen leagues in
length. Sir George Summers, who carefully coasted the
whole in his boat, ascertained their present extent. Oviedo,
in his History of the West Indies, addressed to the Emperor
Charles V., thus expresses himself : " In the year 1515, when
I first came to inform your majesty of the state of things in
India, I observed, that, in my voyage when to windward of
the island of Bermudas, otherwise called Gorza, being the
most remote of all the islands yet found in the world, I
determined to send some of the people ashore, both to search
for what might be there, and to leave certain hogs upon it to-
propagate. But, on account of a contrary wind, I could not
bring the ship nearer than cannon shot. The island was
twelve leagues in length, sixteen in breadth, and about thirty
in circuit." The main-land, or largest of them, may now be
about sixteen miles in length.
These islands are often visited with great tempests, attended
with thunder, lightning, and rain, of excessive violence, which
have so severed and torn down the rocks, and hurried whole
quarters of islands into the main sea, some as far as six or
seven leagues, that there is no small danger among them ;
and it is likely that, in time, the whole will be swallowed up.
Dreadful storms rage there generally once in the full and
change of every moon, when they rather thunder than blow
from every quarter. They chiefly prevail while the circle
6
■\VnECK OF THE SEA VENTU1;E.
called a halo is seen about the moon, which frequently ap¬
peared of immense diameter and breadth : nor have I seen it
one-fourth of the size elsewhere. About the twentieth of
March, I observed the largest in the evening, followed by the
brightest flash of lightning, and loudest clap of thunder, that
ever, I believe, astonished mortal man.
In August, September, and October, we had hot weather,
and in the beginning of December quantities of hail : the
weather is winter or summer there, according to the winds
that blow. During the three winter months, December,
January, and February, the winds kept at N. and N.W.,
which were cold quarters, and then it was very dretary and
melancholy ; they were not more rough in March, when the
birds bred, and, indeed, I think that they breed there most
months of the year ; for in September and at Christmas I
saw young birds.
The sea is so full of breakers that it is impossible, without
being acquainted with the navigation, to bring in a boat of
only ten tons' btirden, though there are many harbours where
the largest vessels may safely ride landlocked. There is only
one side which a vessel may approach with any hope of safety,
and on that we were fortunately cast, otherwise not one of us
would have got ashore, in the state of the weather that then
prevailed.
There are no level ground, valleys, or fresh rivers in the
island, neither did we see any venomous animals. Diflerent
species of fruits are found, and some high and sweet-smelling
woods, of various colours, black, yellow, and red. The
shores are plentifully stored with flsh, five thousand of which,
I may venture to say, were taken at one haul of the seine.
I need not describe the number of whales we have seen close
to the shore, sometimes followed by the sword-fish 'and
thrasher, to our great amusement ; the former of which would
pierce the whale in the belly with its sword, when sinking in
the sea, and when escaping upwards, from the pain of its
wounds, the thrasher would beat it above water with its large
fins like flails.
There were great numbers of birds, some very tame, and
among them a kind of web-footed fowl, like a green plover
or sea-gull, which was not seen all summer, but only in the
nights of November and December, when it comes abroad
to feed. Flocks, collecting together, breed in the islands so
far in the sea that the wild hogs cannot swim over to them,
and they burrow in the ground, like rabbits in a warren,
though not so deep. With a fire-brand, in a dark night, we
have taken three hundred in an hour.
If the men, standing by the beach, made a great shouting
WIIFX'K OF THE SEA VENTURE.
7
and noise, the birds would flock around, ansrvering it, and
settle on their heads and arms. They are so numerous in
some islands that a boat's crew could bring home suflScient
to serve the whole company from their burrows. From their
hooting and blindness through the day we called them the
sea-owl.
Thousands of wild hogs are also in the island, which were
first discovered by a huge wild boar, following our swine that
had been saved from the wreck, when they returned home
from straying in the woods. This animal was caught in a
noose ; but afterwards, when our more important concerns
admitted it, the people, with the ship dog only, would go into
the woods and bring us thirty, or even fifty, boars, swine, and
pigs, alive, in a week : these were seized and held by the dog
until the hunters came up. We kept them in good condition,
by feeding, and they were killed when turtle could not be
procured on account of bad weather. Turtle was greatly
relished by our company ; one would go farther than half a
dozen hogs, and feast a dozen messes well, allowing six to
each mess. It is such a kind of meat as a man can neither
absolutely call fish nor flesh ; the animal keeps chiefly in
water, feeding on sea-grass like a heifer, in the bottom of the
coves and bays, ahd the females lay their eggs, of which we
found five hundred at a time on opening a she turtle, in the
sand of the shore. They are there covered close up, and left
to be hatched by the sun.
Being a little settled after landing, we constntcted our long¬
boat like a pinnace, so far as the place and conveniences
would admit, fitting her with a small deck, formed of the
hatches of our wrecked ship. We then gave her six oars,
and sails, and entreated Henry Bavens, our master's mate,
to make a voyage to Virginia, which, from reckoning, we
conceived to be one hundred and forty leagues distant. He
accordingly departed from Gates Bay, on Monday, 28th of
August, along with six seamen, and Thomas Whittingham,
our Cape merchant ; but, to our great surprise, returned, on
the night of the following Wednesday, being unable to clear
the island on account of shoals and breakers, notwithstanding
the boat drew only twenty inches of water.
On Friday, the first of September, he again put to sea,
promising, if he lived, and arrived in Virginia, to return, the
next new moon, with the pinnace belonging to the colony.
Instructions were given here to preserve a careful watch, and
light up fires prepared as beacons to guide him in. But two
moons passed away, and many a long and anxious look was
cast in vain for his return.
During the mate's absence. Sir George Summers coasted
8
■WllECK OF THE SEA VENTURE.
the whole islands, and drew a map of them, and daily fished
and hunted for our whole company, until the 27th of Novem¬
ber ; then, satisfied that we were not likely to hear from
Virginia, and, apprehending that a pinnace, building by
Richard Frobisher, oilr carpenter, would not be of sufiicient
burthen to transport all our men thither, especially considering
the season of the year, he proposed that the governor should
give him two carpenters of the four we had, such as they
were, whom he would take, along with twenty men, over to
the main island ; there he should quickly fit up another little
bark to assist the first in transporting the people.
The governor readily granted all he required ; and Sir
George, having got spare tools and other things requisite,
carried twenty of the stoutest men with him, by whose as¬
sistance he completed a small vessel as soon as ours.
Meantime that we also laboured at the construction of a
pinnace, the governor's example animated the rest to düigence
and exertion. Had it not been for his qualifications, and
proper exercise of authority, most of us would have spent our
days in the island.
Unhappily, however, dangerous and secret discontents,
chiefly commencing with the seamen, but gradually spreading
among the landsmen also, began to be fermented, and threat¬
ened to be productive of blood and mischief. The principal
source of disquiet arose from representations " that nothing
but wretchedness and labour, attended with many wants,
were to be expected in Virginia ; that the same abundance of
provisions which could here be obtained without watching,
and consumed without wasting, could not be found there ;
and at the one place there would be harsh command, while,
in the other, were ease and enjoyment. Besides, since they
were, for a qprtain time, to be absent, both from their frieni
and country, it was as good, nay, better, to take up their
abode where they should have the fewest external wants."
These sentiments, preached and published by the people to
each other, though by those who had never seen Virginia,
created such murmurs, discontent, and dissension, that, in¬
stead of forwarding that labour which was to be the means
of our redemption, every one wrought on his neighbour to
seduce him from his duty.
On the first of September, a conspiracy was discovered, in
which there were six ringleaders, who had made » mutual
engagement not to set their hands to any operation which
might further or advance the building of the pinnace. Each
had, according to his engagement, separately endeavoured to
seduce the smith from his work, and also one of the car¬
penters, Nicholas Bennet, a man who made great professions
WRECK OF THF. SF.A VENTURE. 0
pf Scripture, but a mutinous and dissembling impostor.
'1 heir object was to persuade the people to make a settlement
in the woods in the meantime, and afterwards, leaving our
island, to occupy another by themselves. But, their intentions
being discovered, they were condemned, though without smith
or carpenter, to the same punishment which they themselves
had chosen ; for they were conducted to an island, far remote
from others, and left upon it.
The names of these seditious persons were, John Want,
the ringjleader of the whole, who was both mutinous, and a
sectary in point of religion, very devout and frequent in his
own prayers, but hardly drawn to those performed in public,
whence he was often compelled to the common Liturgy and
form of prayer ; and his confederates were Christopher Carter,
Francis Pierrepoint, William Brian, William Martin, and
Richard Knowles.
But they soon missed their comforts ; besides the society of
their acquaintances, if it did not create repentance in some of
them, at least excited regret that their numbers were so
small, and sorrow at their proscription. Thus, on many
humble petitions being sent to the governor, full of apparent
contrition, he was induced to remit their punishment.
Yet this could not be a warning to others, who began more
insidiously to shake the foundations 'of our peace and tran¬
quillity. Stephen Hopkins, a fellow of considerable know¬
ledge in the Scriptures, who had been chosen by our minister
as clerk, to read the psalms and chapters on Sundays, to the
people assembled, leagued with Samuel Sharp and Humphrey
Reed, on the 24th of January, alleging, by arguments both
civil and divine, that it was no breach of honesty, conscience,
nor religion, to decline the authority of the governor. He
urged that, in point of conscience, even the meânest must be
sensible how much feach was bound to provide for himself
and his wnoie family, whence there were two evident reasons
for remaining here : first, by God's providence, abundance of
food ; secondly, the prospect that, in a reasonable time, they
might grow weary of it, and then build a small bark with the
help of Nicholas Bennet, who, although now absent assisting
Sir George Summers, they insinuated, was of the conspiracy.
By such means they might get free of this country when they
pleased ; but, if they went to Virginia, they should assuredly
want provisions, and might well apprehend that they would
be detained there, by the autliority of the commander, and
thenceforth ever be bound to serve the purposes of the
adventurers.
Sharp and Reed, however, disclosed the conspiracy, on
which the governor ordered Hopkins to be seized and brought
10
WRECK OF THE SEA VENTURE.
out in irons before the whole people ; where, after hearing his
accusation, he was allowed to plead an exculpation to every
particular fact laid to his charge. It was proved, neverthe
less, that he was the ringleader and promoter of the mutiny ;
and the general opinion was that his life should atone for the
offence : therefore the governor, by a court martial, sentenced
him to that punishment which rebellion deserves. But he
behaved with such penitence, made so much lamentation, and
so pathetically deplored the ruin of his wife and children,
which would be the consequence of his trespass, that com¬
passion was excited in all the higher orders of our company.
Thus they repaired to the governor, and besought him to
pardon the culprit, which, after much entreaty, he consented
to do.
Though we had escaped the calamities of the sea, and now
enjoyed so many blessings on shore, it may easily be con¬
ceived to what extremity such dangers and disquiets would
have reduced us, had we wanted a goternor capable of sup¬
pressing them.
Another conspiracy was again formed, in which even his
life was threatened.* Those at the bottom of "it presumed to
suppose that he neither had authority to inflict the punish¬
ment that offences required, nor durst put his sentence into
execution ; and they went so far as to persuade themselves
that, if they should be surprised before their plans were ripe,
they should then suffer as martyrs.
The intent of these mutineers was to make themselves
masters of the storehouse, and carry from it either provisions,
arms, sails, and oars, or whatever else had been saved from
the wreck of the ship. But, as lawless and inconsiderate
attempts are in general imperfectly /ramed, both from the
nature of the precautions used to prevent discovery, and from
the ignorance of the contrivers themselves, we were apprised
of the views of the conspirators.
Some of those engaged in the plot seceded from their con¬
federates, disclosed its principles, and the names of all who
were to be actors. Thenceforth every man was commanded
to wear his weapon, and advised to be on his guard, because,
while his next neighbour could not be trusted, his own life
was not in safety. This we were induced to do, from the^
associates in the new conspiracy being dispersed ip different
parts, some with ourselves, but the principal promoters absent
with Sir George Summers : indeed, his whole detachment
were involved in it. Thence, being unable to apprehend the
prime agents, we kept a strict watch over them.
The sentinels and night-guards were doubled, and all the
avenues carefully overlooked, by which means further at-
"WRECli OF THE SEA VBNTÜBÉ. 11
tempts were repressed until the 13th of March, Avhen one
Henry Paine, a gentleman, who, full of mischief, and hourly
deTising something or other, abstracted swords, tools, and the
like, to suit his own evil ends. On being called by the
captain to attend the night-watch in his turn, he not only
insulted but struck him ; and, on being prevented from closing
with him, abandoned his post with contumelious expressions
respecting the governor. These words, after becoming the
subject of common conversation, were reported to" the go¬
vernor, who considered them, and his whole conduct, of the
most dangerous example and tendency. Therefore, having
summoned Paine, who was already one of the conspirators,
to his presence, and convicted him before the whole colony,
he condemned him to be instantly hanged. After the ladder
was prepared, the culprit, having made many confessions,
earnestly requested that, as he was a gentleman, he might be
shot : which request being granted, he was put to death at
sun-set.
The bark, on which Sir George Summers was engaged,
was now in considerable forwardness, and, as we supposed,
would soon meet ours at a fresh-water lake, where both were
to be moored until being completely rigged, and wind serving,
we should set sail together. On the 18th of March, his party,
hearing of Paine's death, apprehendecb he had impeached
them, and, by general consent, forsook their labour to escape
into the woods. But their apprehensions were unfounded,
for he had kept their secret. It was supposed, also, that they
conceived they should enrich themselves by fishing peails,
which are found in these seas in as great abundance as in
any of the Indian islands, though neglected by other nations,
on account of the dangers of the place. Whatever it was,
they sent an audacious petition to the governor, not only
asking his permission to remain where they were, but im¬
portuning him to perform other conditions, and, in particular,
not to evade his own promises, to furnish each man with two
suits of apparel yearly, and contribute as much meat for a
whole year at once as they now had weekly.
The governor, immediately on this, desired Sir George
Summers to make particular exertions, in reclaiming the
people to their duty, and promised them a free jiardon, on
acknowledgment of their error.
Sir George succeeded in persuading the whole, excepting
two, to^eturn. But these, whose names were Christopher
Carter and Robert Waters, remained refractory, and, knowing
that Sir George had commanded his men to seize them by
force, since persuasion failed, grew so cautious and wary
that they avoided their own comrades, and he was under the
12
WRECK OP THE SEA VENTURE.
necessity of leaving them behind. Waters was a sailor, who,
on our first coming to the island, murdered one of his
messmates.
Our pinnace was now far advanced. On the 28th of August
we had laid her keel, and now, on the 26th of February, we
began to caulk. A sufficient quantity of oakum was procured
Jroin old cables ; one barrel of tar, and another of pitch, had
been preserved. We likewise breamed her over with lime
made of whelk shells, and a hard white stone burnt in a kiln,
slaked with fresh water, and tempered with tortoises' oil.
On the 13th of March she was towed out, with the morning
spring-tide, from the wharf where she was built. The safety
of the pinnace had been endangered, from all the shores and
piles supporting her frame being nearly carried away by a
heavy surf from the N.W., while she was hardly put together.
We saved her with very great difficulty ; and afterwards built
a solid bulwark of a hundred load of stones, brought from
the neighbouring rocks and hills, around her, pointed before
to break the force of the water. To be nearer some ponds
and wells of fresh water, and also to get more easily to sea, we
carried her to a small round island immediately behind the
one of our own residence.
The pinnace was forty feet in the keel, and nineteen feet
broad in the beam, and chiefly built of cedar ; though, being
false in the heart and brittle, it is bad for shipping, as it will
not cut into good planks. Her beams were all of oak, saved
from the wreck, and some planks of her bow also of the same
timber. She was about eighty tons' burden, and we named
her the Deliverance.
During the whole period of our residence in these islands,
two sermons were preached every Sunday by the chaplain,
chiefly on thankfulness and unity ; and all repaired to prayer
each morning and evening, besides, on the ringing of a bell.
The roll was then called, and those absenting themselves
punished. In the course of that time there was an oppor¬
tunity of performing both baptism and marriage.
Five of the ship's company were buried, one of whom had
been murdered by Robert Waters : he was struck under the
ear with a shovel, which proved fatal. But the perpetrator
was immediately seized, and condemned to be hanged next
day. He was therefore bound fast to a tree with ropes, to
secure him all night, and a guard of five or six men appointed
10 watch him. His fellow sailors, however, availing them¬
selves of the sentinels' falling asleep, and unwilliag that
justice should be done on a sailor, and one of their crew be
punished as an example to others, cut his bonds asunder, and
conducted him into the woods There they secretly fed him
WRECK OF THE BEA VEKTURE.
13
night and day, until the governor, through the mediation of
Sir George Summers, afterwards gave him a respite.
Before quitting our old quarters, and carrying the pinnace
to the fresh water, our govémor fixed a cross, made of the
wood of the wreck, to a great cedar tree, in memory of our
deliverance. A silver coin, with the king's head, was placed
in the middle of it, and an inscription engraven on copper
put up, purporting what had happened ;—" That the cross
was the remains of a ship of 300 tons, called the Sea Venture,
bound, with seven more, to Virginia : That she contained two
knights. Sir Thomas Gates, governor of the colony, and Sir
George Summers, admiral of the Seas, who, together with
her Captain, Christopher Newport, and 150 mariners, and
passengers besides, had got safe ashore, when she was lost,
28th July, 1609."
Sir George Summers brought his pinnace, called the
Patience, to the main island, about the last of April. She
was of nine-and-twenty feet keel, fifteen and a half in the
beam, and drew six feet water. Early on the 10th of May,
Sir George Summers and Captain Newport put off in their
long boats, to set buoys in the channel through which we
should pass, for the distance fi:om rocks of one side and shoals
on the other was only three times the length of the pinnace.
On that day, about ten in the morning, we set sail with an
easy breeze at south, the long-boat having the pinnace in
tow ; yet, just on reaching a buoy, we struck a rock to
starboard, over which it fioated ; and, had it not been a soft
rock, which the vessel bore before her and crushed to pieces,
I think, after all our ten months' labour, we should have been
obliged to return. But, while we all stood confounded, the
coxswain, Walsingham, with great spirit, bore the vessel out
in three' and half fathom water. That and the next day the
wind was fair, which enabled us, to our great joy, to get clear
of the islands. During seven days we held a northerly
course, the wind sometimes fair, and sometimes faint and
adverse : in which run we twice parted company with Sir
George Summers, though still dispensing with our main-top¬
sail and our fore-course also.
We knew that we were not far from land on the 17th of
May, from the water changing colour, and things swimming
past the vessel ; and, sounding on the 18th with the deep sea
lead, we found nineteen fathom and a half water, with a
stony sandy bottom. About midnight we were sensible of a
charming odour from the land, reseiiibling that from the coast
of Spain, near the Straits of Gibraltar ; and, in the morning, a>
day-break, descried two hummocks to the southward, from
which the land stretched northward to Cape Henry.
14 WRECK OF THE SEA VENTURE.
On Iho morning of Monday, the 2l3t, we came within two
miles of Cape Comfort, when the captain of the fort dis¬
charged a warning-piece, which brought us to an anchor, and
we sent off our long-boat to inform him who we were. This
is a small fortification, built by our people last year, and
^called Fort Algernon, by Captain Percy, the commander.
On the same day of our arrival there was a dreadful storm of
thunder, lightning, and rain.
We now learnt that most of the fleet bound from England
for Virginia arrived in safety ; but we could obtain no intel¬
ligence of the boat which we had sent from the Bermudas.
However, fbom what we collected from the savages, par¬
ticularly Powhatan, an Indian chief, we conjectured that her
crew had missed the landing point, and, being surprised, were
all cut off.
The colony was in a distressed condition ; the buildings
going to waste, and the scarcity of provisions daily increasing.
In a short time, hardly sixty, of six hundred, survived ; and
it was at length deemed expedient to evacuate the settlement.
Indiscretion in the management, added to the bad conduct of
the colonists, produced these evils : to which may be added
the jealousy of the natives, and the unexpected failure of
commodities, that were expected to be easily obtained. Of
this latter description was fish, which, instead of being
abundant, could by no means be procured.
All the arms, stores, and people, were therefore embarked
in vessels, which set sail on the 7th ; but, next afternoon,
unexpectedly falling in with Lord Delaware, who had been
sent from England to take the government, the intentions of
the colonists were altered, and the settlement established
anew."
The Bermuda Islands first received their name firom a
Spaniard, John de Bermudas, by whom they were seen in the
year 1503. But, from the preceding incidents, tlie Englisli
have called them Somers' Islands, frequently corrupted to the
Summer Islands.
Sir George Somers, some time after arriving in Virginia,
returned thither in quest of provisions, where he died, and a
monument in commemoration of him was, in 1619, erected
in one of the islands, by future settlers.
As the Bermuda Islands presented inviting prospects for
the success of a colony, it was not long subsequent to the
shipwreck above-narrated that the English found it expedient
to establish themselves there. In 1725, George Berkeley,
■WnEOK OF THB SEA VENTURE.
15
Bishop of Cloyne, proposed erecting a seminary on some cif
these islands, hoth for the instruction of youth and the propa-
gation of Christianity among the savage American tribes.
Accordingly, a royal charter was granted, and £20,000 de-
voted to its use by the British government ; but, after Bishop
Berkeley, then Dean of Kerry, had passed over to America
with the design of putting his benevolent purpose in execution,
certain circumstances rendered it abortive. The Bermuda
Islands now form part of our West India possessions ; but,
from their limited extent, and the prevalence of violent hurri.
canes, are not very productive.
A NARRATIVBi
of the
DESTRUCTION
of
THE NEW HORN,
by fire, 1619.
The following narrative, of the destniction of the New Horn,
is by her commander, William Ysbrants Bontekoe, a Dutch¬
man, one of the survivors of the awful catastrophe.* Perhaps
the most awful and terrific shape in which shipwreck can ap¬
pear is fire ; where the unfortunate victims have no alternative
but seeking death in one element to avoid it in another.
I sailed from the Texel, as captain of the New Horn, a
vessel of 1100 tons' burden, with a company of 206 men, on
the 28th of December 1618. On the evening of the 30th,
we were in sight of Portsmouth, and passed Plymouth on the
following day, with an east wind. On the first of January
1616, we left the English coast ; and a strong gale, rising from
the south-west on the 4th, obliged us to lower our topmasts ;
but the night proving still more stormy, we reduced all sail
and drove before the wind. Three heavy seas broke over the
vessel, covering the deck with water, and the sailors, in their
dread, exclaimed, "We are sinking, we are sinking, the porta
beforeare open'." Hearing these words, I ran to the forecastle,
where, finding the ports down, I encouraged them, by crying
aloud they had nothing to fear : and a man who had been sent
* The copy from which the account is translated is entitled, Le Voyage
de Guillavme Ysbrants Bontekoe aiue Indes Orientales^ ou les romps de
Vent, dont ü s'est servi dans les routes qu' il a tenues sont décrits par
Juumal' Amsterdam, 1681.
BURNING OF THE NEW HORN.
17
below to the hold reported that there was no water there.
Speedy exertions were made to clear the ship of water ; hut
the chief source of embarrassment arose from the seamen's
chests floating between decks, which it was necessary to break
in pieces to facilitate the work. The tempest still continued
during several successive days, with such incredible fury that
we believed heaven and earüi were about to meet, and the sea
was covered by fire. By straining of the shrouds, and the
great rolling of the vessel, the mainmast was carried away
about five fathoms above the deck. The first effects of this
disaster induced us to believe that the whole was gone, in
which case it would have proved impossible to prosecute our
voyage : but, allowing the vessel to drive, we resorted to tem¬
porary expedients, and secured the remainder of the main¬
mast and rigging on the 20th of January, when the storm
abated.
Directing our course towards the Canary Islands, a vessel
came in sight a-stern, crowding all sail to come up with us ;
we therefore lay to, when she proved to be the New Zealand,
on a voyage from Flessingen to the East Indies. She had
suffered nothing from the tempest ; and we now endeavoured
to keep company with her, though scarce able to hoist enough
of sail.
On the 23d another vessel came in sight, which, on nearing,
we recognised to be the New Enkhuysen, one that had sailed
from Holland at the same time with ourselves for India.
Keeping company, we came in sight of the Canary Islands,
and thought to obtain some refreshments at St. Anthony's ;
but, the fogs preventing us from discovering that island, our
course was altered, and we arrived at Fogo.
There having cast anchor, we set about refitting the ship,
and sent a boat towards the shore, which was saluted by some
shot from the Spaniards, signifying that we should not he per¬
mitted to land. A cloud of dust, like white ashes, at this time
rose from the shore, and, overspreading the vessel, stuck so
close as to be with difficulty removed ; but, after clearing it
off, we weighed anchor and set sail.
Meanwhile the other two vessels parted company, and some
time elapsed before they rejoined the New Horn ; when they
did so, they related that, having landed on the Isle of May
to obtain refreshments, they were opposed by the Spaniards,
and obliged to retire without any thing, after losing two
men.
Calms were experienced under the line, with slight showers,
and occasionally baffling winds ; or sometimes the wind would
shift round all the points of the compass ; so that we were
detained three weeks, unable to get into the southern latitudes.
0 3
18
BURNING OF THE NEW HORN.
Though calms were chiefly prevalent through the day, at night
the sea was agitated, and the waves beating against the ship
shone as if illuminated by fire.
The wind being in the south-east, we now kept a good look¬
out, and endeavoured to pass the Abrolhos to windward, which,
aftër seeing the outermost rocks, we happily accomplished by
the favour of God, to our great satisfaction. On the same day
double allowance was served out, and a pint of Spanish wine
to each man, and then we stood towards the islands of Tristan
D'Acunha. By observation we found ourselves in the same
latitude ; nevertheless, we passed them without coming in
sight, and were then, by the wind shifting, obliged to endea¬
vour to make the Cape of Good Hope. On this course we
saw some sea-fowl, spotted with black, a sure indication of
its vicinity, and caught several by an implement to which a
little bell was attached. But a more certain proof of the
vicinity of that part of Africa still is when there is no varia¬
tion of the needle, and then the navigator may look out for
land. However, the weather proving tempestuous, it was
resolved, by the ship's council, to pass without touching at
the Cape ; and, accordingly, having plenty of provisions, and
the crew being in good health, we ranged along the coast of
N atal. We had now been out flve months, aud the Enkhuysen
being destined for the coast of Coromandel, took leave of us
and the other vessel, meaning to pass south of the island
of Madagascar, and then get refreshments at Mayóte. The
New Zealand also parted company in a short time after,
steering two points farther to the north, when we made the
best of our way for Madagascar.
By an observation, subsequent to this separation, we fotmd
otirselves in 23° of south latitude, at which time great sickness
prevailed in the ship ; forty were confined to their hammocks,
and many more complaining : therefore, the cotincil deter¬
mined to steer for St. Losie Bay in Madagascar. On ap¬
proaching the island, we could get no secure anchorage, on
which account I myself went off in the long-boat in quest of
it ; but the surf beat so heavy on the shore that we durst not
land. Some of the natives were seen walking along the
beach, and one of the boat's crew swam ashore to speak to
them. However, although they pointed to places farther
down the coast, as if suitable for landing, we were uncertain
of tlxeir meaning ; and, not having any prospect of obtaining
fresh provisions, we returned on board, to the great distress of
our sick people, and, hoisting sail, bore away.
The number of sick daily augmented, and several having
died, the survivors sent some of the officers to my cabin,
humbly reque.sting that we should make for land. Thus we
BURNING OF THE NEW HORN.
resolved to attempt gaining either the island of Mauritius or
that of Mascarenhas. Steering on a course between them, as
they are not far asunder, we came in sight of the east coast
of the latter, and there anchored in forty fathoms, near the
shore.
The sick having understood that the long-boat which had
been dispatched to the island had returned with a quantity
of turtle, they requested to be sent ashore, saying that they
should certainly recover from the goodness of the air ; but
Heyn-Rol, the supercargo, would by no means consent to it,
afiSrraing that it was dangerous, from the roughness of the
sea. Nevertheless, they persisted in their entreaties, and
anxiously solicited me to send them ashore, whereupon I
myself asked Heyn-Rol, whether he would agree to it, and
received a negative. 1 told him, however, that I should do
so, and be responsible for the consequences ; and the seamen
assisted the sick down into the boats. Accordingly I supplied
them with a sail for a tent, oil, vinegar, and kitchen utensils,
and also two cooks to make ready their provisions. No sooner
had they landed than they rolled themselves on the grass,
believing that they reaped immediate benefit. Better anchor¬
age, however, being obtained in a fine sandy bay, the sick,
forty in number, were re-embarked, and the vessel, having
weighed, cast anchor five leagues farther along the coast,
where they were again landed.
Here we found a number of blue pigeons on the trees, so
tame that they suffered us to catch them with our hands, and
we killed and roasted two hundred the first day. Many other
birds were also procured, such as grey-paroquets, wild-geese,
and penguins, which, having only stumps of wings, cannot fly.
It was entertaining on catching a paroquet, or any such bird,
and making it cry, to see the rest of its kind flock round to
defend it, and thus allow themselves to be caught. Turtle
were besides so plentiful, twenty-five lying under a single tree,
that we took as many as we chose.
A number of people were sent ashore in order to obtain
fresh provisions, and eight, detached on a fishing party, ob¬
tained all kinds of good fish, some as large as a salmon. We
conveyed our casks to a small fresh water river, whose banks
were covered with trees in regular order, presenting a beautiful
perspective view all along its course ; nothing in the world
could be more delightful In this place was found a wooden
plank, with an inscription, bearing, that Captain Adrian
Maerts Block had been there with a fleet of thirteen vessels ;
on sending his boats ashore they were overwhelmed by the
surf, and their crews drowned. During our residence the
sea was very moderate.
On this, which proved to be an uninhabited island, our
20
BURNING OF THE NEW HORN.
people procured abundant supplies of birds, and also fishes
from another river. They took off their shirts, and, stretching
them across the river like a net, caught a number of large and
excellent eels. It was amusing to observe the turtle every
morning crawl out of the sea, and, scraping a hole in the sand
to lay their eggs, leave them to be hatched by the sun ; when
this was accomplished, the young ones, not larger than a nut,
were seen coming out of the holes and running along the
beach.
From palm trees a mild and agreeable liquor was extracted ;
and we saw some ghats, which were so wild that only an old
one could be caught, whose flesh was bad eating.
All these things contributed to the convalescence of the
sick, and the whole, excepting seven, were able to return to
the vessel ; the others were left until we should be ready to
sail. On their arrival, we re-fitted the ship without and wi¿in,
the ports were opened for admission of the air, and the whole
fumigated with vinegar.
John Peter of Horn, the first pilot, who was sent ashore for
the casks left on the banks of the river, brought great store of
birds ; but, now being more difBcult to be taken than before,
his gun in firing at them burst, by which he lost an eye.
Every thing being ready for the voyage, the drum beat for
the return of the people, and we set sail. Though we had
been twenty-one days on the island, some sick were still
among us, whence we were induced to bear away for the
island of Mauritius ; but, getting too much to windward, we
found ourselves unable to beat up.
Having still a long voyage before reaching Batavia or
Bantam, the ship's council resolved to steer for St. Mary's
Island, which lies right opposite the Bay of Antongil, in the
Island of Madagascar. Coming in sight of it, we stood to the
west, coasting around the island in six, seven, and eight fathoms
water, as clear as crystal, and in which we distinctly saw the
bottom.
We were soon observed by the natives, who came on board
in a small canoe, hollowed out of the trunk of a tree, bringing
us apples, citron, rice, and poultry. Unable to understand our
language, they imitated the crying of cattle, sheep, and poultry,
signif)ring that we should have them if we chose. We viewed
these people with great admiration ; they were almost entirely
naked, of a yellowish brown colour, produced by the oil with
which they rub themselves, as a preservative against the heat
of the sun. On presenting them with a large cup full of wine,
they put their whole head within it, drinking in the manner
of beasts, for they know not how to drink like us ; but the
fumes of the liquor beginning to operate made them behave
BURNING OP THE NEW HORN.
21
SO as to afford us much diversion. We went daily ashore to
traffic with them, exchanging bells, spoons, and knives, for
cattle, sheep, rice, and milk. What they brought of the
latter was contained in baskets made of leaves, so closely
interwoven that it was drawn off by a hole pierced through.
After remaining here several days we shifted our station ;
but, supplies falling short, the council resolved that 1 should
go in the long boat to Madagascar. Landing there, we had at
first little better success ; we then rowed up a river until the
meeting of the branches of the trees growing on its banks
obliged us to desist, and staid three days without seeing either
men, beasts, or fruit. Thus we returned to St. Mary's Island,
and carried what provisions we could procure on board. All
our people were now in perfect health; among them we had
a man who played on the violin before the natives, which
seemed to put them altogether beside themselves. They
gazed on him with wonder, surrounded him, leaping and
dancing, with a thousand other monkey tricks, which gave us
more entertainment than I can well describe.
These people have no knowledge of a deity ; but before
their houses they had the heads of oxen stuck on poles, to
which they kneeled and prostrated themselves in adoration
We attempted to give them some instruction in our religion,
but, not seeing any likelihood of success, we desisted, and
returned on board.
After heeling the vessel, to clean her bottom, we set sail,
standing for the Straits of Sunda.
On the 19th of November, we had reached the latitude of
the Straits, which lie 5° 30' south of the line, when I was
suddenly alarmed with a cry of " Fire." Then walking on
deck, I looked down the hatchways, where I could discover
nothing except the steward pouring water into a cask. But, I
quickly repaired thither, asking him where the fire was, on
which he pointed to the cask, and I thrust in my arm without
being sensible of any thing like fire. It appeared, however,
that the steward had gone down with a candle to fill his keg
with brandy, that a small glass might be served out to each
person next morning according to custom. While thus occu¬
pied, h'e had thrust his candle into the hole of a cask on a tier
above whence he drew the spirits, and. in removing it, a spark
from the wick fell exactly into the bung-hole of the other.
The water he had poured in prevented me from discovering
the fire, and, considering it extinguished, 1 returned to the deck.
The fact unluckily proved otherwise ; and the flames, rapidly
reviving, blew out the ends of the cask, when, still more un¬
fortunately, the fire, reaching a heap of coals which had been
stowed under the cask, kindled them. A second alan,- of
22
BÜKNING OP THE NEW HORN.
fire ensued, and all hands ran hastily to the place, making
great ertertions to get it under, which was extremely difficult
to be accomplished, as there were four tier of casks above
each other. Besides, another embarrassment confounded us,
for such a thick and sulphureous smoke arose from the wet
coal that those at the bottom of the hold were almost suffo¬
cated, and could scarce find the hatchways. In this emergency,
I proposed to Heyn-Kol, the supercargo, that we should throw
the powder overboard, but he refused to consent, alleging
that the fire might still be extinguished. " Besides," says
he, " if we throw away our powder, how shall we defend oiu-
selves against our enemies ? should we be attacked and taken,
we shall have no apology." In short, the powder remained.
Meantime, the rage of the fire augmented more and more,
and, as it was impossible to remain down in the hold, the
decks were scuttled, that yet greater quantities of water might
be poured into it, but all in vain.
The launch had been three weeks astern of the vessel, and
now the yawl was also lowered down to clear the decks.
Seeing nothing but sky and sea, and dreading the progress of
a devouring element, without the hope of succour, terror and
apprehension spread among the crew ; some of them began to
desert their posts; quietly slipping along and concealing
themselves by the chain wales, they dropped down into the
sea, endeavouring to swim to the launch or cutter, where they
also attempted to lie unnoticed.
Heyn-Bol, coming by chance into the gallery, was st^rised
to see so many people in the boats. They cried to him that
they were about to oast off, and entreated him, if he meant to
accompany them, to lose no time and descend the stern ladder.
Allowing himself to be persuaded, he went down, and then
requested them "to apprize their captain and wait for him,"
but they would not do so, and, cutting the penter, made away.
I, who knew nothing of all this, was exerting myself to get
the fire under, when a seaman came to me with tears in his
eyes, saying, " Dear Captain, what can we now do ? the launch
andcutterhavedesertedus !" " If they are gone," lanswered,
" it is not to return," and hastily ran above. There I soon
satisfied myself of the truth, and immediately hoisted all sail
to run them dow^i ; but when within three ship lengths, they
got the weathetfgage and escaped.
I then renewed my endeavours to encourage the rest of
the crew, telling them that, next to God, our trust must be in
ourselves, and exhorting them to persevere steadily in their
exertions to get the fire under. In the next place, I ordered
the powder to be thrown overboard, and they hastened to obey
me. The fire being at the bottom of the hold, which it was
BUHNING OP THK NEW HORN.
23
difficult to reach on account of a quantity of iron and other
things that obstructed us, I resolved to let in the water through
the ship's side to a considerable height, in hopes of extinguish¬
ing it ; and carpenters were immediately sent for with their
augurs to bore the necessary holes.
Nothing but sighs and lamentations resounded in the vessel,
while, with unabated vigour, quantities of water continued to
be poured down the hatchways. In a short time, however,
the oil took fire, and the flames became more and more furious
as we tried to conquer them. Our situation now became des¬
perate, consternation spread among the crew, their exclama¬
tions of terror increased, until, beholding inevitable death ap¬
proach with rapid strides to destroy them, their courage sunk
into apathy. I stood upon the deck, along with sixty-five
others, close by the main hatchway, receiving the water in
buckets ; sixty barrels of powder had been got over-board,
but three hundred still remained ; the fire at length reached
them, and the vessel blew up in the air, with one hundred
and nineteen souls ; a moment afterwards, not a human being
was to be seen ; and, believing myself launched into eternity,
I cried, " Lord, have mercy on my soul !"
But, although stunned by the explosion, sensation did not
entirely forsake me, and perhaps some slender remnant of
life and resolution still lurked in my heart. Thus on falling
back into the water, near the wreck of the ship, now in móie
than a thousand pieces, I took a little breath, and, looking
around me, saw the main-mast and then the fore-mast floating
close by my side : I gained the former, uttering exclamations
of regret, and, occupied by reflections which my situation ex¬
cited, I observed a yotmg man rise from the water, who swam
to part of the vessel, crying out, " I have got it !" " My (îod,"
said I to myself, " does any one survive ?" A yard was drifting
towards him, and the mast which I had seized not being
steady enough, I cried out to him to push the yard a little
nearer me, that I might secure myself on it and then join
him, though two wounds on the head, and bruises over all
ray back, almost precluded me from moving ; so that, recom¬
mending myself to heaven, I thought a little longer time
would terminate my existence.
Thus my companion and myself being seated together,
each holding a plank in his hand, part of the wreck of the
forecastle, the former raised himself, trying to discover the
long boat. He saw her inde^^ut at such a distance that
he was unable to discern whether Ae head or stem was fore¬
most. .Í
At this period the sun went down, to our great affliction,
for we were destitute of all prospect of succour, and our only
24
BURNING OF THE NEW HORN.
consolation lay in invoking the mercy of God to relieve our
distress.
After doing so with all humility, we were agreeably surprised
with the sight of both the launch and cutter, which met beside
us. I cried to the people to save their Captain, which they
answered with demonstrations of wonder, asking if he was
still in life. On my assuring them of the truth, the young
man leaped boldly into the water and swam to the boat : but,
incapable of following his example, from the wounds I had
received, I exclaimed, if they meant to save me, they must
approach nearer. The trumpeter then threw out a rope, which
I fastened about my body, and, being drawn towards them,
was taken into the boat. Formerly I had made a small place
in the stern of this same boat, where two men could easily
lie, and now went there to repose, thinking myself about to
expire.
Heyn-Rol, the supercargo, and the rest, soon came to see
me, when I told them that we ought to rapain near the wreck
during the night, in hopes of saving soiSl provisions, and try
whether we might not by chance recover some of the com¬
passes, for they had abandoned the vessel with such precipita¬
tion as not only to leave all instruments behind them, but
also every kind of provisions. I now learned, also, that the
pilot had removed the compass from the binnacle ; a sure
proof that he anticipated the destruction of the ship.
Whilst lying in this little recess, Heyn-Rol set the men to
the oars, and made them row all night, as if there had been a
prospect of finding land ; but morning came, and they saw no
appearance of it, which aflSicted them grievously, from having
left the wreck. Thus coming to ask my advice, I said they
should have done as I had directed, as, had we remained hy
the wreck, we should have saved plenty of provisions ; for
both meat and cheese were driving about in such quantities
among our legs that we could scwcely get free of them.
They entreated me to come out, though for a short time ; to
which I answered that my present-condition rendered it very
difficult, but 1 should do so if they »»uld assist me ; therefore,
they carried me out.
The first thing I did was to aSc .how much provision they
had, when they brought one or twg little casks containing
seven or eight pounds of biscuit, which was all that they had
saved. " Comrades," said I to them, "we must follow another
plan—lay aside your oars, for your strength -will soon be ex¬
hausted." — " What shall we do then ?" said they. " Take
your shirts and make sails of them."—"But how can we do
that," the people answered, " seeing we have neither needles
nor thread ?" J directed them to untwist all the cordage they
BURNIKa OF THE NEW HORN. ?5
could find about the boat, anrd then to run it through the linen
Thus they took ofi' their shiils and made sails out of them .
but when I offered mine, they refused it, as essential to my
own safety from my feeble state.
Forty-sis persons were in the launch, and twenty-six in
the cutter, being seventy-two in the whole. A dressing-gown
and a pillow had been thrown into the latter, which were
brought to me : I put on the night-gown, and rested my head
on the pillow, on account of the two wounds I had received
in it. Our surgeon was among those preserved, but, having no
medicines, he applied some chewed bread to my wounds, which
through God's assistance healed them.
Occupied in making the sails, we drifted the whole day,
and towards night they were ready ; hoisting them, we steered
by the stars as a guide, though we could scarce observe their
rising or setting. The night proved excessively cold, and the
following day extremely hot, from the sun being perpendicular
above our heads.
On the twenty-first of the month, and the two succeeding
days, we made a kind of a cross-staff, by means of the cooper,
who could draw a little, and had a pair of small compasses ;
and we afterwards contrived to make a quadrant. I engraved
a chart, as well as I could, of the island of Sumatra and that
of Java, together with the Straits of Sunda lying between
them, on a plank in the sterh of the boat. Having, on the same
day that our unfortunate vessel was destroyed, made an observ¬
ation, and found we were five degrees and a half south of
the line, I pricked the chart, and calculated that our distance
was now 90 leagues from land. I also constructed a compass,
whereby we might steer with greater certainty.
The seven or eight pounds of biscuit were now distributed
by equal portions daily, of the size of a man's finger ; but
that slender stock could not last long among so many. We
had nothing whatever to drink, and thence suffered thirst in¬
supportable. Fortunately, however, the sky overcast, and we
spread the sails to receive-the falling rain, that we might fill
our casks to serve again in case of necessity. A cup was
made of a shoe, and I caused the people to observe order in
drinking, that is, "whoever went to the cask to drink should
immediately return, leaving his place to another. They all
besought me to drink as much as I chose, but I restricted
myself to the same allowance that was given to the rest. The
launch and cutter set sail in company, but, the former being
the better sailer of the two, the cutter could scarce keep up
with her. None of the people there understanding navigation,
they were apprehensive of losing their course, and earnestly
entreated me to receive them into the launch : but those along
D
26
UUHNINO OF THE NF,W HOUN.
■with me opposed it, observing that, although the launch was
large, she could not contain so many, and all would infallibly
perish ; and they cut the tow-rope.
Great misery prevailed among us; we had no food whatever,
and we were far from sight of land. However, I tried to
encourage the men, with assurances of being near the shore ;
but they began to murmur, saying, "Although the Captain
tells us we approach the land, it rather seems that we are
receding farther from it."
One day, when much distressed from hunger, it pleased
God to send a flock-tof sea-fowl, flying close to us, as if on
purpose to be taken ; and accordingly, having caught some,
we greedily devoured them raw, and as heartily as if they
had been well cooked. Yet we had not enough for a plentiful
repast ; and, there still being no appearance of land, our hopes
died quite away.
The people in the cùtter renewing their entreaties a second
time, were received into the launch, for we thought that it
was best we should all perish together. For better accommo¬
dation, as the launch was deep, a kind of deck was laid of
the oars where part could sit, while others were below, and
seventy-two souls were now crowded together here, destitute
of both meat and drink.
While casting a melancholy gaze on each other, it hap¬
pened, by the mercy of God, that a quantity of flying flsh
rose from the water, and some fell within our reach. These
we divided among us, and ate raw, which proved a salutary
relief, and saved our lives. It was wonderful indeed that no
person died, for several had begun to drink salt water, not-
■^iïithstanding my assuring them that they would derive no
relief from it. Our misery daily increased, and, the rage of
hunger urging us to extremities, the people began to regard
each other with ferocious looks. Consulting among them¬
selves, they secretly determined to devour the boys on board,
and, after their bodies were consumed, to throw lots who
should next sufler death, that the lives of the rest might be
prs^rved. I want words to express the sensations which this
declaration excited in my breast, and, when I saw some of my
comra¿eí ready to tear the boys piece-meal, I earnestly prayed
God to diyifrt-their hearts from stich cruelty ; then approach¬
ing them, I said, " My friends, I pledge myself that we are
not far from land, for I know it by our instruments ; let us
put our trust in God, and he will send relief." But the people
answered that I had long amused them with such predictions,
yet no land appeared ; and they indulged in loud murmurs,
plainly expressing that, should we not get sight of land in
three days, the boys should be sacrificed. Satisfied of their
BUBNING OF THK NBW HOBN.
27
baibaious intentions, I redoubled my prayers to heaven : I
implored the Almighty that he would preserve us from so
horrible a crime, that our sufferings might not be protracted
beyond endurance, and that he would guide us to a haven of
safety.
We became so enfeebled that we could no longer stand
upright ; Heyn-Rol was unable to rise, and, though I could
crawl from the stern to the head of the boat encouraging the
people, I myself stood in greatest need of consolation.
In this way we steered in a manner at random, until the
second of December, the thirteenth day after the calamity that
befel our vessel. The sky overcast, and, having spread the
sails, we caught our two kegs full of rain water.
All the people had given up their shirts for sails ; and they
were almost naked besides, from having left the vessel with
such precipitation ; therefore they crowded close together to
increase their natural heat. At this time I was at the helm,
always anxiously looking out for land ; but, feeling quite be¬
numbed, I called the quarter-master to relieve me, while I
crawled, as well as I could, to the others, thrusting myself
among them to obtain a little heat. The quarter-master had
not been an hour at the helm, when the weather became clear
and serene, and he suddenly cried out, "Land! land!"
Universal joy was disseminated ; our strength was renewed ;
we crept out from under the sails, and, hoisting them, stood
for the shore, which we reached the same day. Our first em¬
ployment was returning thanks to Heaven, in which I was not
the least fervent, seeing we had now, .on the last of the three
days, been preserved from executing the cruel and barbarous
resolution of devouring our own species.
This land proved an island where we found plenty of cocoa-
nuts, but no ftesh water, though industriously sou^t. How¬
ever, we drew off the milk from the freshest of the nuts, and
ate the kernel of the old ones, though in too great quantity,
as it brought on fluxes. Next day we had recovered and
traversed all the island without finding inhabitants. Lay¬
ing in a store of cocoa-nuts, we sailed, and the following day
came in sight of Sumatra, which is four or five leagues distant.
So long as our nuts lasted we coasted towards the east, and,
these being exhausted, it was necessary to seek some con¬
venient place for debarkation, which the breaking of the surf
opposed ; but four or five of the seamen ventured to swim
ashore. After traversing the beach for some time, they dis¬
covered the mouth of a river, and made signs to us to come
towards them. We did so ; and, finding a dangerous bar at
its entrance, 1 asked the people whether they would run the
risk of crossing it. All answered in the affirmative. Thus,
D 2
08
BUUNING OF THE NEW IIOUN.
Bending two men astern, one at each side with an oar, and
myself being at the helm, we attempted the passage. The
first breaker half-filled the boat, but the men hastened to free
her, some baling out the water with their hats, others with
their shoes. The second wave almost completely overwhelmed
us, and it required our utmost exertions to save ourselves,
always standing right across the bar. Happily the third broke
short of the boat, and we landed in safety.
Here we found fresh water, and beans growing among the
grass ; and, at some distance from the landing place, some
tobacco beside the remains of a fire. We were overjoyed at
the sight, as it shewed the island to be inhabited; and,
kindling five or six fires, we went to sleep and smoke by
turns. As darkness approached, sentinels were posted in
different directions from the fires, lest the natives might attempt
to surprise us. But during night we found ourselves ex¬
tremely ill, being attacked by severe colics, from the vegetables
we had eaten ; and at this time the natives, taking advantage of
the darkness, secretly stole near, with the design of massacring
us. Fortunately, our sentinels descried their approach, else we
might have been in great danger ; for, independently of indis¬
position, all our arms were two hatchets and a rusty sword.
Yet, although so slenderly provided, we resolved that our
lives should not be cheaply sold ; and, having little time for
deliberation, I drew up my men, each with a fire-brand in
his hand, with myself at their head. All rushed against the
natives, who, terrified at the formidable display, and not well
knowing whether we were armed or otherwise, took to flight.
We therefore returned to our fires, and remained undisturbed
during the rest of the night.
At break of day three natives were observed coming down
to the beach, on which we sent three of our men, who had
formerly been in India, and understood something of the
Malay tongue, towards them. Approaching our people, they
learned who we were, and agreed to traffic with us : they
then Cpjhe to our main body, asking whether we had arras,
which'wfe took care to answer in the affirmative, adding
that w,^ had a great quantity of warlike stores ; in which
respecúour weakness could not be betrayed, for the sails were
Sjgeaj^over the launch, and prevented them from seeing what
SbS^ontained. Collecting about eight crowns among us, we
jMBased boiled rice and poultry from them, of wliich we
njjÉa a comfortable repast. This finished, we endeavoured
rffmiscover the name of their country, but we could make
nothing of their answer, except that they frequently expressed
the word Sumatra. Pointing to leeward, as if towards tlie
island of Java, they repeated the name of Jan Koen, signifying
BURNINa OP THE NEW HORIi.
20
that he was governor, and truly they were right, for John
Peter Koen was then general-in-chief.
We were agreeably surprised by this intelligence: but, pro¬
visions being scanty, I carried four men and our remaining
money to a village, which was not far distant, in order to pur¬
chase a supply ; and, having done so, despatched them as ex¬
peditiously as possible to Heyn-Rol, with instructions to make
an equal distribution. In this village we were supplied with a
pleasant kind of liquor extracted from trees, possessing an
inebriating quality ; and, during a repast which we made on
some fowls, the inhabitants of the village sat down beside us,
gazing with astonishment, but saying nothing. I then pur¬
chased and paid five crowns and a half for a buffalo, which
proved so fierce that we could not catch it.
The evening now beginning to close, I considered it time to
depart ; but my people were anxious to remain behind, think¬
ing it would be easier to catch the buffalo by night than in the
day ; I therefore bid them adieu, and came away. Returning
to the banks where the little boat lay, I fell in with a troop of
natives quarrelling among themselves, and the subject of their
dispute doubtless was whether to allow us to embark or not.
Assuming a commanding mien, I took two by the arms and
pushed them towards the boat. They entered it, each with a
paddle before and astern, and I between them, in the middle.
After we had made some progress down the river, he who was
behind me signified that he wanted money, whence, putting
my hand in my purse, I drew out the fourth part of a piastre,
with which I presented him. He looked at it a long time, as
if in doubt whether to accept it or not ; at length, having
wrapped it in a piece of linen encircling his waist, he returned
to his place. The native before also came to me with signs
that he too wanted something, whereupon I drew another coin
of the same value from my purse, and gave it to him. He
gazed on it, as if hesitating whether it should be accepted, and
then took it, with marks of dissatisfaction.
While about half down the river, they began to mmrmur,
and, darting ferocious glances at me, I became alarmed for an
attack. Indeed, I must acknowledge that I laboured under
great apprehension, for I had no means whatever of defence.
Putting ray trust in Heaven, I began to sing a psalm, and so
loud that the banks of the river resounded with ray voice.
Whenever the natives heard me, they laughed immoderately,
conceiving that I had no impression of fear : and happily we
got in sight of the launch. I then made a sign to my own
men, who ran down to the beach to receive me ; and I directed
the negroes to carry the boat close ashore.
The natives, now inquiring where our people slept, I pointed
V 3
so BUBNINO OF THE NEW HOBN.
to tents that tlicy had constructed of boughs of trees ; and I
told Heyn-Hol what had happened respecting the buffalo.
Next morning, accordingly, two men brought a buffalo, though
not the same that I had purchased ; and, by means of our
cooper, who understood a little of the language, we explained
this matter, also expressing surprise at the absence of our
four men. However, they said that the buffalo should be
brought whenever it could be caught. To guard against a
similar accident, William Galen, a Serjeant, by my orders, ham¬
strung the animal, which fell down ; and the negroes, uttering
a shout of surprise, two or three hundred natives, posted in
a neighbouringWood, rushed out and tried to intercept us
from the boat. But one of the sentinels gave the alarm, and
hastily fled tojoin us. Perceiving them approach, with sabres
and shields, I called to my people to save themselves ; when
some gained the launch, and others plunged into the water.
The natives pressed furiously upon us, but were warmly re¬
ceived, the ship's baker using the rusty sword with great effect
and two others vigorously supporting him with the hatchets.
Though we did our best, we should soon have been over¬
powered had we not left our grapnel behind ; and, hoisting
sail, escaped. Several of our people were wounded, particu¬
larly the baker, who fought so courageously ; he received the
thrust of a poisoned lance, above the navel. Afterwards he
became severely indisposed, and immediately the wounded
part grew quite blue; nor did an incision all around the
wound, to prevent the poison spreading, prove of any assist
ance, for, having attacked his bowels, he died.
The negroes, seeing us imder sail, hastened to the bar at
the mouth of the river, in hopes that we should be wrecked
in crossing it : but it was otherwise ordained, for our boat,
being high before and strong built, passed it without taking
in a drop of water, to their great surprise, and indeed to our
own, considering the trouble we had formerly experienced.
Having gained the open sea, we ascertained, on mustering
the people, that we had lost sixteen, namely, eleven in the
rencontre, the baker, who died of his wound, and the four
men who were left ashore at the village. These four, I firmly
believe, were the means of saving my life, for unquestionably
tiie dispute on the banks respected the natives murdering me,
J measure which some opposed, awaiting my return with a
greater number of people, as I had promised. It was very
distressing for us to leave our men behind, without knowing
any thing of them ; but, on reflecting that the natives could
not have left them alive, and as we had only eight fowls and
a small quantity of rice to sustain fifty-six persons, it would
have been imprudent to remain longer. Thus we coasted
BUItNING OF THE UPM HORV.
31
along a shore begirt by shoals, where we fonud some small
shell-fish, which proved a seasonable supply, and then we
filled our kegs with fresh water in the neighbonrhood.
Leaving a bay, we stood out to sea, to prosecute our voyage.
After sailing some time, a great storm rendered it necessary to
take in all the sails, which we spread over the launch for
shelter, and allowed her to drift until day-brgfih. The gale
then abating, three islands were discovered at a distance, for
which we resolved to make, in hopes of obtaining some
nourishment to support our miserable lives. With the wind
on the quarter, we reached them before night, and found bam¬
boos and palm trees. The extremities of these plants being
tender, we cut off a quantity, which we ate, and then pro¬
ceeded to fill our casks at a river. But all they could contain
being insufiicient, we used, as a substitute for others, the hollow
part of the bamboo between the joints, and got a quantity
equivalent to four casks of water by that expedient.
While our people traversed the island without interruption,
I withdrew unperceived to ascend a high mountain, there
trusting that I might encourage the men with some new hope,
for they expected every thing of me, and I was frequently at
a loss for want of proper instruments. The weather was fine
and serene ; looking around me in all directions, at length I
discovered two greatblue hills, and, at the same time, recollected
to have formerly heard from William Cornelius Schonten, an
experienced navigator, that, on the extreme point of Java,
there were two of that description. Having left the island of
Sumatra, I saw the mountains to the right, without interme¬
diate land in view. Therefore it was now evident, from the
Straits of Sunda being between Java and Sumatra, that we
were in the direct course. Prostrating myself on the earth,
I prayed Heaven still to be our guide, and gratefully acknow¬
ledged the mercy we had hitherto experienced ; and, transport¬
ed with joy, hastened down the mountain to impart the glad
tidings to the rest. Impatient to depart, we summoned the
people, and quitted this, which we called Prince's Island.
About midnight we descried what was taken for a vessel on
fire, but, on nearer approach, the light proved to proceed from
a small island, called Dwars in de 'Weg, in the Straits of Sunda.
One of the seamen, climbing up the mast, discovered vessels at
a distance, of which he counted twenty-three. Our joy may
be easily figured. We instantly got out our oars for greater
speed, as the wind had lulled, and exerted ourselves to get up
to them. Had we not discovered these vessels, our fate was
inevitable, for we should have gone on to Bantam, where war
had been declared against our countrymen, and have run head¬
long into the hands of our enemies.
Frederic Houtman, who commanded these vessels, which were
;!-2
BURNING OF THE NEW HORN.
Dutch, had seen us with a telescope from the quarter-deck ;
wondering at the singularity of our sails, he could by no means
make out what we were, and sent out a boat to ascertain the
truth. We recognized the people in the boat, for we had left
the Texel in company, and separated in the Spanish sea.
After mutual congratulations, Heyn-Kol and I went on
board Houtman's ship, called the Virgin of Dordrecht. He
ordered a table to be covered in his cabin for us ; and we
could not refrain from tears at now finding ourselves in the
midst of plenty. Houtman was never weary of listening to
our adventures, and expressed his admiration of our good
fortune. We were provided with clothes adapted to the cli¬
mate, and a yacht was appointed to carry us to Batavia.
Here we found General John Peter Keen, to whom we
related the fatal accident which had destroyed the New Horn,
and the disastrous adventures that followed. He ordered an
attendant to hring wine, which having received in a large gold
cup, he drank, and presented it to me, saying, " Captain, you
are welcome ; you may consider that after once losing your
life the Almighty has restored it. To-morrow I leave this for
Bantam on maritime affairs ; but do you remain here and eat
at my table until my return."
In eight days we were ordered to attend the general at
Bantam, where we found him on board the Virgin of Dord¬
recht. Calling me, he said, " Captain Boutekoe, you may
take command of the ship Berger Boot, until further orders."
I gladly accepted the commission, and returned my best ac¬
knowledgments for the favour. Two days afterwards, he sent
for Heyn-Rol, and appointed him supercargo of this ship.
Thus both held commissions in the same capacity as before,
in one vessel.
Having brought the perils which Bontekoe suffered to a
conclusion, little more need be said of his remaining adven¬
tures.
The Berger Boot carried thirty-two guns, and, in concert
with other vessels, Bontekoe was sent to attack some of the
Portuguese possessions in the east, and also to prosecute a
war then prevailing between the Dutch and Chinese. In this
service he was engaged the whole of the year 1620, in the end
of which he met his brother, Peter Ysbrants Bontekoe, who
commanded the Haarlem, on a voyage from Japan. On tlie
first of May 1621, he captured a Chinese junk, with 250 men,
richly laden, on the way to Manilla, and took her in tow.
His crew was then considerably reduced by sickness, and,
nofoonsidering himself very secure among so great number
of prisoners, his nightly rest was disturbed. Therefore all the
BUHNiÄU oF THE NEW HORN. _
men were ordered to dress like officers, which they did, arm¬
ing themselves cap- a-pie. Next night the whole of the prisoners
were confined in the hold, and the hatches closed ; six men
■with drawn swords stood by them, and lamps were lighted
between decks all night. The hatches were opened in the
morning, and the prisoners brought up by turns to their pro¬
visions. when they were so much impressed by the order and
appearance of the Dutch that they drew up in a line to allow
Bontekoe to pass to the quarter-deck : one of them said that
a prophet among them had foretold that their country would
be conquered by a man with a red beard, and, as his was of
that colour, they now believed that the time of fulfilment was
come. Every morning these Chinese combed themselves on
the deck, and there were some among their number whose
hair hung down to their heels. It was collected in knots
behind, and fixed with a small wooden pin to keep it firm.
In 1623, Bontekoe was appointed Commodore of a squadron
in the East Indies, and hoisted his pendant accordingly. But
soon afterwards he became anxious to return to his native
country ; and, resisting urgent solicitations to remain, added
to promises of still further promotion, he was transferred to
the ship Holland, which, in company with the Middleburgh
and Trigaut, set out on the voyage homewards. These vessels
experienced a terrible hurricane during the passage, which
obliged them to take in all sail and drive before the wind to
the southward. Towards midnight the gale increased, ex¬
ceeding in violence any thing that had ever been experienced,
at the same time shifting round to all the points of the compass,
and the mainmast of the Holland, being carried away, was
pitched overboard. The hurricane lasted four hours before
the sea began to rise, but, when abating a little, the swell
became so great that the ship was nearly overset, and, in her
roll, took in such a quantity of water that seven feet were
found in the hold on sounding. It was then necessary to resort
to the pumps ; but, by the motion of the vessel, a number of
brass and iron cannon in the hold crushed some bags of
pepper, whereby the pumps were choked, and rendered useless.
Meantime the water augmented to such a degree as to create
lively apprehensions that the ship would go down. However,
the pumps were got out and cleared ; and a piece of wicker-
work being put into the bottom, they were lowered down
again. This done, all hands plied them vigorously, and were
encouraged by finding the water decrease. The main-mast
was now beating with such violence as to threaten breaking
through the side of the ship, therefore the cordage was quickly
cut, in order to let it drift away.
Next morning the Middleburgh was seen without the fore
34
BURNING OP THE NEW HORN.
and main-mast, and severely damaged before; but the Trigaut
not being in sight, it was concluded she had foundered in the
night, which proved too true. The two ships with difSculty
joined company, from the grievous injury they had sustained :
but Captain Schonten, commander of the Middieburgh, at
length sent out his boat to Bontekoe, with an earnest request
for any spare masts and yards, to enable him to make the
land, as he had been caught in the hurricane, and all his own
except the mizen-mast carried away. Bontekoe thereupon
assembled the ship's council, and it was resolved to lend Cap¬
tain Schouten a third of the crew, after which they should
bear away for Madagascar. The crew, however, refused to
go, and, becoming mutinous, declared they were in greater
necessity than those of the Middieburgh, when Bontekoe, by
expostulation, brought them to reason ; and, being assured that
they should be allowed to return to their own vessel, they
obeyed the Captain's orders.
Both vessels reached Madagascar in safety, where they
were kindly treated by one of the kings of the country, who
supplied them with provisions, and received presents in return.
Sailing thence, they encountered another storm off the Cape
of Good Hope, and, in an engagement with the Spaniards, lost
a number of men, among whom was the carpenter of the
Holland, who had both his legs taken off by a cannon-ball.
About the middle of October, Bontekoe came in sight of the
Irish coast ; and, when off Kinsale, saw an English ship of war
lying at anchor ; but, apprehending that hostilities had broken
out between Holland and Britain, he kept to sea. Observing,
however, that the Captain remained stationary, and shewed
no inimical token, Bontekoe visited his ship, and invited him
to dine on board his own next day, with which he complied ;
then, inquiring whether the English Captain had any instruc¬
tions to attack him, he learned that he had not, and, during
his discourse, to his great joy, two Dutch vessels, sent to convoy
him homewards, appeared in sight.
While this friendly intercom-se took place on board, the
seamen were enjoying good cheer ashore, and, although
Bontekoe used every persuasion to induce them to return, he
could not collect them together. He therefore made an appli¬
cation to the mayor of the town for assistance, and to know
whether it were not possible, by his authority, to recover them
for the ship. The mayor coldly answered, that it was not ;
however, he would try, and Bontekoe might return to see
him. On doing so two days after, the mayor pleaded that
he had no time for an interview ; therefore, Bontekoe thought
it expedient to present his wife with a web of fine linen the
following morning -, nor does this seem to have been over-
BUllNIiV« OI' THF. NEW HOHN.
35
looked, for the drum went through the town after dinner,
warning all the inhabitants and keepers of alehouses that those
who trusted the Dutch seamen in more than seven shillings,
on any pretext whatever, should lose their claim of payment.
The hosts, who had already given them credit for much more,
instead of granting further supplies, turned them out of their
houses, whereupon they complained to the captain, from whom
they received no satisfaction, hut orders for immediate em¬
barkation. Yet this was against their will, and their reluc¬
tance to obey was seen by their wandering about from boat to
boat, and not returning to the ship. He therefore weighed
anchor as if to put to sea, but, rather than be left behind,
they struggled who should get first to the boats, and some
even leaped into the sea to swim on board. Nevertheless,
Bontekoe paid all claims made by the inhabitants of Kinsale,
who also arrived, and sent them ashore. Then mustering his
men, he found four deficient, who had made matrimonial en¬
gagements with women of the place. Setting sail in company
with the other two vessels which had come to convoy him, he
reached Zealand on the 15th of November 1625.
Bontekoe afterwards returned to Horn, the place of his
nativity, where he led an exemplary life, and died, in the
esteem and admiration of all who knew him.
The Dutch had long beheld the growing influence of other
European nations in the east with an invidious eye, and
ardently coveted a share of those treasures which were
continually remitted to enrich the mother country. So early
as the year 1597, attracted by the fertility of the island of
Java, and the courteous manners of its inhabitants, a traffic
was commenced, whereby Houtman, a Dutch navigator, was
to lade a fleet with foreign produce, in exchange for that
which he carried thither. But some presumptuous indiscretions
having awakened the suspicions and resentment of the
Javanese, Houtman was made prisoner, and with difficulty
rescued from them. After an interval of several years, the
Dutch had succeeded in erecting fortresses in the territory of
Jacatra, and they resolved to expel all other settlers from that
part of the island. Jan Petersz Koen, therefore, sailed with
a powerful armament from Amboyna to effect their design,
which proved abortive, from finding an English fleet still more
powerful awaiting him in Jacatra Bay. Thus he returned to
Amboyna to receive reinforcements. The Jacatrans, mean¬
time, were employed in devising means to free themselves of
any of the Dutch already among them, when Koen appeared,
in March 1619. with seventeen ships, and .six thousand troops.
36
BURKING OF THE NEW HORN.
With these he easily subjugated the natives, and, in order to
perpetuate the name of his country, as well as to preserve his
conquests, he founded the town of Batavia in the same year.
He chose a suitable spot for building a strong citadel, and
marked out the boundaries of the town, which was to com¬
prehend two miles in circumference, with a ïiver running
through the centre. So much activity prevailed, and the
arrangements were so judicious, that, in about three years, a
strong fortification and a regular city were completed.
EXPLOSION
of
A FRENCH VESSEL,
commanded by the sietjr de montauban,
on the coast of guinea,
1695.
[The following narrative is given by Captain Montauban, who
had previously made several voyages with privateers, in the
course of which, it is to be apprehended, there was little dis¬
tinction made of the nations from which he plundered.
Towards the end of the seventeenth, and in the beginning
of the eighteenth, century, the custom of adventuring in pri¬
vateers had grown to such an extent that bands of desperadoes
engaged in buccaneering and piracy, and destroyed every
thing that came in their way. It was a matter of considerable
difficulty to suppress them ; but at last they were, to the .
great comfort and security of pacific nations, entirely rooted
out.]
" Since 1 have so often felt the malignant influence of the
stars presiding over the seas, and by adverse fortune lost all
the wealth which, with so much trouble and care, I had
amassed together, it should be no source of pleasure recalling
to my memory the disasters that befell me previous to the
close of the last expedition. But the desire of serving both
the public and individuals, and of showing the king my attach¬
ment to his service, induced me to commonieatemy observations
to M. de Philipeaux. There he might likewise discover with
what eagerness I penetrated to the most remote colonies of
our enemies, is otiit to destroy them and ruin their Hade.
b
38
EXPLOSION OF
I am «nwllling to s-wel! this relation with all the voyages I
have made, and my adventures on various coasts of America,
during twenty years. To these I could add my expedition in
1691, when 1 ravaged the coast of Guinea, went up the river
Sierra Leone, and took a fort from the English, mounting
twenty-four pieces of cannon, which I hurst, to render them
unserviceable. But I shall here confine myself to the
particulars immediately preceding and subsequent to the
explosion of my vessel.
In the year 1694, after having ravaged the coast of Caraqua,
I stood to windward towards St. Croix, where I had information
of an English fleet of merchantmen, homeward hound, vrith
a convoy. In the latitude of Bermuda Islands they appeared
hearing directly toward me, without any apprehensions of
danger ; whereupon I speedily attacked their convoy, called
the Wolf, and took her, as also two merchantmen; but the
rest made their escape during the engagement. While carrying
my prizes to France, 1 fell in with an English ship of sixteen
guns, hound from Spain for England, which, after a short en¬
counter, struck her colours. She was sold at Eochelle, and
1 then carried my three other prizes to Bordeaux, in Septem¬
ber 1694, and presently sought out purchasers for them.
Meantime, my crew, who had been long absent from France,
indulged themselves in every extravagance, as some compen¬
sation for the fatigues they had undergone. Both the merchants
and their hosts advanced them money, withotit hesitation, on
the reputation of their wealth, and their share of such valuable
prizes. They spent the night in such amusements as best
pleased their fancy, and the whole day in traversing the town
in masquerade. They caused themselves to be carried in
chairs with lighted torches at noon-day ; and the consequence
of their indiscretion and debauchery was the death of several
of their number.
Having re-placed my crew with young men whom 1 trained
to arms with constant care and practice, and re-victualled my
ship, which'carried thirty-four guns, I left Bordeaux, in Feb¬
ruary 1695, intending to make a voyage to the coast of Guinea.
We cruised about the Azores and the Canary Islands in quest
of Dutch vessels, but without success, and then bore away
for the Cape de Verd Islands, where two English ships were
seen at anchor in tlie road of the Isle of May. I sent out my
boat to reconnoitre what they were, and received information ■
of their carrying about thirty guns each. I therefore resolved
to board them, and for that purpose stood nearer in ; but they,
suspecting my design, did not think fit to wait for my arrival,
but, naaking all ready, cut their cables,.and made their escape, i
I pursued them all day, and, having lost sight of them on the '
A. ÍRESCH TESSEL.
39
approach of night, returned to the road from which they de¬
parted, to take up their anchors and cables left behind, and to
sink their boats also lying there.
We sailed for St Vincent, one of the Cape de Verd Islands,
to caulk the vessel, and likewise to take in wood and water.
Here I learnt that there were two English vessels carrying
between twenty and thirty guns each, at the Isle of Fuego. I
sailed in quest of them, but they were gone. Then I steered
for the coast of Guinea, and, at Cape Three Points, met a
Dutch frigate of thirty-two guns, cruising at sea. She directly
stood towards me to know what I was, and, as I also had dis¬
covered her, and was in hopes of coming to a close engage¬
ment, I hoisted Dutch colours, to avoid creating any alarm.
When she came within gun-shot, I hoisted French colours,
and made a signal for her to strike ; instead of doing so, she
boldly gave me a broadside, and at the same time received one
from my ship. The engagement, thus commenced, continued
from morning until four in the afternoon, without our being
able to get the weather-gage, or advance near enough to use
musketry, which is the chief kind of arms in similar vessels.
Neither could I prevent her from availing herself of the wind,
to anchor under the fort of Cape Three Points, where other
two Dutch ships lay, one of fourteen, the other of twenty
eight guns. Expecting that all three would come out to fight
me, I lay off and on nearly a whole day, and even anchored
within a league, in hopes that they might come to take their
revenge. This, however, they declined ; and a small Portu¬
guese ship soon after told me that they had forced another
Frenchman to leave the coast.
Satisfied, therefore, that the enemy would not fight, and
not deeming it advisable to attack them under the cannon of
the forts, I determined to go to Cape Lopez, and to Prince, and
St. Thomas' Isles.
On the passage thither, I captured an English twenty-gun-
ship, with three hundred and fifty negroes on board, and ivory
and wax. The captain said he had come from Àrdra, one of
the chief towns of Guinea, which stands on the sea-side, and
is the residence of a prince who has extensive dominions.
There he had taken in five hundred and fifty negroes ; but
some had been killed because others mutinied against him,
and made their escape to land in his boat.
In sight of Prince's Isle I look a small Brandenburgh
vessel, mounting eight guns, and carrying sixty men. She
cruised about this latitude, taking all the barks she could fall
in with, and without distinction of nation or colours. I after¬
wards went into port to clean my ship, which greatly required
it, and to free myself of the English prize. Here I sent her
E '2
40
KX PLOSION OF
to be condemned at St. Domingo in the West Indies ; but I
understood that she was re-taken by some English men-of-war
belbre Little Goava.
Meantime, that my men might not "be idle, I ordered my
ofdcers to employ them in careening the vessel, while I myself
embarked in the Brandenburgh ship, with ninety men, and
went on a cruise for six weeks on the coast of Guinea. Meet¬
ing with no enemy, I returned to Prince's Isle, and got my
own vessel victualled, after which I weighed anchor and sailed
for the island of St. "Thomas, there designing either to sell or
barter the Brandenburgher. I exchanged her for some pro¬
visions, because I had not enough to serve me during a cruise
on the coast of Angola, where I meant to spend five or six
months to avoid three English men-of-war, fitting out at the
same town in Guinea. Their purpose was to come in quest
of me about the island of St. Thomas, where they thought I
was cruising.
Leaving St. Thomas, I saw a ship'at anchor, and then
chased her a long time. But I could not prevent her getting
ashore on the Isle of St, Omers, and being staved to pieces ; by
which I lost a hundred and fifty pounds of gold dust.
We next sailed for the coast of Angola, two hundred and
fifty leagues on the other side of the line, and arrived there on
the 22nd of September. When within three leagues of the
port of Cabinda, we understood there were two English ships
with negroes in that place ; therefore, being to leeward of the
port, I bore out to sea, in hopes of recovering it next day, by the
south-west wind which usually blows to the land. When day
broke, I saw a ship with English colours bearing down upon
me, which I did not immediately suppose a man-of-war. Some
time after, however, I discovered that she carried no less than
fifty-four guns. I used all my art to deceive her ; and, with
that view, hoisted Dutch colours, that I might approach her
the more easily, while she, on her part, was not behind hand
in deluding me, and endeavoured to come up with me by
firing guns from time to time, to assure me of her friendship.
When I became sensible of the enemy's design, I made a
shew of waiting until she came up, and sailed but very slowly,
that I might make her believe my ship was heavily laden, or
that I was encumbered for want of sails and hands ; and in
this manner we mutually conducted ourselves from day-break
until ten in the forenoon. The English vessel gave me a gun
from time to time without ball, to assure me what she was,
and, as she herself supposed, my friend. But, finding at
last that I did not answer her in the same manner, and now
being within cannon-shot, she gave me one with ball, which
made me instantly hoist French colours, and return the
salutation.
A FRENCH VESSKE.
41
The English captain on this, without farther hesitation, gave
me two broadsides, which I received, and did not return a
shot, though they killed seven men, because I was in hopes, if
it was possible to get nearer, to disable him from leaving me.
Thus I endeavoured to get within musket-shot, desirous that
he might have an opportunity of shewing his courage by
hoarding me, as I could not so well do the same by him, being
to leeward. At last, having approached by degrees within
musket-shot, a volley from my people, purposely concealed
on deck, was discharged, and so briskly continued that the
enemy began to flag.
Meantime, the crew of the English ship, consisting of above
three hundred men, seeing the effect of their cannon fail, re¬
solved to board us, which they did with a great shout, and
threatening to give no quarter if we did not surrender. Their
grappling-irons missing our stern, their own ship ran on the
bowsprit and carried it away. Observing the enemy to be
thus hampered, my men plied their small arms so smartly
that, in an hour and a halfl after losing a great many people,
they were driven below decks ; and presently after they made
signals, with their hats off, crying out for quarter. I therefore
ordered my men to cease firing, and commanded the English
to get into their boats and come on board, while I made some
of my own men leap into their ship and seize her, in order to
prevent a surprise.
I already rejoiced within myself in capturing so considerable
a prize, and the more so, as, after having taken her, which was
the guard-ship of the coast, and the largest belonging to the
English in these seas, I should be in a condition to attack any
man-of-war that I should meet, and make prizes still greater.
My crew were no less satisfied than myself, and were execut¬
ing their work with much alacrity. But the enemy's powder
suddenly taking fire, from a match purposely left burning by
the Captain, who hoped to escape in his two boats, both the
vessels blew up with a most dreadful explosion.
To describe the horrible spectacle is impossible ; the spec-
tators were themselves the actors in the bloody scene, hardly
knowing whether they beheld it or not, and so confounded as
to be unable to judge of what was passing. The reader must
figure to himself our horror at two ships blowing up above
two hundred fathoms into the air, where there was formed, as
it were, a mountain of fire, water, and wreck ; the awfulness
of the explosion below, and the cannon going off in the air ;
the rending of the masts and planks ; the tearing of the sails
and cordage, added to the cries of the men ;—these things, I
say, must be left to the impgiiiation of tlie reader, and i shall
only describe what befell mvself.
E 3
42
EXPLOSION OF
Whe,i the ship first took fire I was on the forecastle giving
orders, and then carried so far up on the deck that it was the
height alone, as I conceive, that saved me from being involved
in the wreck o/ the ships, where I must hare infallibly perished.
I fell back into the sea, and remained a considerable time
under water, without being able to gain the surface. At last,
struggling like one afraid of being drowned, 1 got up and
seized a piece of a mast, which I found near at hand. I
called to some of my men, whom I saw swimming around me,
and exhorted them to take courage, as we might yet save
Ourselves, if we could fall in with any of the boats.
What gave me more distress at this moment than even my
own misfortune was seeing two half bodies, still with some
remains of life, rising from time to time to the surface of the
water, and then disappear, leaving the place dyed with blood.
It was equally deplorable to behold many limbs and fragments
of bodies, spitted, for the greater part, on fragments of wood.
At last, one of my men, having met with a boat, almost
entire, amidst all the wreck, swimming in the water, informed
me that we must stop some holes which were in it, and en¬
deavour to take out the yawl lying on board. Fifteen or
sixteen nf us, each supported by a piece of wood, nearly
reached the boat, and attempted to disengage the yawl, which
we at length effected. All then went on board, and, after
getting there, saved the principal gunner, who had his leg
broken in the engagement. Then taking up three or four oars,
or pieces of board for tlie purpose of oars, we sought out
something to make a small mast and a sail ; and, having pre¬
pared all things as well as we possibly could, committed
ourselves to the protection of Divine Providence, who could
alone give us life and deliverance.
Whenever I had done working, I found myself entirely
besmeared with blood, flowing from a wound which I had
received in ray fall. Having washed the wound, we made a
dressing out of my handkerchief, and a bandage from my
shirt to bind it on. The same was done to the others, who
had been also wounded ; and meanwhile our boat sailed ou
without making the land, or even knowing whither we were
going. What was worse, we had no provisions, and had
already spent a considerable time in fasting. One of the men,
cruelly tonnented with hunger and thirst, died of drinking
salt water ; and most of the rest constantly vomited, probably
from the quantities of water swallowed by them when in the
sea. As for myself, Í sufilered long, and swelled to a surpris¬
ing degree ; but I ascribe the recovery of my health to a
quartan ague, rvhich seized me soon after. All my hair, face,
and one side "f my body were burnt with powder ; and I
A FRENCH VESSËI,.
43
bled at the mouth, nose, and ears. I know not whetner this
be the effect of the powder, by swelling up the vessels con¬
taining the blood of our boiÈes to such an extraordinary
extent that the ends of the veins open and let it out ; or
whether it be occasioned by the great noise and violent motion
in the same organs. But let it happen which way it will,
there was no room here for a consultation of physicians, con¬
sidering that we were dying of hunger ; neither had we time
to inquire what became of the English, when we could hardly
save ourselves.
With the help of oars, our course was directed up a current,
which we knew came from the port of Cabinda ; but, the wind
being against us, we could not make the port, and were
obliged to attempt getting to Cape Corso, twelve leagues from
Cape Catherina, where we were unable to land, on account of
a bar which renders that part of the coast inaccessible.
Hunger made us alter our design, and forced us to vanquish
the obstacles opposed by nature ; therefore we, with much
difiSculty, ran ashore in spite of tlie bar, trusting to find negroes
who would supply us with provisions.
One of our number speedily landed in quest of something
to eat, and fortunately discovered some oysters adhering to the
branches of trees in a lagoon, of which he returned to give us
notice. Here we spent two days, and I divided my men into
three parties, sending them up the country to seek for victuals
and houses, with orders to return the same evening to the
boat. But we could neither find habitations nor any indica¬
tions of men dwelling there. We saw nothing but large herds
of buffaloes, which fied so fast that we could not possibly
get near them ; therefore, after spending the day in this man¬
ner unsuccessfully, we came back to the boat to eat oysters,
and resolved to sail for Cape Corso on the day following. To
leeward of the Cape, there is a large port where ships sailing
that way put in for wood and water. The negroes inhabiting
the country having notice of the arrival of vessels by the firing
of cannon, come down with provisions, to barter for brandy,
knives, and hatchets. They are under the necessity of living
at a distance from the sea, because all the coast is marshy.
As soon as we reached Cape Corso, we heard a great noise
from the negroes, who came thither to sell wood to the ships
lying at anchor in the port. I looked for any one among them
whom I could recognize, for, having often brought me wood
and refreshments in the covtrse of my former voyages, I was
in hopes to find, some of them who should know me again.
But though acquainted with several, it was impossible to per¬
suade them that I was Captain Monlauban, so much had my
late misfortune disfigured me ; and the whole supposed me an
44
EXPLOSION OF
impostor. _ Understanding a little of their language, I told
them I was ready to die with famine, and prayed them to
give me something to eat, but my requests were vain ; so
I solicited them to be conducted to Prince Thomas, who was
son to the king of the country, in hopes that he might recollect
the favours I had formerly shown him.
I carried all my people along with me, and first reached the
dwellings of negroes, who gave us bananas to eat ; and next
day arrived at the prince's dwelling. But I was in so poor a
condition that I could not make him recognize me, either by
signs, or by speaking in his own language, and also Portuguese,
which he understood perfectly well. Formerly, going together
to battle, he observed a scar on my thigh, from a wound by
a musquet-ball ; and now he said that he must know whether
I were truly Captain Montauban ; that if I were not, he
would cut off my head. He then asked whether I ever had
a scar from a musquet-shot in my thigh, and, on my shewing
it to him, he embraced me, expressing his sorrow to see me
in this condition. He immediately caused victuals to be
distributed among my men, and divided them into several
habitations, with strict orders to the negroes, with whom they
were quartered, to treat them with the greatest care ; and,
as for myself, I always lived with him. When I was a little
recovered, he promised to conduct me to the king, his father,
who lived five or six leagues off, that is, ten or twelve from the
sea-side. I signified my sense of his consideration, and re¬
quested his permission to take my people along with me, and
likewise some pieces of clothing, that we might put ourselvee
in decent attire to appear before so great a prince.
Three days thereafter we departed in a large canoe, and
passed by the river of fcape Lopez ; for tlte country is so full
of marshes that; the journey cannot be made by land. The
king lived in a village consisting of three hundred huts, co¬
vered with palm leaves, where he kept his wives and kindred,
and also some other negro families whom he favoured. 1 was
lodged with Prince Thomas, and my men were distributed
into other habitations.
We found all the people in great lamentation, because their
chief priest had died that day ; and they were to begin the
funeral obsequies, which continue seven days for those of
such high rank. The deceased was held in universal esteem
and veneration, and looked on as a holy man.
As the king is in mourning during the whole funeral cere¬
mony, he sees nobody while it lasts ; and Prince Thomas
desired me not to leave my dwelling to visit him, this being
the custom of the nation. Nevertheless, I went to inspect
the funeral ceremony, where I beheld nothing except a great
A FUKSCH VESSEL.
45
concourse of people stunding round the dead body. Mean¬
time, I was well fed by the orders of the prince, who had
gone to visit his father ; and so were my people. I was sup¬
plied with bananas, elephant's flesh, and river flsh.
At the termination of the eight days. Prince Thomas
returned to carry us before his father, whom I found to be a
well made negro, of large stature, and about flfty years old.
To do me the greater honour, he advanced some steps out of
his house to meet me, supported by four or five women, and
guarded by several negroes, armed with lances and musquets,
which they discharged from time to time. Several drums and
trumpets preceded him, and also several standards. His only
covering was a piece of white and blue striped cotton stuff,
wrapped about part of his body.
The king gave me many demonstrations of his friendship :
he stretched out his hand to me, saying it was the first time
he had done so to any man ; and, sitting down at his door,
desired me to take the place on one side of him, and his son
the other. He asked several questions concerning the greatness
and power of the king, my master, and when I told him that
he had alone waged war against the English and Dutch, whom
he himself had seen at Cape Lopez, and also with the Germans
and Spaniards, who were more potent nations than the English
and Dutch, he expressed himself pleased with my account,
and proposed to drink the king of France's health. He was
immediately served by his wives with palm wine, in a great
crystal glass. As soon as he began to drink, the negro men
and women lifted up their right arm, and, in silence, held it
in that posiure until he had done drinking. Then the drums
and trumpets flourished, and the musquets, or, I should rather
say, fusees, were discharged. _
On informing Prince Thomas, at ms own desire, that the
king of France's name was Louis le Grand, he declared his
wish that I should hold a child of his, seven or eight months
old, to be baptized, and that I should name him Louis le
Grand. He told me, likewise, that, on my next voyage to this
country, he. would send the child by me as a present to the
king of France, to whose service he devoted him, being very
desirous that he should be brought up according to the custom
of the country, and the court of so great a prince. I also
engaged, on my part, that I should not fail to remind him of
his promise the first time I came to the coast of Guinea ;
that, on my return to France, I might be able to make the
greatest present that could be made to the king, in presenting
him with the son of Prince Thomas. " And assure him,"
said Prince Thomas, " that I am his friend, and that, if he
has occasion for my services, I shall myself repair to France,
46
EXPLOSION OP
v.'ith all the lances and musketry belonging to the king, my
father," which was as much as to say, " with the whole force
of the kingdom." The king then, taking up the discourse,
assured me that he would go thither in person if there was
need for it ; and the whole negro men and women gare a loud
shout, which was followed by a general discharge of fire-arms,
and a flourish of drums and trumpets, and a kind of sham-
fight. The meaning of all this 1 could not comprehend, and
it excited some alarm, until I saw the king drink the French
king's health, with the same ceremonies as at first ; his ex¬
ample was imitated by his son, and all the strangers ordered
to do the like. He then ordered two cakes of wax to be
brought, which he desired me to accept as a token of his
friendship, and retired to his house.
We visited several villages in the vicinity, and most of the
people, who had never beheld white men, crowded from all
quarters to see us, bringing more fruit, and also the flesh of
elephants and buffaloes, than we could destroy ; it was a mark
of the greatest consideration to supply us with elephants' flesh,
as it is used by themselves at their feasts.
Unable to comprehend what occasioned the difference of
colour between our faces and their own, they frequently tried
whether the white would rub oflf ; and their anxiety in making
this experiment was so great as sometimes to hurt us by it.
When Prince Thomas observed their proceedings, he com¬
manded that his attendants should suffer none of the rest to
rub and scrape us with their fingers in that manner, and told
those who came to see us that all strangers were as white as
we were ; and, if negroes went into anoüier country, that their
colour would there séem as strange as otus did in Guinea.
He was entertained byíecing the people running after us, as
if we had been some strange animals, and I know not whether
his distress to behold us thus incommoded with their impor¬
tunities, or his amusement at their folly, predominated.
At last, after three days' travelling and diversion, the prince
carried me backte take leave of his father. The king caressed
me greatly, and made me promise to visit him on my first
return to Guinea. We then embarked in canoes, and next
day arrived at Prince Thomas's village, where I experienced
the same treatment from him as before.
Here he resumed the subject of his son's baptism, and,
as these people professed Christianity, he sent to Cape Lopez
for a Portuguese priest, who came in two days. The prince
named him Louis le Grand, as he had before declared his
intention of doing. A negro woman, one of his relations,
stood godmother, and I stood godfather. This woman was
called Antonia, and 1 was told that she had been so named at
her baptism by the wife of a Portuguese captain. The cere-
A FRENCH VESSEL.
47
monywas perfonned-with all possible magnificence, such as
the negroes could display.
Two or three days afterwards, information came of the
arrival of an English ship at Cape Lopez ; and I requested the
prince's permission to go on board, that I might return to my
own country ; but he was unwilling that I should commit
myself to the hands of my enemies, and desired me patiently
to await the arrival of some Portuguese vessels, in which I
should sail. Meantime, he went to Cape Lopez, there to
exchange elephant's teeth, bcesrwax, and negroes, for iron,
arms, and brandy, which occupied him ten or twelve days.
On his return he told me that a Portuguese ship had
anchored at the Cape, and that his canoe should carry me on
board, as he had recommended me to the Captain, and said
that I should want nothing necessary for my voyage to Europe.
I therefore collected all my men, except two, who, five or six
days before, had gone up the country, and I knew not where
to find them. Having taken leave of the prince, we embarked
in his canoes, and sailed for Cape Lopez. On arriving there
I found the Portuguese captain, an old friend, with whom I
had become acquainted in the island of St. Thomas. Three
days after I went on board we reached that island, the
governor of which showed me and my men much civility
during a month that we were obliged to remain in the port.
An English ship that had been out on the Gold Coast then
came in ; and, on becoming acquainted with the Captain, he
made such offers as I could not refuse. He requested me to
go on board of his ship, assuring me that I should find very
good Jewish physicians in Barbadoes, who would cure my
ailments. Thus I embarked with all my men in the vessel,
notwithstanding the governor of the island stated many reasons
for being suspicious of the Englishman, who was, nevertheless,
as honest a man as any of his country. He was so civil as to
give me his own cabin, and entertained me with every thing
agreeable and amusing he could devise, to solace my spirits
for afilictions that I had from time to time endured.
Ten days after our departure from St. Thomas, we unfortu¬
nately lost our rudder in a storm, and were obliged to fit a
spare topmast instead of it, which proved very detrimental to a
voyage continuing no less than three months. Provisions
began to be scarce before our arrival at Barbadoes, so that
the allowance was reduced to three-fourths, and they were
within three days of being quite exhausted.
On reaching the islani the English Captain waited on
Colonel Kussel, the governor, and related my engagement
with the man-of-war at Angola, and the consequences attend¬
ing it, whereupon he was much blamed for carrying me to
48
EXPLOSION OE
Barbadoes. When he returned on board, he told me that
the governor had prohibited him from allowing me to go on
shore, under pain of death. The latter part, however, I did
not at first learn from him, and he contented himself with
only desiring me not to go ashore, lest it might excite the
governor's suspicions. With this I promised punctual com¬
pliance, having little desire to see a place which I had known
so long ago, and being unwilling to bring the Captain into
any trouble.
Next day several Jews, who had been expelled from
Martinique, having heard of my arrival, came on board, and,
finding me very much indisposed, sent some physicians of
their tribe to me, who said that I could not be cured without
being carried ashore. They offered to solicit the governor's
permission for me to live in the town, and I drew up a petition
to him to the same purpose, promising not to stir out of my
apartment until embarking again for Martinique. The Jewish
physicians were themselves obliged to be security for me, and
I was then conducted to the house of Mr. Jacob Lewis, where
I was well attended to all the time of my residence.
Three days after my arrival. Colonel "Rüssel sent a major
to see me. He very civilly offered me his protection, and
whatever could be be conductive to the restoration of my
health. Both the major and a captain of the garrison came to
visit me from time to time, though, I apprehended, less with
the design of learning the state of my health than to ascer¬
tain when I should be in a condition to leave the island.
Colonel Kussel himself also visited me ten or twelve days
after my arrival, to know whether I was as ill as had been
reported. ; and seven or eight days subsequent to that he came
again, and caused me to be conveyed from the Jew's house
to that of an English merchant, where, he said, I should find
better accommodation. But I thought his design was that I
might be more narrowly watched, and prevented from con¬
versing with so many people. He came to see me the day
following, when I returned him thanks for the civilities he
had shewn me, and, that he might have no occasion to suspect
my men^ I prayed him to shut them up in the citadel, that
they might not run about the island, and also to prevent them
from making their escape. He answered that he would at¬
tend to it, but I must understand they were prisoners of war
as well as myself. I said I was aware of it, and thought my¬
self fortunate in having fallen into his hands, adding, however,
that the English captain who had brought me to Barbadoes
engaged that neither I, nor any of my men, should be de¬
tained ; that it was from reliance on his faith so given, and the
tenders of service he made, I had embarked. Then I re.
A PRRNCH Vr.SSEL.
40
quested the governor to grant me and my men our liberty,
promising that I should ever be mindful of the favour, either
by restoring such prisoners as I might take, or by paying him
such a ransom as he required.
"No," replied the gbvemor, "I will neither have your
ransom nor your prisoners ; you are too brave a man for me
not to compassionate your numerous misfortunes ; and I desire
that you will accept of these forty pistoles to supply your pre¬
sent necessities." He then presented me with a purse, which
he had doubtless brought on purpose, and, on leaving me,
said he was about to give orders to collect my men together.
After being somewhat recovered, I intimated to the governor,
by the officer who daily came to visit me, that I was desirous
of embarking in the first vessel bound for Martinique. In
lilree days a bark arrived, which the Count de Blenac, governor
of the French islands, had sent here respecting an exchange
of prisoners ; Colonel Russel gave me intimation of it, saying,
I might prepare to depart. I was thereupon permitted to go
to his house and thank him in person for all the civilities he
had shewn me. He told me that he regretted the laws of
warfare restrained him from allowing me greater liberty than
he had done, and prayed me to use the English kindly who
might fall into my hands. I embarked in the French vessel,
but I could find no more than two of the crew whom the
governor had formerly sent to me, and they declared that they
knew nothing of what was become of the rest.
Arriving at Martinique, I related my adventures to M. de
Blenac, who insisted on my living with him during the whole
period of my residence there ; and he frequently made mO
give him an account of my engagement with the English man-
of-war. At last, finding an opportunity of procuring a passage
for me to France, he sent for the captain of a vessel bound
thither, and recommended me to him. He would likewise
have written letters to France in my favour, but he was taken
so very ill that he could not write, and died on the 10th of
June. I regretted his death very much, for many reasons.
He was a man who delighted to serve every one, and felt for
the misfortunes of those who were persecuted by fate, as I had
been ; who offered a favour before it was asked, who was en¬
dowed with courage, and skilful in maritime affairs, and in high
esteem with the king for his integrity, wisdom, justice, as also
the service he had rendered to his country.
The day after the death of M. Blenac, I embarked in the
Virgin, a vessel belonging to Bordeaux, and had a quick
passage thither. I arrived impressed with many and contra¬
dictory sentiments.
I know not whether I have bid adieu to the sea, or whether
F
60
EXPLOSION OF A FRENCH VESSEL.
I shall go out again to be revenged on the English, who have
done me so much mischief; whether I shall traverse the ocean
in quest of a little wealth ; or rest in quiet, and consume what
my relations have left me. Men have a strange propensity to
undertake voyages, just as they have to gaming. Whatever
adversity befalls them they trust that at length prosperity will
come, and therefore they continue to play on ; so it is with us
at sea, for. whatever accident we meet with, we hope for some
opportunity to indemnify our losses.
ADVENTURES
of
PHILIP ASHTON,
who, after escaping from pirates, lived sixteen
months in solitude os a desolate island
1723.
Upon Friday the 15th of June 1722, after being out some
time in a schooner with four men and a boy, off Cape Sable,
1 stood in for Port Rossaway, designing to lie there all Sunday.
Having arrived about four in the afternoon, we saw, among
other vessels which had reached the port before us, a brigan-
tine supposed to be inward bound from the West Indies. After
remaining three or four hours at anchor, a boat from the bri-
gantine came along-side, with four hands, who leapt on deck,
and, suddenly drawing out pistols, and brandishing cutlasses,
demanded the surrender both of ourselves and our vessel.
All remonstrance was vain ; nor indeed, had we known who
they were before boarding us, could we have made any effec¬
tual resistance, being only five men and a boy, and were thus
imder the necessity of submitting at discretion. We were
not single in misfortune, as thirteen or fourteen fishing-vessels
were in like manner surprised the same evening.
When carried on board the brigantine, I found myself in
the hands of Ned Low, ân infamous pirate, whose vessel had
two great guns, four swivels, and about forty-two men. I was
strongly urged to sign the articles of agreement among the
pirates, and to join their number, which I steadily refused,
and suffered much bad usage in consequence. At length,
being conducted, along with five of the prisoners, to the
quarter-deck. Low came up to us with pistols in his hand,
> 2
52
ADVENTURES OF
and loudly demanded, " Are any of you married men !" This
unexpected question, added to the sight of the pistols, struck
us all speechless ; we were alarnied lest there was some secret
meaning in his words, and that he would proceed to extremi¬
ties ; therefore none could reply. I- violent passion he
cocked a pistol, and clapping it to my nead, cried out, "You
dog, why don't you answer?" swearing vehemently at the
same time that he would shoot me through the head. I was
sufficiently terrified by his threats and fierceness, hut, rather
than lose my life in so trifling a matter, I ventured to pro¬
nounce, as loud as I durst speak, that I was not married.
Hereupon he seemed to be somewhat pacified, and turned
away.
It appeared that Low was resolved to take no married men
whatever, which often seemed surprising to me, until I had
been a considerable time with him. But his own wife had
died lately before he became a pirate ; and he had a young
child at Boston, for whom he entertained such tenderness, on
every lucid interval from drinking and revelling, that, on
mentioning it, I have seen him sit down and weep plentifully.
Thus I concluded that his reason for taking only single men
was probably that they might have no ties, such as wives and
children, to divert them from his service, and render them
desirous of returning home.
The pirates, finding force of no avail in compelling us to
join them, began to use persuasion instead of it. They tried
to flatter me into compliance, by setting before me the share
I should have in their spoils, and the riches which I should
become master of ; and all the time eagerly importuned me
to drink along with them. But I still continued to resist their
proposals, whereupon Low, with equal fury as before, threat¬
ened to shoot me through the head ; and, though I earnestly
entreated my release, he and his people wrote my name, and
that of my companions, in their books.
On the I9th of June, the pirates changed the privateer, as
they called their vessel, and went into a new schooner belonging
to Marblehead, which they had captured. They then put all the
prisoners, whom they designed sending home, on board of the
brigantina, and sent her to Boston, which induced me to make
another unsuccessful attempt for liberty ; but, though I fell on
my knees to Low, he refused to let me go : thus I saw the
brigantine depart, with the whole captives, excepting myself
and seven more.
Very short time before she departed, I had nearly effected
my escape ; for a dog belonging to Low being accidentally
left on shore, he ordered some hands into a boat to bring it
off. Thereupon two young men, captives, both belonging to
PHILIP ASHTOH.
53
Marblehead, readily leapt into the boat, and I, considering
that, if I could once get on shore, means might be foimd of
effecting my escape, endeavoured to go along with them. But
the quarter-master, called Hussel, catching hold of my shoulder,
drew me back. As the young men did not return, he thought
I was privy to their plot, and, with the most outrageous oaths,
snapped his pistol, on my denying all knowledge of it. The
pistol missing fire, however, only served to enrage him the
more : he snapped it three times again, and as often it missed
fire ; on which he held it overboard, and then it went off.
Bussel on this drew his cutlass, and was about to attack me
in the utmost fury, when I leapt down into the hold and saved
myself.
Off St. Michael's the pirates took a large Portuguese pink,
laden with wheat, coming out of the road ; and, being a good
sailer, and carrying 14 guns, transferred their company into
her. It afterwards became necessary to careen her, whence
they made three islands, called the Triangles, lying about 40
leagues to the eastward of Surinam.
In heaving down the pink. Low had ordered so many men
to the shrouds and yards that the ports, by her heeling, got
under water, and, the sea rushing in, she overset : he and the
doctor were then in the cabin, and, as soon as he observed the
water gushing in, he leaped out of one of the stern ports,
while the doctor attempted to follow him. But the violence
of the sea repulsed the latter, and he was forced back into
the cabin. Low, however, contrived to thrust his arm into
the port, and, dragging him out, saved his life. Meanwhile,
the vessel completely overset. Her keel turned out of the
water, but, as the hull filled, she sunk, in the depth of about
six fathoms.
The yard-arms striking the ground, forced the masts some¬
what above the water ; as the ship overset, the people got from
the shrouds and yards, upon the hull, and, as the hull went
down, they again resorted to the rigging, rising a little out of
the sea.
Being an indifferent swimmer, I was reduced to great ex¬
tremity ; for, along with other light lads, I had been sent up
to the main-top-gallant yard ; and the people of a boat, who
were now occupied in preserving the men, refusing to take
me in, I was compelled to attempt reaching the buoy. This
I luckily accomplished, and, as it was large, secured myself
there until the boat approached. I once more requested the
people to take me in, bat they still refused, as the boat was
full. 1 was uncertain whether they designed leaving me to
perish in this situation : however, the boat being deeply laden,
made way very slowly, and one of my own comrades, captured
F 3
64
ADVENTURES OF
at the same time with myself, calling to me to forsake the
buoy and swim towards her, I assented, and, reaching the boat,
he drew me on board. Two men, John Bell, and Zana
Gourdon, were lost in the pink.
Though the schooner in company was very near at hand,
her people were employed mending their sails under an aw-
ning, and knew nothing of the accident until the boat, lull of
men, got alongside.
The pirates having thus lost their principal vessel, and the
greatest part of their provisions and water, were reduced to
great extremities for want of the latter. They were unable
to get a supply at the Triangles, nor, on account of calms and
currents, could they make the island of Tobago. Thus they
were forced to stand for Grenada, which they reached, after
being on short allowance for sixteen days together.
Grenada was a French settlement, and Low, on arriving,
after having sent all his men, except a sufBcient number to
manœuvre the vessel, below, said he was from Barbadoes;
that he had lost the water on board, and was obliged to put in
here for a supply.
The people entertained no suspicion of his being a pirate,
but afterwards, supposing him a smuggler, thought it a good
opportunity to make a prize of his vessel. Next day, there¬
fore, they equipped a large sloop of 70 tons, and four guns,
with about 30 hands, as sufficient for the capture, and came
alongside, while Low was quite unsuspicious of their design.
But this being evidently betrayed by their number and actions,
he quickly called 90 men on deck, and, having 8 guns mounted,
the French sloop became an easy prey.
Provided with these two vessels, the pirates cruized about
in the West Indies, taking seven or eight prizes, and at length
arrived at the island of Santa Cruz, where they captured two
more. While lying there. Low thought he stood in need of
a medicine chest, and, in order to procure one, sent four
Frenchmen, in a ship he had taken, to St. Thomas's, about
twelve leagues distant, with money to purchase it ; promising
them liberty, and the return of all their vessels, for the
service. But he declared, at the same time, if it proved other¬
wise, he would kill the rest of the men, and burn the vessels.
In little more than twenty-four hours, the Frenchmen re¬
turned with the object of their mission, and Low punctually
performed his promise by restoring the vessels.
Having sailed for the Spanish American settlements, the
pirates descried two large ships, about half way between
Carthagena and Portobello, which proved to be the Mermaid,
an English man-of-war, and a Guineamau. They approached
in chase until discovering the man-of-war's grqat range of
PHILIP ASHTOW.
65
teeth, when they immediately put ahout, and made the best
of their way off. The man-of-war then commenced the pur¬
suit, and gained upon them apace, and I confess that my
terrors were now equal to any that I had previously suffered ;
for I concluded that we should certainly he taken, and that 1
should no less certainly be hanged for company's sake ; so
true are the words of Solomon, " A companion of fools shall be
destroyed." But the two pirate vessels, finding themselves
outsailed, separated, and Farrington Spriggs, who commanded
the schooner in which I was, stood in for the shore. The
Mermaid observing the sloop with Low himself to he the
larger of the two, crowded all sail, and continued gaining still
more, indeed until her shot flew over ; hut one of the sloop's
crew shewed Low a shoal, which he could pass, and in the
pursuit the man-of-war grounded. Thus the pirates escaped
hanging on this occasion.
Spriggs and one of his chosen companions, dreading the
consequences of being captured and brought to justice, laid
their pistols beside them in the interval, and, pledging a mutual
oath in a bumper of liquor, swore, if they saw no possibility
of escape, to set foot to foot, and blow out each other's brains.
But, standing towards the shore, they made Pickeroon Bay,
and escaped the danger.
Next we repaired to a small island called Utilla, ahout seven
or eight leagues to leeward of the island of Koatan, in the
Bay of Honduras, where the bottom of tlie schooner was
cleaned. There were now twenty-two persons on hoard, and
eight of us engaged in a plot to overpower our masters, and
make our escape. Spriggs proposed sailing for New England,
in quest of provisions, and to increase his company ; and we
intended, on approaching the coast, when the rest had indulged
freely in liquor, and fallen sound asleep, to secure them under
the hatches, and then deliver ourselves up to government.
Although our plot was carried on with all possible privacy,
Spriggs had somehow or other got intelligence of it ; and,
having fallen in with Low on the voyage, went on hoard his
ship to make a furious declaration against us. But Low made
little account of his information, otherwise it might have been
fatal to most of our number. Spriggs, however, returned
raging to the schooner, exclaiming that four of us should go
forward to he shot, and to me in particular he said, "You dog
Ashton, you deserve to he hanged up to the yard-arm for de¬
signing to cut us off." I replied, " that I had no intention of
injuring any man on hoard ; hut I should he glad if they
would allow me to go away quietly." At length ' this flame
was quenihed, and, through the goodness of God, I esgaped
destruction.
55
ADVENTURES OP
Eoatan harbour, as all about the Bay of Honduras, is full
of small islands, which pass under the general name of
Keys ¡ and having got in here. Low, with some of his chief
men, landed on a small island, which they called Port Royal
Key. There they erected huts, and continued carousing,
drinking, and firing, while the different vessels, of which they
now had possession, were repairing.
On Saturday the 9th of March 1723, the cooper, with six
hands, in the long-boat, was going ashore for water; and,
coming alongside of the schooner, I requested to be of the
party. Seeing him hesitate, I urged that I had never hitherto
been ashore, and thought it hard to be so closely confined,
when every one besides had the liberty of landing as there
was occasion. Low had before told me, on requesting to be
sent away in some of the captured vessels which he dismissed,
that I should go home when he did, and swore that I should
never previously set my foot on land. But now I considered, if I
could possibly once get on terra firma, though in ever such
bad circumstances, I should account it a happy deliverance,
and resolved never to embark again.
The cooper at length took me into the long-boat, while Low,
and his chief people, were on a different island from Koatan,
where the watering place lay ; my only clothing was an Osna-
burgh frock and trowsers, a milled cap, but neiger shirt, shoes,
stockings, nor any thing else.
When we first landed, I was very active in assisting to get
the casks out of the boat, and in rolling them to the watering-
place. Then, taking a hearty draught of water, 1 strolled
along the beach, picking up stones and shells ; but on reach¬
ing the distance of musket-shot from the party, I began to
withdraw towards the skirts of the woods. In answer to a
question by the cooper of whither I was going ? I replied,
" for cocoa-nuts," as some cocoa-trees were just before me ;
and as soon as I was out of sight of my companions, I took to
my heels, running as fast as the thickness of the bushes and
my naked feet would admit. Notwithstanding I had got a
considerable way into the woods, I was still so near as to hear
the voices of the party if they spoke loud, and I lay close in a
thicket where I knew they could not find me.
After my comrades had filled their casks, and were about
to depart, the cooper called on me to accompany them ; how¬
ever, I lay snug in the thicket, and gave him no answer, though
his words were plain enough. At length, after hallooing,
I could hear them say to one another, " The dog is lost in the
woods, and cannot find the way out again then they hal¬
looed once more, and cried " he has run away, and won't come
to us;" and the cooper, observed that, had he known my
PHILIP ASHTON.
67
intention, he would not have brought me ashore. Satisfied
of their inability to find me among the trees and bushes, the
cooper at last, to shew his kindness, exclaimed, " If you do
not come away presently, I shall go off and leave you alone."
Nothing, however, could induce me to discover myself ; and
my comrades, seeing it vain to wait any longer, put off
without me.
Thus I was left on a desolate island, doctilute of all help,
and remote from the track of navigators ; but, compared with
the state and society I had quitted, I considered the wilderness
liospitable, and the solitude interesting.
When I thought the whole were gone, I emerged from my
thicket, and came down to a small run of water, about a mile
from the place where our casks were filled, and there sat down
to observe the proceedings of the pirates. To my great joy,
in five days their vessels sailed, and I saw the schooner part
from them to shape a different course.
I then began to reflect on myself and my present condition ;
I was on an island which I had no means of leaving ; I knew
of no human being within many miles ; my clothing was
scanty, and it was impossible to procure a supply. I was al¬
together destitute of provision, nor could tell how my life was
to be supported. This melancholy prospect drew a copious
flood of tears from my eyes ; but, as it had pleased God to grant
my wishes in being liberated from those whose occupation
was devising mischief against their neighbours, I resolved to
account every hardship light. Yet Low would never suffer
his men to work on the Sabbath, which was more devoted to
play ; and I have even seen some of them sit down to read
in a good book.
In order to ascertain how I was to live in time to come, I
began to range over the island, which proved ten or eleven
leagues long, and lay in about 16° 30' north latitude. But I
soon found that my only companions would be the beasts of
the earth, and fowls of the air ; for there were no indications
of any habitations on the island, though every now and then I
found some shreds of earthenware scattered in a lime walk,
said bysometobe the remains of Indiansformerly dwelling here.
The island was well watered, full of high hills and deep
valleys. Numerous fruit trees, such as figs, vines, and cocoa-
nuts, are found in the latter ; and I found a kind larger than
an orange, oval-shaped, of a brownish colour without, and
red within. Though many of these had fallen under the
trees, I could not venture to take them, unlU I saw the wild
hogs feeding with safety, and then I found them very delicious
fruit.
Store of provisions abounded here, though I could avail
58
ADVENTURES OF
myself of nothing but the fruit ; for I had no knife or iron
implement, either to cut up a tortoise on turning it, or weapons
wherewith to kill animals ; nor had I any means of making a
fire to cook my capture, even if 1 were successful.
Sometimes 1 entertained thoughts of digging pits, and co¬
vering them over with small branches of trees, for the purpose
of taking hogs or deer ; but I wanted a shovel and every sub¬
stitute for the purpose, and I was soon convinced that my
hands were insufficient to make a cavity deep enough to retain
what should fall into it. Thus I was forced to rest satisfied
with fruit, which was to be esteemed very good provision fof
any one in my condition.
In process of time, while poking among the sand with a
stick, in quest of tortoise's eggs, which I had heard were laid
in the sand, part of one came up adhering to it : and, on re¬
moving the sand, I found nearly a hundred and fifty, which
had not lain long enough to spoil. Therefore, taking some, I
ate them, and strung others on a strip of palmeto, which, being
hung up in the sun, became thick and somewhat hard ; so that
they were more palatable. After all, they were not very
savoury food, though one, who had nothing but what fell
from the trees, behoved to be content. Tortoises lay their
eggs in the sand, in holes about a foot or a foot and a half
deep, and smooth the surface over them, so that there is no
discovering where they lie. According to the best of my
observation, the young are hatched in eighteen or twenty
days, and then immediately take to the water.
Many serpents are on this and the adjacent islands ; one,
about twelve or fourteen feet long, is as large as a man's waist,
but not poisonous. When lying at length, they look like old
trunks of trees, covered with short moss, though they more
usually assume a circular position. The first time I saw one
of these serpents, I had approached very near before discover¬
ing it to be a living creature ; it opened its mouth wide enough
to have received a hat, and breathed on me. A small black
fly creates such annoyance that, even if a person possessed
ever so many comforts, his life would be oppressive to him,
ïjnless for the possibility of retiring to some small quay, desti¬
tute of wood and bushes, where multitudes are dispersed by
the wind.
To this place then was I confined during nine months,
without seeing a human being. One day after another was
lingered out, I know not how, void of occupation or amuse¬
ment, except collecting food, rambling from hill to hill, and
from island to island, and gazing on sky and water. Although
my mind was occupied by many regrets, I had the reflection
that I was lawfully employed when taken, so that I had no
PHILIP ASHTOW.
59
liand in bringing misery on myself; 1 was also comforted to
think that I had the approbation and consent of my parents
in going to sea, and I trusted that it would please God, in his
own time and manner, to provide for my return to my father's
house. Therefore, I resolved to submit patiently to my mis¬
fortune.
It was my daily practice to ramble from one part of the
island to another, though I had a more special home near the
water-side. Here I built a hut to defend me against the heat
of the sun by day, and the heavy dews by night. Taking
some of the best branches that I could find fallen from the
trees, I contrived to fix them against a low hanging bough, by
fastening them together with split palmeto leaves ; next I
covered the whole with some of the largest and most suitable
leaves that I could get. Many of those huts were constructed by
me, generally near the beach, with the open part fronting the
sea, to have the better look out, and the advantage of the
sea-breeze, which both the heat and the vermin required.
But the insects were so troublesome that I thought of en¬
deavouring to get over to some of the adjacent keys, in hopes
of enjoying rest. However, I was, as already said, a very in
difierent swimmer; I had no canoe, nor any means of making
one. At length, having got a piece of bamboo, which is
hollow like a reed, and light as cork, I ventured, after frequent
trials with it under my breast and arms, to put ofl' for a small
key about a gun-shot distant, which I reached in safety.
My new place of refuge was only about three or four him-
dred feet in circuit, lying very low, and clear of woods and
brush ; from exposure to the wind, it was quite free of vermin,
and I seemed to have got into a new world, where I lived in¬
finitely more at ease. Hither I retired, therefore, when the heat
of the day rendered the insect tribe most obnoxious ; yet I was
obliged to be much on Roatan, to procure food and water, and
at night on account of my hut.
When swimming back and forward between the two islands,
I used to bind my frock and trowsers about my head, and, if
I could have carried over wood and leaves, whereof to make
a hut, with equal facility, I should have passed more of my
time on the smaller one.
Yet these excursions were not unattended with danger.
Once, I remember, when passing from the larger island, the
bamboo, before I was aware, slipped from under me ; and the
tide, or current, set down so strong that it was with great
difficulty I could reach the shore. At another time, when
swimming overto the small island, a shovel-nosed shark, which,
as Well as alligators, abound in those seas, struck me in the
thigh, just as my foot could reach the bottom, and grounded
60
A.DVKNTtJKES OF
itself, from the shallowness of the water, as I suppose, so that
its mouth could not get round towards me. The blow I felt
some hours after making the shore. By repeated practice, I
at length became a pretty dexterous swimmer, and amused
myself by passing from one island to another, among the keys.
I suffered very much from being barefoot ; so many deep
wounds were made in my feet from traversing the woods,
where the ground was covered with slicks and stones, and on
the hot beach, over sharp broken shells, that I was scarce able
to walk at all. Often, when treading with all possible caution,
a stone or shell on the beach, or a pointed stick in the woods,
would penetrate the old wound, and the extreme anguish
would strike me down as suddenly as if I had been shot.
Then I would remain, for hours together, with tears gushing
from my eyes, from the acuteness of the pain. I could travel
no more than absolute necessity compelled me, in quest of
subsistence ; and 1 have sat, my back leaning against a tree,
looking out for a vessel during a complete day.
Once, while faint from such injuries, as well as smarting
under the pain of them, a wild boar rushed towards me. I
knew not what do, for I had not strength to resist his attack ;
therefore, as he ..drew nearer, I caught the bough of a tree,
and half suspended myself by means of it. The boar tore
away part of my ragged trowsers with his tusks, and then left
me. This, I think, was the only time that I was attacked by
any wild beast, and I considered myself to have had a very
great deliverance.
As my weakness continued to increase, I often fell to the
ground insensible, and then, as also when 1 laid myself to
sleep, I thought 1 should never awake again, or rise in life.
Under this afSiction I first lost count of the days of thé week :
1 could not distinguish Sunday, and, as my illness became
more aggravated, I became ignorant of the month also.
Ail this time I had no healing balsam for my feet, nor any
cordial to revive my drooping spirits. My utmost efforts could
only now and then procure some figs and grapes. Neither
had I fire ; for, though I had heard of a way to procure it by
rubbing two sticks together, my attempts in this respect, con¬
tinued until I was tired, proved abortive. The rains having
come on, attended with chill winds, I suffered exceedingly.
While passing nine months in this lonely, melancholy, and
irksome condition, my thoughts would sometimes wander to
my parents ; and 1 reflected that, notwithstanding it would
be consolatory to myself if they knew vhere I was, it might
be distressing to them. The nearer my prospect of death,
which I often expected, the greater my penitence became.
Sometime in November 1723, I descried a small canoe ap-
PHILIP ASHTOIf.
61
proacliing with a single man ; but the sight excited little
emotion. 1 kept my seat on the beach, thinking I could not
expect a friend, and knowing that I had no enemy to fear, nor
was I capable of resisting one. As the man approached, he
betrayed many signs of surprise ; he called me to him, and 1
told him he might safely venture ashore, for I wac alone, and
almost expiring. Coming close up, he knew not what to
make of me ; my garb and countenance seemed so singular,
that he looked wild with astonishment. He started back a
little, and surveyed me more thoroughly; but, recovering
himself again, came forward, and, taking me by the hand,
expressed his satisfaction at seeing me.
This stranger proved to be a native of North Britain ; he
was well advanced in years, of a grave and venerable aspect,
and of a reserved temper. His name I never knew ; he did
not disclose it, and I had not inquired during the period of
our acquaintance. But he informed me he had lived twenty-
two years with the Spaniards, who now threatened to burn
him, though 1 know not for what crime ; therefore he had^fled
hither as a sanctuary, bringing his dog, gun, and ammunition,
as also a small quantity of pork, along with him. He de¬
signed spending the remainder of his days on the island, where
he could support himself by hunting.
I experienced much kindness from the stranger ; he was
always ready to perform any civil ofSces, and assist me in
whatever he could, though he spoke little : and he gave me a
share of his pork.
On the third day after his arrival, he said he would make
an excursion in his canoe among the neighbouring islands, for
the purpose of killing wild-hogs and deer, and wished me to
accompany him. Though my spirits were somewhat recruited
by his society, the benefit of the fire, which I now enjoyed,
and dressed provision-s, my weakness, and the soreness of my
feet, precluded me ; therefore he set out alone, saying he
would^eturn in a few hours. The sky was serene, and there
was no prospect of any danger during a short excursion, seeing
he had come nearly twelve leagues in safety in his canoe. But,
when he had been absent about an hour, a violent gust of
wind and rain arose, in which he probably perished, as I
never heard of him more.
Thus, after having the pleasure of a companion almost three
days, I was reduced to my former lonely state as unexpectedly
as I had been relieved from it. Yet, through God's goodness,
I was myself preserved from having been unable to accom¬
pany him ; and I was left in better circumstances than those
in which he had found me ; for now I had about five pounds
of pork, a knife, a bottle of gunpowder, tobacco, tongs, and
G
02
ADVENTURES Oí
flint, by which means my life could be rendered more comfort¬
able. I was enabled to have fire, extremely requisite ai this
time, being the rainy months of winter : I could cut up a
tortoise, and have a delicate broiled meal. Thus, by the help
of the fire, and dressed provisions, through the blessing of
God, I began to recover strength, though the soreness of my
feet remained. But I had, besides, the advantage of being
able now and then to catch a dish of cray-flsh, which, when
roasted, proved good eating. To accomplish this I made up a
small bundle of old broken sticks, nearly resembling pitch-
pine, or candle-wood ; and having lighted one end waded with it
in my hand, up to the waist in water. The cray-fish, attracted
by the light, would crawl to my feet, and lie directly under
it ; when, by means of a forked stick, I could toss them ashore.
Between two and three months after the time of losing my
companion, I found a small canoe, while ranging along the
shore. The sight of it revived my regret for his loss, for I
judged that it bad been his canoe ; and, from being washed
up here, a certain proof of his having been lost in the tem¬
pest. But, on examining it more narrowly, I satisfied myself
that it was one which I had never seen before.
Master of this little vessel, I began to think myself admiral
of the neighbouring seas, as well as sole possessor ^nd chief
commander of the islands. Profiting by its use, I could
transport myself to the places of retreat more conveniently
than by my former expedient of swimming.
In process of time 1 projected an excursion to some of the
larger and more distant islands, partly to learn how they were
stored or inhabited, and partly for the sake of amusement.
Laying in a stock of figs and grapes, therefore, as also some
tortoise to eat, and carrying my implements for fire, I put off to
steer for the island of Bonacco, which is about four or five
leagues long, and situated five or six from Roatan.
In the course of the voyage, observing a sloop at the east
end of the island, I made the best of my way to the Vest,
designing to travel down by land, both because a point of
rocks ran far into the sea, beyond which 1 did not care to
venture in the canoe, as was necessary to come a-head of the
sloop, and because 1 wished to ascertain something concerning
her people before I was discovered. Even in my worst cir¬
cumstances, 1 never could brook the thoughts of returning on
board of any piratical vessel, and resolved rather to live and
die in my present situation. Hauling up the canoe, and
making it fast as well as I was able, I set out on the journey.
My feet were yet in such a state that two days, and the best
part of two nights, were occupied in it. Sometimes the woods
and bushes were so thick that it was necessary to crawl half a
PHILIP ASHTON,
63
mile together on my hands and knees, which rendered my
progress very slow.
When within a mile or two of the place where I supposed
the sloop might lie, I made for the water side, and approached
the sea gradually, that I might not too soon disclose myself to
view ; however, on reaching the beach, there was no appear¬
ance of the sloop, whence I judged that she had sailed during
the time spent by me in travelling.
Being much fatigued with the journey, I rested myself
against the stump of a tree, with my face towards the sea,
where sleep overpowered me. But I had not slumbered long
before I was suddenly awakened by the noise of firing.
Starting up in affright, 1 saw nine periaguas, or large canoes,
full of men, firing upon me from the sea; whence I soon
turned about, and ran among the bushes as fast as my sore
feet would allow, while the men, who were Spaniards, cried
after me, " O Englishman, we will give you good quarter."
However, my astonishment was so great, and I was so suddenly
roused from sleep, that I had no self-command to listen to
their ofl'ers of quarter, which, it may be, at another time, in
my cooler moments, I might have done. Thus I made into
the woods, and the strangers continued firing after me, to the
number of 150 bullets at least, many of which cut small twigs
off the bushes close by my side. Having gained an exten¬
sive thicket beyond reach of the shot, I lay close several
hours, until, observing, by the sovind of their oars, that the
Spaniards were departing, I crept out. I saw the sloop under
English colours sailing away with the canoes in tow, which
induced me to suppose she was an English vessel, which had
been at the Bay of Honduras, and taken there by the Spa¬
niards.
Next day I returned to the tree, where I had been so nearly
surprised, and was astonished to find six or seven shot in the
trunk, within a foot or less of my head. Yet through the
wonderful goodness of God, though having been as a mark to
shoot at, I was preserved.
After this I travelled to recover my canoe at the western
end of the island, which I reached in three days, but suffering
severely from the soreness of my feet, and the scantiness of
provision. This island is not so plentifully stored as Roatan,
so that, during the five or six days of my residence, 1 bed
difficulty in procuring subsistence ; and the insects were,
besides, infinitely more numerous and harassing than at my
old habitation. These circumstances deterred me from fur¬
ther exploring the island ; and, having reached the canoe very
tired and exhausted, I put off for Roatan, which was a royal
palace to me, compared with Bonacco, and arrived at night in
safety. e 2
64
ADVEM'UKES OF
Here I lived, if it may be called living, alone for about
seven months, after losing my North British companion. My
time was spent in the usual manner, hunting for food, and
ranging among the islands.
Some time in June 1724, while on the small quay, whither
I often retreated to be free from the annoyance of insects, I
saw two canoes making for the harbour. Approaching nearer,
they observed the smoke of a fire which I had kindled, and,
at a loss to know what it meant, they hesitated on advancing.
What I had experienced at Bonacco was still fresh in my
memory, and, loth to run the risk of such another firing, I
witlidrew to my canoe, lying behind the quay, not above 100
yards distant, and immediately rowed over to Roatan. There
1 had places of safety against an enemy, and sulficient
accommodation for any ordinary number of friends.
Tlie people in the canoes observed me cross the sea to
Roatan, the passage not exceeding a gun-shot over ; and being
as much afraid of pirates as I was of Spaniards, approached
very cautiously towards the shore. 1 then came down to the
beach, shewing myself openly ; for their conduct led me to
think that they could not be pirates, and 1 resolved, before
being exposed to the danger of their shot, to inquire who they
were. If they proved such as 1 did not like, I could easily
retire. But before 1 spoke, they, as full of apprehension as I
could be, lay on their oars, and demanded who 1 was, and
whence I came ? to which I replied, " that I was an
Englishman, and had run away from pirates." On this they
drew somewhat nearer, inquiring who was there besides my¬
self ? when I assured them, in return, that I was alone.
Next, according to my original purpose, having put similar
questions to them, they said they had come from the Bay
of Honduras. Their words encouraged me to bid them
row ashore, which they did accordingly, though at some
distance ; and one man landed, whom I advanced to meet.
But he started back at the sight of a poor, ragged, wild,
forlorn, miserable object so near him. Collecting himself,
however, he took me by the hand, and we began embracing
each other, he from surprise and wonder, and I from a sort
of ecstacy of joy. When this was over, he took me in his
anns, and carried me down to the canoes, where all his com¬
rades were struck with astonishment at my appearance ; but
they gladly received me, and I experienced great tenderness
from them.
I gave the strangers a brief account of my escape from
Low, and my lonely residence for sixteen months, all except¬
ing three days, the hardships 1 had suffered, and the dangers
to which I had been exposed. They stood amazed at the
recital ; they wondered I was alive, and expressed much
PHILIP ASHTON.
6ô
latisfaction at being able to relieve me. Observing me very
weak and depressed, they gave me about a spoonful of rum
to recruit my fainting spirits ; but even this small quantity,
from my long disuse of strong liquors, threw me into violent
agitation, and produced a kind of stupor, which at last ended
in privation of sense. Some of the party, perceiving a state
of insensibility come on, would bave administered more rum,
which those better skilled among them prevented ; and, after
lying a short time in a fit, I revived.
Then I ascertained that the strangers were eighteen in
number, the chief of them named John Hope, an old man,
called Father Hope, by his companions, and John Ford, and
and all belonging to the Bay of Honduras. The cause of
their coming hither was an alarm for an attack from the sea,
by the Spaniards, while the Indians should make a descent
by land, and cut off the Bay ; thus they had fied for safety.
On a former occasion, the two persons above named had,
for the like reason, taken shelter among these islands, and
lived four years at a time on a small one, named Barbarat,
about two leagues from Koatan. There they had two planta¬
tions, as they called them ; and now they brought two barrels
of flour, with other provisions, fire-arms, dogs for hunting,
and nets for tortoises ; and also an Indian woman to dress
their provisions. Their principal residence was a small key,
about a quarter of a mile round, lying near to Barbarat, and
named by them the Castle of Comfort, chiefly because it was
low and clear of woods and bushes, so that the free circulation
of the wind could drive away the pestiferous muskitoes and
other insects. Hence they sent to the surrounding islands
for wood, water, and materials to build two houses, such as
they were, for shelter.
I now had the prospect of a much more agreeable life than
what I had spent during the sixteen months past ; for, besides
having company, the strangers treated me with a great deal of
civility in their way ; they clothed me, and gave me a large
wrapping gown as a defence against the nightly dews, until
their houses were covered ; and there was plenty of provisions.
Yet after all, they were bad society ; and, as to their common
conversation, there was little difference between them and
pirates. However, it did not appear that they were now en¬
gaged in any such evil desigft as rendered it tiulawful to join
them, or be found in their company.
In process of time, and with the assistance afforded by niy
companions, I gathered so much strength as sometimes to be
able to hunt along with them. The islands abounded with
wild hogs, deer, and tortoise ; and different ones were visited
in quest of game. This was brought home, where, instead of
o 3
66
ADVENTURES OP
being immediately consumed, it was hung up to dry in smoke,
so as to be a ready supply at all times.
I now considered myself beyond the reach of danger from
an enemy ; for, independent of supposing that nothing could
bring any one here, I was surrounded by a number of men
with arms constantly in their hands. Yet, at the very time
that I thought myself most secure, I was very nearly again
falling into the hands of pirates.
Six or seven months after the strangers joined me, three
of them, along with myself, took a four-oared canoe, for the
purpose of hunting and killing tortoise on Bonacco. During
our absence the rest repaired their canoes, and prepared to go
over to the Bay of Honduras, to examine how matters stood
there, and bring off their remaining effects, in case it were
dangerous to return. But, before they had departed, we were
on our voyage homewards, having a full load of pork and
tortoise, as our object was successfully accomplished. While
entering the mouth of the harbour, in a moonlight evening,
we saw a great flash, and heard a report much louder than
that of a musket, proceed from a large periagua, which we
observed near the Castle of Comfort. This put us in extreme
consternation, and we knew not what to consider ; but in a
minute or two we heard a volley from eighteen or twenty
small arms, discharged towards the shore, and also some re¬
turned from it. Satisfied that an enemy, either Spaniards
or pirates, was attacking our people, and being intercepted
from them by periaguas lying between us and the shore, we
thought the safest plan was trying to escape. Therefore,
taking down our little mast and sail, that they might not betray
us, we rowed out of the harbour as fast as possible, torvards
an island about a mile and a-half distant, trusting to retreat
undiscovered. But the enemy, having either seen us before
lowering our sail, or heard the noise of the oars, followed w ith
all speed, in an eight or ten oared periagua. Observing her
approach, and fast gaining on us, we rowed with all our might
to make the nearest shore. However, she was at length
enabled to discharge a swivel, the shot from which passed
over our canoe ; nevertheless we contrived to reach the shore
before being completely within the range of small arms, which
our pursuers discharged on us while landing.
They were now near enough to cry aloud that they were
pirates, and not Spaniards, and that we need not dread them,
as we should get good quarter ; thence supposing that we
should be the easier induced to surrender. Yet nothing could
have been said to discourage me more from putting myself in
their power : I had the utmost dread of a pirate ; and my
original aversion was now enhanced, by the apprehension of
PHILIP ASHTON.
67
being sacrificed for my former desertion. Thus, concluding
to keep as clear of them as I could, and the Honduras Bay
men having no great inclination to do otherwise, we made the
best of our way to the woods. Our pursuers carried off the
canoe, with all its contents, resolving, if we would not go to
them, to deprive us, as far as possible, of all means of subsis¬
tence where we were. But it gave me, who had known both
want and solitude, little concern, now that I had company,
and there were arms among us to procure provision, and also
fire wherewith to dress it.
Our assailants were some men belonging to Spriggs, my
former commander, who had thrown off his allegiance to Low,
and set up for himself at the head of a gang of pirates, with
a good ship of twenty-four guns, and a sloop of twelve, both
presently lying in Roatan harbour. He had put in for fresh
water, and to refit, at the place where I first escaped ; and,
having discovered my companions at the small island of their
retreat, sent a periagua full of men to take them. Accord¬
ingly they carried all ashore, as also a child and an Indian
woman; the last of whom they shamefully abused. They
killed a man after landing, and, throwing him into one of
the canoes containing tar, set it on fire, and burnt his body
in it. Then they carried the people on board of their vessels,
where they were barbarously treated. One of them turned
pirate, however, and told the others that John Hope had hid
many things in the woods ; therefore, they beat him unmerci-
fully to make him disclose his treasure, which they carried off
with them.
After the pirates had kept these people five days on board
of their vessels, they gave them a flat of five or six tons to
carry them to the Bay of Honduras, but no kind of provision
for the voyage ; and further, before dismissal, compelled them
to swear that they would not co.me near me and my party,
who had escaped to another island.
While the vessels rode in the harbour, we kept a good look¬
out, but were exposed to some difficulties, from not daring to
kindle a fire to dress our victuals, lest bur residence should be
betrayed. Thus we lived for five days on raw provisions. As
soon as they sailed, however, Hope, little regarding the oath
extorted from him, came and informed us of what had passed;
and I could not, for my own pact, be sufficiently grateful to
Providence for escaping the haods of the pirates, who would
have put me to a cruel death.
Hope and all his people, except John Symonds, now re¬
solved to make their way to the Bay. Symonds, who had a
negro, wished to remain some time for the purpose of trading
with the Jamaica-men on ths main. But, thmking aiy best
68
ADVENTUIIES OP
cliunce of getting to New England was from the Bay of Hon¬
duras, I requested Hope to take me with him. The old man,
though he would have gladly done so, advanced many objec¬
tions, such as the insufficiency of the flat to carry so many
men seventy leagues ; that they had no provision for the pas¬
sage, which might be tedious, and the flat was, besides, ill
calculated to stand the sea ; as also, that it was uncertain how
matters might turn out at the Bay : thus he thought it better
for me to remain ; yet, rather than 1 should be in solitude, he
would take me in.
Symonds, on the other hand, urged me to stay and bear
him company, and gave several reasons why I should more
likely obtain a passage from the Jamaica-men to New England
than by the Bay of Honduras. As this seemed a fairer
prospect of reaching my home, which I was extremely anxious
to do, I assented ; and, having thanked Hope and his com¬
panions for their civilities, I took leave of them, and they
departed.
Symonds was provided with a canoe, fire-arms, and two
dogs, in addition to his negro, by which means he felt confi¬
dent of being able to provide all that was necessary for our
subsistence. We spent two or three months after the usual
manner, ranging from island to island; but the prevalence
of the winter rains precluded, us from obtaining more game
tlian we required.
When the season for the Jamaica traders approached,
Symonds proposed repairing to some other islands to obtain a
quantity of tortoise-shell, which he could exchange for clothes
and shoes; and, being successful in this respect, we next
proceeded to Bonacca, which lies nearer the main, that we
might thence take a favourable opportunity to run over.
Having been a short time at Bonacco, a furious tempest
arose, and continued for three days, when we saw several
vessels standing in for the harbour. The largest of them
anchored at a great distance, but a brigantina came over the
shoals opposite to the watering place, and sent her boat
ashore with casks. Recognizing three people who were in
the boat, by their dress and appearance, for Englishmen, I
concluded they were friends, and shewed myself openly on
the beach before them. They ceased rowing immediately on
observing me, and, after answering their inquiries of who I
was, I put the same question, saying, they might come ashore
with safely. They did so, and a happy meeting it was for me.
I now found that the vessels were a fleet under convoy of
the Diamond man-of-war, bound for Jamaica ; but many
ships had parted company in the storm. The Diamond had
scut in the brigantine to get water here, as the sickness of
PHIUP ASHTON.
69
her crew had occasioned a great consumption of that neces¬
sary article.
Symonds, who had kept at a distance, lest the three men
might hesitate to come ashore, at length approached to par¬
ticipate in my joy, though, at the same time, testifying con¬
siderable reluctance at the prospect of rny leaving him. The
hrigantine was commanded by Captain Dove, with whom I
was acquainted, and she belonged to Salem, within three
miles of my father's house. Captain Dove not only treated
me with great civility, and engaged to give me a passage home,
but took me into pay, having lost a seaman, whose place he
wanted me to supply. Next day, the Diamond having sent
her long-boat ashore with casks for water, they were filled ;
and, after taking leave of Symonds, who shed tears at parting,
I was carried on board of the hrigantine.
We sailed along with the Diamond, which was bov.nd for
Jamaica, in the latter end of March 1725, and kept company
until the first of April. By the providence of Heaven we
passed safely through the gulf of Florida, and reached Salem
Harbour on the first of May, two years, ten months, and fifteen
days, after I was first taken by pirates ; and two years, and
nearly two months, after making my escape from them on
Roatan Island. That same evening T went to my father's
house, where I was received as one risen from the dead.
Rattan, Ruatan, or, more correctly, Roatan, as it is called
by the Spaniards, is a small island about ten or twelve leagues
long, in the Bay of Honduras. It abounds in all the neces¬
saries of life, and lies in an agreeable climate, less oppressive
from heat than many of the West India islands, owing to fresh
breezes prevailing, and light airs from the sea. The figs,
grapes, and cocoa-nuts, are of excellent quality; and both
deer and wild hogs can be easily obtained. There are
different harbours on the shore, one particularly well adapted
for shipping, and very capacious.
The English took possession of Roatan in the year 1742,
built a fort, and appointed a governor, for the purpose of pro¬
tecting the trade in that region ; but not long afterwards the
settlement was abandoned.
THE
GREAT DISTRESSES
BUPfBBED BY UIMSP.LP AND HIS COMI'ANJOVS OX TH5
COAST OF PATAGONIA,
PItOM THS YEAR IT-íOi TîLL TIIRI* ARRIVAL IN SiVGLANDj
BY THE
HON. JOHN BYRON.
WITH A DESCRIPTION
OP
ST. JAGO DE CHILI,
AND TUB
MANNERS ANDCUSTOMSOF THE [NHABfTANTS;
ALSO
A UKI.ATION OF THF. LOSS
OP
THE WAGER, MAN-OF-WAR,
O.YB OF ADMIRAL ANSON'S SQUADRON,
PREFACE.
As the greatest pain I feel in committing the following sheets
to the press arises from an apprehension that many of my
readers will accuse me of egotism; I will not incur that
charge in my preface, by detaining them with the reasons
which have induced me, at this time, to yield to the desire of
my friends. It is equally indifferent to the public to be told
how it happened that nothing should have got the better of
my indolence and reluctance to comply with the same requests
for the space of twenty years.
I will employ these few introductory pages merely to shew
what pretensions this work may have to the notice of the
world, after those publications which have preceded it.
It is well known that the Wager, one of Lord Anson's
squadron, was cast away upon a desolate island in the South-
seas. The subject of this book is a relation of the extraordi-'
nary difficulties and hardships through which, by the assis¬
tance of Divine Providence, a small part of her crew escaped
to their native land ; and a very small proportion of those
made their way, in a new and unheard-of manner, over a
large and desert tract of land between the western mouth of the
Magellanic Streight and the capital of Chili ; a country scarce
H
74
PRKFACE.
to be paralleled in any part of the globe, in that it affords neither
fruits, grain, nor even roots proper for the sustenance of man ;
and, what is still more rare, the very sea, which yields a
plentiful support to many a barren coast, on this tempestuous
and inhospitable shore is found to be almost as barren as the
land : and it must be confessed that, to those who cannot in¬
terest themselves with seeing human nature labouring, from
day to day, to preserve its existence under the continual want
of such real necessaries as food and shelter from the most
rigorous climate, the following sheets will afford but little
entertainment.
Yet, after all, it must be allowed there can be no other way
of ascertaining the geography and natural history of a country
which is altogether morass and rock, incapable of products
or culture, than by setting down every minute circumstance
which was observed in traversing it. The same may be said of
the inhabitants, their manners, religion, and language. What
fruits could an European reap from a more intimate acquain¬
tance with them than what he will find in the following ac¬
cidental observations ? We saw the most unprofitable spot
on the globe of the earth, and such it is described and
ascertained to be.
It is to be hoped some little amends may be made by such
an insight as is given into the interior part of the country >
.and I find what I have put down has had the good fortime to
be pleasing to some of my friends ; insomuch that the only
fault I have yet had laid to my papers is that of being too
short in the article of the Spanish settlements. But here I
naust say, I have been dubious of the partiality of my friends ;
and, as I think, justly fearful lest the world in general, who
may perhaps find compassion and indulgence for a protracted
tale of distress, may not give the same allowance to a luxurious
imagination triumphing in a change of fortune, and sudden
transition from the most dismal to the gayest scenes in the
universe, and thereby indulging an egotism equally offensive
to the envious and censorious.
I'RVFACK.
I speak as briefly as possible of matters previous to our final
separation from the rest of Lord Anson's squadron ; for it is
from this epocha that the train of our misfortunes properly
commences ; and though Mr. Bulkeley, one of the warrant
olficers of the Wager, has long since published a Journal and
Account of the return of that part of the ship's company,
which, dissenting from Captain Cheap's proposal of endea¬
vouring to regain their native country by way of the great con¬
tinent of South America, took their passage home in the long¬
boat, through the Streights of Magellan ; our transactions
during our abode on the island have been related by him in so
concise a manner as to leave many particulars unnoticed, and
others touched so slightly that they appear evidently to have
been put together with the purpose of justifying those proceed¬
ings which could not be considered in any other light than
that of direct mutiny. Accordingly, we find that the main
substance of his Journal is employed in scrutinizing the con¬
duct of Captain Cheap, and setting forth the conferences which
passed between him and the seceders, relative to the way and
measures they were to take for their return home. I have,
therefore, taken some pains to review those early passages of
the unfortunate scene I am to represent, and to enter into a
detail without which no sound judgment can be formed of
any disputed point, especially when it has been carried so far
as to end in personal resentment. When contests and dissen¬
sions shall be found to have gone that length, it will be obvious
to every reader why a licentious crew should hearken to any
factious leader rather than to the solidity of their captain's advice
who made it evident, to every unprejudiced understanding,
that their fairest chance for safety and a better fortune was to
proceed with the long-boat till they should make prize of
some vessel of the enemy, and thereby be enabled to bring to
the commodore a supply of stout fellows to assist in his con¬
quests, and share in the honour and rewards.
And yet it is but justice even to this ungovernable herd to
explain that, though I have said above they appeared in the
light of mutineers, they were not actually such in the eye of
the law ; for till a subsequent act, made, indeed, on this oc-
76
PREFACE.
cúsion, the pay of the ship's crew ceased immediately upon
her wreck, and consequently the officers' authority and com¬
mand.
Having explained the foregoing particulars, I hope I may
flatter myself there are few things in the following sheets
which will not he readily understood by the greatest part of
my readers ; therefore I will not detain them any longer.
NARRATIVE
OF THE
HON. JOHN BYRON.
THE equipment and destination of the squadron fitted out in
the year 1740, of -which Commodore Anson had the com¬
mand, being sufficien tly known from the ample and well-
penned relation of it under his direction, I shall recite no
particulars that are to be found in that work. But it may
be necessary, for better understanding the disastrous fate
of the Wager, the subject of the following sheets, to repeat
the remark, that a strange infatuation seemed to prevail in
the whole conduct of this embarkation. For, though it was
unaccountably detained tUl the season for its sailing was past,
no proper use was made of that time, which should have been
employed in providing a suitable force of sailors and soldiery;
nor was there a due attention given to other requisites for
so peculiar and extensive a destination.
This neglect not only rendered the expedition abortive in
its principal object, but most materially affected the condition
of each particular ship ; and none so fatally as the Wager,
which, being an old Indiaman bought into the service upon this
occasion, was now fitted out as a man-of-war, but, being made
to serve as a store-ship, was deeply laden with all kinds of
careening geer, military and other stores, for the use of the
other ships ; and, what is more, crowded with bale goods, and
encumbered with merchandize. A ship of this quality and
condition could not be expected to work with that readiness
and ease which was necessary for her security and preserva¬
tion in those heavy seas with which she was to encounter.
Her crew consisted of men pressed from long voyages to be
sent upon a distant and hazardous service : on the other hand,
all her land-forces were no more than a poor detachment of
infirm and decrepid invalids from Chelsea hospital, despond¬
ing under the apprehensions of a long voyage. It is not then
H 3
78
THE NARRATIVE OF
to be wondered at that Captain Kid, under whose command
this ship sailed out of the port, should in his last moments
presage her ill success, though nothing very material happened
during his command.
At his death he was succeeded by Captain Cheap, who still,
without any accident, kept company with the squadron till we
had almost gained the southernmost mouth of straits Le
Maire ; when, being the stemmest ship, we were, by the
sudden shifting of the wind to the southward and the turn of
the tide, very near being wrecked upon the rocks of Staten
Land ; which, notwithstanding, having weathered, contrary to
the expectation of the rest of the squadron, we endeavomred
all in our power to make up our lost way and regain our sta¬
tion. This we effected, and proceeded in our voyage, keep¬
ing company with the rest of the ships for some time ; when,
by a great roll of a hollow sea, we carried away our mizen-
mast, all the chain plates to windward being broken. Soon
after, hard gales at west coming on with a prodigious swell,
there broke a heavy sea in upon the ship, which stove our
boats, and filled us for some time.
These accidents were the more disheartening as our car¬
penter was on board the Gloucester, and detained there by
the incessant tempestuous weather, and sea, impracticable for
boats. In a few days he returned, and supplied the loss of
the mizen-mast by a lower studding sail boom ; but this ex¬
pedient, together with the patching up of our rigging, was a
poor temporary relief to us. We were soon obliged to cut
away our best bower anchor to ease the fore-mast, the shrouds
and chain-plates of which were all broken, and the ship in
áll parts in a most crazy condition.
Thus shattered and disabled, a single ship (for we had now
lost sight of our squadron) we had the additional mortifica¬
tion to find ourselves bearing for the land on a lee-shore ;
having thus far persevered in the course we held, from an
error in conjecture : for the weather was unfavourable for
observation, and there are no charts of that part of the coast.
When those officers who first perceived their mistake en¬
deavoured to persuade the captain to alter his course, and
bear away, for the greater surety, to the westward, he per¬
sisted in making directly, as he thought, for the island of
Socoro ; and to such as dared from time to time to deliver
their doubts of being entangled with the land stretching to
the westward, he replied that he thought himself in no case
at liberty to deviate from his orders ; and that the absence of
his ship from the first place of rendezvous would entirely
frustrate the whole squadron in the first object of their attack.
THE HON. JOHN BYKON. 70
and possibly decide upon the fortune of the hole expedition.
For better understanding the force of his reasoning, it is
necessary to explain that the island of Socoro is in the
neighbourhood of Baldivia ; the capture of which place could
not be effected without the junction of that ship which carried
the ordnance and military stores.
The knowledge of the great importance of giving so early
and unexpected a blow to the Spaniards determined the cap.
tain to make the shortest way to the point in view ; and that
rigid adherence to orders, from which he thought himself in
no case at liberty to depart, begot in him a stubborn defiance
of all difficulties, and took away from him those apprehensions
which so justly alarmed all such as, from an ignorance of the
orders, had nothing present to their minds but the dangers of
a lee-shore.*
We had for some time been sensible of our approach to the
land, from no other tokens than those of weeds and birds,
which are the usual indications of nearing the coast; but at
length we had an imperfect view of an eminence which we
conjectured to be one of the mountains of the Cordilleras.
This, however, was not so distinctly seen but that many con-
ceived it to be the effect of imagination : but if the captain
was persuaded of the nearness of our danger, it was now
too late to remedy it ; for at this time the straps of the fore
jeer blocks breaking, the fore-yard came down; and the
greatest part of the men being disabled through fetigue and
sickness, it was some time before it could be got up again.
The few hands who were employed in this business now
plainly saw the land on the larboard beam, bearing N.W.,
upon which the ship was driving bodily. Orders were then
given immediately by the captain to sway the fore-yard up,
and set the fore-sail; which done, we wore ship with her
head to the southward, and endeavoured to crowd her off
* Captain Cheap has heen suspected of a design of going on the Spanish
coast without the Commodore ; but no part of his conduct seems to au«
thorise« in the least» such a suspicion. The author who brings this heavy
charge against him is equally mistaken in imagining that Captain Cheap
had not instructions to sail to this island, and that the Commodore did
neither go nor send thither, to inform himself if any of the squadron
were there. This appears ^om the orders delivered to the captains of
the squadron, the day before they sailed from St. Catherine's (L. Anson's
Voyage, B. 1. C. 6.) ; from the orders of the Council of War held on board
the Centurion, in the bay of St. Julian (C. 7») ; ^nd from the conduct of
the Commodore (C. 10.) who cruized (x^ith the utmost hazard) more than
a fortnight off the isle of Socoro, and along the coast in its neighbourhood.
It was the second rendezvous at Baldivia, and not that at Socoro, that the
Commodore wa^ forced by necessity to neglect.
80
THE NARRATIVE OF
from tlie land ; but the weather, from being exceeding tem¬
pestuous, blowing now a perfect hurricane, and right in upon
the shore, rendered our endeavours (for we were now only
twelve hands fit for duty) entirely fruitless. The night came
on, dreadful beyond description, in which, attempting to
throw out our topsails to claw off the shore, they were imme¬
diately blown from the yards.
In the morning, about four o'clock, the ship struck. The
shock we received upon this occasion, though very great, being
not unlike a blow of a heavy sea, such as in the series of
preceding storms we had often experienced, was taken for
the same ; but we were soon undeceived by her striking again
more violently than before, which laid her upon her beam
ends, the sea making a fair breach over her. Every person
that now could stir was presently upon the quarter-deck;
and many even of those were alert upon this occasion that
had not shewed their faces upon deck for above two months
before : several poor wretches, who were in the last stage of
the scurvy, and who could not get out of their hammocks,
were immediately drowned.
In this dreadful situation she lay for some little time, every
soul on board looking upon the present minute as his last ;
for there was nothing to be seen but breakers all around
us. However, a mountainous sea hove her off thence ; but
she presently struck again, and broke her tiller. In this
terrifying and critical juncture, to have observed all the various
modes of horror operating according to the several characters
and complexions amongst us, it was necessary that the ob-,
server himself should have been free from all impressions of
danger. Instances there were, however, of behaviour so very
remarkable that they could not escape the notice of any one
who was not entirely bereaved of his senses ; for some were in
this condition to all intents and purposes ; particularly one, in
the ravings despair brought upon him, was seen stalking about
the deck, flourishing a cutlass over his head, and calling himself
king of the country, and striking every body he came near,
till his companions, seeing no other security against his ty¬
ranny, knocked him down. Some, reduced before by long
sickness and the scurvy, became on this occasion as it were
petrified and bereaved of all sense, like inanimate logs, and
were bandied to and fro by the jerks and rolls of the ship,
without exerting any efforts to help themselves. So terrible
was the scene of foaming breakers around us that one of the
bravest men we had could not help expressing his dismay at
it, saying it was too shocking a sight to bear, and would have
THK HON. JOHN JSITRON.
81
thrown himself over the rails of the quarter-deck into the
sea, had he not heen prevented ; hut at the same time there
were not wanting those who preserved a presence of mind
truly heroic. The man at the helm, though both rudder and
tiller were gone, kept his station ; and, being asked by one
of the oiBcers if the ship would steer or not, first took his
time to make trial by the wheel, and then answered with as
much respect and coolness as if the ship had been in the
greatest safety ; and immediately after applied himself, with
his usual serenity, to his duty, persuaded it did not become
him to desert it as long as the ship kept together. Mr. Jones,
mate, who now survives not only this wreck, but that of the
Litchfield man-of-war upon the coast of Barbary, at the time
when the ship was in the most imminent danger, not only
shewed himself undaunted, but endeavoured to inspire the
same resolution in the men ; saying, " My friends, let us not
be discouraged : did you never see a ship amongst breakers
before ? Let us try to push her through them. Come, lend a
hand ; here is a sheet, and here is a brace ; lay hold ; 1 don't
doubt but we may stick her yet near enough to the land to
save our lives." This had so good an effect that many, who
before were half dead, seemed active again, and now went to
work iñ earnest. This Mr. Jones did purely to keep up the
spirits of the people as long as possible ; for he often said,
afterwards, he thought there was not the least chance of a
single man's being saved. We now ran in between an open¬
ing of the breakers, steering by the sheets and braces, when
providentially we stuck fast between two great rocks ; that to
windward sheltering us in some measure from the violence of
the sea. We immediately cut away the main and foremast ;
but the ship kept beating in such a manner that we imagined
she could hold together but a very little while. The day now
broke, and the weather, that had been extremely thick, cleared
away for a few moments, and gave us a glimpse of the land
not far from us. We now thought of nothing but saving our
lives. To get the boats out, as our masts were gone, was a
work of some time ; which, when accomplished, many were
ready to jump into the first, by which means tbcy narrowly
escaped perishing before ihey reached the shore. I now wont to
Captain Cheap (who had the misfortune to dislocate his shoulder
by a fall the day before, as he was going forward to get the
fore-yard swayed up), and asked him if he would not go on
shore ; but he told me, as he had done before, that he would
be the last to leave the ship ; and he ordered me to assist in
getting the men out as soon as possible. 1 had been with him
very often from the time the ship first struck, as he desired 1
would, to acquaint him with everv thing that passed ; and I
8-2
THE NARRATIVE OP
particularly remarked that he gave his orders at that time
\rith as much coolness as ever he had done during the former
part of the voyage.
The scene was now greatly changed; for many who hut a
few minutes before had shewn the strongest signs of despair,
and were on their knees praying for mercy, imagining they
were now not in that immediate danger, grew very riotous,
broke open every chest and box that was at hand, stove in the
heads of casks of brandy and wine as they were borne up to
the hatchways, and got so drunk that several of them were
drowned on board, and lay floating -about the decks for
some days after. Before I left the ship, I went down to my
chest, which was at the bulk-head of the ward-room, in order
to save some little matters, if possible ; but whilst I was there
the ship thumped, with such violence, and the water came in
so fast, that I was forced to get upon the quarter-deck again,
without saving a single rag but what was upon my back.
The boatswain and some of the people would not leave the
ship so long as there was any liquor to be got at ; upon which
Captain Cheap suffered himself to be helped out of his bed,
put into the boat, and carried on shore.
It is natural to think that, to men thus upon the point of
perishing by shipwreck, the getting to land was the highest
attainment of their wishes; undoubtedly it was a desirable
event ; yet, all things considered, our condition was but little
mended by the change. Whichever way we looked, a scene
of horror presented itself : on one side, the wreck (in which
was all that we had in the world to support and subsist us),
together with a boisterous sea, presented us with the most
dreary prospect ; on the other, the land did not wear a much
more favourable appearance : desolate and barren, without
sign of culture, we could hope to receive little other beneflt
from it than the preservation it aflbrded us from the sea. It
must be confessed this was a great and merciful deliverance
from immediate destruction ; but then we had wet, cold, and
hunger, to struggle with, and no visible remedy against any of
those evils. Exerting ourselves, however, though faint, be¬
numbed, and almost helpless, to find some wretched covert
against the extreme inclemency of the weather, we discovered
an Indian hut, at a small distance from the beach within a
wood, in which as many as possible, without distinction,
crowded themselves, the night coming on exceedingly tem¬
pestuous and rainy. But here our situation was such as to
exclude all rest and refreshment by sleep from most of us ;
for, besides that we pressed upon one another extremely, we
were not without our alarms and apprehensions of being at-
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
83
tacked by the Indians, from a discovery we made of some
of their lances and other arms in our hut ; and our uncertainty
of their strength and disposition gave alarm to our imagination,
and kept us in continual anxiety.
In this miserable hovel, one of our company, a lieutenant of
invalids, died this night ; and of those who for want of room
took shelter under a great tree, which stood them in very lit¬
tle stead, two more perished by the severity of that cold and
rainy night. In the morning, the calls of hunger, which had
been hitherto suppressed by our attention to more immediate
dangers and difficulties, were now become too importunate to
be resisted. We had most of us fasted eight-and-forty hours,
some more ; it was time, therefore, to make inquiry among
ourselves what store of sustenance had been brought from the
wreck by the providence of some, and what could be procured
on the island by the industry of others ; but the produce of
the one amounted to no more than two or three pounds of
biscuit dust reserved in a bag ; and all the success of those
who ventured abroad, the weather being still exceedingly bad,
was to kill one sea-gull and pick some wild sellei-y. Those,
therefore, were immediately put into a pot, with the addition
of a large quantity of water, and made into a kind of soup, of
which each partook as far as it would go : but we had no
sooner thrown this down than we were seized with the most
painful sickness at our stomachs, violent retchings, swoonings,
and other symptoms of being poisoned. This was imputed to
various causes, but in general to the herbs wo made use of, in
the nature and quality of which we fancied ourselves mistaken ;
but a little further inquiry let us into the real occasion of it,
which was no other than this ; the biscuit dust was the sweep¬
ings of the bread-room, but the bag in which they were put
had been a tobacco bag ; the contents of which not being
entirely taken out, what remained mixed with the biscuit-dust,
and proved a strong emetic.
We were in all about a hundred and forty who had got to
shore ; but some few remained still on board, detained either
by drunkenness, ora view of pillaging the wreck, among which
was the boatswain. These were visited by an officer in the
yawl, who was to endeavour to prevail upon them to join the
rest ; but finding them in the greatest disorder, and disposed
to mutiny, he was obliged to desist from his purpose and re¬
turn without them. Though we were very desirous, and our
necessities required that-we should take some survey of the
land we were upon, yet, being strongly prepossessed that the
.savages were retired but some little distance from us, and wait¬
ed to see us divided, our parties did not make, this day, any
fit
THE NARRATIVE OF
'great excursions from the hut; but, as far as we went, we
found it very morassy and unpromising. The spot which we
occupied was a bay formed by hilly promontories ; that to tiie
north so exceeding steep that in order to ascend it (for there
was no going round, the bottom being washed by the sea) we
were at the labour of cutting steps. This, which we called
Mount Misery, was of use to us in taking some observations
afterwards, when the weather would permit : the southern
promontory was not so inaccessible. Beyond this, I, with
some others, having reached another bay, found driven ashore
some parts of the wreck, but no kind of provisions : nor did
we meet with any shell-fish, which we were chiefly in search
of. We therefore returned to the rest, and for that day made
no other repast than what the wild sellery afforded us; The
ensuing night proved exceedingly tempestuous ; and, the sea
running very high, threatened those on board with imme¬
diate destruction by the parting of the ■wreck. They then were
as solicitous to get ashore as they were before obstinate in re¬
fusing the assistance we sent them ; and when they found the
boat did not come to their relief at the instant they expected
it, without considering how impracticable a thing it was to
send it them in such a sea, they fired one of the quarter-deck
guns at the hut ; the ball of which did but just pass over the
covering of it, and was plainly heard by the captain and us
who were within. Another attempt, therefore, was made to
bring these madmen to land ; which, however, by the violence
of the sea, and other impediments, occasioned by the mast that
lay alongside, proved ineffectual. This unavoidable delay
made the people on board outrageous ; they fell to beating
every thing to pieces that fell in the way ; and, carrying their
intemperance to the greatest excess, broke open chests and
cabins for plunder that could be of no use to them : and so
earnest were they in this wantonness of theft that one man
had evidently been murdered on account of some division of
the spoil, or for the sake of the share that fell to him, having
all the marks of a strangled corpse. One thing in this outrage
they seemed particularly attentive to, which was to provide
themselves with arms and ammunition, in order to support them
in putting their mutinous designs in execution, and asserting
their claim to a lawless exemption from the authority of their
ofScers, which they pretended must cease with the loss of the
ship. But of these arms, which we stood in great need of,
they were soon bereaved, upon coming ashore, by the resolu¬
tion of Captain Cheap and Lieutenant Hamilton of the marines.
Among those mutineers which had been left on board, as I
observed before, was the boatswain ; who, instead of exerting
the authority he had over the rest, to keep them within boujids
THK HO,v. JOHN BYRO.V.
as much as possible, was himself a ringleader in their riot :
him, without respect to the figure he then made, for he was in
laced clothes, Captain Cheap, by a blow well laid on with his
cane, felled to the ground. It was scarce possible to refrain
from laughter at the whimsical appearance these fellows made,
who, having rifled the chests of the ofiicers' best suits, had put
them on over their greasy trousers and dirty checked shirts.
They were soon stripped of their finery, as they had before
been obliged to resign their arms.
The incessant rains, and exceeding cold weather in this cli¬
mate, rendered it impossible for us to subsist long without shel¬
ter; and the hut being much too little to receive us all, it was
necessary to fall upon some expedient without delay, which
might serve our purpose : accordingly the gunner, carpenter,
and some more, turning the cutter keel upwards, and fixing
it upon props, made no despicable habitation. Having thus
established some sort of settlement, we had the more leisure to
look about us, and to make our researches with greater accu¬
racy than we had before after such supplies as the most deso¬
late coasts are seldom unfurnished with. Accordingly we
soon provided ourselves with some sea-fowl, and found lim¬
pets, muscles, and other shell-fish in tolerable abundance ; but
this rummaging of the shore was now become extremely irk¬
some to those who had any feeling, by the bodies of our
drowned people thrown among the rocks, some of which were
hideous spectacles, from the mangled conditions they were in
by the violent surf that drove in upon the coast. These hor¬
rors were overcome by the distresses of our people, who were
even glad of the occasion of killing the gallinazo (the carrion
crow of that country) while preying on these carcasses, in
order to make a meal of them. But no provision by any means
proportionable to the number of mouths to be fed could, by
our utmost industry, be acquired from that part of the island
we had hitherto traversed : therefore, till we were in a ca¬
pacity of making more distant excursions, the wreck was to be
applied to, as often as possible, for such supplies as could be
got out of her. But as this was a very precarious fund in its
present situation, and at best could not last us long ; consi¬
dering too that it was very uncertaiir how long we might be
detained upon this island ; the stores and provision we were
so fortunate as to retrieve were not only to be dealt out with
the most frugal economy, but a sufficient quantity, if pos¬
sible, laid by, to fit us out, whenever we could agree upon any
method of transporting ourselves from this dreary spot. The
difficulties we had to encounter in those visits to the wreck
cannot be easily desc ribed ; for, no part of it being above water
xcepl the quarter-deck and part of the fore-castle, we were
86
THE NARRATIVE OF
nsually obliged to secure such things as were within reach,
by means of large hooks fastened to poles, in which business
we were much incommoded by the dead bodies floating
between decks.
In order to secure what we thus got in a manner to answer
the ends and purposes above-mentioned, Captain Cheap ordered
a store-tent to be erected near his hut as a repository, from
which nothing was to be dealt out, but in the measure and
proportion agreed upon by the ofiicers ; and though it was very
hard upon us petty offlcers, who were fatigued with hunting
all day in quest of food, to defend this tent from invasion by
night, no other means could be devised for this purpose so
efiectual as the committing this charge to our care ; and we
were accordingly ordered to divide the task equally between
us. Yet notwithstanding our utmost vigilance and care, fre¬
quent robberies were committed upon our trust, the tent being
accessible in more than one place. And one night when I
had the watch, hearing a stir within, I came unawares upon
the thief, and, presenting a pistol to his breast, obliged him to
submit to be tied up to a post, till I had an opportunity of se¬
curing-him more effectually. Depredations continued to be
made on our reserved stock, notwithstanding the great hazard
attending such attempts ; for our common safety made it
necessary to punish them with the utmost rigour. This will
not be wondered at, when it is known how little the allow¬
ance which might consistently be dispensed thence was pro¬
portionable to our common exigencies ; so that our daily and
nightly task of roving after food was not in the least relaxed
thereby ; and all put together was so far from answering our
necessities that many at this time perished with hunger. A
boy, when no other eatables could be found, having" picked up
the liver of one of the drowned men (whose carcase had been
torn to pieces by the force with which the sea drove it among
the rocks) was with difiSculty withheld from making a meal of
it. The men were so assiduous in their research after a few
things which drove from the wreck that, in order to have no
sharers of their good fortune, they examined the shore no
less by night than by day ; so that many of those who were
less alert, or not so fortunate as their neighbours, perished
with hunger or were driven to the last extremity. It must
be observed that on the I4th of May we were cast away, and
it was not till the 25th of this month that provisions were
served regularly from the store-tent.
The land we were now settled upon was about 90 leagues
to the northward of the western mouth of the straights of
Magellan, in the latitude of between 47° and 48° south, whence
we could plainly see the Cordilleras ; and by two Lagoons on
THE HON. JOHN BYRON. S7
the north and south of us, stretching towards those mountains,
we conjectured it was an island. But as yet we had no
means of informing ourselves perfectly whether it was an is¬
land or the main ; for, besides that the inland parts at little dis¬
tance from us seemed impracticable, from the exceeding great
thickness of the wood, we had hitherto been in such confusion
and want (each finding full employment for his time, in scrap¬
ing together a wretched subsistence, and providing shelter
against the cold and rain) that no party could be formed to go
upon discoveries. The climate and season too were utterly
unfavourable to adventurers, and the coast, as far as our eye
could stretch sea-ward, a scene of such dismal breakers as
would discourage the most daring from making attempts in
small boats. Nor were we assisted in our enquiries by any
observation that could be made from that eminence we called
Mount Misery, toward land, oiu: prospect that way being in¬
tercepted by still higher hills and lofty woods : we had there¬
fore no other expedient, by means of which to come at this
knowledge, but by fitting out one of our ship's boats upon
some discovery, to inform us of our situation. Our long-boat
was still on board the wreck ; therefore a number of hands
were now dispatched to cut the gunwale of the ship, in order
to get her out. Whilst we were employed in this business,
there appeared three canoes of Indians paddling towards us ;
they had come round the point from the southern Lagoons. It
was some time before we could prevail upon them to lay aside
their fears and approach us ; which at length they were induc¬
ed to do by the signs of friendship we made them, and by
shewing some bale-goods, which they accepted, and suffered
themselves to be conducted to the captain, who made them
likewise some presents. They were strangely affected with
the novelty thereof: but chiefly when shown the looking-
glass, in which the beholder could not conceive it to be his
own face that was represented, but that of some other
behind it, which he therefore went round to the back of the
glass to find out.
These people were of a small stature, very swarthy, having
long, black, coarse hair, hanging over their faces. It was
evident, from their great surprise, and every pari of their be¬
haviour, as well as their not having one thing in their possession
which could be derived from white people, that they had
never seen such. Their clothing was nothing but a bit of
some beast's skin about their waists, and something woven
from feathers over the shoulders ; and as they uttered no
word of any language we had ever heard, nor had any method
of making themselves understood, we presumed they could
have had no intercourse with Europeans. These savages,
I 2
THK NAllRATIVE OF
who upon their departure left us a few muscles, returned in
two days, and surprised us by bringing three sheep.
Whence they could procure these animals in a part of the
world so distant from any Spanish settlement, cut off from all
communication with the Spaniards by an inaccessible coast
and unprofitable country, is dilficult to conceive. Certain it
is that we saw no such creatures, nor ever heard of any such,
from the Streights of Magellan, till we got into the neighbour¬
hood of Chiloe: it must be by some strange accident that
these creatures came into their possession ; but what that was
we never could learn from them. At this interview we bar¬
tered with them for a dog or two, which we roasted and ate.
In a few days after, they made us another visit, and, bringing
their wives with them, took up their abode with us for some
days ; then again left us.
Whenever the weather permitted, which was now grown
something drier, but exceeding cold, we employed ourselves
about the wreck, from which we had, at sundry limes, re¬
covered several articles of provision and liquor : these were
deposited in the store-tent. Ill-humour and discontent, from
the difficulties we laboured under in procuring subsistence,
and the little prospect there was of any amendment in our
condition, was now breaking out a-pace. In some it shewed
itself by a separation of settlement and habitation ; in others,
by a resolution of leaving the captain entirely, and making a
wild journey by themselves, without determining upon any
plan whatever. For my own part, seeing it was the fashion,
and liking none of their parties, I built a little hut just big
enough for myself and a poor Indian dog I found in the woods,
who could shift for himself along shore, at low water, by get¬
ting limpets. This creature grew so fond of me, and faithful,
that he would suffer nobody to come near the hut without
biting them. Besides those seceders I mentioned, some laid
a scheme of deserting us entirely ; these were in number ten ;
the greatest part of them a most desperate and abandoned
crew, who, to strike a notable stroke before they went off,
placed half a barrel of gunpowder close to the captain's hut,
laid a train to it, and were just preparing to perpetrate their
wicked design of blowing up their commander, when they
were with difficulty dissuaded from it by one who had some
bowels and remorse of conscience left in him. These wretches,
after rambling some time in the woods, and finding it im¬
practicable to get off, for they were then convinced that we
were not upon the main, as they had imagined when they first
left us, but upon an island within four or five leagues of it,
returned and settled about a league from us; however, they
were still determined, as soon as they could procure craft fit
THE HON, JOHN BYRON.
89
for their purpose, to get to the main. But before they could
effect this, we found means to prevail upon the armourer
and one of the carpenter's crew, two very useful men to
us, who had imprudently joined them, to come over again to
their duty. The rest (one or two excepted), having built a
punt, and converted the hull of one of the ship's masts into
a canoe, went away up one of the Lagoons, and never were
heard of more.
These being a desperate and factious set, did not distress
us much by their departure, but rather added to our future
security ; one in particular, James Mitchell by name, we had
all the reason in the world to think had committed no less
than two murders since the loss of our ship ; one on the person
found strangled on board, another on the body of a man whom
we discovered among some bushes upon Mount Misery,
stabbed in several places, and shockingly mangled. This
diminution of our numbers was succeeded by an unfortunate
accident much more affecting in its consequences— I mean the
death of Mr. Cozens, midshipman ; in relating which with the
necessary impartiality and exactness, I think myself obliged
to be more than ordinarily particular. Having.one day, among
other things, got a cask of peas out of the wreck, about which
I was almost constantly employed, I brought it to shore in
the yawl ; when having landed it, the captain came down
upon the beach, and bid me to go up to some of the tents and
order hands to come down and roll it up ; but, finding none
except Mr. Cozens, I delivered him the orders, who immedi¬
ately came down to the captain, where I left them when I re¬
turned to the wreck. Upon my coming on shore again, 1
found that Mr. Cozens was put under confinement by the
captain, for being drunk and giving him abusive language ;
however, he was soon after released. A day or two after he
had some dispute with the surgeon, and came to hlows : all
these things incensed the captain greatly against him. I
hi lieve this unfortunate man was kept warm with liquor, and
set on by some ill-designing persons ; for, when sober, I
never knew a better-natured man, or one more inoffensive.
Some little time after, at the hour of serving provisions, Mr.
Cozens was at the store tent ; and having, it seems, lately
had a quarrel with the purser, and now some words arising
between them, the latter told him he was come to mutiny ;
and without any further ceremony fired a pistol at his head,
which narrowly missed him. The captain, hearing the report
of the pistol, and perhaps the purser's words, that Cozens was
come to mutiny, ran out of his hut with a cocked pistol in his
hand, and, without asking any questions, immediately shot him
thro\igh the head. I was at this tiirie in my hut, as the weather
I 3
90
TUE NAUUATIVE OF
was extremely bad ; but, rumiiiig out upon the alarm of this
firing, the first thing I saw was Mr. Cozens on the ground,
weltering in his blood ; he was sensible, and took me by the
hand, as he did several others, shaking his head, as if he
meant to take leave of us. If Mr. Cozens's behaviotix to his
captain was indecent and provoking, the captain's, on the
other hand, was rash and hasty ; if the first was wanting in
that respect and observance which is due from a petty officer
to his comman 1er, the latter was still more unadvised in the
method he took for the enforcement of his authority ; of which,
indeed, he was jealous to the last degree, and which he saw
daily declining, and ready to be trampled upon. His mistaken
apprehension of a mutinous design in Mr. Cozens, the sole
motive of this rash action, was so far from answering the end
he proposed by it that the men, who before were much dis¬
satisfied and uneasy, were by this unfortunate step thrown al¬
most into open sedition and revolt. It was evident that the
people, who ran out of their tents, alarmed by the report of
fire-arms, though they disguised their real sentiments for the
present, were extremely affected at this catastrophe of Mr.
Cozens (for he was greatly beloved by them) : their minds
were now exasperated, and it was to be apprehended that
their resentment, which was smothered for the present, would
shortly shew itself in some desperate enterprise. The un¬
happy victim who lay weltering in his blood on the ground
before them, seemed to absorb their whole attention ; the eyes
of all were fixed upon him ; and visible marks of the deepest
concern appeared in the countenances of the spectators. The
persuasion the captain was under, at the time he shot Mr.
Cozens, that his intentions were mutinous, together with a
jealousy of the diminution of his authority, occasioned also
his behaving with less compassion and tenderness towards
him afterwards than was consistent with the unhappy condi¬
tion of the poor sufferer : for, when it was begged as a favour
by his mess-mates, that Mr. Cozens might be removed to their
tent, though a necessary thing in his dangerous situation, yet
it was not permitted ; but the poor wretch was suffered to
languish on the ground some days, with no other covering
than a bit of canvas thrown over some bushes, where he died.
But to return to our story. The captain, addressing himself
to the people thus assembled, told them that it was his reso¬
lution to maintain his command over them as usual, which siill
remained in as much force as ever ; and then ordered them
all to return to their respective tents, with which order they
instantly complied. Now we had saved the long-boat from
the wreck, and got it in our possession, there was notliingthat
seemed sc necessary towards the advancing our delivery from
THE HO:«. JOHN BYRON.
91
this desolate place as the new modelling this vessel so as to
have room for all those who were inclined to go off in her, and
to put her in a condition to hear the stormy spas we must of
course encounter. We therefore hauled her up, and having
placed her upon blocks, sawed her in two, in order to length¬
en her about twelve feet by the keel. For this purpose, all
those who could be spared from the more immediate task of
procuring subsistence were employed in fitting and shaping
timber as the carpenter directed them ; I say, in procuring
subsistence, because the weather lately having been very
tempestuous, and the wreck working much, had disgorged a
great part of her contents, which were every where dispersed
about the shore.
We now sent frequent parties up the Lagoons, which some¬
times succeeded in getting some sea-fowl for us. The Indians
appearing again in the offing, we put off our yawl, in order to
frustrate any design they might have of going up the Lagoon
towards the deserters, who would have availed themselves of
some of their canoes to have got upon the main. Having
conducted them in, we found that their intention was to settle
among us, for they had brought their wives and children with
them, in all about fifty persons, who immediately set about
building themselves wigwams, and seemed much reconciled
to our company ; and, could we have entertained them as we
ought, they would have been of great assistance to us, who
were yet extremely put to it to subsist ourselves, being a hun¬
dred in number ; but the men, now subject to little or no
control, endeavoured to seduce their wives, which gave the
Indians such offence that in a short time they found means
to depart, taking every thing along with them ; and we, being
sensible of the cause, never expected to see them return
again. The carpenter having made some progress in his work
upon-the long-boat in which he was enabled to proceed toler-
aldy, by the tools and other articles of his business retrieved
fiiim the wreck, the men began to think of the course they
should take to get home ; or rather, having borro wed Sir John
Narborough's Voyage of Captain Cheap, by the application
of Mr. Bulkely, which book he saw me reading one day in
inv tent, they, immediately upon perusing it, concluded upon
making their voyage home by the Streights of Magellan. This
plan was proposed to the Captain, who by no means approved
of it, his design being to go northwards, with a view of seizing
a ship of the enemy's, by which means he might join the Com¬
modore : at present, therefore, here it rested. But the men
were in high spirits from the prospect they had of getting off
in the long-boat, overlooking all the difficulties and hazards
of a voyage almost impracticable, and caressing the carpenter,
THE NARRATIVE OF
who indeed was an excellent workman, and deserved all the
encouragement they could give him. The Indians having
left us, and the weather continuing tempestuous and rainy,
the distresses of the people, for want of food, became insup¬
portable. Our number, which was at first 145, was now re¬
duced to 100, and chiefly by famine, which put the rest upon
all shifts and devices to support themselves. One day, when
I was at home in my hut with my Indian dog, a party came
to my door, and told me their necessities were such that they
must eat the creature or starve. Though their plea was ur¬
gent, I could not help using some arguments to endeavour to
dissuade them from killing him, as his faithful services and
fondness deserved it at my hands ; but, without weighing my
arguments, they took him away by force and killed him ; up¬
on which, thinking that I had at least as good a right to a
share as the rest, I sat down with them, and partook of their
repast. Three weeks after that I was glad to make a meal of
his paws and skin, which, upon recollecting the spot where
they had killed him, I found thrown aside and rotten. The
pressing calls of hunger drove our men to their wits' end, and
put them upon a variety of devices to satisfy it. Among the
ingenious this way, one Phips, a boatswain's mate,^ having
got a water puncheon, scuttled it ; then lashing two logs, one
on each side, set out in quest of adventures in this extraor¬
dinary and original piece of embarkation. By this means he
w'ould frequently, when all the rest were starving, provide
himself with wild-fowl ; and it must have been very bad
weather indeed which could deter him from putting out to
sea when his occasions required. Sometimes he would ven¬
ture far out in the ofBng, and be absent the whole day : 'at
last, it was his misfortune, at a great distance from shore, to
be overset by a heavy sea ; but being near a rock, though no
swimmer, he managed so as to scramble to it, and with great
difficulty ascended it : there he remained two days with very
little hopes of any relief, for he was too far off to be seen from
shore ; but fortunately a boat, having put ofl' and gone in quest
of wild-fowl that way, discovered him making such signals as
he was able, and brought him back to the Island. But this
accident did not so discourage him but that soon after, having
procured an ox's hide, used on board for sifting powder, and
called a gunner's hide, by the assistance of some hoops he
formed something like a canoe, in which he made several
successful voyages. When the weather would permit us, we
seldom failed of getting some wild-fowl, though never in any
plenty, by putting off with our boats ; but this most inhospi
table climate is not only deprived of the sun for the most part
by a thick, rainy atmosphere, but is also visited by almost in-
TUE HON. JOHN BYHON.
cessant tempests. It must be confessed, we reaped some benefit
from these hard gales and overgrown seas which drove several
things ashore ; but there was no dependence on such acci¬
dental relief ; and we were always alert to avail ourselves of
every interval of fair weather, though so little to be depended
on that we were often unexpectedly and to our peril overtaken
by a sudden change. In one of our excursions I, with two
more, in a wretched punt of our own making, had no sooner
landed at our station upon a high rock than the punt was
driven loose by a sudden squall ; and had not one of the men,
at the risk of his life, jumped into the sea and swam on board
her, we must in all probability have perished ; for we were
more than three leagues from the island at the time. Among
the birds we generally shot was the painted goose, whose
plumage is variegated with the most lively colours ; and a bird
much larger than a goose, which we called the race-horse, from
the velocity with which it moVed upon the surface of the water,
in a sort of half fiying, half running motion. But we were not so
successful in our endeavours by land ; for, though we some¬
times got pretty far into the woods, we met with very few birds
in all our walks. We never saw but three woodcocks, two of
which were killed by Mr. Hamilton and one by myself. These,
with some humming-birds, and a large kind of robin red-breast,
were the only feathered inhabitants of this island, excepting
a small bird with two very long feathers in his tail, which was
generally seen amongst the rocks, and was so tame that I have
had them rest upon my shoulders whilst I have been gather¬
ing shell-fish. Indeed, we were visited by many birds of prey,
some very large : but these only occasionally, and, as we im¬
agine, allured by some dead whale in the neighbourhood,
which was once seen. However, if we were so fortunate as
to kill one of them, we thought ourselves very well off. In
one of my walks, seeing a bird of this latter kind upon an em¬
inence, I endeavoured to come upon it unperceived with my
gun, by means of the woods which lay at the back of that
eminence ; but when I had proceeded so far in the wood as to
think I was in a line with it, I heard a growling close by me
which made me think it adviseable to retire as soon as possible.
The woods were so gloomy I could see nothing ; but, as I re¬
tired, this noise followed me close till I had got out of them.
Some of our men did assure me that they had seen a very
large beast in the woods ; but their description of it was too
imperfect to be relied upon. The wood here is chiefly of the
aromatic kind ; the iron wood, a wood of very deep red hue,
and another, of an exceeding bright yellow. All the low spots
are very swampy; but, what we thought strange, upon the
summits of the highest hills were found beds of shells, a foot
or two thick-
91
THE NARRATIVE OP
Tlie lung-boat being near finished, some of our company
were selected to go out in the barge in order to reconnoitre the
coast to the southward, which might assist us in the navigation
we were going upon., This party consisted of Mr. Bulkely,
Mr. Jones the purser, myself, and ten men. ' The first night,
we put into a good harbour, a few leagues to the southward
of Wager's Island ; where, finding a large bitch big with pup¬
pies, we regaled upon them. In this expedition we had our
usual bad weather and breaking seas, which were grown to
such a height the third day that we were obliged, through
distress, to push in at the first iulet we saw at hand. This we
had no sooner entered than we were presented with a view of
a fine bay, in which, having secured the barge, we went ashore ;
but the weather being very rainy, and finding nothing to sub¬
sist upon, we pitched a bell tent, which we had brought with
us, in the wood opposite to where the barge lay. As this tent
was not large enough to contain "Us all, I proposed to four of
the people to go to the end of the bay, about two miles dis¬
tant from the bell tent, to occupy the skeleton of an old Indian
wigwam, which I had discovered in a walk that way upon our
first landing. This we covered to windward with sea-weed ;
and, lighting a fire, laid ourselves down in hopes of finding a
remedy for our hunger in sleep; but we had not long com¬
posed ourselves before one of our company was disturbed by
the blowing of some animal at his face, and, upon opening his
eyes, was not a little astonished to see, by the glimmering of
the fire, a large beast standing over him. He had presence of
mind enough to snatch a brand from the fire, which was now
very low, and thrust it at the nose of the animal, who there¬
upon made off : this done, the man awoke us, and related,
with horror in his countenance, the narrow escape he had had
of being devoured. But though we were under no small appre¬
hensions of another visit from this animal, yet our fatigue and
heaviness was greater than our fears ; and we once more com¬
posed ourselves to rest, and slept the remainder of the night
without any further disturbance. In the morning we were
not a little anxious to know how our companions had fared ;
and this anxiety was increased upon tracing the footsteps of
.the beast in the sand, in a direction towards the bell-tent.
The impression was deep and plain, of a large round foot
well furnished with claws. Upon our acquainting the people
in the tent with the circumstances of our story, we found
that they, too, had been visited by the same unwelcome guest,
which they had driven away by much the same expedient.
We now returned from this cruise with a strong gale, to
Wager's Island ; having found it impracticable to make far¬
ther discoveries in the barge, on so dangerous a coast, and in
1HF, HON". JOHN BYRON.
95
such heavy seas. Here we soon discovered, by the quarters
of dogs hanging up, that the Indians had brought a fresh sup¬
ply to our market. Upon inquiry, we found that there had
been six canoes of them, who, among other methods of taking
fish, had taught their dogs to drive the fish into a corner of
some pond, or lake, whence they were easily taken out, by
the skill and address of these savages. The old cabal, during
our absence, had been frequently revived ; the debates of
which generally ended in riot and drunkenness. This cabal
was chiefly held in a large tent, which the people belonging to
it had taken some pains to make snug and convenient, and
lined with bales of broad cloth driven from the wreck. Eigh¬
teen of the stoutest fellows of the ship's company had posses¬
ion of this tent, whence were dispatched committees to
the captain, with the resolutions they had taken with regard
to their departure ; but oftener for liquor. Their determina¬
tion was to go in the long-boat to the southward, by the
Streights of Magellan ; and the point they were labouring
was to prevail upon the Captain to accompany them. But
though he had fixed upon quite a diflferent plan, which was to
go to the northward, yet he thought it politic, at present,
seemingly to acquiesce with them in order to keep them quiet.
When they began to stipulate with him, that he should be
under some restrictions in point of command, and should do
nothing without consulting his officers, he insisted upon the
full exercise of his authority, as before. This broke all
measures between them, and they were from this time
determining he should go with them, whether he would or no.
A better pretence they could not have for effecting this design
than the unfortunate affair of Mr. Cozens ; which they there¬
fore made use of for seizing his person, and putting him under
confinement, in order to bring him to his trial in England.
The long-boat was now launched, and ready for sailing, and
all the men embarked, except Captain Pemberton, with a party
of marines, who drew them up upon the beach with intent to
conduct Captain Cheap on board ; but he was at length per¬
suaded to desist from this resolution by Mr. Bulkly. The
men too, finding they were straitened for room, and that their
stock of provision would not admit of their taking supernu¬
meraries a-board, were now no less strenuous for his enlarge¬
ment, and being left to his option of staying behind. There¬
fore, after having distributed their share in the reserved stock
of provisions, which was very small, we departed, leaving
Captain Cheap, Mr. Hamilton of the marines, and the surgeon
u) on the island. I had all along been in the dark as to the
turn this affair would take ; and, not in the least suspecting
but that it was determined Captain Cheap should be taken
9ft
THK NARRATIVE OF
■with us, readily embarked under that persuasion ; but when I
found that this design, which was so seriously carried on to
the last, was suddenly dropped, 1 was determined, upon the
first opportunity, to leave them ; which was at this instant
impossible for me to do, the long-boat lying some distance off
shore, at anchor. We were in all eighty-one, when we left
the island, distributed into the long-boat, cutter, and barge ;
fifty-nine on board the first, twelve in the second, in the last,
ten. It was our purpose to put into some harbour, if possible,
every evening, as we were in no condition to keep those
terrible seas long ; for, without other assistance, our stock of
provisions was no more than might have been consumed in a
few days ; our water was chiefiy contained in a few powder-
barrels ; our flour was to be lengthened out by a mixture of
sea-weed ; and our other supplies depended upon the success
of our guns, and industry among the rocks. Captain Pembef-
ton having brought on board his men, we weighed ; but, by a
sudden squall of wind, having split our foresail, we with
difficulty cleared the rocks, by means of our boats, bore away
for a sandy bay, on the south side of the Lagoon, and anchored
in ten fathoms. The next morning we got under way ; but
it blowing hard at W. by N. with a great swell, put into a
small bay again, well sheltered by a ledge of rocks without us.
At this time, it was thought necessary to send the barge away
back to Cheap's bay, for some spare canvas, which was
imagined would be soon wanted. I thought this a good
opportunity of returning, and therefore made one with those
who went upon this business in the barge. We were no
sooner clear of the long-boat than all those in the boat with
me declared they had the same intention. When we arrived
at the island, we were extremely welcome to Captain Cheap.
The next day, I asked him leave to try if I could prevail upon
those in the long-boat to give us our share of provisions : this
he granted ; but said if we went in the barge they would
certainly take her from us. I told him my desigp was to
walk it, and only desired the boat might land the upon the
main, and wait for me till I came back. I had the most
dreadful journey of it imaginable, through thick woods and
swamps all the way ; but I might as well have spared myself
that trouble, as it was to no manner of purpose ; for they
would not give me nor any one of us that left them a single
ounce of provisions of any kind. I therefore returned, and
after that made a second attempt ; but all in vain. They even
threatened, if we did not return with the barge, they would
fetch her by force. It is impossible to conceive the
distressed situation we were now in, at the time of the long¬
boat's departure. I don't mention this event as the occasion
THE HON. JOHN BYUON.
97
of it ; by which, if we who were left on the island experienced
any alteration at all, it was for the better ; and which, in all
probability, had it been deferred, might have been fatal to the
greatest part of us ; but at this time, the subsistence on which
we had hitherto depended chiefly, which was the shell-flsh,
were every where along shore eaten up ; and, as to stock
saved from the wreck, it may be guessed what the amount
of that might be, when the share allotted to the Captain,
Lieutenant Hamilton, and the surgeon, was no more than
six pieces of beef, as many of pork, and ninety pounds
of flour. As to myself, and those that left the long-boat, it
was the least revenge they thought they could take of us to
with-hold our provision from us, though at the same time it
was hard and unjust. For, a day or two after our return,
there was some little pittance dealt out to us, yet it was upon
the footing of favour ; and we were soon left to our usual industry
for a farther supply. This was now exerted to very little pur¬
pose, for the reason before assigned ; to which may be added,
the wreck was now blown up, all her upper works gone, and
no hopes of any valuable driftage from her for the future. A
weed called slaugh, fried in the tallow of some candles we had
saved, and wild sellery, were our only fare ; by which our strength
was so much impaired that we could scarcely crawl. It was
my misfortune, too, to labour under a severe flux, by which I
was reduced_to a very feeble state ; so that, in attempting to
traverse the rocks in search of shell-fish, I fell from one into
very deep water, and with difficulty saved my life by swim¬
ming. As the Captain was now freed, by the departure of the
long-boat, from the riotous applications, menaces, and dis¬
turbance of an unruly crew, and left at liberty to follow the
plan he had resolved upon, of going northward, he began to
think seriously of putting it in execution ; in order to which,
a message was sent to the deserters, who had seated themselves
on the other side of the neighbouring Lagoon, to sound them,
whether they were inclined to join the captain in his under¬
taking ; and, if they were, to bring them over to him. For
this set, the party gone off in the long-boat had left a half
allowance proportion of the common stock of provision.
These men, upon the proposal, readily agreed to join their
commander ; and, being conducted to him, increased our num¬
ber to twenty. The boats, which remained in our possession
to carry off all these people, were only the barge and yawl,
two very crazy bottoms ; the broadside of the last was entirely
out, and the first had suffered much in variety of bad weather
she had gone through, and was much out of repair. And now
our carpenter was gone from us, we had no remedy for these
misfortunes, but the little skill we had gained from him.
K
THE NARRATIVE OP
However, we made tolerable shift to patch up the boats for
our purpose. In the height of our distresses, when hunger,
which seems to include and absorb all others, was most pre¬
vailing, we were cheered with the appearance, once more, of
our friendly Indians, as we thought, from whom we hoped for
some relief ; but as the consideration was wanting, for which
alone they would part with their commodities, we were not at
all benefited by their stay, which was very short. The little
reserve too of flotrr made by the captain for our sea-stock
when we should leave the island, was now diminished by
theft ; the thieves, who were three of our men, were however
soon discovered, and two of them apprehended ; but the third
made his escape to the woods. Considering the pressing state
of our necessities, this theft was looked upon as a most heinous
crime, and therefore required an extraordinary punishment ;
accordingly the captain ordered these delinquents to be
severely whipped, and then to be banished to an island at
some distance from us ; but before this latter part of the sen¬
tence could be put in execution, one of them fled ; but the
other was put alone upon a barren island, which afforded not
the least shelter ; however, we, in compassion, and contrary to
order, patched him up a bit of a hut, and kindled him a fire,
and then left the poor wretch to shift for himself. In two or
three days after, going to the island in our boat with some
little refreshment, such as our miserable circumstances would
admit of, and with an intent of bringing him back, we found
him dead and stiff. I was now reduced to the lowest condition
by my illness, which was increased by the vile stuff I ate, when
we were favoured by a fair day, a thing very extraordinary in
this climate. We instantly took the advantage of it, and once
more visited the last remains of the wreck, her bottom. Here
our pains were repaid with the great good fortune of hooking
up three casks of beef, which were brought safe to shore.
This providential supply could not have happened at a more
seasonable time than now, when we were afSicted with the
greatest dearth we had ever experienced, and the little strength
we had remaining was to be exerted in our endeavours to
leave the island. Accordingly we soon found a remedy for
our sickness, which was nothing but the effects of famine, and
were greatly restored by food. The provision was equally
distributed among us all, and served us for the remainder of
our stay here.
We began to grow extremely impatient to leave the island,
as the days were now nearly at their longest, and about mid¬
summer in these parts ; but as to the weather, there seems to
be little difference in a difference of seasons. Accordingly,
■on the 15th of December, the day being tolerable, we told
Captain Cheap we thought it a fine opportunity to run across
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
99
the bay. But he first desired two or three of us to accompany
him to our place of observation, the top of Mount Misery ;
■when, looking through his perspective, he observed to us "that
the sea ran very high without. However, this had no -weight
with the people, who were desirous, at all events, to be gone.
I should here observe that Captain Cheap's plan was, if possi¬
ble, to get to the island of Chiloe ; and, if we found any vessel
there, to board her immediately, and cut her out. "This he
might certainly have done with ease, had it been his good
fortune to get round with the boats. We now launched both
boats, and got every thing on board of them as quick as possi¬
ble. Captain Cheap, the surgeon, and myself, were in the
barge with nine men ; and Lieutenant Hamilton and Mr.
Campbell in the yawl with six. I steered the barge, and Mr.
Campbell the yawl ; but we had not been two hours at sea
before the wind shifted more to the westward, and began to
blow very hard, and the sea ran extremely high ; so that we
could no longer keep our heads towards the cape or headland
we had designed for. This cape we had had a view of in one
of the intervals of fair weather, during our abode on the island,
from Mount Misery ; and it seemed to be distant between
twenty and thirty leagues from us. We were now obliged to
bear away right before the wind. Though the yawl was not
far from us, we could see nothing of her, except now and then
upon the top of a mountainous sea. In both the boats, the
men were obliged to sit as close as possible, to receive the
seas on their backs, to prevent their filling us, which was
what we every moment expected. We were obliged to throw
every thing overboard to lighten the boats, all our beef, and
even the grapnel, to prevent sinking. Night was coming on,
and we were running on a lee-shore fast, where the sea broke
in a frightful manner. Not one amongst us imagined it possi¬
ble for boats to live in such a sea. In this situation, as we
neared the shore, expecting to be beaten to pieces by the first
breaker, we perceived a small opening between the rocks,
which we stood for, and found a very narrow passage between
them, which brought us into a harbour for the boats as calm and
smooth as a millpond. The yawl had got in before us, and
our joy was great at meeting again after so unexpected a de¬
liverance. Here we secured the boats, and ascended a rock.
It rained excessively hard all the first part of the night, and
was extremely cold ; and though we had not a. dry thread a-
bout us, and no wood could be found for firing, we were obli¬
ged to pass the night in that uncomfortable situation, without
any covering, shivering in our wet clothes. The frost coming
on with the morning, it was impossible for any of us to get a
moment's sleep ; and, having flung overboard our provision
K 2
100
THE NAKATIVE OF
the day before, there being no prospect of finding any thing to
eat on this coast, in tlie morning we pulled out of the cove ;
but found so great a sea without that we could make but lit¬
tle of it. After lugging all day, towards night we put in a-
mong some small islands, landed upon one of them, and found
it a mere swamp. As the weather was the same, we passed
this night much as we had done the preceding; sea-tangle
was all w e could get to eat at first, but the next day we had
better luck ; the surgeon shot a goose, and we found male-
rials for a good fire. We were confined here three or four days,
the weather all that time proving so bad that we could not
put out. As soon as it grew moderate, we left this place, and
shaped our course to the northward ; and, perceiving a large
opening between very high land and a low point, we steered
for it ; and, when got that length, found a large bay, down
which we rowed, flattering ourselves there might be a passage
that way ; but towards night we came to the bottom of the bay,
and, finding no outlet, we were obliged to return the same way
we came, having met with nothing the whole day to alleviate
our hunger.
Next night we put into a little cove, which, from the great
quantity of red-wood found there, we called Red-wood Cove.
Leaving fhis place in the morning, we had the wind southerly,
blowing fresh, by which we made much way that day, to the
northward. Towards evening we were in with a pretty large
island. Putting ashore on it, we found it clothed with the
finest trees we had ever seen, their stems running up to a pro¬
digious height, withoutknotorbranch, and as straight as cedars :
the leaf of these trees resembled the myrtle leaf, only some¬
what larger. I have seen trees larger than these in circum¬
ference, on the coast of Guinea, and there only ; but for a
length of stem, gradually tapering, 1 have no where met with
any to compare to them. The wood was of a. hard sub¬
stance, and, if not too heavy, would have made good masts;
the dimensions of some of these trees being equal to a main¬
mast of a first-rate man of war. The shore was covered with
drift wood of a very large size ; most of it cedar, which makes
a brisk fire ; but is so subject to snap and fly that, when we
waked in the morning, after a sound sleep, we found our
clothes singed in many places with the sparks, and covered
with splinters.
The next morning being calm we rowed out; but, as soon
as clear of the island, we found a great swell from the west¬
ward ; we rowed to the bottom of a very largo b^, which
was to the northward of us, the land very low, and we were
in hopes of finding some inlet through, but did not ; so kept
along shore to the westward. This part, which I take to be
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
101
above fifty leagues from Wager Island, is the very bottom of
the large bay it lays in. Here was the only passage to be
found, which (if we could by any means have got information
of it) would have saved us much fruitless labour. Of this
passage I shall have occasion to say more hereafter.
Having at this time an off-shore wind, we kept the land
close on board, till we came to a head-land ; it was near night
before we got a-breast of the head-land, and, opening it dis¬
covered a very large bay to the northward, and another head¬
land to the westward, at a great distance. We ende.avoured
to cut short our passage to it by crossing, which is very sel¬
dom to be effected, in these over-grown seas, by boats ; and
this we experienced now ; for, the wind springing up, and be¬
ginning to blow fresh, we were obliged to put back towards
the first head-land, into a small cove, just big enough to shelter
the two boats. Here an accident happened that alarmed us
much. After securing our boats we climbed up a rock scarce¬
ly large enough to contain our numbers ; having nothing to
eat, we betook ourselves to our usual receipt for hunger, which
was going to sleep. Wo accordingly made a fire, and stowed
ourselves round it as well as we could ; but two of our men
being incommoded for want of room, went a little way from
us, into a small nook, over which a great cliff hung, and served
them for a canopy. In the .middle of the night we were
awakened with a terrible rumbling, which we apprehended to
be nothing less than the shock of an earthquake, which we
had before experienced in these parts ; and this conjecture
we had reason to think not ill founded, upon hearing hol¬
low groans and cries as of men half swallowed up. We
immediately got up, and ran to the place whence the cries
came, and then we were put out of all doubt as to the opin¬
ion we had formed of this accident ; for here we found the
two men almost buried under loose stones and earth ; but
upon a little farther inquiry, we were undeceived as to the
cause we had imputed this noise to, which we found to be oc¬
casioned by the sudden giving way of the impending cliff,
which fell a little beyond our people, carrying trees and rocks
with it, and loose earth ; the latter of which fell in part on our
men, whom we with some pains rescued from their uneasy
situation, from which they escaped with some bruises. The
next morning we got out early, and, the wind being westerly,
rowed the whole day for the head-land we had seen the night
before ; but when we had got that length could find no har¬
bour, but were obliged to go into a sandy bay, and lay the
whole night upon our oars ; and a most dreadful one it proved,
blowing and raining very hard. Here we were so pinched
with hunger, that we ate the shoes off our feet, which consisted
K 3
102
THE NARRATIVE OF
of raw sea. skin. In the morning we got out of the bay ;
but the incessant foul weather had overcome us, and we be¬
gan to be indifferent as to what befel us ; and the boats, in
the night, making into a bay, we nearly lost the yawl, a breaker
haying filled her, and driven her ashore upon Üie beach. This
by some of our accounts, was Christmas-day ; but our ac-
cotmts had so often been interrupted by our distresses that
there was no depending upon them. Upon seeing the yawl
in this imminent danger, the barge stood off, and went into
another bay to the northward of it, where it was smoother
lying ; but there was no possibility of getting on shore. In
the night the yawl joined us again. The next day was so bad
that we despaired reaching the head-laud, so rowed down the
bay in hopes of getting some seal, as that animal had been-
seen the day before, but met with no success ; so returned to
the same bay we had been in the night before, where the surf
having abated somewhat, we went ashore, and picked up a
few shell-fish. In the morning, we got on board early, and
ran along shore to the westward, for about three leagues, in
order to get round a cape, which was the westernmost land
we could see. It blew very hard, and there ran such a sea,
that we heartily wished ourselves back again, and according¬
ly made the best of our way for that bay which we had left in
the morning ; but before we could reach it night came on,
and we passed a most dismal one, lying upon our oars.
The weather continuing very bad, we put in for the shore
in the morning, where we found nothing but tangle and sea¬
weed. We now passed some days roving about for provisions,
as the weather was too bad to make another attempt to get
round the cape as yet. We found some fine Lagoons towards
the head of the bay ; and in them killed some seal, and got a
good quantity of shell-fish, which was a great relief to us. We
now made a second attempt to double the cape ; but when
we got the length of it, and passed the first headland, for it
consists of three of an equal height, we got into a sea that
was horrid ; for it ran all in heaps, like the Race of Portland,
but much worse. We were happy to put back again to the
old place, with little hopes of ever getting round this cape.
Next day, the weather proving very bad, all hands went
ashore to procure some sustenance, except two in each boat,
which were left as boat-keepers ; this office we took by turns ;
and it was now my lot to be upon this duty with another man.
The yawl lay within us at a grapnel ; in the night it blew
very hard, and a great sea tumbled in upon the shore ; but
being extremely fatigued, we in the boats went to sleep ; not¬
withstanding, however, I was at lastawakened by iheuncummuii
motion of the boat, and the roaiing of the breakers every
THE HON. JOHN BYllON.
103
where about us. At the same time I heard a shrieking, like
to that of persons in distress ; 1 looked out, and saw the yawl
canted bottom upwards by the sea, and soon afterwards disap¬
peared. One of our men. whose name was William Rose,
a quarter-master, was drowned ; the other was thrown ashore
by the surf, with his head buried in the sand ; but, by the
imihediate assistance of the people on shore, ^^as saved. As
for us in the barge,, we expected the same fate every moment;
for the sea broke a long way without us. However, we got
her head to it, and hove up our grapnel, or should rather say
kellick, which we had made to serve in the room of our grap¬
nel, hove overboard some time before, to lighten the boat.
By this means we used our utmost efforts to pull her without
the bi eakers some way. and then let go our kellick again. Here
we lay all the next day, in a great sea, not knowing what
would be our fate. To add to our mortification, we could
see our companions in tolerable plight ashore, eating seal,
while we were starving with hunger and cold. For this
month past, we had not known what it was to have a dry
thread about us.
The next day being something more moderate, we ventured
in with the barge as near as we could to the shore, and our
companions threw us some seal's liver ; which, having eaten
greedily, we were seized with excessive sickness, which af¬
fected us so much that our skin peeled off from head to foot.
Whilst the people were on shore here, Mr. Hamilton met
with a large seal, or sea-lion, and fired a brace of balls into
him, upon which the animal turned upon him open-mouthed ;
but presently fixing his bayonet, he thrust it down into its
throat, with a good part of the barrel of the gun, which the
creature bit in two seemingly with as much ease as if it had
been a twig. Notwithstanding the wounds it received, it
eluded all farther efforts to kill it, and got clear off.
I call this animal a large seal, or sea-lion, because it re¬
sembles a seal in many particulars ; but then it exceeds it so
much in size as to be sufficiently determined, by that dis¬
tinction only, to be of another species. Mr. Walter, in Lord
Anson's Voyage, has given a particular description of those
which are seen about Juan Fernandas ; but they have, in other
climates, different appearances as well as different qualities,
as we had occasion to observe in this, and a late voyage I
made. However, as so much already has been said of the
sea-lion, 1 shall only mention two peculiarities ; one relative
to its appearance, and the other to its properties of action,
which distinguish it from those described by him. Those
I saw were without that snout, or trunk, haugingbelow the end
of the upper jaw ; but then the males were furnished with
104
TlIU
NAllHATTVF, OF
a large shaggy mane, which gave them a most formidable ap¬
pearance. And whereas, he says, those he saw were un¬
wieldy, and easily destroyed, we found some, on the contrary,
that lay at a mile's distance from the water, which came down
upon us, when disturbed, with such impetuosity that it was
as much as we could do to get out of their way ; and when
attacked, would turn upon us with great agility.
Having lost the yawl, and being too many for the barge to
carry off, we were compelled to leave four of our men behind.
They were all marines, who seemed to have no great objection
to the determination made with regard to them, so exceedingly
disheartened and worn out were they with the distresses and
dangers they had already gone through. And, indeed, I be¬
lieve it would have been a matter of indifference to the
greatest part of the rest, whether they should embark, or take
their chance. The captain distributed to these poor fellows
arms and ammunition, and some other necessaries. When
we parted, they stood upon the beach, giving us three cheers,
and called out, God bless the king. We saw them a little
after, setting out upon their forlorn hope; and helping one an¬
other over a hideous tract of rocks; but considering the diffi¬
culties attending this only way of travelling left them ; for the
woods are impracticable, from their thickness, and the deep
swamp every where to be met in them ; considering too, that the
coast here is rendered so inhospitable, by the heavy seas that
are constantly tumbling upon it, as not to afford even a little
shell-fish, it is probable that all met with a miserable end.
We rowed along shore to the westward, in order to make
one more attempt to double the cape : when abreast of the
first head-land there ran such a sea that we expected, every
instant, the boat would go down. But as the preservation of
life had now, in a great measure, lost its actuating principle
upon us, we still kept pushing through it, till we opened a bay
to the northward. In all my life, I never saw so dreadful a
sea as drove in here ; it began to break at more than half a mile
from the shore. Perceiving now that it was impossible for
any boat to get round, the men lay upon their oars till the
boat was very near the breakers, the mountainous swell that
then ran heaving her in at a great rate. I thought it was their
intention to put an end to their lives and misery at once ; but
nobody spoke for some time. At last. Captain Cheap told
them they must either perish immediately, or pull stoutly for
it to get off the shore ; but they might do as they pleased.
They chose, however, to exert themselves a little, and, after
infinite difficulty, got round the head-land again, giving up all
thoughts of making any further attempt to double the cape.
It was night before we could get back to the bay, where we
THE HON. JOHN BYSON.
105
were compelled to leave lour ol' our men, in order to save, if
possible, the remainder ; for we must all have certainly
perished, if more than sixteen had been crowded into so small
a boat. This bay we named Marine Bay. When we had
returned to this bay, we found the surf ran so high that we
were obliged to lay upon our oars all night ; and it was now
resolved to go back to Wager's Island, there to linger out a
miserable life, as we had not the least prospect of returning
home.
But before we set out, in consequence of this resolution, it
was necessary, if possible, to get some little stock of seal to
support us in a passage upon which, wherever we might put
ill, we were not likely to meet with any supply. Accordingly,
it was determined to go up that Lagoon in which we had be¬
fore got some seal, to provide ourselves with some more ; but
we did not leave the bay till we had made some search after
the unhappy marines we had left on shore. Could we have
found them, we had now agreed to take them on board again,
though it would have been the certain destruction of us all.
This, at another time, would have been mere madness ; but
we were now resigned to our fate, which we none of us thought
far off ; however, there was nothing to be seen of them, and
no traces but a musket on the beach.
Upon returning up the Lagoon, we were so fortunate as to
kill some seal, which we boiled, and laid in the boat for sea-
stock. While we were ranging along shore in detached par¬
ties, in quest of this, and whatever other eatable might come
in our way, our surgeon, who was then by himself, discovered
a pretty large hole, which seemed to lead to some den, or re¬
pository, within the rocks. It was 'not so rude, or natural,
but that there were some signs of its having been cleared,
and made more accessible by industry. The surgeon for some
time hesitated whether he should venture in, from his uncer¬
tainty as to the reception he might meet with from any inha¬
bitant ; but, his curiosity getting the better of his fears, he
determined to go in ; which he did upon his hands and knees,
as the passage was too low for him to enter otherwise. After
having proceeded a considerable way thus, he arrived at u
spacious chamber ; but whether hollowed out by hands, or
natura!, he could not be positive. The light into this chamber
was conveyed through a hole at the top ; in the midst was a
kind of bier, made of sticks laid crossways, supported by
props of about five feet in height. Upon this bier, five or six
bodies were extended ; which, in appearance, had been de¬
posited there a long time ; but had suffered no decay or dimu-
nution. They were without covering, and the flesh of these
bodies was become perfectly dry and hard ; which, whether
106
THE NARRATIVE OF
done by any art, or secret, the savages may be possessed of,
or occasioned by any drying virtue in the air of the cave, could
not be guessed. Indeed, the surgeon, finding nothing there
to eat, which was the chief inducement for his creeping into
this hole, did not amuse himself with long disquisitions, or
make that accurate examination which he would have done at
another time ; but, crawling out as he came in, he went and
told the first he met of what he had seen. Some had the
curiosity to go in likewise. I had forgot to mention that
there was another range of bodies, deposited in the same man¬
ner, upon another platform under the bier. Probably this was
the burial-place of their great men, called caciques ; but
whence they could be brought we were utterly at a loss
to conceive, there being no traces of any Indian settlement
hereabout. We had seen no savage since we left the island,
nor observed any marks in the coves or bays to the northward
where we had touched, such as of fire-places, or old wigwams,
which they never fail of leaving behind them ; and it is very
probable, from the violent seas that are always beating upon
this coast, its deformed aspect, and the very swampy soil that
every where borders upon it, that it is little frequented.
We now crossed the first bay for the head-land-we left on
Christmas day, much dejected ; for, under our former sufier-
ings, we were in some measure supported with the hopes that,
as we advanced, however little, they were so much the nearer
their termination ; but now our prospect was dismal and
dispiriting, indeed, as we had the same difliculties and dangers
to encounter, not only without any flattering views to lessen
them, but under the aggravating circumstance of their leading
to an inevitable and miserable death ; for we could not possibly
conceive that the fate of starving could be avoided by any
human means, upon that desolate island we were returning to.
The shell-fish, which was the only subsistence that island had
hitherto afforded in any measure, " was exhausted ; and the
Indians had shewn themselves so little affected by the common
incitements of compassion that we had no hopes to build upon
any impressions of that sort in them. They had already re¬
fused to barter their dogs with us, for want of a valuable
commodity on our side ; so that it is wonderful we did not
give ourselves up to despondency, and lay aside all farther
attempts ; but we were supported by that invisible Power
who can make the most untoward circumstances subservient
to his gracious purposes.
At this time, our usual bad weather attended us ; the night
too set in long before we could reach the cove we before had
taken shelter in ; so that we were obliged to keep the boat's
head to the sea all night, the sea every where a-stern of us.
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
107
running over hideous breakers. In the morning, we designed
standing over for that island in which we had observed those
straight and loñy trees before-mentioned, and which Captain
Cheap named Montrose Island; but, as soon as we opened the
head land to the westward of us, a sudden squall took the
boat, and very nearly overset her. We were instantly full of
water ; but, by baling with our hats and hands, and any thing
that would hold water, we with difficulty freed her. Under
this alarming circumstance we found it adviseable to return
and put into the cove, which the night before we were prevented
getting into. We were detained here two or three days, by
exceeding bad weather ; so that, had we not fortunately pro¬
vided ourselves with some seal, we must have starved, for this
place afforded us nothing.
At length we reached Montrose Island. This is by much
the best and pleasantest spot we had seen in this part of the
world ; though it has nothing on it eatable but some berries
which resembled gooseberries in flavour ; they are of a black
hue, and grow in swampy ground ; and the bush, or tree, that
bears them is much taller than that of our gooseberries. We
remained here for some time, living upon these berries, an'd
the remainder of our seal, which was now grown quite rotten.
Our two or three flrst attempts to put out from this island
were without success ; the tempestuous weather obliging us
so often to put back again. One of our people was much
inclined to remain here, thinking it at least as good a place as
Wager's Island to end his days upon ; but he was obliged by
the rest to go off with them. We had not been long out
before it began to blow a storm of wind ; and the mist came
on so thick that we could not see the land, and were at a loss
which way to steer ; but we heard the sea, which ran exceed¬
ingly high, breaking near us ; upon which we immediately
hauled aft the sheet, and hardly weathered the breakers by a
boat's length. At the same time we shipped a sea that nearly
filled us : it struck us with that violence as to throw me, and
one or two more, down into the bottom of the boat, where we
were half drowned before we could get up again. This was
one of the most extraordinary escapes we had in the course
of this expedition ; for Captain Cheap, and every one else,
had entirely given themselves up for lost. However, it pleased
God that we got that evening into Redwood Cove, where the
weather continued so bad all night that we could keep no fire
in to dry ourselves with ; but, there being no other alternative
for us, but to stay here and starve, or put to sea again, we chose
the latter, and put out in the morning again, though the
weather was very little mended. In three or four days after,
we arrived at our old station. Wager's Island; but in such a
108
THE NAHHATIVE OF
miserable plight that, though we thought our condition upon
setting out would not admit of any additional circumstance of
misery, yet it was to be envied in comparison of what we now
suffered, so worn and reduced were we by fatigue and hunger ;
having eaten nothing for some days but sea-weed and tangle.
Upon this expedition, we had been out, by our account, just
two months ; in which we had rounded, backwards and for¬
wards, the great bay formed to the northward by that high
land we had observed from Mount Misery.
The first thing we did upon our arrival, was to secure the
barge, as this was our sole dependence for any relief that
might offer by sea ; which done, we repaired to our huts,
which formed a kind of village or street, consisting of several
irregular habitations ; some of which, being covered by a kind
of brush-wood thatch, afforded tolerable shelter against the
inclemency of the weather. Among these, there was one
which we observed with some surprise to be nailed up. We
broke it open, and found some iron work, picked out with
much pains from those pieces of the wreck which were driven
asiiore. We concluded hence that the Indians who had been
here in our absence were not of that tribe with which we
had some commerce before, who seemed to set no value
upon iron, but from some other quarter ; and must have had
communication with the Spaniards, from whom they had
learned the value and use of that commodity. Thieving from
strangers is a commendable talent among savages in general,
and bespeaks an address which they much admire ; though
the strictest honesty, with regard to the property of each other,
is observed among them. There is no doubt but they ran¬
sacked all our houses ; but the men had taken care, before
they went oil' in the long-boat, to strip them of their most va¬
luable furniture ; that is, the bales of cloth used for liuing, and
converted them into trowsers and watch-coats. Upon farther
search, we found, thrown aside in the bushes, at the back of
one of the huts, some pieces of seal, in a very putrid con¬
dition ; which, however, our stomachs were far from loath¬
ing. The next business which the people set about very seri¬
ously, was to proceed to Mount Misery, and bury the corpse
of the murdered person, mentioned to have been discovered
there some little time after our being cast away ; for to the
neglect of this necessary tribute to that unfortunate person
the men assigned all their ill success upon the late expedition.
That common people in general are addicted to superstitious
conceits is an observation founded on experience ; and the
reason is evident : but I cannot allow that comtnon seamen
are more so than others of the lower class. In the most
enlightened ages of antiquity, we find it to have been the
THE HON. JOHN BVRON.
109
popular opinion that the spirits of the dead were not at rest
till their bodies were interred ; and that they did not cease to
haunt and trouble those who had neglected this duty to the
departed. This is still believed by the vulgar, in most coun¬
tries ; and, in our men, this persuasion was much heightened
by the melancholy condition they were reduced to ; and was
farther confirmed by an occurrence which happened some
little time before we went upon our last expedition. One
night we were alarmed with a strange cry, which resembled
that of a man drowning. Many of us ran out of our huts
towards the place whence the noise proceeded, which was not
far ofif shore ; where we could perceive, but not distinctly
(for it was, then moon-light), an appearance like that of a man
swimming half out of water. The noise that this creature ut¬
tered was so unlike that of any animal they had heard before
that it made a great impression upon the men ; and they fre¬
quently recalled this apparition at the time of their distresses,
with reflections on the neglect of the office they were now
fulfilling.
We were soon driven again to the greatest straits for want
of something to subsist upon, by the extreme bad weather that
now set in tipon us. Wild sellery was all we could procure,
which raked our stomachs instead of assuaging our hunger.
That dreadful and last resource of men, in not much worse
circumstances than ours, of consigning one man to death for
the support of the rest, began to be mentioned in whispers ;
and indeed there were some among us who, by eating what
they found raw, were become little better than cannibals. But
fortunately for us, and opportunely to prevent this horrid pro-
ceediiig, Mr. Hamilton, at this time, found some rotten pieces
of beef, cast up by the sea at some miles' distance from the
huts, which he, though a temptation which few would have
resisted in parallel circumstances, scorned to conceal from
the rest ; but generously distributed among us.
A few days after, the mystery of the nailing up of the hut,
^and what had been doing by the Indians upon the island in
our absence, was partly explained to us; for, about the 15th
day after our return, there came a party of Indians to the is¬
land in two canoes, who were not a little surprised to find us
here again. Among these was an Indian of the tribe of the
Chonos, who live in the neighbourhood of Chiloe.* He talked
the Spanish language ; but with that savage accent which
renders it almost unintelligible to any but those who are
adepts in that language. He was likewise a cacique, or lead-
• Chiloe is an island on the western coast of America, about the 43rd
deg. <>t'S• latitude; and the suMthernmost settlcineuc under the Spar.'sU
Jurisdiction on that coast.
110
THE NARRATIVE OP
ing man of his tribe ; -which authority -was confirmed to him
by the Spaniards ; for he carried the usual badge and mark of
distinction by which the Spaniards, and their dependents, hold
their military and civil employments ; which is a stick with a
silver head. These badges, of which the Indians are very
vain, at once serve to retain the cacique in the strongest at¬
tachment to the Spanish government, and give him greater
weight with his own dependents : yet, withal, he is the merest
slave, and has not one thing he can call his own. This re¬
port of our ship-wreck (as we supposed) having reached the
Chonos, by means of the intermediate tribes, which handed
it to one another, from those Indians who first -visited us ; this
cacique was either sent to learn the truth of the rumour, or,
having first got the intelligence, set out with a view of making
some advantage of the wreck, and appropriating such iron¬
work as he could gather from it to his own use : for that metal
is become very valuable to those savages, since their com¬
merce with the Spaniards has taught them to apply it to
several purposes. But as the secreting any thing from a rapa¬
cious Spanish rey, or governor (even an old rusty nail), by
any of their Indian dependents, is a very dangerous ofience,
he was careful to conceal the little prize he had made, till he
could conveniently carry it away ; for, in order to make friends
of these savages, we had left their hoard untouched.
Our surgeon, Mr. Elliot, being master of a few Spanish
words, made himself so far understood by the cacique as to
let him know that our intention was to reach some of the
Spanish settlements, if we could ; that we were unacquainted
with the best and the safest way, and what track was most
likely to aflbrd us subsistence in our journey ; promising, if he
would undertake to conduct us in the barge, he should have
it, and every thing in it, for his trouble, as soon as it had
served our present occasions. To these conditions the cacique,
after much persuasion, at length, agreed. Accordingly,
having made the best preparation we could, we embarked on
board the barge to the number of fifteen, including the ca¬
cique, whose name was Martin, and his servant Emanuel. Vi'e
were, indeed, sixteen, when we returned from our last fruit¬
less attempt to get off the island ; but we had buried two since
that, w ho perished with hunger ; and a marine, having com¬
mitted theft, ran away to avoid the punishment his crime de¬
served, and hid himself in the woods ; since which he was
never heard of. We now put off, accompanied with the two
Indian canoes ; in one of which was a savage, with his two
wives, who had an air of dignity superior to the rest, and was
handsome in his person. He had his hut, during his stay
with us, separate from the other Indians, who seemed to pay
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
Ill
him extraordinary respect ; but, in two or three nights, these
Indians, being independent of the Spaniards, and living some¬
where to the southward of our Chono guide, left us to pro¬
ceed on our journey by ourselves.
The first night we lay at an island destitute of all refresh¬
ment ; where, having found some shelter for our boat, and
made ourselves a fire, we slept by it. The next night we
were more unfortunate, though our wants were increasing ;
for, having run to the westward of Montrose island,, we found
no shelter for the barge ; but were under the necessity of ly¬
ing upon our oars, suffering the most extreme pangs of hun¬
ger. The next day brought us to the bottom of a great bay,
where the Indian guide had left his family, a wife and two
children, in a hut. Here we staid two or three days, during
which we were constantly employed in ranging along shore
in quest of shell-fish.
We now again proceeded on our voyage, having received on
board the family of our guide, who conducted us to a river,
the stream of which was so rapid that, after our utmost efforts
from morning to evening, we gained little upon the current ;
and at last were obliged to desist from our attempt, and re¬
turn. I had hitherto steered the boat ; but one of our men
sinking under the fatigue, expired soon after, which obliged
me to take the oar in his room, and row against this heart¬
breaking stream. Whilst I was thus employed, one of our
men whose name was John Bosman, though hitherto the stout¬
est man among us, fell from his seat under the thwarts, com-
plaining that his strength was quite exhausted for want of
food, and that he should die very shortly. As he lay in this
condition, he would every now and then break out in the
most pathetic wishes for some little sustenance ; that two or
three mouthfuls might be the means of saving his life. The
captain, at this time, had a large piece of boiled seal by him,
and was the only one that was provided with any thing like
a meal ; but we were become so hardened against the impres¬
sions of others' sufferings by our own ; so familiarized to scenes
of this, and every other, kind of misery ; that the poor man's
dying entreaties were vain. I sat next to him when he drop¬
ped, and, having a few dried shell-fish (about five or six) in
my pocket, from time to time put one in his mouth, which
served only to prolong his pains ; from which, however, soon
after my little supply failed, he was released by death. For
this, and another man I mentioned a little before, to have ex¬
pired under the like circumstances, when we returned from
this unsuccessful enterprize, we made a grave in the sands.
It would have redounded greatly to the tenderness and hu¬
manity of Captain Cheap, if at this time he had remitted some«
L 2
tmk naurative of
what of that attention he shewed to self-preservation ; which
is liardly allowable hut where the consequence of relieving
others must be immediately and manifestly fatal to ourselves ;
but I would venture to affirm that, in these last affecting
exigences, as well as some others, a sparing, perhaps adequate
to the emergency, might have been admitted consistently with
a due regard to his own necessities. The captain had better
opportunities of recruiting his stock than any of us ; for his
rank was considered by the Indian as a reason for supplying
him when he would not find a bit for us. Upon the evening
of the day in which these disasters happened, the captain, pro¬
ducing a large piece of boiled seal, suffered no one to partake
with him but the surgeon, who was the only man in favour at
this time. We did not expect, indeed, any relief from him
in our present condition ; for we had a few small muscles and
herbs to eat ; but the men could not help expressing the
greatest indignation at his neglect of the deceased ; saying
that he deserved to be deserted by the rest for his savage
behaviour.
The endeavouring to pass up this river was, for us, who had
so long struggled with hunger, a most unseasonable attempt ;
by which we were harrassed to a degree that threatened to be
fatal to more of us ; but our guide, witliout any respect to the
condition our hardships had reduced us to, was very solicitous
for us to go on that way, which possibly he had gone before in
light canoes ; but for such a boat as ours was impracticable.
We conceived, therefore, at that time, that this was some
short cut, which was to bring us forward in our voyage ; but
we had reason to think afterwards that, the greater probability
there was of his getting the barge, which was the wages of his
undertaking, safe to his settlement, by this, rather than another
course, was his motive fur preferring it to the way we took
afterwards, where there was a carrying place of considerable
length, over which it would have been impossible to have
carried our boat.
The country hereabouts wears the most uncouth, desolate,
and rugged aspect imaginable ; it is so circumstanced as to
discourage the most sanguine adventurers from attempts to
settle it : were it for no other reason than the constant heavy
rains, or rather torrents, which pour down here, and the vast
sea and surf which the prevailing westerly winds impel upon
this coast, it must be rendercil inhospitable. All entrance into
the woods is not only extremely difficult, but hazardous ; not
from any assaults you are likely to meet with from wild beasts ;
for even tírese could hardly find convenient harbour here ; but
from the deep swamp, which is the reigning soil of this
country, and in which the woods may be said rather to'float
THE HON. JOHN BYKON.
113
than grow ; so that, except upon a range of deformed broken
rocks which form the sea coast, the traveller cannot find sound
footing any where. With this unpromising scene before us
we were now setting out in search of food, which nothing but
the most pressing instances of hunger could induce us to do :
we had, indeed, the young Indian servant to our cacique for
our conductor, who was left by him to shew us where the
shell-fish was most plenty. The cacique was gone with the
rest of his family, in the canoe, with a view of getting some
seal, upon a trip which would detain him from us tbree or
four days.
After searching the coast for some time with very little
success, we began to think of returning to the barge ; but six
of the men, with the Indian, having advanced some few paces
before the officers, got into the boat first ; which they had no
sooner done than they put off, and left us, to return no more.
And now all the difficulties we had hitherto endured seemed
light in comparison of what we expected to suffer from this
treachery of our men, who, with the boat, had taken away
every thing that might be the means of preserving our lives.
The little clothes we had saved from the wreck, our muskets
and ammunition, were gone, except a little powder, which
must be preserved for kindling fires, and one gun, which I
had, and was now become useless for want of ammunition ;
and all these wants were now come upon us at a time when
we could not be worse situated for supplying them. Y et under
these dismal and forlorn appearances was our delivery now
preparing ; and from these hopeless circumstances were we to
draw hereafter an instance, scarce to be paralleled, of the
unsearchable ways of Providence. It was at that time little
suspected by us that the barge, in which we founded all our
hopes of escaping from this savage coast, would certainly have
proved the fatal cause of detaining us till we were consumed
by the labour and hardships requisite to row her round the
capes and great head-lands ; for it was impossible to carry
her by land, as we did the boats of the Indians. At present,
no condition could be worse than we thought ours to be ;
there ran at this time a very high sea, which, breaking witli
great fury upon this coast, made it very improbable that suste¬
nance in any proportion to our wants could be found upon it;
yet, unpromising as this prospect was, and though little succour
could be expected from this quarter, I could not help, as I
strolled along shore from the rest, casting ray eyes towards the
sea. Continuing thus to look out, I thought 1 saw something
now and then upon tlie top of a sea that looked black, which,
upon observing still more intently, 1 imagined at last w bo a
canoe; but reflecting afterwards how unusual it was for
L 3
114
TlIK NARUATIVE OF
Indiana to venture out In ao mountainous a sea, and at such a
distance from the land, I concluded mysel» to be deceived.
However, its nearer approach convinced me, beyond all doubt,
of its being a canoe ; but that it could not put in any where
hereabouts, but intended for some other part of the coast. I
ran back as fast as I could to my companions, and acquainted
them with what I had seen. The despondency they were m
would not allow them to give credit to it at first ; but after¬
wards, being convinced that it was as I reported it, we were
all in the greatest hurry to strip ofi" some of our rags, to make a
signal with, which we fixed upon a long pole. This had the de¬
sired effect : the people in the canoe, seeing the s.gnal, made to¬
wards the land at about two miles' distance from us ; for no bo«,
could approach the land where we were : there they put into a
small cove, sheltered by a large ledge of rocks without, which
broke the violence of the sea. Captain Cheap and I walked
along shore, and got to the" cove about the time they landed.
Here we found the persona arrived in this canoe to be our
Indian guide and his wife, avho had left us some days before.
He would have asked us many questions ; but, neither Captain
Cheap nor I understanding Spanish at that lime, we took him
along with us to the surgeon, whom we had left so ill that he
could hardly raise himself from the ground. When the Indian
began to confer with the surgeon, the first quesnon was. What
was become of the barge ami his companion ? and as he could
give him no satisfactory an,?wer to this question, the Indian
took it for granted that Emanuel was murdered by us, and
that he and his family ran the same risk ; upon which he was
preparing to provide for his security by leaving us directly.
The surgeon, seeiqg this, did all in his power to pacify him,
and convince him of the unreasonableness of his apprehen¬
sions ; which he at length found means to do, by assuring
him that the Indian would come to no harm, but that he would
soon see him return safe ; which providentially, and beyond
our expectation, happened accordingly ; for in a few days after,
Emanuel, having contrived to make his escape from the people
in the barge, returned by ways that were impassable to any
creature but an Indian. All that we could learn from Emanuel
relative to his escape was that he took the first opportunity of
leaving them ; which was upon their putting into a bay
somewhere to the westward.
We had but one gun among us, and that was a small
fowling-piece of mine ; no ammunition but a few charges of
powder Í had about me ; and, as the Indian was very desir¬
ous of returning to the place where he had left his wife and
canoe. Captain Cheap desired I would go with him and watch
over him all night, to prevent his getting aw.iy. Accordingly
THE llox. ÍOKX BVRON.
115
I set out with him ; and when he and his family betojk them¬
selves to rest in the little wigwam they had made for that
purpose, I kept my station as centinel over them all night.
The next morning Captain Cheap, Mr. Hamilton, and the
surgeon, joined us : the latter, by illness, being reduced to
the most feeble condition, was supported by Mr. Hamilton
and Mr. Campbell. After holding some little consultation
together, as to the best manner of proceeding ii. our journey,
it was agreed that the Indian should haul his canoe, with our
assistance, over land, quite across the island we were then
upon, and put her into a bay on the other side, whence he
u as to go in quest of some other Indians, by whom he ex¬
pected to be joined : but, as his canoe was too small to carry
more than three or four persons, he thought it adviseable to
take only Captain Cheap and myself with him, and to leave
his wife and children as pledges with our companions till his
return.
As it was matter of uncertainty whether we should ever
recover the barge or not, hich was stipulated on our side
to become the property of the cacique, upon his fulfilling his
engagements with us ; the inducements we now made use of
to prevail upon him to proceed with us in our journey were
that he should have my fowling-piece, some little matters in
the possession of Captain Cheap, and that we would use our
interest to procure him some small pecuniary reward.
We were now to set off in the canoe, in which I was to
assist him in rowing. Accordingly, putting from this island,
we rowed hard all this day and the next, without any thing to
eat but a scrap of seal, a very small portion of which fell to
my share.
About two hours after the close of the day, we put ashore,
where we discovered six or seven wigwams. For my part,
my strength was so exhausted with fatigue and hunger that it
would have been impossible for me to have held out another
day at this toilsome work. As soon as we landed, the Indian
conducted Captain Cheap with him into a wigwam ; but I was
left to shift for myself.
Thus left, I was for some time at a loss what I had best do ;
for, knowing that, in the variety of dispositions observable
among the Indians, the surly and savage temper is the most
prevalent, I had good reason to conclude that, if I obtruded
myself upon them, my reception would be but indifferent.
Nc'cssiiy, however, put me upon the risk; I accordingly
pushed into the next wigwam upon my hands and knees ; for
the entrance into these kind of buildings is too low to admit of
any other manner of getting into them. To give a short des¬
cription of these temporary houses, called wigwams, may not
IIG
THE NARRATIVE Ol'
be improper bore, for the satisfaction of those who never saw
any; especially as they difler somewhat from those of North
America, which are more generally known from the numerous
accounts of that country.
When the Indians of this part of the world have occasion
to stop any where in their rambles, if it be only for a night or
two, the men, who take this business upon them, while the
women are employed in much more laborious offices, such as
diving in the sea for sea-eggs, and searching the rocks for
shell-fish, getting fuel, &c.. repair to the woods, and, cutting a
sufficient number of tall, straight branches, fix them in an ir¬
regular kind of circle, of uncertain dimensions ; which having
done, they bend the extremities of these branches so as to
meet in a centre at top, where they bind them by a kind of
woodbine, called supple-jack, which they split by holding it in
their teeth. This frame, or skeleton of a hut, is made tight
against the weather with a covering of boughs and bark ; but,
as the bark is not got without some trouble, they generally
take it with them when they remove, putting it at the bottom
of their canoes : the rest of the wigwam they leave standing.
The fire is made in the middle of the wigwam, round which
they sit upon boughs ; and as there is no vent for the smoke,
besides tlie door-way, which is very low, except through some
crevices, .which cannot be easily stopped, they are not a little
incommoded on that account ; and the eyes of some of them
are much affected by it.
But to return : in this wigwam, into which I took the liberty
to introduce myself, I found only two women, who, upon first
seeing a figure they were not accustomed to, and such a figure
too as I then made, were struck with astonishment. They
were sitting by a fire, to which I approached without any
apology. However inclined I might have been to make one,
my ignorance of their language made it impossible to attempt
it. One of these women appeared to be young, and very
handsome for an Indian ; the other old, and as frightful as it
is possible to conceive any thing in human shape to be. Having
stared at me some little time, they both went out; and I,
without farther ceremony, sat me down by the fire to w.arm
myself, and dry the rags I wore. Yet I cannot say my situa¬
tion was very easy, as I expected every instant to see two or
three men come in and thrust me out, if they did not deal
with me in a rougher manner.
Soon after the two women came in again, having, as I sup¬
posed, conferred with the Indian, our conductor; and, appearing
to be in great good humour, began to chatter and laugh im¬
moderately. Perceiving the wet and cold condition I was in,
they seemed to have compassion on me, and the old woman
TlIK IIOJT. JOIIX BVItOX.
117
went out and brought some wood, with which she made a good
fire ; but, my hunger being impatient, I could not forbear ox-
pressing my desire that they would extend their hospitality a
little further, and bring mß something to eat. They soon
comprehended my meaning, and the younger, beginning to
rummage under some pieces of bark that lay in the corner of
the wigwam, produced a fine large fish ; this they presently
put upon the fire to broil ; and when it was just warm through,
they made a sign for me to cat. They had no need to repeat
the invitation ; I fell to, and dispatched it in so short a timo
that I was in hopes they would comprehend, without further
tokens, that I was ready for another, but it was of no conse¬
quence, for their stock of eatables was entirely exhausted.
After sitting some time in conference together, in which
conversation I could bear no part, the women made some signs
to me to lay down and go to sleep, first having strewed some
dry boughs upon the ground. I laid myself down, and soon
foil fast asleep ; and awaking, about three or four hours after,
I found myself covered with a bit of blanket, made of the
down of birds, which the women usually wear about their
waist. The young woman, w ho had carefully covered me,
whilst sleeping, with her own blanket, was lying close by me :
the old woman lay on the other side of her. The fire was
low, and almost burnt out ; but as soon as they found me
awake they renewed it, by putting on more fuel. What I
had hitherto eaten served only to .sharpen my appetite ; I could
not help, therefore, being earnest with them to get me some
more victuals. Having understood my necessities, they talked
together some little time ; after which, getting up, they both
went out, taking with them a couple of dogs, which they train
to assist them in fishing. After an hour's absence, they came
in, trembling with cold, and their hair streaming with water,
and brought two fish ; which having broiled, they gave me
the largest share ; and then we all laid down as before to rest.
In the morning, my curiosity led me to visit the neigh¬
bouring wigwams, in which were only one or two men ; the
rest of the inhabitants were all women and children. I then
proceeded to enquire after Captain Cheap and our Indian
guide, whom I found in the wigwam they at first occupied :
the authority of the cacique had procured the captain no
despicable entertainment. We could not learn what business
the men, whose wives and children were here left behind,
were gone out upon ; but, as they seldom or never go upon
fishing-parties (for they have no hunting here) without their
wives, who take the most laborious part of this pursuit upon
themselves, it is probable they were gone upon some warlike
expedition, in which they use bows and arrows sometimes,
118
THE NARRATIVE OF
but always the lance. ThU weapon they throw wth great
dexterity and force, and never stir abroad without it. About
this time their return was looked fur ; a hearing by no means
pleasant to me ; I was, therefore, determined to enjoy myself
as long as they were absent, and' make the most of the good
fare I was possessed of ; to the pleasure of which I thought
a little cleanliness might in some measure contribute ; I there¬
fore went to a brook, and, taking off my shirt, which might be
said to be alive with vermin, set myself about to wash it ;
which having done as well as I could, and hung on a bush to
dry, I heard a bustle about the wigwams ; and soon perceived
that the women were preparing to depart, having stripped
their wigwams of their bark covering, and carried it into their
canoes. Putting on, therefore, my shirt just as it was, I hast¬
ened to join them, having a great desire of being present at
one of their fishing parties.
It was my lot to be put into the canoe with my two
patronesses, and some others who assisted in rowing : we were
in all four canoes. After rowing some time, they gained such
an olfing as they required, where the water here was about
eight or ten fathom deep, and there lay upon their oars. And
now the youngest of the two women, taking a basket in her
mouth, jumped overboard, and, diving to the bottom, continued
under water an amazing time ; when she had filled the basket
with sea-eggs, she came up to the boat-side ; and delivering it
so filled to the other women in the boat, they took out the
contents, and returned it to her. The diver then, after having
taken a short time to breathe, went down and up again with
the same success ; and so several times for the space of half
an hour. It seems as if Providence had endued this people
with a kind of amphibious nature, as the sea is the only
source whence almost all their subsistence is derived. This
element too, being here very boisterous, and falling with a
most heavy surf upon a rugged coast, very little, except some
seal, is to be got any where but in the quiet bosom of the
deep. What occasions this refiection is the early propensity I
had so frequently observed in the children of these savages to
this occupation ; who, even at the age of three years, might be
seen crawling upon their hands and knees among the rocks
and breakers ; from which they would tumble themselves
into the sea without regard to the cold, which is here often
intense ; and shewing no fear of the noise and roaring of the
surf.
This sea-egg is a shell-fish, from which several prickles
project in all directions, by means whereof it removes itself
from place to place. In it are found four or five yolks,
resembling the inner divisions of an orange, which ars of a
very nutritive quality, and excellent flavour.
THE HON. JOHN BT RON.
119
The water was at this time extremely cold ; and, when the
divers got into the boats, they seemed greatly benumbed ; and
it is usual with them after this exercise, if they are near
enough their wigwams, to run to the fire ; to which presenting
one side, they rub and chafe it for some time ; then, turning
the other, use it in the same manner, till the circulation of the
blood is restored. This practice, if it has no worse effect,
must occasion their being more susceptible of the impressions
of cold than if they waited the gradual advances of their na¬
tural warmth in the open air. I leave it to the decision of the
gentlemen of the faculty whether this too hasty approach to
the fire may not subject them to a disorder I observed among
them, called the elephantiasis, or swelling of the legs.*
The divers having rettnmed to their boats, we continued to
row till towards evening, when we landed upon a low point.
As soon as the canoes were hauled up, they employed them¬
selves in erecting their wigwams, which they dispatch with
great address and quickness. I still enjoyed the protection of
my two good Indian women, who made me their guest here,
as before ; they first regaled me with sea-eggs, and then went
out upon another kind of fishery by the means of dogs and
nets. These dogs are a cur-like looking animal ; but very
sagacious, and eas.ly trained to this business. Though in ap-
Jiearance an uncomfortable sort of sport, yet they engage in
it readily, seem to enjoy it much, and express their eagerness
by barking every time they raise their heads above the water
to breathe. The net is held by two Indians, who get into the
water ; then the dogs, taking a large compass, dive after the
fish, and drive them into the net ; but it is only in particular
places that the fish are taken in this manner. At the close of
the evening, the women brought in two fish, which served us
for supper ; and then we reposed ourselves as before. Here
we remained all the next day ; and the morning after em¬
barked again, and rowed till noon ; then landing, we descried
the canoes of the Indian men, who had been some time ex¬
pected from an expedition they had been upon. This was
soon to make a great alteration in the situation of my affairs,
* There are two very different disorders incident to the human body,
which bear the same name, derived from some resemblance they hold with
different parts "f the animal so well knuwn in the countries to which these
disorders are peculiar. That which was first so named is the leprosy,
which brings a scurf on the skin not unlike the hide of an elephant. The
other affects the patient with such enormous swellings of the legs and feet
that they give the idea of those shapeless pillars which support that crea¬
ture ; and therefore this disease has also been called elephantiasis by the
Arabian physicians ; who, together with the Malabarians, among whom
itis endemial, attribute it to the drinking bad waters, and the too sudden
transitions from heat to cold.
120
THE NARKATIVL OF
a presage of which I could read in the melancholy countenance
of my young hostess. She endeavoured to express herself in
very earnest terms to me ; but I had not yet acquired a com¬
petent knowledge of the Indian language to understand her.
As soon as the men were landed, she and the old Indian
woman went up, not without some marks of dread upon them,
to an elderly Indian man, whose remarkably surly and stem
countenance was well calculated to raise su'h sensations in
his dependents. He seemed to be a cacique, or chief man
among them, by the airs of importance he assumed to himself,
and the deference paid him by the rest. After some little
conference passed between these Indians, and our cacique
conductor, of which, most probably, the circumstances of our
history, and the occasion of our coming here, might be the
chief subject (for they fixed their eyes constantly upon us),
they applied themselves to building their wigwams. I now
understood that the two Indian women with whom I had so-
journed were wives to this chieftain, though one was young
enough to be his daughter ; and, as far as I could learn, did
really stand in the different relations to him both of daughter
and wife. It was easy to be perceived that all did not go
well between them at this time ; either that he was not satis¬
fied with the answers that they returned him to his questions,
or that he suspected some misconduct on their side ; for pre¬
sently after, breaking out into savage fury, he took the young
one up in his arms, and threw her with violence against the
stones ; but his brutal resentment did not stop here, he beat
her afterwards in a cmel manner. I could not see this treat¬
ment of my benefactress without the highest concern for her,
and rage against the author of it ; especially as the natural
jealousy of these people gave occasion to think that it was on
my account she suflered. I could hardly suppress the first
emotions of my resentment, which prompted me to return him
his barbarity in his own kind ; but, besides that this might
have drawn upon her fresh marks of his severity, it was nei¬
ther politic, nor indeed in my power, to have done it to any
good purpose at this time.
üur cacique now made us understand that we must embark
directly, in the same canoe which brought us, and return to
our companions ; and that the Indians we were about to leave
would join us in a few days, when we should all set out in a
body, in order to proceed to the northward. In our way back,
nothing very material happened ; but upon our arrival, which
was the next day, we found Mr. Elliot, the surgeon, in a very
bad way ; his illness had been continually increasing since
we left him. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Campbell were almost
starved, having fared very ill since we left them : a few sea-
THE nOK. JOHN BYRON.
121
eggs were all the subsistence they had lived upon ; and these
procured by the cacique's wife, in the manner' I mentioned
before. This woman was the very reverse of my hostess ; and,
as she found her husband was of so much consequence to us,
took upon her much hanghtiness, and treated us as de¬
pendents and slaves. He was not more engaging in his
carriage towards us ; he would give no part of what he had to
spare to any but Captain Cheap, whom his interest led him to
prefer to the rest, though our wants were often greater. The
Captain, on his part, contributed to keep us in this abject
situation, by approving this distinction the cacique shewed to
him. Had he treated us with not quite so much distance, the
cacique might have been more regardful of our wants. The
little regard and attention which our necessitous condition
drew from Captain Cheap may be imputed likewise, in some
measure, to the effects of a mind soured by a series of crosses
and disappointments ; which, indeed, had operated on us all
to a great neglect of each other, and sometimes of ourselves.
We were not suffered to be in the same wigwam with the
cacique and his wife ; which, if we had had any countenance
from Captain Cheap, would not have been refused. What
we had made for ourselves was in such a biiiigling manner
that it scarce deserved the name even of this wretched sort of
habitation. But our untoward circumstances now found some
relief in the arrival of the Indiaps we waited for ; who brought
with them some seal, a small portion of which fell to our
share. A night or two after they sent out some of their young
men, who procured us a quantity of a very delicate kind of
birds, called shags and Cormorants. Their manner of taking
these birds something resembles a sport called bat-fowling.
They find out their haunts among the rocks and cliffs in the
night, when, taking with them torches made of the bark of the
birch tree, which is common here, and grows to a very large
size (this bark has a very nncttious quality, and emits a bright
and clear light; and in the northern par's of America is used
frequently instead of a candle), they bring the boat's side as
near as possible to the rocks, under the roosting-places of tírese
birds ; then, waving their lights backwards and forwards, the
birds arc dazzled and confounded so as to fall into the canoe,
where they are instantly knocked on the head with a short
stick the Indians take with them for that purpose.
Seal are taken, in some less frequented parts of these coasts,
with great ease ; but when their haunts have been two or three
times disturbed, they soon learn to provide for their safety,
by repairing to the water upon the first alarm. This is the
case with them hereabouts ; but, as they frequently raise their
heads above water either to breathe or look about them, I have
M
122
THE NARRATIVE OP
seen an Indian, at this interval, throw his lance with such dex¬
terity as to strike the animal through hoth its eyes, at a great
distance; and it is very seldom that they miss their aim.
As we were wholly unacquainted with these methods of pro¬
viding food for ourselves, and were without arms and am¬
munition, we were driven to the utmost straits ; and found
ourselves rather in worse condition than we had been at any
time before. For the Indians, having now nothing to fear
from us, we found we had nothing to expect from them upon
any other motive. Accordingly, if they ever did relieve us, it
was through caprice ; for at most times they would shew
themselves unconcerned at our greatest distresses. But the
good Indian women, whose friendship I had experienced be¬
fore, continued, from time to time, their good offices to me.
Though I was not suffered to enter their wigwams, they
would find opportunities of throwing in my way such scraps
as they could secrete from their husbands. The obligation I
was under to them on this account is great, as the hazard they
ran in conferring these favours was little less than death. The
men, unrestrained by any laws or ties of conscience, in the
management of their own families, exercise a most despotic
authority over their wives, whom they consider in the same
view they do any other part of their property, and dispose of
them accordingly : even their common treatment of them is
cruel ; for, though the toil and hazard of procuring food lies
entirely upon the women, yet they are not suffered to touch
any part of it till the husband is satisfied ; and then he assigns
them their portion, which is generally very scanty, and such as
he has not a stomach for himself. This arbitrary proceed¬
ing, with respect to their own families, is not peculiar to this
people only. I have had occasion to observe it in more in¬
stances than this I have mentioned, among many other
nations of savages I have since seen.
These Indians are of a middling stature, well set, and very
active ; and make their way among the rocks with an amazing
agility. Their feet, by this kind of exercise, contract a
callosity which renders the use of shoes quite unnecessary to
them. But before I conclude the few observations I have to
make on a people so confined in all their notions and practice,
it may be expected I should say something of their religion ;
but as their gross ignorance is in nothing more conspicuous,
and as we found it adviseable to keep out of their way when
the fits of devotion came upon them, which is rather frantic
than religious, the reader can expect very little satisfaction on
this head. Accident has sometimes made me unavoidably a
spectator of scenes I should have chosen to have witlidrawn
myself from ; and so far I am instructed. As there are no
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
123
fixed seasons for their religious exercises, the younger people
wait till the elders find themselves devoutly disposed ; who
begin the ceremony by several deep and dismal groans, which
rise gradually to a hideous kind of singing, from which they
proceed to enthusiasm, and work themselves into a disposition
that borders on madness ; for, suddenly jumping up, they
snatch fire-brands from the fire, put them in their mouths, and
run about burning every body they come near : at other times
it is a custom with them to wound one another with sharp
muscle-shells till they are besmeared with blood. These orgies
continue till those who preside in them foam at the mouth,
grow faint, are exhausted with fatigue, and dissolve in a pro¬
fusion of sweat. When the men drop their part in this frenzy
the women take it up, acting over again much the same kind
of wild scene, except that they rather outdo the men in shrieks
and noise. Our cacique, who had been reclaimed from these
abominations by the Spaniards, and just knew the exterior
form of crossing himself, pretended to be much offended at
these profane ceremonies, and that he would have died sooner
than have partaken of them. Among other expressions of his
disapprobation, he declared that, whilst the savages solemnized
these horrid rites, he never failed to hear strange and uncom¬
mon noises in the woods, and to see frightful visions ; and
assured us that the devil was the chief actor among them
upon these occasions.
It might be about the middle of March that we embarked
with these Indians. They separated our little company entirely,
not putting any two of us together rn the same canoe. The oar
was my lot, as usual, as also Mr. Campbell's ; Mr. Hamilton
could not row, and Captain Cheap was out of the question ; our
surgeon was more dead than alive at the time, and lay at the
bottom of the canoe he was in. The weather coming on too
bad for their canoes to keep the sea, we lauded again, with¬
out making great progress that day. Here Mr. Elliot, our
surgeon, died. At our first setting out he promised the fairest
for holding out, being a very strong, active young man ; he
had gone Üirou^ an infinite deal of fatigue, as Mr. Hamilton
and he were the best shots amongst us, and, whilst our am¬
munition lasted, never spared themselves, and in a great
measure provided for the rest ; but he died the death many
others had done before him, being quite starved. We scraped
a hole for him in the sand, and buried him in the best manner
we could.
Here I must relate a little anecdote of our christian cacique.
He and his wife had gone off, at some distance from the shore,
in their canoe, when she dived for sea-eggs ; but, not meeting
with great success, they returned a good deal out of humour.
M 2
124
THF. KARRATI VF O*
A little boy of tliclrs, about three years old, whom they ap¬
peared to be doatingly fond of, watching for his lather and
mother's return, ran into the surf to meet them : the father
banded a basket of sea-eggs to the child, which being too heavy
for him to carry, he let it fall ; upon which the father jumped
out of the canoe, and, catching the boy up in his arms, dashed
him with the utmost violence against the stones. The poor
little creature lay motionless and bleeding, and in that con¬
dition was taken up by the mother ; but died soon after. She
appeared inconsolable for some time ; but the brute his father
shewed little concern about it.
A day or two after we put to sea again, and crossed the great
bay I mentioned we had been to the bottom of, when we first
hauled away to the westward. The land here was very low
and sandy, w ith something like the mouth of a river which
discharged itself into the sea ; and which had been taken
no notice of by us before, as it was so shallow that the
Indians were obliged to take every thing out of their canoes,
and carry it over the neck of land, and then haul the boats
over into a-river, which at this part of it was very broad,
more resembling a lake than a river. We rowed up it
for four or five leagues, and then took into a branch of it
that ran first to the eastward, and then to the northward :
here it became much narrower, and the stream excessively
rapid, so that we made but little way, though we worked very
hard. At night we landed upon its banks, and had a most
uncomfortable lodging, it being a perfect swamp ; and we had
nothing to cover us, though it rained very hard. The Indians
were little better off than we, as there was no wood here to
make their wigwams ; so that ill they could do was to prop
up the bark they carry in the bottom of their canoes with their
oars, and shelter themselves as well as they could to leeward
of it. They, knowing the difficulties that were to be encoun¬
tered here, had provided themselves with some seal ; but we
had not the least morsel to eat, after the heavy fatigues of the
day, excepting a sort of root we saw some of the Indians
make use of, which was very disagreeable to the taste. We
laboured all the next day against the stream, and fared as we
had done the day before. The next day brought us to the carry¬
ing-place. Here was plenty of wood ; but nothing to be got for
sustenance. The first thing the Indians did was to take every
thing out of their canoes ; and, after hauling them ashore, they
made their wigwams. We passed this night, as generally we
had done, under a tree ; but what we suffered at this time is
not easily to be expressed. I had been three days at the
oar without any kind of nourishment, but the wretched root I
mentioned before. I had no shirt, as mine was rotted off by
bita; and ue were devoured by vermin. All my clothes
THE IIOX. JOHN EVUON.
125
consisted of an old short grieko, -which is something like a
bear-skin, with a piece of a waiscoat under it, which once had
been of red cloth, both which I had on when I was cast away;
I had a ragged pair of trowsers, without either shoe or stock¬
ing. The first thing the Indians did in the morning was to
take their canoes to pieces : and here, for the information of
the reader, it will be necessary to describe the structure of
these boats, which are extremely well calculated for the use of
these Indians, as they are frequently obliged to carry them
over land a long way together, through thick woods, to avoid
doubling capes and headlands, in seas where no open boat
could live. They generally consist of five pieces, or planks ;
one for the bottom, and two for each side ; and as these people
have no iron tools, the labour must be great in hacking a
single plank out of a large tree with shells and flints, though
with the help of fire. Along the edges of the plank they make
small holes, at about an inch from one to the other, and sew
them together with the supple-jack, or woodbine ; but as these
holes are not filled up by thé substance of the woodbine,
their boats would be immediately full of water if they had not
a method of preventing it. They do this very eflectually by
the bark of a tree, which they first steep m water for some
time, and then beat it between two stones till it answers the
use of oakum, and then chinse each hole so well that they do
not admit of the least water coming through, and are easily
taken asunder and put together again. When they have oc¬
casion to go over land, as at this time, each man or woman
carries a plank ; whereas it wotild be impossible for them to
drag a heavy boat entire.
Every body had something to carry, except Captain Cheap ;
and he was obliged to be assisted, or never would have got over
this march ; for a worse than this, I believe, never was made.
He, with the others, set out some time before me. I waited for
two Indians, who belonged to the canoe I came in ; and who re¬
mained to carry over the last of the things from the side we
were on. I had apiece of wet heavy canvas, which belonged to
Captain Cheap, with a bit of stinking seal wrapped in it (which
had been given him that morning by some of the Indians) to
carry upon my head, which was a sufficient weight for a strong
man in health through such roads, and a grievous burthen to
one in my condition. Our way was through a thick wood, the
bottom of which was a mere quagmire, most part of it up to our
knees, and often to our middle, and every now and then -we had a
large tree to get over ; for they often lay directly in our road.
Besides this, we were continually treading upon the stumps of
trees, which were not to be avoided, as they were covered
with water ; and, having neither shoe nor stocking, my feet
M 3
THE NARRATIVE OP
and legs were frequently torn and wounded. Before I had
gut half a mile, the two Indians had left me ; and making the
best of my way, lest they should be all gone before I got to
the other side, I fell oflF a tree that crossed the road, into a
very deep swamp, where I narrowly escaped drowning, by the
weight of the burthen I had on my head. It was a long while
before I could extricate myself from this difficulty ; and, when
I did, my strength was quite exhausted.
I sat down under a tree, and there gave way to melancholy re¬
flections. However as I was sensible these reflections would an¬
swer no end, they did not last long. I got up, and, marking a
great tree, I then deposited my load, not being able to carry it
any farther, and set out to join my company. It was some hours
before I reached my companions. I found them sitting under a
tree, and sat myself down by them without speaking a word ;
nor did they speak to me, as I remember, for some time ; when
Captain Cheap, breaking silence, began to ask after the seal
and piece of canvas. I,told him the disaster I had met with,
which he might have easily guessed by the condition the rags
I had on were in, as well as having my feet and ancles cut to
pieces ; but, instead of compassion for my sufferings, 1 heard
nothing but grumbling from every one, for the irreparable lo'ss
they had sustained by me. 1 made no answer; but, after
resting myself a little, I got up and struck into the wood, and
walked back at least five miles to the tree I had marked, and
returned just time enough to deliver it before my companions
embarked, with the Indians, upon a great lake, the opposite
part of which seemed to wash the foot of the Cordilleras. I
wanted to embark with them ; but was given to understand I
was to wait for some other Indians that were to follow them.
I knew not where these Indians were to come from ; I was
left alone upon the beach, and night was at hand. They left
me not even a morsel of the stinking seal that I had suffered
so much about. I kept my eyes upon the boats as lofig as I
could distinguish them ; and then returned into the wood, and
sat myself down upon the root of a tree, having eaten nothing
the whole day but the stem of a plant which resembles that of
an artichoke, which is of a juicy consistence, and acid taste.
Quite worn out with fatigue, I soon fell asleep ; and, awaking
before day, I thought I heard some voices at no great distance
from me. As the day appeared, looking further into the wood
I perceived a wigwam, and immediately made towards it ;
but the reception I met with was not at all agreeable ; for
stooping to get into it, I presently received two or three kicks
in my face, and at the same time heard the sound of voices
seemingly in anger ; which made me retire, and wait at the
foot of a tree, where I remained till an old woman peeped
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
127
out, and made signs to me to draw near. 1 obeyed very rea¬
dily, and went into the wigwam : in It were three men and
two women ; one young man seemed to have great respect
shewn to him by the rest, though he was the most miserable
object I ever saw. He was a perfect skeleton, and covered
with sores from head to foot. I was happy to sit a moment
by their fire, as I was quite benumbed with cold. The old
woman took out a piece of seal, holding one part of it between
her feet, and the other end in her teeth, and then cut off some
thin slices with a sharp shell, and distributed them about to
the other Indians. She then put a bit on a fire, taking a
piece of fat in her mouth, which she kept chewing, every now
and then spirting some of it on the piece that was warming
upon the fire ; for they never do more with it than warm it
through, when it was ready, she gave me a little bit, which
I swallowed whole, being almost starved. As these Indians
were all strangers to me, I did not know which way they
were going ; and indeed it was now become quite indifferent
to me which way I went, whether to the northward or south¬
ward, so that they would but take me with them, and give me
something to eat. However, to make them comprehend me,
I 'pointed first to the southward, and after to the lake, and I
soon understood they were going to the northward. They all
went out together, excepting the sick Indian, and took up the
plank of the canoe, which lay near the wigwam, and carried it
upon the beach, and presently put it together ; and, getting
every thing into it, they put me to the oar. We rowed across the
lake to the mouth of a very rapid river, where we put ashore
for that night, not daring to get any way down in the dark ;
as it required the greatest skill, even in the day, to avoid
running foul of the stumps and roots of trees, of which this
river was full.
I passed a melancholy night, as they would not suffer
ae to come near the wigwam they had made ; nor did they
give me the least bit of any one thing to eat since we embarked.
In the morning we set off again. The weather proved ex¬
tremely bad the whole day. We went down the river at an
amazing rate ; and just before night they put ashore upon
a stony beach. They hauled the canoe up, and all disappeared
in a moment, and I was left quite alone ; it rained violently
and was very dark. I thought it was as well to lay down
upon the beach, half side in water, as to get into a swamp
under a dropping tree. In this dismal situation I fell asleep,
and awaked three or four hours after in such agonies with the
cramp that I thought I must die upon the spot. I attempted
several times to raise myself upon my legs, but could not. At
last I made shift to get upon my knees, and looking towards
the wood I saw a great fire at some distance from me. I was
128
THE NARRATIVE OF
a long time crawling to it ; and, when I reached it, I threw
myself almost into it, in hopes of finding some relief from the
pain I suffered. This intrusion gave great offence to the
Indians, who immediately got up, kicking and beating me till
they drove me to some distance from it ; however, I contrived,
a little after, to place myself so as to receive some warmth
from it ; by which I got rid of the cramp. In the morning
we left this place, and were soon after out of the river. Being
now at sea again, the Indians intended putting ashore at the
first convenient place, to look for shell-fish, their stock of
provisions having been quite exhausted for some time. At
low water we landed upon a spot that seemed to promise well ;
and here we found plenty of limpets. Though at this time
starving, I did not attempt to eat one, lest I should lose a
moment in gathering them ; not knowing how soon the Indians
might be going again. I had almost filled my hat when I saw
them returning to the canoe. I made what haste I could to
her ; for I believe they IVould have made no conscience of
leaving me behind. I sat down to my oar again, placing my
hat close to me, every now and then eating a limpet. The
Indians were employed the same way, when one of them,
seeing me throw the shells overboard, spoke to the rest in a
violent passion ; and getting up, fell upon me, and, seizing me
by an old ragged handkerchief I had about my neck, almost
throttled me ; whilst another took me by the legs, and was
going to throw me overboard, if the old woman had not pre¬
vented them. I was all this time entirely ignorant by what
means I had given offence, till I observed that the Indians,
after eating the limpets, carefully put the shells in a heap at the
bottom of the canoe. I then concluded there was some super¬
stition about throwing these shells into the sea, my ignorance
of which had very nearly cost me my life. I was resolved to
eat no more limpets till we landed, which we did some time
after, upon an island. I then took notice that the Indians
brought all their shells ashore, and laid them above high water
mark. Here, as I was going to eat a large bunch of berries I
had gathered from a tree, for they looked very tempting, one
of the Indians snatched them out of my hand and threw them
away, making me to understand that they were poisonous.
Thus, in all probability, did these people now save my life
who, a few hours before, were going to take it from me for
throwing away a shell.
In two days after I joined my companions again ; but I
don't remember that there was the least joy shewn on either
side at meeting. At this place was a very large canoe belonging
to our guide, which would have required at least six men to
the oar to have made any kind of expedition : instead of that,
THE HON. JOHN BYROV.
199
Ihcre was only Campbell rind myself, besides the Indian, his
companion, or servant, to row, the cacique himself never
touching an oar, but sitting with his wife all the time much at
his ease. Mr. Hamilton continued in the same canoe he had
been in all along, and which still was to keep us company
some way further, though many of the others had left us.
This was dreadful hard work to such poor starved wretches as
we were, to be slaving at the oar all day long in such a heavy
boat ; and this inhuman fellow would never give us a scrap
to eat, excepting when he took so miich seal that he could not
contrive to carry 'it all away with him, which happened very
seldom. After working like galley-slaves all day, towards
night, when we landed, instead of taking any rest, Mr. Camp¬
bell and I were sometimes obliged to go miles along shore to
get a few shell-fish ; and just as we have made a little fire in
order to dress them, he has commanded us into the boat
again, and kept us rowing the whole night without ever land¬
ing. It is impossible for me to describe the miserable state
we were reduced to : our bodies were so emaciated that we
hardly appeared the figures of men. It has often happened
to .me in the coldest night, both in hail and snow, where we
had nothing but an open beach to lay down upon, in order to
procure a little rest, that I have been obliged to pull off the
few rags I had on, as it was impossible to get a moment's sleep
with them on for the vermin that swarmed about them ; though
I used, as often as I had time, to take my clothes off, and,
putting them upon a large stone, beat them with another, in
hopes of ' killing hundreds at once ; for it was endless work
to pick them off. What we stiffered from this was ten times
worse even than hunger. But we were clean in comparison
of Captain Cheap ; for I could compare his body to nothing
but an ant-hill, with thousands of those insects crawling over
it; for he was now past attempting to rid himself in the
least from this torment, as he had quite lost himself, not re¬
collecting our names that were about him, or even his own.
His beard was as long as a hermit's : that and his face being
covered with train-oil and dirt, from having long accustomed
himself to sleep upon a bag, by the way of pillow, in which
he kept the pieces of stinking seal. This prudent method
he took to prevent our getting at it whilst he slept. His legs
were as big as mill-posts, though his body appeared to be
nothing but skin and bone.
One day we fell in with about forty Indians, who came
down to the beach we landed on, curiously painted. Our
cacique seemed to understand but little of their language, and
it sounded to us very different from what we had heard be-
fore. However, they made us comprehend that a ship had
130
THE NAKll.VTIVE OF
been upon the coast not far whence we then were, and thai
she had a red flag : this we understood some time after to
have been the Anne pink, whose adventures are particularly
related in Lord Anson's Voyage ; and we passed through the
very harbour she had lain in.
As there was but one small canoe that intended to accom¬
pany us any longer; and that in which Mr. Hamilton had
been to this time intended to proceed no further to the north-
waid ; our cacique proposed to him to come into our canoe,
which he refused, as the insolence of this fellow was to him
insupportable ; he therefore rather chose to remain where he
was, till chance should throw in his way some other means of
getting forward : so here we left him ; and it was some months
before we saw him again.
We now got on, by very slow degrees, to the northward ;
and, as the difficulties and hardships we daily went through
would only be a repetition of those already mentioned, 1
shall say no more but that at last we reached an island about
thirty leagues to the southward of Chiloe. Here we remained
two days for a favourable opportunity to cross the bay, the
very thoughts of which seemed to frighten our cacique out of
his senses ; and indeed there was great reason for his appre¬
hensions ; for there ran a most dreadful hollow sea, dangerous,
indeed, for any open boat whatever, but a thousand times
more for such a crazy vessel as we were in. He at length
mustered up resolution enough to attempt it, first having
crossed himself for an hour together, and made a kind of lug-
sail Out of the bits of blankets they wore about them, sewed
together with split supple jacks. We then put off, and a
terrible passage we had. The bottom plank of the canoe was
split, which opened upon every sea ; and, the water continually
rushing over the gunnel, I may say that we were in a manner
full the whole way over, though all hands were employed in
baling without ceasing a moment. As we drew near the
shore, the cacique was so eager to land, having been terrified to
that degree with this run, that, if it had not been for us, every
soul must have perished ; for he had very near got in amongst
the breakers, where the sea drove with such violence upon
the rocks that not even an Indian could have escaped,
especially as it was in the night. We kept off till we got into
smooth water, and landed upon the island of Chiloe ; though
in a part of it that was not inhabited. Here we staid all the
next day, in a very heavy snow, to recover ourselves a little
after our fatigue ; but the cold was so excessive, having neither
shoe nor stocking, we thought we should have lost our feet ;
and Captain Cheap was so ill that, if he had had but a few
leagues further to have gone without relief, he could not have
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
J3I
held out. It pleased God now that our sufferings, in a great
measure, were drawing to an end.
What things our cacique had brought with him from the
wreck he here buried under ground, in order to conceal them
from the Spaniards, who would not have left him a rusty nail
if they had known of it. Towards evening, we set off again ;
and about nine the same night, to our great joy, we observed
something that had the appearance of a house. It belonged
to an acquaintance of our cacique ; and as he was possessed
of my fowling-piece, and we had preserved about one charge
of powder, he made us load it for him, and desired we would
show him how to discharge it ; upon which, standing up, and
nolding his head from it as far as possible, he fired, and fell
back into the bottom of the canoe. The Indians belonging to
the house, not in the least used to fire-arms, ran out and hid
themselves in the woods. But after some time, one of them,
bolder than the rest, got upon a hill, and hallooed to us, asking
who and what we were. Our cacique now made himself
known, and they presently came down to the boat, bringing
with them some fish, and plenty of potatoes. This was the
most comfortable meal we had made for many long months ;
and as soon as this was over we rowed about two miles far¬
ther to a little village, where we landed. Here our cacique
presently awaked all the inhabitants by the noise he made,
and obliged one of them to open his door to us, and immedi¬
ately to make a large fire ; for the weather was very severe,
this being the month of June, the depth of winter in this
part of the world. The Indians now flocked thick about us,
and seemed to have great compassion for us, as our cacique
related to them what part he knew of our history. They
knew not what countrymen we were, nor could our guide
inform them ; for he had often asked us if we were French,
Dutch, or English, the only nations he had ever heard of
besides the Spaniards. We always answered we were from
Grande Bretagne, which he could make nothing of ; for we
were afraid, if he knew us to be English, as he had heard
that nation was at war with the Spaniards, he never v/ould
have conducted us to Chiloe.
These good-natured compassionate creatures seemed to vie
with eaeh other who should take the most care of us. They
made a bed of sheep-skins close to the fire, for Captain Cheap,
and laid him upon it ; and indeed, had it not been for the
kind assistance he now met with, he could not have survived
three days longer. Though it was now about midnight, they
went out and killed a sheep, of which they made broth, and
baked a large cake of barley-meal. Any body may imagine
what a treat this was to wretches who had not tasted a bit of
13".
THE NAHE ATI VE OP
bread, or any wholesome diet, for such a length of titne.
After we could eat no longer, we went to sleep about the fire,
which the Indians took care to keep up. In the morning,
the women came from far and near, each bringing with her
something. Almost every one had a pipkin in her hand,
containing either fowls or mutton made into broth, potatoes,
eggs, or other eatables. We fell to work as if we had eaten
nothing in the night, and employed ourselves so for the
best part of the day. In the evening, the men filled our
house, bringing with them some jars of a liquor they called
chicha, made of barley-meal, and not very unlike our oat-ale
in taste, which will intoxicate those who drink a sufficient
quantity of it ; for a little has no effect. As soon as the
drink was out, a fresh supply of victuals was brought in.
In this manner we passed the whole time we remained
with these hospitable Indians. They are a strong well-made
people, extremely well-featured, both men and women, and
vastly neat in their persons. The men's dress is called by
them a puncho, which is a square piece of cloth, generally in
stripes of different colours, with a slit in the middle of it
wide enough to let their heads through, so that it hangs on
their shoulders, half of it falling before, and the other behind
them ; under this they wear a short kind of flannel shirt
without sleeves or neck. They have wide-kneed breeches,
something like the Dutch seamen, and on their legs a sort of
knit buskins without any feet to them ; but never any shoes.
Their hair is always combed very smooth, and tied very tight
up in a great bunch close to the neck ; some wear a very neat
hat of their own making, and others go without. The Avomen
wear a shift like the men's shirts, without sleeves ; and over
it a square piece of cloth, vAhich they fasten before with a
large silver pin, and a petticoat of different stripes ; they
take as much care of their hair as the men ; and both have
always a kind of fillet bound very tight about the forehead,
and made fast behind ; in short, these people are as cleanly
as the several savage nations we had met with before were
beastly. Upon our first coming here, they had despatched a
messenger to the Spanish corregidore at Castro, a town a
considerable distance hence, to inform him of our arrival.
At the end of three days, this man returned with an order to
the chief caciques of these Indians we were amongst, to carry
us directly to a certain place, where there would be a party of
soldiers to receive us. These poor people now seemed to be
under great concern for us, hearing by the messenger the
preparations that were making to receive us ; for they stand
in vast dread of the Spanish soldiery. They were very
desirous of knowing what countrymen we were. We told
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
1.33
them we were English, and at that time at war with the
Spaniards ; upon which they appearedfondèr of us than ever;
and I verily believe, if they durst, would have concealed us
amongst them, lest we should come to any harm. They are
so far from being in the Spanish interest that they detest the
very name of a Spaniard. And, indeed, I am not surprised at
it; for they are kept under such subjection, and such a laborious
slavery, by mere dint of hard usage and punishments, that it
appears to me the most absurd thing in the world that the
Spaniards should rely upon these people for assistance upon
any emergency. We embarked in the evening, and it was
night before we got to the place where we were to be delivered
up to the Spanish guard. We were met by three or four offi¬
cers, and a number of soldiers, all with their spados drarvn, who
surrounded us as if they had the most formidable enemy to take
charge of, instead of three poor helpless wretches who, nothwiih-
standing the good living we had met with amongst these kind
Indians, could hardly support ourselves. They carried us to the
top of a hill, and there put us under a shed ; for it consisted of
a thatched roof, without any sides or walls, being quite open ;
and here we were to lay upon the cold ground. All sorts of
people now came to stare at us as a sight ; but the Indian wo¬
men never came empty-handed ; they always brought with
them either fowls, mutton, or some kind of provisions to us;
so that we lived well enough. However, we found a very
sensible difference between the treatment we had met with
from the Indians, and what we now experienced from the
Spaniards. With the former, we were quite at liberty to do as
we pleased ; but here, if we only went ten yards to attempt at
getting rid of some of the vermin that devoured us, we had
two soldiers, with drawn spados, to attend us.
About the third day, a Jesuit from Castro came to see us ;
not from a motive of compassion, but from a report, spread by
our Indian cacique, tha£ we had some things of great value
about us. Having by chance seen Captain Cheap pull out a
gold repeating watch, the first thing the good father did was to
lug out of his pocket a bottle of brandy, and give us a dram,
in order to open our hearts. He then came roundly to the
point, asking us if we had saved no watches or rings. Captain
Cheap declared he had nothing, never suspecting that the In¬
dian had seen his watch, having, as he thought, always taken
great care to conceal it from him ; but knowing that Campbell
had a silver watch, which had been the property of our surgeon,
he desired him to make it a present to the Jesuit, telling him,
at the same time, that, as these people had great power and
authority, it might be of service to us hereafter. This Camp,
bell very unwillingly did, and received from the father, not long
N
134
THE NABRAITVE OP
after, a pitiful present, not a quarter part of tte value of the
rim of the watch. We understood afterwards that this had
come to the governor's ears, who was highly offended at it,
as thinking, that if any thing of that sort had been to be had, it
was his due ; and did not spare the Jesuits in the least upon
the occasion.
Soon after this, the oiBcer of the guard informed us there
was an order come to carry us to Castro. In the evening,
we were conducted to the water-side, and put into a large
periago ; and there were several more to attend us, full of
soldiers. About eight o'clock at night, we were off the town.
The boats all laid upon their oars, and there was a great deal
of ceremony used in hailing and asking for the keys, as if it
had been a regular fortification. After some time we landed,
but could see neither gates nor walls, nor any thing that had
the appearance of a garrison. As we walked up a steep hill into
the town, the way was lined with men who had broomsticks
upon their shoulders instead of musquets, and a lighted match
in their hands. When we came to the corregidore's house, we
found it full of people. He was an old man, very tall, with a
long cloak on, a tie wig without any curl, and a spado of im¬
mense length by his side. He received us in great state and
fbrtn ; but as we had no interpreter, we understood little or
nothing of the questions he asked us. He ordered a table to
be spread for us with cold ham and fowls ; which we three
only sat- down to, and in a short time dispatched more than ten
men with common appetites would have done. It is amazing
that our eating to that excess we had done, from the time we
first got amongst these kind Indians, had not killed us ; we
we were never satisfied, and used to take all opportunities, for
some months after, of filling our pockets when we were not
seen, that we might get up two or three times in the night to
cram ourselves. Captain Cheap used to declare that he was
quite ashamed of himself. After supper, the corregidore car¬
ried us to the Jesuits* college, attended by the soldiers, and all
the rabble ofAhe town. This was intended, at present, for our
prison, till orders were received from the governor, who resided
at Chaco, above thirty leagues from this place. When we got
to the college, the corregidore desired the father provincial, as
they styled him, or head of the Jesuits here, to find out what
religion we were of, or whether we had any or not. He then
retired, the gates were shut, and we were conducted to a cell.
We found in it something like beds spread on the floor, and an
old ragged shirt a-piece, but clean, which was of infinite service
to us ; nor did eating at first give me half the satisfaction this
treasure of an old shirt did. Though this college was large,
there were but four Jesuits in it, nor were there any more of
that order upon the Island, In the morning. Captain Cheap
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
was sent for by the father provincial : their conversation was
carried on in Latin, perhaps not the best on either side ; how¬
ever, they made shift to understand one another.
When he returned, he told us the good fathers were still harp¬
ing upon what things of value we might have saved and conceal¬
ed about us ; and that if we had any thing of that sort, we could
not do better than let them have it. Religion seemed to be quite
out of the question at present ; but a day or two after the cor-
regidore being informed that we were heretics, he desired these
Jesuits would convert us; but one of them told him it was a
mere joke to attempt it, as we could have no inducement
upon that island to change our religion ; but that when we got
to Chili, in such a delightful country as that was, where there
was nothing but diversions and amusements, we should be
converted fast enough. We kept close to our cell till the bell
rang for dinner, when we were conducted into a hall, where
there was one table for the fathers, and another for us. After
a very long Latin prayer, we sat down and ate what was put
before us, without a single word passing at either table. As
soon as we had finished, there was another long prayer, which,
however, did not appear so tedious as the first ; and then we
retired to our cell again. In this manner we passed eight
days without ever stirring out ; all which time one might have
imagined one's-selfoutofthe world ; for, excepting the bell for
dinner, a silence reigned throughout the whole, as if the place
had been uninhabited. A little before dark, on the eighth
evening, we heard a violent knocking at the gate ; which was
no sooner opened than there entered a young ofiicer, booted
and spurred. Who acquainted the fathers that he was sent by
the governor to conduct us to Chaco. This young man was
the governor's son; by which means he obtained a commission
next in authority, upon this island, to his father. He ought to
have been kept at school; for he was a vain, empty coxcomb,
much disliked by the people of the island. After taking leave
of the Jesuits, who, I imagine, were not sorry to be rid of us,
after finding their expectations baulked, we set out, having
about thirty soldiers on horseback to attend us. We rode
about eight miles that night, when we came to an Estancia,
or farm-house, belonging to an old lady, who had two hand¬
some daughters. Here we were very well entertained ; and the
good old lady seemed to have great compassion for us. She
asked the governor's son if he thought his father w ould have
any objection to my passing a month with her at her farm.
As she was a person of rank in this island, he said he would
acquaint his father with her request, and made no doubt but
he would grant it. I observed our soldiers, when they came
into the house, had none of them any shoes on, but wore bus-
N -i
136
THE NARBATIVE OF
kins, like the Indians, without any feet to them. They all had
monstrous great spurs, some of silver and others of copper,
which made a rattling when they walked, like chains. They
were all stout, strong-looking men, as the Spaniards, natives of
the island, in general are. After a good supper, we had sheep¬
skins laid near the fire for us to sleep on.
Early in the morning we mounted again ; and, after riding
some miles across the country, we came to the water-side, where
we found several periagos waiting for us, with some officers in
them. Most of the soldiers dismounted and embarked with us, a
few only being sent round with the horses. It was three days
before we arrived at Chaco, as the tides between this island and
the main are so rapid that no boat can stem them. The same
precaution was taken here as at Castro ; we passed through a
whole lane of soldiers, armed äs I mentioned those to have
been before, excepting a few, who really had matchlocks, the
only fire-arms they have here. The soldiers, upon our jour¬
ney, had given a pompous account of el Palacio del Rey, or
the king's palace, as they styled the governor's house, and there¬
fore we expected to see something very magnificent ; but it
was nothing better than a large thatched barn, partitioned off
into several rooms. The governor was sitting at a large table
covered with a piece of red serge, having all the principal offi¬
cers about him. After some time, he made us sit down, at¬
tempting to converse with us by his linguist, who was a stupid
old fellow, that could neither talk English nor Spanish, but
said he was born in England, had resided above forty years in
that country, and, having formerly been a buccaneer, was taken
by the Spaniards near Panama. The governor kept us to
supper, and then we were conducted across the court to our
apartment, which was a place that had served to keep the fire¬
wood for the governor's kitchen ; however, as it was dry over
head, we thought ourselves extremely well lodged. There
was a soldier placed at the door with a drawn spado in his
hand, to prevent our stirring out ; which was quite unneces¬
sary, as we knew not where to go if we had been at liberty.
One of these soldiers took a great fancy to my ragged grieko,
which had still some thousands about it ; and in exchange
gave me an old puncho, the sort of garment with a hole in the
middle to put one's head through, as above related to be worn
by the Indians ; and for the little bit of my waistcoat that re.
mained, he gave me a pair of breeches. I now should have
thought myself very handsomely equipped, if I had had but
another shirt. The next day, about noon, the governor sent
for us, and we dined at his table ; after which we returned
to our lodging, where we were never alone; for eve^ body
was curious to see us. We passed about a week in this man
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
137
ner, when ihe sentinel was taken off, and we were allowed to
look about us a little, though not to go out of the palace, as
they pleased to call H. We dined every day with the gover¬
nor ; but were not very fond of his fast days, which succeeded
each other too quickly. 1 contrived to make friends with his
steward and cook ; by which means I always carried my
pockets full to my apartment, where 1 passed my time very
agreeably. Soon after, we had leave to walk about the town,
or go wherever we pleased. Every house was open to us ;
and though it was but an hour after we had dined, they
always spread a table, thinking we never could eat enough
after what we had suffered ; and we were much of the same
opinion. They are, in general, a charitable, good sort of peo¬
ple ; but very ignorant, and governed by their priests, who
make them believe just what they please.
The Indian language is chiefly spoken here, even by the Span¬
iards one amongst another ; and they say they think it a finer
language than their own. The women have fine complexions,
and many of them are very handsome ; they have good voices,
and can strum a little upon the guitar; but they have an ugly
custom of smoking tobacco, which is a very scarce commodity
here ; and therefore is looked upon as a great treat when they
meet at one another's houses. The lady of the house comes in
with a large wooden pipe crammed with tobacco ; and, after
taking two or three hearty whiffs, she holds her head under her
cloak lest any of the smoke should escape, and then swallows it;
some time after you see it coming out of her nose and ears.
She hands the pipe to the next lady, who does the same, till it
has gone through the whole company. Their houses are but
very mean, as will be easily imagined by what I have said of
the governor's. They make their fire in the middle of their
rooms ; but have no chimneys ; there is a small hole at each
end of the roof, to let the smoke out. It is only the better sort
of people that eat bread made of wheat, as they grow but very
little here, and they have no mills to grind it ; but then they
have great plenty of the finest potatoes in the world ; these are
aways roasted in the ashes, then scraped, and served up at
meals instead of bread. They breed abundance of swine, as
they supply both Chili and Peru with hams. They are in no
want of sheep, but are not overstocked with cows ; owing, in
a great measure, to their own indolence in not clearing away
the woods ; which if they would be at the pains to do, they
might have sufficient pasture. Their trade consists in hams,
hog's-lard, which is used throughout all South America instead
of butter, cedar-plank, which the Indians are continually em¬
ployed in cutting quite to the foot of the Cqrdilleras, little carved
boxes, which the Spanish ladies used to put their work in, car-
it 3
138
THE NARRATIVE OP
pets, quills, and punches neatly embroidered all round ; for
these, both in Chili and Peru, are used by the people of the first
fashions, as well as the inferior sort, by way of riding-dress,
and are esteemed to be much more convenient for a horseman
than any kind of coat whatever.
They have what they call an annual ship from Lima, as they
never expect more than one in the year ; though sometimes it
happens that two have come, and at other times they have
been two or three years without any. When this happens,
they are greatly distressed, as this ship brings them baize,
cloth, linens, hats, ribbons, tobacco, sugar, brandy, and wine ;
but this latter article is chiefly for the use of the churches :
matte, a herb from Paraguay, used all over South America
instead of tea, is also a necessary article. This ship's cargo
is chiefly consigned to the Jesuits, who have more Indians em¬
ployed for them than all the rest of the inhabitants together,
and of course engross almost the whole trade. There is no
money current in this island. If any person wants a few
yards of linen, a little sugar, tobacco, or any other thing
brought from Peru, he gives so many cedar-planks, hams, or
punchos, in exchange. Some time after we had been here, a
snow arrived in the harbour from Lima, which occasioned
great joy amongst the inhabitants, as they had no ship the
year before, from the alarm Lord Anson had given upon the
coast. This was not the annual vessel, but one of those that
I mentioned before which, came unexpectedly. The Captain
of her was an old man, well known upon the island, who had
traded here once in two or three years, for more than thirty
years past. He had a remarkably large head, and therefore
was commonly known by a nick-name they had given him of
Cabuco de Toro, or Bull's-head. He had not been here a
week before he came to the governor, and told him, with a
most melancholy countenance, that he had not slept a wink
since he came into the harbour, as the governor was pleased
to allow three English prisoners liberty to walk about instead
of confining them ; and that he expected every moment they
would board his vessel, and carry her away : this he said
when he had above thirty hands a-board. Tlie governor as¬
sured him he would be answerable for us, and that he might
sleep in quiet ; though at the same time he could not help
laughing at the man, as all the people in the town did. These
assurances did not satisfy the Captain : he used the utmost
dispatch in disposing of his cargo, and put to sea again, not
thinking himself safe till he had lost sight of the island. It
was about three months after us that Mr. Hamilton was
brought in, by a party that the governor had sent to the south¬
ward on purpose to fetch him. He was in a wretched con-
THE HON. JOHN BYRON,
139
dition upon his first arrival, but soon recovered with the good
living he found here.
It is asual for the governor to make a tour, every year,
through the several districts belonging to his government ; on
this occasion he took us with him. The first place he visited
was Carelmapo, on the main ; and thence to Castro. At these
places, he holds a kind of court ; all the chief caciques meet¬
ing him, and informing him of what has passed since his last
visit, and receiving fresh orders for the year to come. At
Castro we had the same liberty we enjoyed at Chaco, and
visited every body. It seemed they had forgotten all the cere¬
mony used upon our first landing here, which was with an intent
to make us believe it was strongly fortified ; for now they let
us see plainly that they had neither fort nor gun. At Chaco
they had a little earthen fort, with a small ditch palisadoed
round it, and a few old honey-combed guns without carriages,
and which do not defend the harbour in the least. Whilst
we were at Castro, the old lady (at whose house we lay the first
night upon leaving the Jesuits' college) sent -o the governor
and begged I might be allowed to come to her for a few weeks :
this was granted ; and accordingly I went and passed about
three weeks with her very happily, as she seemed tobe as fond
of me as if I had been her own son. She was very unwilling
to part with me again ; but, as the governor was soon to re¬
turn to Chaco, he sent for me, and I left my benefactress with
regret.
Amongst the houses we visited at Castro, there was one be¬
longing to an old priest, who was esteemed one of the richest
persons upon the island. He had a niece, of whom he was
extremely fond, arid who was to inherit all he possessed. He
had taken a great deal of pains with her education, and she
was reckoned one of the most accomplished young ladies of
Chiloe. Her person was good, though she could not be called
a regular beauty. This yOung lady did me the honour to take
more notice of me than 1 deserved, and proposed to her 'incle
to convert me, and- afterwards begged his consent to marry
me. As the old man doated upon her, he readily agreed to it;
and accordingly, on the next visit I made him, acquainted me
with the young lady's proposal, and his approbation of it,
taking me at the same time into a room where there were
several chests and boxes, which he unlocked ; first shewing
me ,what a number of fine clothes his niece had, and then his
own wardrobe, which he said should be mine at his death.
Amongst other things, he produced a piece of linen, which he
said should immediately be made up into shirts for me. I
own this last article was a great temptation to me ; however,
I had the resolution to withstand it, and made the best excuses
uo
THE NARRATIVE OF
I could for not accepting of the honour they intended me ; for
by this time I could speak Spanish well enough to make
myself understood.
Amongst the Indians who had come to meet the governor
here, there were some caciques of those Indians who had
treated us so kindly at our first landing upon Chiloe. One of
these, a young man, had been guilty of some offence, and was
put in irons, and threatened to be more severely punished.
We could not learn his crime, or whether the governor did not
do it in a great measure to show us his power over these
Indian chiefs ; however, we were under great concern for this
young man, who had been extremely kind to us, and begged
Captain Cheap to intercede with the governor for him. This
he did, and the cacique was released ; the governor acquaint¬
ing liim at the same time, with great warmth, that it was to
us only he owed it, or otherwise he would have made a severe
example of him. The young man seemed to have been in no
dread of farther punishment, as I believe he felt all a man
could do from the indignity of being put in irons in the public
square, before all his brother-caciques and many hundreds of
other Indians. I thought this was not a very politic step of
the governor, as the cacique came after to Captain Cheap to
thank him for his goodness, and in all probability would re¬
member the English for some time after; and not only he, but
all the other caciques who had been witnesses of it, and who
seemed to feel, if possible, even more than the young man
himself did. We now returned to Chaco, and the governor
told us, when the annual ship came, which they expected in
December, we should be sent in her to Chili. We felt several
earthquakes while we were here. One day, as I happened to
be upon a visit at a house where I was very well acquainted,
an Indian came in, who lived at many leagues' distance from
this town, and who had made this journey in order to purchase
some little trifles he wanted; amongst other things, he had
bought some prints of saints. Very proud of these, he pro¬
duced them, and put them into the hands of the women, who
very devoutly first crossed themselves with them, and after¬
wards kissed them ; then gave them to me, saying, at the same
time, they supposed such a heretic as I was would refuse to
kiss them. They were right in their conjectures : I returned
them to the Indian without going through that ceremony. At
that very instant, there happened a violent shock of an earth¬
quake, which they imputed entirely to the anger of the saints ;
and all quitted the house as fast as they could, lest it should
fall upon their heads. For my part, I made the best of my
way home, for fear of being knocked on the head, when out of
the house, by the rabble, who looked on me as the cause of
THE HON. JOHN BYRON
141
all this mischief, and did not return to that house again tiil
I thought this affair was forgotten.
Here is a very good harbour; but the entrance is veiy
dangerous for those who are unacquainted with it, as the tides
are so extremely rapid, and there are sunken rocks in the
mid-channel. The island is above seventy leagues round;
and the body of it, lies in about 40° 20' S , and is the most
southern settlement the Spaniards have in these seas.
Their summer is of no long duration, and most of the year
round they have hard gales of wind and much rain.
Opposite the island, upon the Cordilleras, there is a volcano,
which, at times, burns with great fury, and is subject to violent
eruptions. One of these alarmed the whole island, whilst we
were here : it sounded in the night like great guns. In the
morning, the governor mounted his horse, and rode backwards
and forwards from his house to the earthen fort, saying it was
the English coming in, but that he would give them a warm
reception ; meaning, I suppose, that he would have left them
a good fire in his house ; for I am certain he would soon have
been in the woods, if he had seen any thing like an English
ship coming in.
Women of the first fashion here seldom wear shoes or
stockings in the house, but only keep them to wear upon par¬
ticular occasions. I have often seen them coming to the
church, which stood opposite to the governor's house, bare-
legg'd, walking through mud and water ; and at the church
door put on their shoes and stockings, and pull them off again
when they came out. Though they are in general handsome,
and have good complexions, yet many of them paint in so
ridiculous a manner that it is impossible to help laughing in
their faces when you see them.
The governor we found here was a native of Chili. The
government, which is appointed by that presidency, is for three
years ; which appears to be a long banishment to them, as
their appointments are but small, though they make the most
of it. 'ihe towns of Castro and Chaco consist only of scattered
houses, without a regular street ; though both have their places,
or squares, as almost all Spanish towns Jtfive. Chaco is very
thinly inhabited, excepting at the time the Lima ship arrives ;
then they flock thither from all parts of the island, to purchase
what little matters they want ; and as soon as that is done,
retire to their estancias, or farms. It was about the middle of
December this ship came in ; and the second of January,
1742-3, we embarked on board of her. She was bound to
Valparaiso. We got out to sea with some difficulty, having
been driven by the strength of the tide very near those sunken
rocks mentioned before. We found a great sea without ; and,
1J2
THE NARRATIVE OF
as the ship was as deep as any laden collier, her decks were
continually well washed. She was a£ne vessel, of about two
hundred and fifty tons. The timber the ships of this country
are built of is excellent, as they last a prodigious time ; for
they assured us that the vessel we were then in had been built
above forty years. The Captain was a Spaniard, and knew
not the least of sea affairs : the second Captain, or master, the
boatswain, and his mate, were all three Frenchmen, and very
good seamen ; the pilot was a Mulatto, and all the rest of the
crew were Indians and Negroes. The latter were all slaves,
and stout fellows ; but were never sufiered to go aloft, lest
they should fall overboard, and the owners lose so much money
by it. The Indians were active, brisk men, and very good
seamen for that climate. We had on board the head of the
Jesuits as passenger. He and Captain Cheap were admitted
into the great cabin, and messed with the Capfain and his
chaplain. As for us, we were obliged to rough it the whole
passage ; that is, when we were tired we lay down upon the
quarter-deck, in the open air, and slept as well as we could ;
but that was nothing to us, who had been used to fare so
much worse. We lived well, eating with the msister and boat¬
swain, who always had their meals upon the quarter-deck, and
drank brandy at them as we do small beer ; and all the rest
of the day were smoking segars.
The fifth day we made the land four or five leagues to the
southward of Valparaiso ; and soon after falling calm, a great
western swell hurried us in very fast towards the shore. We
dropped the lead several times, but had such deep water we
could not anchor. They were all much alarmed, when the
Jesuit came out of the cabin for the first time, having been
sea-sick the whole passage. As soon as he was informed of
the danger, he went back into the cabin, and brought out the
image of some saint, which he desired might be hung up in the
mizcn-shrouds ; which done, he kept threatening it that, if we
had not a breeze of wind soon, he would certainly throw it
over-board. Soon after, we hada little wind from off the
land, when the Jesuit carried the image back with an air of
great triumph, saying he was certain that we should not be
without wind long, though he had given himself over for lost
some time before it came. Next morning we anchored in the
port of Valparaiso. In that part which is opposite to the fort
ships lay so near the land that they have generally three
anchors ashore, as there is eight or ten fathom close to it ; and
the flaws came off the hills with such violence that, if it was
not for this method for securing them, they would be blown
out. This is only in summer time, for in the winter months
no ships ever attempt to come in here ; the northerly winds
TUR HON,
JOHN BYRON.
143
then prevail, and drive in such a sea that they must soon be
ashore.
The Spanish Captain waited upon the governor of the fi rt,
and informed him that he had four English prisoners on
board. We were ordered ashore in the afternoon, and were
received, as we got upon the beach, by a file of soldiers, w ith
their bayonets fixed, who surrounded us, and then marched up
to the fort, attended by a numerous mob. We were carried
before the governor, whose house was full of oflicers. He
was blind, asked a few qitestions, and then spoke of nothing
but the strength of the garrison he commanded, and desired
to know if we had observed that all the lower battery was
brass guns. We were immediately after, by his ordqj-, put
into the condemned hole. There was nothing but four bare
walls, excepting a heap of lime that filled one third of it, and
made the place swarm with fleas in such a manner that we
were Presently covered with them. Some of admiral Pizarro's
soldiers were here in garrison that had been landed from his
ships at Buenos Ayres, as he could not get round Cape Horn.
A centinel's box was placed at our door, and we had always
a soldier with his bayonet fixed, to prevent our stirring out.
The curiosity of the people w as such that our prison was
continually full from morning till night, by which the soldiers
made a pretty penny, as they took money from every person
for the sight.
In a few days. Captain Cheap and Mr. Hamilton were
ordered up to St. Jago, as they were known to be oflicers by
having saved their commissions ; but Mr. Campbell and I
were to continue in prison. Captain Cheap expressed great
concern when he left us ; he told me it was what he had all
along dreaded, that they would separate us when we got into
this country; but he assured me, if he was permitted to speak
to the President, that he would never leave soliciting him till
he obtained a grant for me to be sent up to him. No sooner
were they gone than we fared very badly. A common soldier,
who was ordered to provide for us by the governor, brought
us each, once a day, a few potatoes mixed with hot water.
The other soldiers of the garrison, as well as the people who
flocked to see us, took notice of it, and told the soldier it was
cruel to treat us in that manner. His answer was, "The
governor allows me but half a real a day for each of these
men ; what can I do ? It is he that is to blame ; I am shocked
every time I bring them this scanty pittance, though even
that could not be provided for the money he gives them."
We from this time lived much better, and the soldier brought
us e\en wine and fruit. We took it for granted that our case
had been represented to the governor, and that he had in-
144
THE NARRATIVE OF
creased our pay. As to the first, we were right in our con¬
jectures ; it had been mentioned to him that it was impossible
we could subsist on what he allowed ; and his answer to it was
that we might starve ; for we should have no more from him,
and that he believed he should never be repaid even that.
This charitable speech of the governor was made known every
where, and now almost every one that came to see us gave us
something ; even the mule-drivers would take out their tobacco
pouch, in which they kept their money^and give us half a
real. All this we would have given to our soldier, but he
never would receive a farthing from us, telling us we might
still want it ; and the whole time we were there, which was
some weeks, he laid aside half his daily pay to supply us,
though he had a wife and six children, and never could have
the least hope or expectation of any recompense. However,
two years after this, I had the singular pleasure of making
him some return, when my circumstances were much better
than his.
One night, when we were locked up, there happened
a dreadful shock of an earthçtuake. We expected, every
moment, the roof and walls of our prison to fall in upon us,
and crush us to pieces ; and what added to the horror of it
was the noise of chains and imprecations in the next prison
which joined to ours, where there were seventy felons heavily
loaded with irons, who are kept here to work upon the forti¬
fications, as in other countries they are condemned to the
galleys. A few days after this, we were told an order was
come from the president to the governor to send us up to St.
Jago, which is ninety miles from Valparaiso, and is the capital
of Chili. There were, at this time, several ships in the port
from Lima delivering their cargoes ; so that almost every day
there were large droves of mules going up to St. Jago with
goods. The governor sent for one of the master-carriers, and
ordered him to take us up with him. The man asked him
how he was to he paid our expenses, as he should he five
days upon the road. The governor told him he might get
that as he could, for he would not advance him a single far¬
thing. After taking leave of our friendly soldier, who even
now brought us some little matters to carry with us, we set
out, and travelled about fourteen miles the first day, and lay
at night in the open field, which is always the custom of these
people, stopping where there is plenty of pasture and good
water for the mules. The next morning we passed over a
high mountain, called Zapata ; and then crossing a large
plain, we passed another mountain, very difficult for the mules,
who each carried two heavy hales : there were above a hun¬
dred of them in this drove. The mules of Chili are the finest
in the world •. and though they are continually upon the road.
ÎIIE HON". JOHN BYUOX. 'J-5
and have nothing hut what they pick up at nighls, they are
as fat and sleek as high-fed horses in England. The fourth
night we lay upon a plain in sight of St. Jago, and not above
four leagues from it. The next day, as we moved towards the
city, our master-carrier, who was naturally well disposed, and
had been very kind to us all the way upon the road, advised
me, very seriously, not to think of remaining in St. Jago,
where he said there was nothing but extravagance, vice, and
folly, but to proceed on with them as mule-driver, which, he
said, I should soon be very expert at ; and that they led an
innocent and happy life, far preferable to any enjoyment
such a great city as that before us could afford. I thanked
him, and told him 1 was very much obliged to him ; but that
I would try the city first, and, if I did not like it, I would
accept of the offer he was so good as to make me. The thing
that gave him this high opinion of me was that, as he had
been so civil to us, I was very officious in assisting to drive
in those mules that strayed from the rest upon those large
plains we passed over ; and this I thought was the least I could
do towards making some returns for the obligations we were
under to him.
When we got into St. Jago, the carrier delivered us to the
captain of the guard, at the palace-gate ; and he soon after
introduced us to the president, Don Joseph Manso, who re¬
ceived us very civilly, and then sent us to the house where
Captain Cheap and Mr. Hamilton were. We found them
extremely well lodged at the house of a Scotch physician,
whose name was Don Patricio Gedd. This gentleman had
been a long time in this city, and was greatly esteemed by
the Spaniards, as well for his abilities in his profession as
his humane disposition. He no sooner heard that there were
four English prisoners arrived in that country than he waited
upon the president, and begged they might be lodged at his
house. This was granted ; and, had we been his own brothers,
we could not have met with a more friendly reception ; and
during two years that we were with him, his constant study
was to make every thing as agreeable to us as possible. We
were greatly distressed to think of the expense he was at upon
our account ; but it was in vain for us to argue with him
about it. In short, to sum up his character in a few words,
there never was a man of more extensive humanity. Two or
three days after our arrival, the president sent Mr. Campbell
and me an invitation to dine ivith him, where we were to meet
Admiral Pizarro and all his officers. This was a cruel stroke
Upon us, as we had not any clothes fit to appear in, and dared
not reftise the invitation. The next day, a Spanish otfictr
belonging to Admiral Pizarro's squadron, whose name was
0
146
THE NARRATIVE OF
Don Manuel de Giiiror, came and made us an offer of two
thousand dollars. This generous Spaniard made this offer
without any view of ever being re-paid, but purely out of a
compassionate motive of relieving us in our present distress.
We returned him all the acknowledgments his uncommonly
generous behaviour merited, and accepted of six hundred
dollars only, upon his receiving our draught for that sum upon
the English consul at Lisbon. We now got ourselves decently
clothed after the Spanish fashion ; and, as we were upon our
parole, we went out where we pleased to divert ourselves.
This city is situated in about 33 degrees and 30 minutes
south latitude, at the west foot of the immense chain of moun¬
tains called the Cordilleras. It stands on a most beautiful
plain of above thirty leagues' extent. It was founded by Don
Pedro de Baldivia, the conqueror of Chili. The plan of it
was marked out by him in squares, like Lima ; and almost
every house belonging to people of any fashion has a large
court before it, with great gates, and a garden behind. There
is a little rivulet, neatly faced with stone, runs through every
street; by which they can cool the streets, or water their
gardens, when they please. The whole town is extremely
well paved. Their gardens are full of noble orange-trees and
floripondies, with all sorts of flowers, which perfume the
houses, and even the whole city. Much about the middle of
it is the great square, called the Placa Real, or the Royal
Square ; there are eight avenues leading into it. The west
side contains the cathedral and the bishop's palace ; the north
side is the president's palace, the royal court, the council
house, and the prison ; the south side is a row of piazzas, the
whole length of which are shops, and over it a gallery to see
the bull-feasts ; the east side has some large houses belonging
to people of distinction ; and in the middle is a large foun¬
tain, with a brass bason. The houses have, in general, only
a ground floor, upon account of the frequent earthquakes ; but
they make a handsome appearance. The churches are,rich
in gilding, as well as in plate : that of the Jesuits is reckoned
an exceeding good piece of architecture ; but it is much too
high built for a country so subject to earthquakes, and where
it has frequently happened that thousands of people have
been swallowed up at oq^. There is a hill, or rather high
rock, at the east end of the city, called St. Lucia, from the
top of which you have a view of all the city, and the country
about for many leagues, affording a very delightful landscape.
Their estancias, or country houses, are very pleasant, having
generally a fine grove of olive trees, with large vineyards to
them. The Chili wine, in my opinion, is full as good as
Madeira, and made in such quantities that it is sold extremely
THE HON. JOHN BTRON.
147
cheap. The soil of this country is so fertile that the husband¬
men have very little trouble ; for they do but in a manner
scratch up the ground, and without any kind of manure it
yields a hundredfold. Without doubt the wheat of Chili is
the finest in the world, and the fruits are all excellent in their
kinds. Beef and mutton are so cheap that you may have a
good cow for three dollars, and a fat sheep for two shilings.
Their horses are extraordinarily good ; and, though some of
them go at a great price, you may have a very good one for
four dollars, or about eighteen shillings of our money. It
must be a very poor Indian who has not his four or five
horses ; and there are no better horsemen in the world than
the Chileans ; and that is not surprising, for they never choose
to go a hundred yards on foot. They have always their laco
fixed to their saddle : the laco is a long thong of leather, at
tlie end of which they make a sliding noose. It is of more
general use to them than any weapon whatever ; for with this
they are sure of catching either horse or wild bull, upon full
gallop, by any foot they please. Their horses are all trained
to this, and the moment they find the thong straitened, as the
other end is always made fast to the saddle, the horse imme¬
diately turns short, and, throwing the beast thus caught, the
huntsman wounds or secures him in what manner he thinks
proper. These people are so dexterous that they will take
from the ground a glove or handkerchief while their horse is
upon full stretch ; and I have seen them jump upon the back
of the wildest bull, and all the efforts of the beast could not
throw them.
This country produces all sorts of metals ; it is famous for
gold, silver, iron, tin, lead, and quicksilver; but some of
these they do not understand working, especially quick¬
silver. With copper they supply all Peru, and send, like¬
wise, a great deal to Europe. The climate of Chili is, I
believe, the finest in the world. What they call their winter
does not Icist three months ; and even that is very moderate,
as may be imagined by their manner of building, for they
have no chimneys in their houses. All the rest of the year is
delightful ; for though, from ten or eleven in the morning till
five in the afternoon, it is very hot, yet the evenings, and
mornings are very cool and pleasaijf ; and, in the hottest time
of the year, it is from six in the evening till two or three in
the morning that the people of this country meet to divert
themselves with music and other entertainments, at which
there is plenty of cooling liquors, as they are well supplied
with ice from the neighbouring Cordilleras. At these assem¬
blies, many intrigues are carried on ; for they think of nothing
else throughout the year. Their fandangoes are very agree-
148
THE NARRATIVE OF
able ; the women dance inimitably well, and very gracefully.
They are all born with an ear for music, and most of them
have delightful voices ; and all play upon the guitar and harp.
The latter, at first, appears a very aukward instrument for a
woman ; yet that prejudice is soon got over, and they far
excel any other nation upon it. They are extremely com¬
plaisant and polite ; and when asked either to play, dance, or
sing, they do it without a moment's hesitation, and that with
an exceeding good grace. They have many figure-dances ; but
what they take most delight in, are more like our hornpipes
than any thing else I can compare them to ; and upon these
occasions they shew surprising activity. The women are
remarkably handsome, and very extravagant in their dress.
Their hair, which is as thick as is possible to be conceived,
they wear of a vast length, without any other ornament upon
the head than a few flowers; they plait it behind in four
plaits, and twist them round a bodkin, at each end of which
is a diamond rose. Their shifts are all over lace, as is a little
tight waistcoat they wear over them. Their petticoats are open
before, and lap over, and have commonly three rows of very
rich lace of gold or silver. In winter, they have an upper
waistcoat of cloth of gold or silver, and in summer, of the
finest linen, covered all over with the finest Flanders' lace.
The sleeves of these are immensely wide. Over all this, when
the air is cool, they have a mantle, which is only of baize, of
the finest colours, round which there is abundance of lace.
When they go abroad, they wear a veil, which is so contrived
that one eye is only seen. Their feet are very small, and they
value themselves as much upon it as the Chinese do. Their
shoes are pinked and cut ; their stockings sUk with gold and
silver clocks ; and they love to have the end of an embroider¬
ed garter hang a little below the petticoat. Their breasts and
shoulders are very naked ; and, indeed, you may easily dis¬
cern their whole shape by their manner of dress. They have
fine sparkling eyes, ready wit, a great deal of.good-nature, and
a strong disposition to gallantry.
By the description of one house you have an idea of all the
rest. You first come into a large court, on one side of which
is the stable ; you then enter a hall ; on one side of that is a
large room, about twenty feet wide, and near forty feet long ; that
side next the window is the estrado, which runs the whole
length of the room. The estrado is a platform raised about five
or six inches above the floor, and is covered with carpets and
velvet cushions for the women to sit on, which they do, after
the Moorish fashion, cross-legged. The chairs for the men
are covered with printed leather. At the end of the estrado,
there is an alcove, where the bed stands ; and there is alway
a vast deal of the sheets hanging out, with a profusion of lacce
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
149
to them, and the same on the pillows. They have a false door
to the alcove, which sometimes is very convenient. Besides,
there are generally two other rooms, one within another ; and
the kitchen and other offices are detached from the house,
either at one side or the end of the garden.
The ladies are fond of having their Mulatto female slaves
dressed almost as well as themselves in every respect, except¬
ing jewels, in which they indulge themselves to the utmost
extravagance. Paraguay tea, which they call matte, as I
mentioned before, is always drunk twice a day : this is brought
upon alarge silversalver, with four legs raised upon it, to receive
a little cup made out of a small calabash, or gourd, and tip¬
ped with silver. They put the herb first into this, and add
what sugar they please, and a little orange juice ; and then
pour hot water on them, and drink it immediately, through the
conveyance of a long silver tube, at the end of which there is
a rotmd strainer, to prevent the herb getting through. And
here it is reckoned a piece of politeness for the lady to suck
the tube two or three times first, and then give it the stranger
to drink without wiping it.
They eat every thing so highly seasoned with red pepper
that those who are not used to it, upon the first mouthful, would
imagine their throats on fire for an hour afterwards ; and it is
a common custom here, though you have the greatest plenty
at your own table, to have two or three Mulatto girls come in
at the time you dine, bringing, in a little silver plate, some of
these high-seasoned ragouts, with a compliment from Donna
such-a-one, who desires you will eat a little bit of what she has
sent you ; which must be done before her Mulatto's face, or
it would be deemed a great aflront. Had this been the fashion
at Chiloe, we should never have offended ; but sometimes
here we could have wished this ceremony omitted.
The president never asked any of us a second time to his
table. He expected us once a fortnight to be at his levee,
which we never failed ; and he always received us very
politely. ■ He was a man of a very amiable character, and
much respected by every body in Chili, and, some time after
we left that country, was appointed vicerory of Peru.
We had leave, whenever we asked it, to make an excursion
into the country for ten or twelve days at a time ; which we
did sometimes to a very pleasant spot belonging to Don Joseph
Dunose, a French gentleman, and a very sensible, well-bred
a man, who had married a very agreeable lady at St. Jago, with
very good fortune. We also sometimes had invitations from
the Spaniards to their country-houses. We had a numerous
acquaintance in the city, and in general received many civilities
from the inhabitants. 'There are a great manypeople of fashion,
jid very good families from Old Spain settled here. A lady lived
o
150
THE NARRATIVE OF
next door to us, whose name was Donna Francisca Giron; and,
as my name sounded something like it, she would have it that
we were Parientes. She had a daughter, a very fine young
woman who both played and sung remarkably well : she was
reckoned the finest voice in St. Jago. They saw a great deal
of company, and we were welcome to her house whenever we
pleased. We were a long time in this country, but we passed
it very agreeably. The president alone goes with four horses
to his coach ; but the common vehicle here is a calash, or
kind of vis-a-vis, drawn by one mule only. Bull-feasts are a
common diversion here, and they far surpass any thing of that
kind I ever saw at Lisbon, or any where else. Indeed it is
amazing to see the activity and dexterity of those who attack
the bulls. It is always done here by those only who follow
it as a trade, for it is too dangerous to be practised as a diver¬
sion ; as a proof of which, it is found that, though some may
hold out longer than others, there are few who constantly prac¬
tise it, that die a natural death. The bulls are always the
wildest that can be brought in from the motintains or forests,
and have nothing on their horns to prevent their piercing a
man the first stroke, as they have at Lisbon.
I have seen a man, when the buli came at him with the
utmost fury, spring directly over the beast's head, and per¬
form this feat several times, and at last jump on his back, and
there sit a considerable time, the bull the whole time attempt¬
ing every means to throw him. But, though this practitioner
was successful, severat accidents happened while I was there.
The ladies, at these feasts, are always dressed as fine as possi¬
ble ; and, I imagine, go rather to be admired than to receive
any amusement from a sight that, one should think, wotild give
them pain. Another amusement for the ladies here are the
nights of their great processions, when they go out veiled ;
and as in that dress they cannot be known, they amuse them¬
selves in talking to people much in the manner that is done
at our masquerades. One night in Lent, as I was standing
close to the houses as the procession went by, and having
nothing but a thin waistcoat on under my cloak, and happen¬
ing to have my arm out, a lady came by, and gave me a pinch
with so good a will that I thought she had taken the piece
out ; and, indeed, I carried the marks for a long time after.
1 durst not take the least notice of this at the time; for, had I
made any disturbance, I should have been knocked on the head.
This kind lady immediately after mixed with the crowd, and
I never could find out who had done me that favour. 1 have
seen fifty or sixty penitents following these processions ; they
wear a long white garment with a long train to it, and high
caps of the same, which fall down before, and cover all their
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
151
faces, having only two small holes for their eyes ; so that they
are never known. Their hacks are bare, and they lash them¬
selves with a cat-o'-nine-tails till the long train behind is
covered all over with blood. Others follow them with great
heavy crosses upon their backs ; so that they groan under the
weight as they walk barefooted, and often faint away. The
streets swarm with friars of all the different orders. The
president has always a guard at his palace, regularly clothed.
The rest of their forces consists of militia, who are numerous.
All European goods are very dear. English cloth of four¬
teen or fifteen shillings a yard sells there for ten or eleven
dollars ; and every other article in proportion. We found
many Spaniards here that had been taken by Commodore
Anson, and had been for some time prisoners on board the
Centurion. They all spoke in the highest terms of the kind
treatment they had received ; and it is natural to imagine
that it was chiefly owing to that laudable example of humanity
our reception here was so good. They had never had any
thing but privijfeers and buccaneers amongst them before, who
handled their prisoners very roughly ; so that the Spaniards
in general, both of Peru and Chili, had the greatest dread of
being taken by the English ; but some of them told us that
they were so happy on board the Centurion that they should
not have been sorry if the Commodore had taken them with
him to England.
After we had been here some time, Mr. Campbell changed
his religion, and of course left us. At the end of two years, the
president sent for us, and informed us a French ship ftom
Lima, bound to Spain, had put into Valparaiso, and that we
should embark in her. After taking leave of our good friend
Mr. Gedd, and all our acquaintance at St. Jago, we set out fur
Valparaiso, mules and a guide being provided for us. I had
forgotten to say before that Captain Cheap had been allowed by
the president six reals a day, and we had four for otir maintain-
ance the whole time we were at St. Jago, which money we
took up as we wanted it. Our journey back was much pleas-
anter than we found it when we were first brought hither, as we
had now no mules to drive. The first person I met, upon our
entrance into Valparaiso, was the poor soldier whom I men¬
tioned to have been so kind to us when we were imprisoned in
the fort. I now made him a little present, which, as it came
quite unexpected, made him very happy. We took lodgings
till the ship was ready to sail, and diverted ourselves as we
pleased, having the good fortune, at this time, to have nothing
to do with the governor or his fort. The town is but a poor
little place ; there are, indeed, a good many store-houses built
by the water-side for the reception of goods from the shipping.
1S2
THE NARllATIVE OP
About the 20lh of December, 1744, we embarked on board
the Lys frigate, belonging to St. Malo. She was a ship of four
hundred and twenty tons, sixteen guns, and sixty men. She
had several passengers on board ; and, amongst the rest, Don
George Juan, aman of very superior abilities (and since that
time well known in England), who, with Don Antonio Ulloa,
had been several years in Peru, upon a design of measuring
some degrees of the meridian near the equator. We were now
bound to Conception, in order to join three other French ships
that were likewise bound home. As this was a time of the
year when the southerly winds prevail upon this coast, we
stood off a long way to the westward, making the island of
Juan Fernandez. We did not get into the bay of Conception
till the 6thof January 1745, where we anchored atTalcaguana,
and there found the Louis Erasme, the Marquis d'Antin, and
the Deliverance, the three French ships that we were to ac¬
company. It is but sixty leagues from Valparaiso to Con¬
ception, though we had been so long making this passage ;
but there is no beating up, near the shore, against the south¬
erly wind, which is the trade, at this season, as you are sure
to have a lee-current ; so that the quickest way of making
a passage is to standoff a hundred and twenty or thirty leagues
from the land.
The bay of Conception is a large fine bay ; but there are
several shoals in it, and only two good anchoring-places,
though a ship may anchor within a quarter of a league of the
town ; but this only in the very fine months, as you lay much ex¬
posed. The best anchoring-place is Talcaguana, the southern¬
most neck of the bay, in five or six fathom water, good hold¬
ing ground, and where you are sheltered from the northerly
winds. The town has no other defence but a low battery,
which only commands the anchoring-place before it. The
country is extremely pleasant, and affords the greatest plenty
of provisions of all kinds. In some excursions we made daily
from Talcaguana, we saw great numbers of very large snakes ;
but we were told they were quite harmless. I have read some
former accounts of Chili, by the Jesuits, wherein they tell you
that no venomous creature is to be found in it, and that they
even made the experiment of bringing bugs here, which died
immediately ; but I never was in any place that swarmed with
them so much as St. Jago ; and they have a large spider there,
whose bite is so venomous that I have seen from it some of
the most shocking sights I ever saw in my life ; and it certain¬
ly proves mortal, if proper remedies are not applied in time.
I was once bit by one on the cheek, whilst asleep, and pre¬
sently after all that part of my face turned as black as ink.
1 was cured by the application of a bluish kind of stone (the
THE H0>'. JOHN BYRON.
153
same, perhaps, they call the serpent-stone in the Easl-Iudics,
and which is a composition). The stone stuck, for some time,
of itself on my face, and, dropping off, was put into milk till
it had digested the poison it had extracted, and then applied
again till the pain abated, and I was soon afterwards well.
Whilst the ships remained at Conception, the people were
employed in killing cattle and salting them for the voyage ;
and every ship took on board as many bullocks and sheep as
their decks could well hold ; and, having completed their
business here, they sailed the 27th of January ; but about
eight days after our ship sprung a very dangerous leak forward ;
but so low that there was no possibility of stopping it without
returning into port, and lightening her till they could come at it.
Accordingly we separated from the other ships, and made the
best of our way for Valparaiso, keeping all hands at the pump
night and day, passengers and all. However, as it happened,
this proved a lucky circumstance for the Lys, as the three
other ships were taken ; and which certainly would have been
her fate likewise, had she kept company with the rest.
As soon as we got into port, they lightened the ship forwards,
and brought her by the stem till Ûiey came at the leak, which
was soon stopped. They made all the dispatch possible in
completing the water again. Whilst at Valparaiso, we had
one of the most violent shocks of an earthqu^e that we had
ever felt yet.
On the first of March we put to sea again, the season being
already far advanced for passing Cape Horn. The next day
we went to an allowance of a quart of water a day for each
man, which continued the whole passage. We were obliged
to stand a long way to the westward ; and went to the north¬
ward of Juan Femandes above a degree, before we had a wind
that we could make any southing with. On the 25th, in the
latitude of 46 degrees, we met with a violent hard gale at west,
which obliged us to lie to tmder a reefed mainsail for some
days ; and before we got round the Cape, we had many very
hard gales, with a prodigious sea and eonstant thick snow ;
and, after being so long in so delightful a climate as Chili,
the cold was almost insupportable. After doubling the Cape
we got but slowly to the northward ; and, indeed, at the best
of times, the ship never went above six knots ; for she was a
heavy-going thing. On the 27th of May we crossed the line ;
when, finding that our water was grown extremely short, and
that it would be almost impossible to reach Europe without
a supply, it was resolved to bear away for Martinico.
On the 29th of June, in the momning, we made the island of
Fobago.and then shaped a course for Martinico ; and on the first
of July, by our reckonings, expected to see it, but were dis-
154
THE NARRATIVE OP
appointed. This was imputed to the currents, which, whether
they had set the ship to the eastward or westward, nobody
could tell ; but upon looking over the charts, it was imagined,
if the current had driven her to the westward, it must have
been among the Granadillos, which was thought impossible
without seeing any of them, as they are so near together, and
a most dangerous place for rocks. It was then concluded we
were to the eastward, and accordingly we steered S. W. by
W., but having run this course for above thirty leagues, and no
land appearing, it was resolved to stand to the northward till
we should gain the latitude of Porto Eico, and on the 4th in
the evening we made that island ; so that it was now certain
the ship had been hustled through the Granadillos in the night,
which was, without doubt, as extraordinary a passage as ever
ship made. It was now resolved to go between the islands
of Porto Rico and St. Domingo for Cape Francois, therefore
we lay to that night. In the morning, we made sail along
shore ; and about ten o'clock, as I was walking the quarter¬
deck, Captain Cheap came out of the cabin, and told me he
it had just seen a beef-barrel go by the ship ; that he was sure
had but lately been thrown overboard, and that he would
venture any wager we saw an English cruiser before long. In
about half an hour after, we saw two sail to leeward, from off
the quarter-deck ; for they kept no look out from the mast¬
head, and we presently observed they were in chase of us.
The French and Spaniards on board now began to grow
a good deal alarmed, when it fell stark calm ; but not before
the ships had neared us so much that we plainly discerned
them to be English men of war ; the one a two-decker, the
other a twenty-gun ship. The French had now thoughts,
when a breeze should spring up, of running the ship on shore
upon Porto Rico ; but when they came to consider what a set of
banditti inhabited that island, and that in all probability they
would have their throats cut for the sake of plundering the
wreck, they were resolved to take their chance, and stand to
the northward between the two islands. In the evening, a
fresh breeze sprung up, and we shaped a course accordingly.
The two ships had it presently afterwards, and neared us
amazingly fast. Now every body on board gave themselves
up ; the officers were busy in their cabins, filling their pockets
with what was most valuable; the men put on their best
clothes, and many of them came to me with little lumps of
gold, desiring I would take them, as they said they had much
rather I should benefit by them, whom they were acquainted
with, than those that chased them. I told them there was
time enough, though I thought they were as surely taken as
if the English had been already on board. A fine moonlight
THE Hon. JOHN BYROX. î."5
night came on, and we expected erery moment to see the ships
along-side of us ; but we saw nothing of them in the night,
and, to our great astonishment, in the morning no ships were
to be seen even from the mast-head. Thus did these two
cruisers lose one of the richest prizes, by not chasing an hour
or two longer. There were near two millions of dollars on
board, besides a valuable cargo. On the eighth, at six in the
morning, we were oflf Cape La Grange ; and, what is very re¬
markable, the French at Cape François told us afterwards
tliat was the only day they ever remembered since the war
that the Cape had been without one or two English privateers
cruising off it ; and but the evening before, two of them had
taken two outward-bound St. Domingo men, and had gone
with them for Jamaica ; so that this ship might be justly es¬
teemed a most lucky one. In the afternoon we came to an
anchor in Cape François harbour.
In this long run we had not buried a single man ; nor do I
remember that there was one sick the whole passage ; but at
this place many were taken ill, and three or four died ; for
there is no part of the West-Indies more unhealthy than this ;
yet the country is beautiful, and extremely well cultivated.
After being here some time, the governor ordered us to wait
upon him, which we did ; when he took no more notice of us
than if we had been his slaves, never asking us even to sit
down.
Towards the end of August a French squadron of five men
of war came in, commanded by Monsieur L'Etanducre, who
were to convoy the trade to France. Neither he nor his officers
ever took any kind of notice of Captain Cheap, though we met
them every day ashore. One evening, as we were going
aboard with the Captain of our ship, a midshipman, belonging
to Monsieur L'Etanducre, jumped into our boat, and ordered
the people to carry him on board the ship he belonged to,
leaving us to wait upon the beach for two hours before the
boat returned. On the sixth of September, we put to sea, in
company with the five men of war, and about fifty sail of mer¬
chantmen. On the eighth we made the Cayco Grande ; and
the next day a Jamaica privateer, a large fine sloop, hove in
sight, keeping a little to windward of the convoy, resolving to
pick up one or two of them in the night, if possible. This
obliged Monsieur L'Entanducre to send a frigate to speak to
all the convoy, and order them to keep close to him in the
night ; which they did, and in such a manner that sometimes
seven or eight of them were on board one another together ; by
which they receiveé -auch damage ; and to repair which, the
whole squadron was obliged to lay to sometimes for a whole
day. The privateer kept her statu n, jogging on with the fleet.
156
THE NARRATIVE OF
At last, the commodore ordered two of his best-going ships to
chase her. She appeared to take no notice of them till they
were pretty near her, and then would make sail and be out of
sight presently. The chasing ships no sooner returned than
the privateer was in company again. As by this every night
some accident happened to some of the convoy by keeping so
close together, a fine ship of thirty guns, belonging to Mar¬
seilles, hauled out a little to windward of the rest of the fieet ;
■which L'Etanducre perceiving in the morning, ordered the
frigate to bring the Captain of her on board of him ; and then
making a signal for all the convoy to close to him, he fired
a gun, and hoisted a red flag at the ensign etas' ; and imme¬
diately after the Captain of the merchantman was run up to
the main-yard-arm, and thence ducked three times. He was
then sent on board his ship again, -with orders to keep his
colours flying the whole day, in order to distinguish him from
the rest. We were then told that the person who was treated
in this cruel manner was a young man of an exceeding good
family in the south of France, and likewise a man of great
spirit; and^hat he would not fail to call Monsieur L'Etan¬
ducre to an account when an opportunity should oSer ; and
the aSair made much noise in France afterwards. One day,
the ship we were in happened to be out of her station, by
sailing so heavily, when the commodore made the signal to
speak to our Captain, who seemed frightened out of his wits,
'When we came near him, he began with the grossest abuse,
threatening our Captain that, if ever he was out of his station
again, he would serve him as he had done the other. This
rigid discipline, however, preserved the convoy ; for though
the privateer kept company a long time, she was not so for¬
tunate as to meet with the reward of her perseverance.
On the 27th of October, in the evening, we made Cape
Ortegal; and on the 31st, came to an anchor fai Brest road.
The Lys, having so valuable a cargo on board, was towed into
the harbour the next morning, and lashed alongside one of
their men of war. The money was soon landed ; and the
Officers and men, who had been so many years absent from
their native country, were glad to get on shore. Nobody re¬
mained on board but a man or two to look after the ship, and
we three English prisoners, who had no leave to go ashore.
The weather was extremely cold, and felt particularly so to us,
who had been so long used to hot climates ; and, what made
it still worse, we were very thinly clad. We had neither fire
nor candle ; for they were allowed on board of no ship in the
harbour fox fear of accidents, being close to their magazines in
the dock-yard. Some of ihe officers belonging to the ship
were so kind to send us off victuals every day, or we miglU
THE HON. JOHN BYRON.
157
have starved ; for Monsieur L'Intendant never sent us even a
message ; and, though there was a very large squadron of men
of war setting out at that time, not one ofBcer belonging to them
ever came near Captain Cheap. From five in the evening we
were obliged to sit in the dark ; and if we chose to have any
supper, it was necessary to place it very near us before that
time, or we never could have found it. We had passed seven
or eight days in this melancholy manner when one morning
a kind of row-galley came along-side with a number of English
prisoners belonging to two large privateers the French had
taken. We were ordered in the same boat with them, and
were carried four leagues up the river to Landemaw. At
this town we were upon our parole ; so took the best lodgings
we could get, and lived very well for three months, when an
order came from the court of Spain to allow U! to return home
by the first ship that offered. Upon this, hearing there was a
Dutch ship at Morlaix ready to sail, we took horses and tra¬
velled to that town, where we were obliged to remain six
weeks, before we had an opportunity of getting away.
At last we agreed with the master of a Dutch dogger to land
us at Dover, and paid him before-hand. When we had got down
the river into the road, a French privateer, that was almost
ready to sail upon a cruise, hailed the Dutchman, and told
him to come to an anchor; and that if he offered to sail before
him, he would sink him. This he was forced to comply with,
and lay three days in the road, cursing the Frenchman, who
at the end of that time put to sea, and then we were at liberty
to do the same. We had a long uncomfortable passage. About
the ninth day, before sun-set, we saw Dover, and reminded
the Dutchman of his agreement to land us there. He said he
would ; but instead of that, in the morning we were off the
coast of France. We complained loudly of this piece of
villany, and insisted upon his returning to land us, when an
English man of war appeared to windward, and presently bore
down to us. She sent her boat on board with an officer, who
informed us the ship he came from was the Squirrel, com¬
manded by Captain Masterson. We went on board of her,
and Captain Masterson immediately sent one of the cutters he
had with him, to land us at Dover, tvhere we arrived that after¬
noon, and directly set out for Canterbury upon post-horses ;
but Captain Cheap was so tired by the time he got there that
he could proceed no further that night. The next morning
he still found himself so much fatigued that he could ride
no longer ; therefore it was agreed that he and Mr. Hamilton
should take a postchaise, and that I should ride. But here an
unlucky difficulty was started ; for, upon sharing the little
money we had, it was found to be not sufficient to pay the
P
158
NARRATIVE OF HON. JOHN BYRON.
charges to London ; and my proportion fell so short that it
was, by calculation, barely enough to pay for horses, withotïv
a farthing for eating a bit upon the road, or even for the very
turnpikes. Those I was obliged to defraud, by riding as hard
as I could through them all, not paying the least regard to the
men, who called out to stop me. The want of refreshment I
bore as well as I could. When I got to the Borough, I
took a coach and drove to Marlborough-street, where my
friends had lived when I left England ; but when I came
there, 1 found the house shut up. Having been absent so
many years, and in all that time never having heard a word
from home, I knew not who was dead, or who was living, or
where to go next ; or even how to pay the coachman. I
recollected a linen-draper's shop, not far thence, which our
family had used. I therefore drove there next, and, making
myself known, they paid the coachman. I then enquired after
our family, and was told my sister had married Lord Carlisle,
and was at that time in Soho-square. I immediately walked
to the house, and knocked at the door : but the porter not liking
my figure, which was half French, half Spanish, with the ad¬
dition of a large pair of boots covered with dirt, he was going
to shut the door in my face ; but I prevailed with him to let
me come in.
I need not acquaint my readers with what surprise and joy
my sister received me. She immediately furnished me with
money sufficient to appear like the rest of my countrymen ;
till that time I could not be properly said to have finished
all the extraordinary scenes which a series of unfortunate
adventures had kept me in for the space of five years and
upwards.
In order to give as complete an aecount as possible of the
Loss of the Wager, and the subsequent preceedings of the
crew, we have given, by way of an appendix to Mr. Byron's
Narrative, the adventures of three other parties of the Wager's
crew ; viz. the party who sailed from Wager Island in the
long-boat; pf Alexander Campbell, who is mentioned in Mr.
Byron's narrative as having changed his religion ; and of Isaac
Morris, who was one of the parly mentioned at p. G Appendix
as having been left ashore. Though the adventures of Alex¬
ander Campbell necessarily contain much that has been al¬
ready related at length in Mr. Byron's Narrative, it is but an
act of justice to him to give his own narrative, by which the
reader will be enabled to see in what respects his accoiiut
difiers from that of his companions.
HARDSHIPS SUFFERED
BY PART OF
THE CREW
OF THE
WAGER MAN-OF-WAR,
AFTER THEIR DEPARTURE FROM WAGER ISLAND, 174j
^B lia.vs already seen the deplorable consequences attending
the wrecii of the Wager, and the evils which sprung from
want of unanimity in her people. Independent of the casu¬
alties occuring during their abode in the island, of twenty who
embarked along with Captain Cheap, to go to the northward,
only himself and two others arrived in England, and that not
imtil whole years had elapsed. But to view the full extent
of the disasters which dissension and insubordination chiefly
produced, it is necessary to follow, in few words, the course
of those who endeavoured to gain a passage towards England,
by going to the southward. Although the highest degree of
censure is merited by the crew of this unfortunate vessel, it
is impossible to acquit Captain Cheap of the most culpable
indiscretions ; those which seem to have added fuel to the
flame, and were the source of cruel and miserable conse¬
quences.
On the 13th of October, 1741, the long-boat and cutter
sailed with eighty-one persons from Wager's Island, leaving
the captain behind, but within a few days Mr. Byron and
several people who had embarked returned to him. There
were then above seventy in the two vessels, whose purpose
was to go to the southward, by the straits of Magellan. They
rowed and sailed along the shore, until the 29th, when it blew
so hard that the long-boat was obliged to take the cutter in
tow. Next day half a piece of beef was served out to each
P 2
160 HARDSHIPS SUFFERED BY PART OF
man. The one following, those in the boat felt very uncom¬
fortable from being pent up in so little room ; and the effluvia
from the men's wet clothes rendered the air below so nau¬
seous that it was almost intolerable.
On the third of November, the cutter eame alongside, with
her mainsail split ; her people, on being desired, refused to
take the tow-rope from the long-boat, saying, she would not
bear towing from the swell of the sea. "They also refused to
go on board, that the cutler might be taken in tow, and would
neither make sail nor row ; while the long-boat lay a quarter
of an hour in the trough of the sea, with a fair wind. Those
in the boat, ñnding them obstinate, at length hoisted a skirt of
their mainsail ; and the others, finding they would not go into
a bay as they wished, hoisted their mainsail, and went a-head.
She kept a-head for two hours, and then steered in a direction
for which the others could not account, because it was farther
in-shore ; and as it blew very hard, with a great sea, and
nothing but rocks and breakers before them, the farther in,
the sea ran the higher. In between two or three hours more,
the cutter being on the beam of the long-boat, four miles
nearer the shore, the latter bore away after her. A very heavy
squall of wind and rain came on, in which she was lost sight
of. The long boat narrowly escaped going on shore, for she
was surrounded by rocks, and breakers, and such a sea was
running that the oldest seamen on board never saw the like ; and
it was a considerable time before she reached a place of shelter.
Here, however, the people were put to great inconvenience
for want of a boat with which they could land ; and on that
accoimt made a raft of oars and water barrels to carry three
men. However, when put over the side of the vessel, it over¬
set, and those upon it with difficulty were saved.
On the sixth of November, the cutter again appeared, and,
having come up, was made fast to the stern of the long-boat
at night, with only two men in her, though four had always
been left formerly. While blowing very hard, one of the men
came on board the long-boat, and, at two in the morning, the
cutter broke adrift with the other, and was probably staved to
pieces among the rocks.
The real disposition of the people in the long-boat could
not be disguised ; no less than seventy-two were there, yet
hardly ten testified any anxiety about the welfare of the voy¬
age—they rather seemed ripe for mutiny and destruction ; and
the lieutenant, invested with the command, as also the gimner
and carpenter, who seemed to consider themselves officers of
greater rank than their warrants entitled them to, remonstrated
on their conduct. They told them that, if they did not obey
orders, they should be left to themselves, for their officers
THE CREW OF THE WAGER.
161
would rather take their chance in that desolate part of the
globe than give Üiemselves farther concern about so many
thoughtless wretches. The people promised to be under
command, and appeared more quiet.
But on the eighth, four days before the usual time, they
insisted on having provisions served out ; and although the
inconvenience of breaking on the stores, the length and danger
of tlie voyage, which might expose them to absolute starving,
were all set before their eyes, they would not hearken to
reason. The officers were therefore obliged to comply with
their demands. Several of the people also desired to be put
ashore with a few necessaries. They said they did not fear
doing well, and had no doubt of finding the cutter, which, if
they did, they would go back to the northward ; if not, they
would make a canoe ; and thus persisted in landing. Eleven
people were left here, in the latitude of 50° 40'.
The long-boat then prosecuted her voyage, frequently in
imminent danger. Sometimes the sea ran so high tíiat every
wave threatened to swallow her up. In the afternoon of the
tenth, she broached to, so that none on board believed she
would ever rise again; they were surrounded with rocks
within stone-cast, with a hurricane of wind, and thick rainy
weather. It was impossible to keep the sea, and, death staring
them in the face, they were obliged to push through islands
and breakers, until reaching a safe harbour, where the water
was as smooth as a mill-pond. This they called the Port of
God's Mercies, esteeming their preservation quite miraculous.
On Stmday the I5th, the people on board began to barter
their allowance of provisions for other articles. Flour was
valued at twelve shillings a pound, but, before night, it rose
to a guinea. Some were now absolutely starving for want ;
and the day following, George Bateman, a lad of sixteen, ex¬
pired, being reduced to a perfect skeleton. One of the men
gave a guinea, which was all the money he had, for a pound
of fiour ; but immediately afterwards they got ashore at a
place where abundance of limpets, clams, and mussels were
to be found.
On the 19th, Thomas Capell, aged twelve years, son of tlie
late Lieutenant Capell, died of want. A person on boaid
had above twenty guineas of his money, along with a watch
and a silver cup. The latter the boy wished to sell for flour ;
but his guardian told htm it would buy clothes for him in the
Brazils. " Sir," cried the miserable youth, " I shall never
live to see the Brazils. I am now starving ;—almost starved
to death : therefore give me my silver cup, for God's sake, to
got me some victuals, or buy some for me yourself." But
all his prayers and entreaties were vain, and Heaven sent
p J
102 HARDSHIPS SUFFERED BY PART OF
.death to his relief. Those who have not experienced such
hardships will wonder how people can be so inhuman as to
witness their fellow-creatures starving before their faces with¬
out affording them succour :—but hunger is void of all com¬
passion ; each person was so intent on his own preservation
as to disregard the value of another's life, and the bowels of
commiseraiion were closed.
On the same day, Captain Pemberton, of the marines, gave
two guineas for two pounds of flour, and the seamen who sold
it procured mussels to support them. Many of them ate the
flour raw, as soon as served out.
On the 30th three people died of hunger ; several more
were hastening to the same end, not being able to go on shore
ill quest of sustenance; and those who were could get nothing
more than sufficient to support themselves ; therefore the sick
were left destitute of all relief. It was to be remarked that,
some hours before those unfortunate persons expired, they
became delirious, and began to joke and laugh, in which
mood they died.
But, during the earlier part of December, provisions were
somewhat more abundant, and recruited this famished crew.
They had, for a considerable time, been in doubt whether
they were actually in the Straits of Magellan, and had altered
their course, believing the reverse. On the sixth of this
month they fell in with Indians, who supplied them with dogs,
geese, and seal. These people were of middle stature, and
well shaped ; their complexion of an olive tawny colour, and
their hair extremely black, but not long. They had round
faces, small noses, their eyes small and black, and smooth
even teeth of incomparable whiteness, close set. The women
ran into the woods.
Continuing along shore until the Ilth, the boat struck the
ground on the ebbing of the tide, and could not be got off.
Luckily there was little wind, and smooth water, else she
must have gone to pieces. In a short time she was quite dry;
and, during the interval, all the water casks were got out of
the hold, and put ashore to be filled. She floated again with¬
out damage, and four tons of water were taken on board.
Next day three men, riding on mules or horses, were seen
on the land. They waved hats and made signals as if wishing
the boat to go ashore ; but the swell prevented it. Twenty
appeared, five of whom were riding, and the others on foot ;
they had a great number of cattle with them. Who these
persons were could not be ascertained, whether people who
had been cast away, or natives of the country.
On the 16th the boat was abreast of Penguin Island, and
then reached Port Desire, where the people killed a great
THE CREW OF THE WAGER. Ifi3
quantity of seal and sea-fowl ; more even than they could
carry off. But they again began to be turbulent and restless,
reqiiiring flour to be served out, which, on taking the state of
affairs in view, was considered a most unreasonable request.
There was but one barrel of flour on board, and the inter¬
vening distance to Brazil was still very great. They carried
their demands still higher, insisting that the marine officers,
and other persons who could not be serviceable in working
the boat, should have only half allowance ; and, accordingly,
they pitched on twenty, to whom but half a pound of flour
should be served, while they themselves were to have a
whole one.
Having left Port Desire on the 25th, the people, on the
28th, received the whole flour in the boat, which amounted
to three pounds and a half to each man. In a few days the
seal taken in at Port Desire began to spoil, for there was no
salt to cure it ; and, while reduced to this sorry fare, the
people were almost devoured by vermin.
On the 6lh of January 1742, Thomas. Harvey, purser of the
Wager, died from want of food. But the survivors were soon
after encouraged with hopes of the vicinity of land, for, on
the 10th, by calculation. Cape St. Andrew was thought to be
not above thirteen leagues distant. No more than forty-three
were now alive, and not above twenty of the number had even
putrid seal to eat. They were poor miserable-looking objects,
and only about fifteen healthy ;—if people scarce able to crawl
could be so denominated. The gunner, who was considered
the strongest man in the boat, could not stand ten minutes
upright without holding. On this day, the 28th, Serjeant
Ringall died of hunger.
Two days afterwards, having nothing on board to eat, and
only one cask of water, the survivors carried the boat as near
as possible to the shore, so that some of them might swim
thither, as it was certain destruction to proceed farther without
endeavouring to get provisions. Several of the healthiest,
therefore, resolved to make the attempt, and fourteen leapt
overboard, one of whom was drowned. When they got ashore
they saw thousands of horses and dogs, the latter very large,
and the former more numerous than the sheep on the plains
of Dorset and Wiltshire. They got abundance of seal and
armadilloes, and feasted in plenty, while those on board were
absolutely famished ; being forced to strip the hatches of a
seal-skin that had some time besn nailed on, and devour it.
Next morning the people shot a horse and a dog ; the horse
was branded with two letters on the buttock, which made
them conjecture that inhabitants were in the vicinity. They
floated off three casks that had been taken ashore for water ;
lt)4 HABDSiriPS SUFFERED BY PART OP
and several swam to the ship, getting the horse and seal on
board. No sooner was this done than a sea-breeze arose,
and blew so hard that the boat was obliged to weigh and
stand off the shore, leaving eight people behind. She then
cast anchor a league distant, and lay all night, during which
time the greatness of the sea carried away the rudder-head,
and occasioned alarm for further accidents. Thus the people
on board were, the following day, under the necessity of
making sail without their comrades. They sent ashore, how¬
ever, a scuttled puncheon, containing some wearing apparel,
four muskets, ammunition, candles, and other necessaries,
along with a letter explaining the urgency of the danger, and
the impossibility of riding out the gale until they could get
off. They were seen to receive the cask and the letter, after
which they fell on their knees, and made signals as if wishing
their companions well. Probably they were not far irom
inhabitants, and they were well provided for shooting.
On Tuesday, the nineteenth of January, the adventurers
supposed themselves well up the river Platte, and, in the eve¬
ning, anchored in a fine sandy bay, where they saw two men
on horseback. At this time there was not a single. drop of
water on board. The boatswain swam ashore and gc. up be¬
hind one of the men ; and several of the people also swam
ashore to get water. In coming off one of them was unfor¬
tunately drowned ; but a cask was got on board, which greatly
invigorated the rest.
The gunner and carpenter next went ashore, and met four
of the inhabitants on horseback, who informed them that the
English were still at war with the Spaniards, and had several
vessels cruising on the coast ; and that a seventy gun ship
had, not above six weeks before, parted from her anchors,
and driven ashore, where every soul perished. These people
sold the seamen some bread, which they were glad to obtain
at any price ; they said they belonged to the town of Monte
Video, which was two days' journey distant, and promised to
get some wild-fowl on being supplied with a musket : but,
after getting it, the Wager's people, observing one of their
party absent with his horse, were apprehensive that he had
gone to betray them, therefore, immediately returning on
board, they soon set sail.
The master, and also his son, died on the 23d, and Thomas
Maclean, the cook, who was the oldest man among them,
being eighty-two years of age. Two days afterwards the
survivors came to the Rio Grande, and anchored abreast of
the town.
A boat came off with a sergeant and a soldier, with whom
Lieutenant Beans, the gunner, carpenter, and Captain Pem-
THE CREW OF THE WAGER.
165
berton, returned. They were immediately conducted to the
house of the surgeon, the best in the place, where they were
hospitably entertained. The governor then examined them,
and thought their deliverance wonderful ; he took the otiicers
home with him, and gave orders that the carpenter, gunner,
and the rest, should be properly treated, and sent the sick to
the hospital.
On the afternoon of the 31st, the governor, commandant,
and commissary, went on board to see the long-boat, and wer e
surprised that thirty souls, the number then alive, could be
stowed in so small a vessel ; but how she could contain the
number that originally embarked in her was utterly beyond
their belief. Neither were they able to conceive how the man
at the helm could steer without falling overboard, there being
only four inches of rise.
On the 22nd of March, a vessel being expected to sail in
four days, preparations were made for about half the people
taking a passage, there being room for no more. Provisions
were laid in, and, on the 31st, they sailed with a fair wind for
Kio Janeiro, where they anchored on the 10th of April.
Here they were carefully attended to by the governor, and
well lodged ; but the turbulence of the boatswain disquieted
the res5*and he messed Avith the seamen, instead of asso¬
ciating with the warrant-officers. Dissensions, however, that
were the injury and destruction of this ill-fated crew from the
beginning, still prevailed, and some now came to blows. One
part of them, therefore, thought it expedient to go to the
country; however, their house being soon attacked in the
night, after insults sutfered through the day, induced them
to apply to be removed to the town, as a place of greater
safety.
On their arrival, the governor had appointed a Dutch sur¬
geon, who spoke English well, to act as their consul. Early
on the morning of the 18th, he sent for the party that had
gone to the country. He said that, the lives of three of them
being in danger, and as he did not knoAv how far the villany
of the boatswain might proceed against their peace and safety,
he should endeavour to get these three into a ship bound for
Bahia and Lisbon. Accordingly, he went to the governor,
and got a place for the gunner, carpenter, and cooper, on
condition of their working their passage home.
On the 20th of May, they embarked in one of the Brazil
ships, carrying twenty-eight guns, bound for Bahia and Lisbon,
leaving ten persons ashore. On board Avas a Spaniard, a pas¬
senger, Avho declared to the captain that no Englishman
should sail in a ship Avith him, and desired him to tura the
three people ashore But the captain insisted on doing Avhat
166 HARDSHIPS SUFFERED BT PART OF
pleased himself on board of his own ship ; and the Spaniard,
after conversing with those to whom he was so hostile, was
affected by the relation of their misfortunes, and said that,
although their respective kings were at war, they were not to
be blamed for it ; that they were now in a neutral vessel, be¬
longing to a king who was a friend to both nations ; that he
would not look upon them as his enemies, and, on the con¬
trary, would do them all the service in his power. He bes¬
towed high encomiums on the magnificence of the British
fleet, and the valour and intrepidity of the sailors, whom he
styled the soldiers of the sea. During the passage, he not
only supplied them with provisions from his table, tat also
with wine and brandy ; and gave other proofs of his generosity
and goodness.
On the 7th of May they arrived at Bahia, where, being
unable to obtain provisions from the governor, they were
obliged to work for their bread. Yet all they could gain pro¬
vided them with no more than one meal a-day, on which they
would have almost starved, had they not being possessed of
some articles which they converted into money. Provisions
were extremely dear, especially fish, which was ascribed to
the great number of whales coming into the bay near where
the ships lay at anchor. Eight or ten would sometimes be
killed by the whale boats in a day, the flesh of which was cut
up and brought to market for sale. It resembled coarse beef,
but was inferior to it in taste. These whales were by no
means like the Greenland whales, and did not exceed tlie
size of a grampus.
After living here above four months without any assistance
eitJiBr from the governor or inhabitants, who behaved as if
they had combined to starve them, the Englishmen embarked
in the same ship that had brought them from Bio Janeiro.
A new foresail was bent about seventy leagues west of Ma¬
deira, and, after a hard gale, dedicated to a certain saint, on
which occasion tliere was a collection made among the ship's
company of above twenty moidores. But on Monday, the
23d of -November, when in the vicinity of Lisbon, it came on
a perfect storm ; the foresail split, and the wind was right on
the shore. The ship was given up for lost, and the people all
fell to prayers, crying out to their saints for deliverance, and
offering all they had in the world to save their lives ; though
at the same time they neglected every useful exertion, and
left off pumping the ship, which was extremely leaky. The
English, unaccustomed to such proceedmgs, entreated the
people to stand by the pumps, for there was a chance of saving
their lives by keeping the ship above water ; and the captain,
as also his officers, on hearing them, forsook their prayers.
THK CHEW -OV THE WAGER.
167
and seconded their entreaties. Thus the pumps were manned,
and the ship preserved : the wind shifted half an hour after¬
wards, otherwise she must soon have infallibly driven ashore.
This deliverance was piously ascribed to the same saint, and
a collection made as before : and the people further declared,
if the vessel arrived safe at Lisbon, the foresail should be car¬
ried to the church of the saint, where an offering by the
captain should be made, equal to the value of the sail, which
was worth eighteen moidores. And this accordingly did take
place within a very few days afterwards.
The Englishmen went ashore, and informed the gentlemen
of the English factory that they were three of the people cast
away in the Wager, and wished to embrace the first oppor¬
tunity of getting home. They were told that the lieutenant
was there before them, and had gone to England in the packet-
boat, leaving but an indifferent character of them. Never¬
theless they were treated with much civility by their country¬
men there ; and on the 20th of December embarked in the
Stirling Castle.
Nothing material occurred in the passage ; and they pre¬
pared, on arriving at Spithead on the first of January, to go
straight ashore to their families : however, the captain would
not allow them to leave the ship without orders from the Ad¬
miralty. In a fortnight they were liberated, and returned to
their native homes, after an absence of two years and six
months.
ADVENTURES-
OF
ALEXANDER CAMPBELL,
AND SOME OF THE OFFICERS OF THE WAGER, 1741.
A REPORT having gained ground in England that Alexander
Campbell, one of the officers belonging to the Wager, had
entered into the Spanish service, after surviving the perils of
the shipwreck, he conceived it necessary, in self-justification,
to confute the charge by a circumstantial narrative of all the
concomitant incidents. This proved the more interesting,
being the earliest and most unbiassed account of the deplora¬
ble calamity, and its disastrous issue. Here, however, it is
108
ADVENTURES OP
necessary only to take a brief view of the relation in general,
as corroborating or elucidating the state of the sufferers, and
what was peculiar to the narrator himself.
Mr. Campbell sailed as a midshipman on board the Tryal
sloop, along with the fleet for Soutli America, and was after¬
wards transferred, with the captain of that vessel, to the
Wager, where he remained after Captain Cheap, another
commander, was appointed.
While Mr. Campbell was shifting himself in his berth be¬
tween four and flve in the morning of the 14th of May 1741,
the Wager struck on the shoals environing a desert island.
On feeling the shock, he hastily ran up, asking what was the
matter; to which the master answered,—"Nothing—only a
great sea under the counter." But the words were hardly
spoken when the ship struck again, with a more dreadful
shock than before. Alarm was now universally disseminated,
and all were running forward to get hands to wear her, when,
Mr. Campbell observing breakers to leeward, that manœuvre
was abandoned. The captain ordered the anchor to be let go,
but the cable could not be cleared in time, and the ship con¬
tinued to strike so hard that the tiller broke, while a great
anchor belonging to the Centurion, lying in the main hatch¬
way, went through her bottom. An attempt was next made
to bring her close to the land, when she stuck fast between
two rocks. Mr. Campbell went to the captain, then lying in
a miserable condition from the dislocation of his shoulder,
and expressed his apprehension that the ship would very soon
part; but, instead of regarding his own safety, the captain
answered, " Go and save all the sick, and don't mind me."
Every means was thus immediately adopted for preservation.
Yet the spirit of discord and dissension had already entered
the people. Mr. Campbell, after gaining the shore, having
requested some of them to return in the yawl, for the purpose
of carrying necessary articles from the ship, received a plain
rrfusal. Being accompanied, however, by several of the
petty officers, he told the captain, if he pleased to go on shore,
the yawl was ready to carry him. He still declined leaving
the ship, until informed that every one willing to go had
landed : then raising himself in his bed, the others assisted
him into the boat, and carried him ashore.
The captain was accommodated in a wretched hut, found
on the land, which proved a desert island ; and, as soon as he
got there, he ordered Mr. Campbell to return to the ship, and
endeavour to bring the remainder of the men ashore in the
yawl. Mr. Campbell found the utmost anarchy and disorder
prevailing, and the whole crew in a state of mutiny ; some of
them even attempted to commit violence on himself, therefore
he immediately got into the yawl and landed.
AI.TÎXAXDF.Ii CAMPBFLL. 109
A heavy sea during the night occasioned the vessel to strain
excessively, and the people hecaine alarmed lest every mo¬
ment she might part. In their anxiety to get on shore, and
from the spirit with which they were animated, they at length
pointed a four-pounder, lying on the quarter-deck, at Captain
Cheap's hut, and the ball very narrowly missed it. The
captain, not willing that so dangerous a proceeding should be
repeated, ordered Mr. Campbell and three other petty ofiBcers
to bring the people ashore ; but they found it impossible to
approach the ship, owing to the mast lying alongside, and the
height of the sea.
The people thus left on board continued the commission
of every outrageous disorder, and, after plundering the pro¬
perty of the officers, got intoxicated with the liquors, whereby
some fell into the water within the ship, and were drowned.
Next day, the captain renewed his orders to bring the whole
ashore ; bnt when the petty officers called for seamen to row
the boat off, they refused, peremptorily declaring " they would
not go, for the .ship was lost, and every one was at liberty to
shift for himself."
Meantime, the men on shore began to bid defiance to their
officers—mutinies ensued, and the calamities of shipwreck
were heightened by turbulence and anarchy. Though the
captain expressed much concern for the safety of the people,
the strongest animosities prevailed against him, and dissensions
originated among the officers themselves.
Mr. Campbell, having attached himself to the captain, be¬
came the greater object of suspicion, so that he found it
dangerous to express any thing in his favour. By an unfor¬
tunate misapprehension, as it would appear, of the designs of
a midshipman, Mr. Cozens, he was shot by Captain Cheap,
whereupon the mutinous crew resolved to make him prisoner.
Therefore, surprising him in bed in the morning, they led him
out of his hut in his shirt, with his hands bound behind him,
and confined him in another hut under guard of an officer
and six men. Mr. Campbell repaired thither, but he vwis
not permitted to speak to him alone, nor until he had been
searched.
Part of the people having resolved on departing from the
place of the shipwreck, Mr. Campbell tried to persuade them
to leave the barge, along with the yawl, for Uie captain's use,
the former being too small to carry off those that adhered to
him. They refused, however, and forsook the island, as has
already been related. When at sea with them the following
day, he represented how reproachful their conduct was,
adding that, if they did get home, they should infallibly be
hanged for mutiny ; but if they returned to the captain, and
«
170
ADVENTURES OF
attempted a voyage to the northward, their chance was infi¬
nitely preferable. Some of the number listening to this
advice, and the gunner having now assumed a hind of com¬
mand, ordered him to return with the barge to Wager Island,
as the place of the shipwreck was now denominated. Mr.
Byron also accompanied him, and there were eight persons
besides, who were gladly received by the captain on their
arrival that same night.
Twenty persons now remained on this desolate spot, all of
whom were in different capacities, entirely employed in re¬
pairing the two boats, or searching for provisions. Neither
was the captain quite unoccupied, for he sought fresh water,
wood for the fires, and stood the place of cook, in making up
cakes of flour and water, mixed with sea-weed, and fried in
grease. The whole were then reduced to great necessity,
having nothing but sea-weed and tallow candles, or occasion¬
ally a few sea-fowl, shot from the yawl, until some casks of
beef were recovered from the wreck.
The wretched condition of the survivors of the shipwreck
at length inspired them with the utmost anxiety to attempt a
voyage to some inhabited country, or where at least they
should be able to procure provisions. Thus they embarked
in the barge and yawl, to sail to the northward, carrying a
scanty subsistence along with them. But this they were soon
compelled to throw overboard, to preserve their lives, in situa¬
tions of the most imminent danger ; and, having with difficulty
reached the shore, reposed unsheltered on the rocks, under
the inclemency of rigorous weather.
Next day was one of incessant labour with the oars; the
wind was adverse, and a high sea running. Under a heavy
rain, the boats made towards some small low islands, with a
swampy shore, where the people landed, and got the barge's
mainsail for a kind of covering of a tent, though it proved of
little service, and most of them took shelter under a great tree,
beside a good fire. A.11 were employed in quest of food in the
morning, except two marines, who were found lying in the
wet, and almost dead with cold. Nevertheless, Mr. Campbell
was obliged to rouse them to seek subsistence for themselves.
On the sixth or seventh day of the voyage, and when about
forty leagues from Wager Island, the captain had expended
the whole flour taken with him for sea store ; the weather was
now tolerable, and he landed to pass the night, along with
others, on a shore wlych, from the hard lodging it afforded, he
called Stone Beach. Yet the privations and necessitieiwhich
the unfortunate men endured could not quell the animosities
which originally disturbed their tranquillity ; and the lieute¬
nant of marines having shot a shag, and eaten it along with Mr.
ALEXANDER CAMI'BELL.
J71
Campbell, instead of sharing it with the captain and Mr.
Byron, according to agreement, occasioned great dissension.
The following morning, the people of the barge got under
way without any intimation to the party in the yawl ; but the
latter, having slept in her all night, were soon prepared also to
put to sea. An unexpected breaker drove her ashore, when
preparing to land on another occasion, and, though her crew
were greatly discomfitted by this incident, and unable to
launch her without unlading, those in the barge never offered
the smallest assistance. Meantime, they were reduced to a
miserable condition ; they had neither meat nor drink, and
their rags of clothes were drenched by the wet. Their ex¬
pectations of any relief ftom their comrades in the barge
were disappointed, for they even refused a little fresh water
which they were known to have.
Some time afterwards, their hunger was relieved by the
capture of a young seal, which they dressed for dinner ; and,
after the repast, went on a shooting excursion. Unhappily,
new disasters awaited their retium, for, by a sudden shift of
wind, the sea rolled over the boats, and the yawl, in which
were two marines, was sunk by the third breaker. One of
the men was drowned ; Mr. Campbell dragged the other out
of the sea and saved him.
The misfortune of losing the yawl was of the most distress¬
ing kind ; not only were all the arms and other articles of
those belonging to her gone, but, as the barge was too small
to carry off the seventeen survivors, the cruel alternative of
leaving four of the number was indispensable. Four marines
were tíierefore abandoned on this desolate place, which seemed
destitute of every thing from which they could derive subsist¬
ence : nevertheless the captain left arms, ammunition, and
several other necessaries to them, whereby they might at least
have the chance of preserving their lives. As the barge de¬
parted, the poor men, standing on the beach, gave their com¬
rades three cheers, and cried, " God bless the king !" Though
the hearts of the others melted with compassion, there was
no remedy for the measure.
In six weeks, during which this voyage to the northward
was prosecuted, Mr. Campbell found himself provided with
an old shirt, a pair of breeches, a waistcoat, and a hat, which
constituted all his clothing. But now the difficulties inces¬
santly encountered induced the people to resolve on returning
to Wager Island, which the whole reached in safety, after
finding an Indian canoe by the way.
Remaining here fifteen days, some Indians arrived, who
engaged to conduct the party to Chiloe. Immediate prepa¬
rations were made for embarkation, and, on the 6th of March,
Q 2
172
ADVENTURES OP
all, except a marine, who, afraid of punishment for an offence,
had escaped to the woods, departed.
After suffering incredible hardships from famine, fatigue,
and the want of shelter, during which the number of those
who had embarked was reduced to very few, Mr. Campbell
arrived with 'the Indians at the island of Chiloe. Captain
Cheap was now in a deplorable condition; his legs were
nothing but skin and bone ; yet the skin was inflated so that
they appeared of a monstrous size : the natives of Chiloe
treated him with great care, making a bed of sheep-skins for
him before the fire ; and, without such attentions, he could
scarce have survived. Neither did they overlook the rest,
who were supplied with food, and as comfortably accommo¬
dated as the huts of the natives would admit. The hospitality
of the Spaniards, however, did not equal that of the poor un¬
lettered Indians, for the English were removed to a hovel,
where they were guarded by soldiers less humane and courteous
than their former benefactors. Nevertheless, the Indians still
continued their good offices, though the Spaniards did not
even provide bedding to cover the wet ground.
The strangers were visited by many persons of the island ;
a Jesuit came, among others, who brought a bottle in his
pocket, from which he gave them some spirits. Observing
that Mr. Campbell had a watch, the same left to him by the
surgeon of the Wager, who had sunk under reiterated hard¬
ships, he asked to see it, and then requested it in exchange
for an old one in his pocket, or that it might be sold to him.
It was not difficult to discover the Jesuit's meaning, and, con¬
sidering the influence of his order in countries professing
Popery, and that disobliging him might be dangerous, Mr.
Campbell, by Captain Cheap's desire, presented him with the
watch. He did not prove ungrateful, for he soon afterwards
sent some clothes in return.
Being carried to Castro, the English were accommodated in
the Jesuits' College, where every thing was clean and decent ;
and they experienced good and hospitable treatment here for
a week. Then they removed to another quarter, where they
were joined by Lieutenant Hamilton, of the marines, who
had left them on the way between Wager Island and Chiloe,
whereby the party now consisted of him. Captain Cheap,
Mr. Byron, and Mr. Campbell.
In January, 1743, they embarked in a Spanish ship, which
arrived annually on a voyage from Lima, and soon arrived at
Valparaiso, on the continent of South America. ' There they
were at first confined in a dungeon, but liberated in a short
time, and civilly treated by the inhabitants. Being still with¬
out money, and destitute of clothes, one of the Spanisn
ALEXANDER CAMPBELL.
173
officers offered the former on a bill, payable by the English
consul at Lisbon. Hence all drew a joint bill for six hun¬
dred dollars on the Commissioners of the Navy, and addressed
to the Consul at Lisbon ; but the captain, having received the
money, on sharing it, allotted only eighty dollars to Mr.
Campbell, which occasioned a misunderstanding between
them. Mr. Campbell, equally necessitous as the rest, and
having jointly drawn the bill, thought it unjust that his share
should be so much diminished under one hundred and fifty
dollars which Mr. Byron, his fellow midshipman, received.
When these officers had been nearly twelve months in this
part of South America, a Mr. William Lindsay, at Buenos
Ayres, hearing of their condition, wrote to inform them that,
if they wanted money, some belonging to him lay in the hands
of a merchant at St. Jago, the chief town of thé country, on
whom they might draw. They did so, and Captain Cheap
received the money ; but here also he refused Mr. Campbell
any share ; therefore a separation ensued ; nor did the latter
accompany him home, when the opportunity of a passage in
a vessel to Europe occurred.
On the 20th of January 174S, Mr. Campbell left St. Jago,
along with four officers belonging to Admiral Pizarro's fleet,
on a journey overland to Buenos Ayres. Next day they
arrived at the foot of a lofty mountain, said to be the highest
in the known world, and occupied five days in ascending it.
The roads were narrow and winding, over the tops of vast
precipices, and sometimes so narrow that the mules employed
had scarce seven inches whereon to set their feet. A great
river full of rocks ran below, and the slightest false step was
attended with irretrievable destruction. One of the mules
tumbled down a precipice, but, before reaching the bottom,
both it and its ladening of merchandize were dashed into
a thousand pieces.
On gaining the summit of the mountain, all the company
were penetrated by the excessive cold ; and, though in the
midst of summer, two of the muleteers were frozen to death.
The descent proved still more difficult than ascending, in
which five days also were occupied. Twenty mules now and
formerly were killed or perished of hunger, for scarce any
vegetation could be found on the mountain.
The travellers having finished this arduous task, halted
three days at Mendoza, a small town, and then set out for
Buenos Ayres, 400 leagues distant. Mr. Campbell and the
other officers continued riding on mules, but Admiral Pizarro
and some others travelled in large waggons drawn by oxen.
Both these animals and the mules frequently died for want of
water, which is extremely scarce, and the country is equally
Q 3
174
ADVKNTURKP.
devoid of wood for shelter. It was necessary to carry a stock
of water, and also provisions during the whole journey,
which lasted seven weeks, when the travellers arrived at
Buenos Ayres.
Here Mr. Camphell met with three of the Wager's people,
of which number was Isaac Morris, whose adventures are
just about to be related, and they requested him, on his arrival
in England, to give some account of them.
He immediately waited on the governor, Don Domingo
Rosses, who invited him to dinner ; but, immediately after¬
wards, he was surprised to find himself confined to the fort,
though he had been two years in Chili on parole. Here he
remained thirty-six days, and was then enlarged to the boun¬
daries of the town. Yet some time afterwards, he was again
confined twenty-two days to the fort, on a groundless report
of two English men-of-war coming up the River Plate.
While in Buenos Ayres, the governor of a Portuguese
settlement, hearing of his residence, wrote a letter to him,
accompanied by some presents, and ofiering a supply of
money should he require it.
In August 1745, Mr. Campbell was ordered by the governor
of Buenos Ayres to repair to Monte Video, and embark for
Europe. He was there treated with much more regard and
attention than at Buenos Ayres, and was visited by the ofBcers
of the men-of-war, lying in the harbour, among whom were
two Irish, and one Scottish captain, besides an English lieute¬
nant, all belonging to Pizarro's fieet.
Monte Video was then a new settlement, with few inhabi¬
tants and little trade ; the citadel mounted 64 pieces of can¬
non, but the buildings of some other forts, then begun, was
interrupted from want of money, or of necessary materials.
Mr. Campbell remained at Monte Video, from the middle
of August until the 13th of October, when he embarked in a
Spanish man-of-war bound for Europe. Here he found six¬
teen English prisoners, who had been taken in the River Plate
two years before. They belonged to the ship Philip, com¬
manded by Captain Penkethman, with whom the Spanish
went on board to trade ; but they treacherouly murdered him,
and eight or nine of his people, and then made themselves
masters of the vessel.
On reaching the coast of Portugal, the Spaniards were
greatly alarmed at the sight of some ships, and immediately
put Mr. Campbell, as also the other prisoners, into confine¬
ment. The vessel had five millions of dollars on board, with
a weak and sickly crew to protect them ; therefore, the
Spaniards had sufllcient grounds for apprehension, which kept
them three days and nights under arms.
DANGERS AND DISTRESSES.
175
After reaching Ferrol, Mr. Campbell was ordered to Madrid,
where he underwent an examination by one of the Spanish
ministers, who testified a desire to know the particulars of
Lord Anson's voyage. He answered, in general, that, from
being only a petty officer in the fleet, he had no other province
than obeying the command of his superiors ; and he also re¬
fused entering into the service of the king of Spain, as incon-
sistent with the allegiance he owed to his own sovereign.
Having obtained a passport and fifteen dollars, Mr. Camp¬
bell next travelled to Lisbon from Madrid, though making
an uncomfortable journey, from his slender stock of money,
and the badness of the roads. There he embarked in the
Edinburgh, Commodore Coates, and reached England, after
a long and disastrous voyage of five years and eight months.
♦
DANGERS AND DISTRESSES
of
ISAAC MORRIS,
A MIDSHIPMAN OF THE WAGER,
and seven companions,
abandoned on the coast of patagonia,
1742.
The following narrative remains to complete the history of
the crew of that unfortunate vessel, concerning which we
have already spoken in detail. The original source from
which it is taken has now become so extremely scarce as to
prove an additional motive for inserting it here ; for, although
the adventures of Mr. Byron and some others have been
generally known, those of Isaac Morris and his companions
are rarely to be met with.
"On the 12th of October 1741, we put to sea in our long,
boat and cutter, to the number of eighty, leaving Captain
Cheap and nineteen others on Wager Island, where we had
176
D.VKGERS AND DISTRESSES
remained about five months. We designed to steer along
shore, through the Straits of Magellan, to the coast of Brazil ;
which, though a desperate undertaking, in a part of the world
remarkable for tempestuous winds and tumbling seas, was
adopted by us with the utmost cheerfulness, from being
buoyed up with the hopes of once more seeing our native
country.
In the passage, several of our companions were starved to
death : those of us who survived were so miserably reduced
through want of nourishment that we had hardly strength
to do our duty. Such a gang of miserable objects could
scarce be met with : only fifteen remained who could be
called tolerably healthy.
On the 10th of January 1742, after being fourteen days out
of sight of land, and almost destitute of provisions, we were
blessed with the agreeable prospect of it about seven leagues
distant. Therefore, we stood directly for the shore, and came
to an anchor in eight fathom water. Weighing at five next
morning, we steered along about a mile from the shore, where
we saw many wild horses and some dogs. At noon we had
a good observation, and found ourselves in 38° iV S. lati¬
tude. On sounding, we had but two fathoms and a half at
high water, being upon a shoal of sand, which ran four or
five leagues to the S. E. ; and on clearing it we steered into
a large sandy bay, where we cast anchor.
Our provisions being quite done on the 12th of January,
and only one cask of water remaining, we ran as near the
land as we could with safety, and fourteen of the healthiest
of us agreed to swim ashore in quest of provisions. I was of
the number, and all landed safe, except one of the marines,
who became quite spent, and was drowned within three
fathom of the beach, where none of tis were near enough
to assist him.
Four casks were thrown overboard to be filled with fresh
water, should we be so fortunate as to find any ; and to them
were lashed some muskets, with ammunition. After walking
about a mile from the beach, we saw a great number of wild
horses and dogs, the former of small size, but the latter of a
large mongrel species. Large flocks of parrots were seen
about the rocks; and near the water-side a few seal. We
likewise found a good spring of fresh water, rising from a
trench not far from the shore. We shot a wild horse and
some seal, and filled three casks with fresh water, which were
next morning towed aboard by five of those who swam to the
land. Soon after this, the sea-breeze blowing strong, the
boat stood farther off to sea. The wind blew fresh at E.S.E.,
on the fourteenth, and we saw our vessel stretching farther
OF ISAAC MOKRIS.
177
ofif. Soon, afterwards we received, in a scuttled cask, a few
necessaries, with ammunition, and a letter to acquaint us of
the risk which the people ran in lying near thie shore, and
that they were obliged to stand farther off for their own safety,
until the weather should be more favourable.
Next morning we had fair weather, when we expected the
boat would have stretched in for the land ; but, to our great
surprise, we saw her, with her ensign hoisted, sail from us.
The moderate weather, with the wind off shore, gave her
people a good opportunity of standing in again, if they had
thought fit. Why they did not was best known to themselves :
but the most probable reason we could give for such inhuman
treatment was that, by lessening the number of their crew,
they might be better accommodated with room and provisions.
Possibly they might apprehend inhabitants to be near us ; if
so, they could be none but Indians. We could not help look¬
ing on it as an act of the greatest cruelty thus to desert us,
under a false pretence of an utter impossibility of taking us
on board with them.
The dismal apprehensions which were created by such an
unexpected blow appeared plainly in our countenances, and
can be much easier imagined than described. We found our¬
selves on a wild desolate part of the world, fatigued, sickly,
and destitute of provisions. However, we had arms and am¬
munition ; and, while these lasted, we made a tolerable shift
for a livelihood. The nearest inhabited place, of which we
knew, was Buenos Ayres, about three hundred miles to the
N.W. ; but we were then miserably reduced by our tedious
passage through the Straits of Magellan, and in a poor con¬
dition to undertake so hazardous a journey. Nothing re¬
mained but to commit ourselves to kind Providence, and
make the best of our melancholy situation, until we became
recruited.
We were in number eight thus abandoned by our comrades,
for whose preservation we had risked our lives, by swimming
ashore for provisions ; and our names, Guy Broadwater,
Samuel Cooper, Benjamin Smith, John Duck, Joseph Clinch,
John Andrews, John Allen, and myself. After deliberating on
our unhappy circumstances, and comforting each other with
imaginary hopes, we came to the resolution of taking up our
quarters on the beach where we landed, until becoming strong
enough to undergo the fatigue of a journey to Buenos Ayres.
The weather being very favom'able, we took up our lodging
in a trench near the sea-side, quite exposed and without any
covering but the heavens.
Here we remained about a month, and during that time
lived on seal, which were very numerous, and which we
178
BAKOEBS AND DISTRESSES
knocked down with stones, after cutting off their retreat hy
getting between them and the sea. We had likewise plenty
of fresh water, rising from a small spring in the trench, so
that at the month's end we were pretty well recovered, and
concluded on laying in a stock of provisions for our journey
to Buenos Ayres.
Each having provided himself with a knapsack of seal¬
skin, made in the best manner possible, we put as much dried
flesh of the seal into it as it could contain ; and the bladders
of these animals, filled with fresh water, served for bottles.
Carrying our muskets and ammunition along with us, we set
out thus accoutred about the middle of February, and, that
we might proceed with the greater certainty, resolved to keep
close to the sea-side, until reaching the mouth of the River
Plate.
The first two days we travelled about sixty miles, but could
meet with no fresh water, besides what we carried along with
us, the country being scorched with drought, and the rains not
yet set in. Our water being nearly expended, we were afraid
to proceed, lest we should perish for want of more, so, after
a few debates, we agreed to return to our old quarters, and
wait till the rainy season.
Our return occupied two days and a half, after which we
employed ourselves in building a sort of hut, under a cliff
adjoining the sea-side, to secure us from the inclemency of
the weather. Here we tarried three months, during which
time our food was seals and armadilloes, these being Üie only
provision to be met with except sea-weed, which we sometimes
made use of with our meat, instead of bread.
The seals in this place differ from those which I have seen
in other parts, both in size and make. The males are of the
bigness of a good calf, the neck shaggy, and the head and
face somewhat resembling those of a lion. Before, the fe¬
males resemble lionesses, but their hair is smooth all over
like that of a horse, whereas only the hind parts of the male
are smooth ; two large fins like feet grow out from behind,
and;two more out of the breast, by means of which they can
climb rocks and. precipices, though they chiefly delight to be
asleep mear the shore. Some are fourteen feet long, and very
fat, but in general their length is eight feet ; the flesh of the
young ones is almost as while as lamb, and tolerably good
eating. From their shoulders to the tail, they taper like a fish,
and the females sit on the fins growing out behind when they
give suck to their young. Their hair is of different colours,
looking very sleek when they first come out of the sea.
The armadillo is nearly as large as a small sucking-pig, and
enclosed in thick shells, guarding all its back and meeting
OF ISAAC MOnRJS.
170
under the belly. It thrusts out its head before it as it walks,
but, on any danger, withdraws it into the shell, and then lies
quite still like a land-turtle, though kicked about. With
strong claws it digs holes, and burrows in the ground like a
rabbit. The flesh, which tastes similar to turtle, is very good
eating.
Nothing remarkable happened to us in the course of these
three months ; our provision, such as it was, did not cost ms
much difficulty to procure ; and we were supplied with flre-
wood from a small coppice about seven miles distant. We
seldom failed of bringing home something every night, and
generally had a hot supper. The time passed as cheerfully as
might be with poor fellows in such circumstances as ours.
But we knew that we could not take up this place for a settled
abode ; that there was no likelihood of any inhabitants being
near us, nor, for many miles around, could we perceive the
smallest traces of any having ever been there. It was to no
purpose expecting the sight of a vessel at sea, for here, being
a deep bay and shoal water, no ships could ever put in unless
forced by stress of weather, and then they must be wrecked.
Nothing remained for us but to make a second attempt for
the River Plate ; because, if we marched to the inland coun¬
try in quest of inhabitants, possibly we should meet with
insuperable difficulties in flnding the way back again, to what
I may call our home, whereas, by keeping our course along
the sea-shore, we could not err. For these reasons we re¬
solved on making another attempt by the same route ; and
having laid in a stock of seal, armadilloes, and fresh water,
we again set forward towards the latter end of May.
In three days we travelled about seventy miles, when to¬
wards night there came on a violent storm of thunder, light¬
ning, and rain, which continued until day. We had a plain
open country, and no place of shelter could be found ; we
had nothing to cover us but a seal-skin jacket ; were half-dead
with cold, and dubious whether our provisions would hold
out, from meeting no supplies of any kind on the way. To
proceed farther was only lengthening our journey back again,
which we dreaded would be of no consequence at last, even
though we should still push on.
The strictest harmony and good-nature had hitherto sub¬
sisted among us, but now we had almost disagreed, even to
parting. Some were for pushing forward, be the event what
it might, and were with much difficulty persuaded not to di¬
vide. However, on a representation of the great distance
which we were still from the mouth of the river, and the
improbability of flnding supplies on the journey, our debates
ended. We jointly concluded on making the best of oi.r
180
DANGERS A!fl> DISTRESSES.
■way back to the hut, after having been a second time disap.
pointed in onr attempt.
Arriving at our old quarters, we began to consult what
measures should be taken to secure ourselves from the incle¬
mency of the weather, and also to provide for our subsistence
until it should please God, one way or other, to deliver us
out of this melancholy situation. In order to avoid disputes
about the labour of getting provisions, wo agreed to divide
ourselves into two parties, who should alternately provide for
the whole : four were appointed to scour the country one day,
and four the next. Further, we bound ourselves by an oath
never to quit each other, unless compelled by a superior force ;
for, though we had yet seen no footsteps of inhabitants, wo
could not be certain that this part of the globe was destitute
of them.
We had killed such a number of seals that they became
very shy of us, and we were almost surfeited by living on
them so long. A great many wild dogs were seen, but never
near enough for us to kill any, though now and then we
chanced to shoot a puppy, which, being a change of diet, was
thought delicious fare. Some' deer were also seen, but -we
could contrive no method of taking them. Once, in our ram¬
bles, we found a litter of three young puppies, apparently
about two months old, which had sheltered themselves in a
hole of one of the sand-hills. Taking them out, we carried
them home to our hut, and, having discovered that these pup¬
pies were whelped in holes like those of rabbits, but larger,
we all went next day in quest of more. We had the good
luck to find three litters, in number thirteen, which we carried
home with us, designing, if possible, to bring them up tame.
We fed them with broth made of seal, and sometimes with
the flesh minced small ; and they afterwards became very
serviceable. Each of us had a brace of dogs, which were
brought up as much under command as an English spaniel,
nor would they leave us to associate with the wild ones. We
were often supplied with armadilloes by them, and they once
killed a deer for us.
Being one day hrmting, we saw some wild-hogs ■with their
3'oung, and our dogs, pursuing them, took two of the latter,
which we saved alive, and we also shot one of the old ones,
which afforded us many dainty meals. Fortunately, the two
young proved to be a boar and sow, which ■we designed to
rear for breeding, lest we should be obliged to make a long
residence in this desolate country. We brought them up very
tame, insomuch that they followed our dogs whenever we
went to hunt, and at night bofh dogs and pigs took up their
lodging with us in our but.
OF ISAAC MOKKIS.
181
For the present our condition seemed tolerable ; nay, we
thought ourselves in very comforiable circumstances ; we
•wanted for nothing, and, could we have confined our thoughts
to present enjoyments, our situation would have proved very
agreeable. But our views went farther, and the dread of
what might happen frequently struck a damp on our plea¬
sures. Winter was now approaching ; we had the inclemen¬
cies of the season to guard against, and, if possible, a stock of
provisions was to be laid up against future exigencies. But
we could not be much before-hand -with provisions, having
no salt to cure the», and, at present, not sufficient sun where¬
with they could be dried ; for, along ■with winter came on
continual storms, insomuch that some days we could not stir
out of our hut.
More than seven months had now elapsed since the long¬
boat left us ; winter came on very fast ; and we were but
indifferently protected from the severity of the weather : thus
we resolved immediately to put our habitation in order, and to
secure our hut in the best manner we could. Accordingly,
it was agreed that six should stay at home next day to prepare
materials, and only two go out in quest of provisions. The lot
fell on myself and John Duck to go abroad, but, though we
travelled many miles, all the game we could meet was three
avmadilloes. It was so dark before we returned that vre
despaired of finding our hut, and were like to have taken up
our lodging in the open plain, had not our comrades come out
in search of us, and, by making a fire, directed us towards
them. Having broiled our game we sought repose ; but, about
two in the morning, a violent storm, with rain, thunder, and
lightning, threw down part of the cliff under which we had
built our hut, ■which was very near provdng fatal to the whole ;
through Providence, however, none were hurt.
With day-light came tolerable weather, and the first thing
we had to do was re-building the hut. We immediately went
to the coppice whence we were accustomed to carry our fire¬
wood, in order to fell poles, but, having only a single hatchet
among us, none except one could employ it, while the rest
brought them out and bundled them. We had cut several,
and were thus engaged, when we saw Joseph Clinch running
out of the wood, and crying " Lord have mercy on us, here's
a great tiger !" We were in the utmosi consternation; for,
having frequently been there before without seeing any foot¬
steps of wild beasts, ■we came without our arms, suspecting
no danger from that cause. We all took to our heels, and
soon saw the tiger running out of the wood in pursuit of u&
When he had come within twenty yards, finding it impossible
to escape, we all turned towards him, clapping our hands and
ji
18-2
DAKGEllS ANU UISTHESSKS
making a loud halloo, in order to frighten him, which had the
desired effect, for he sat down on his tail gazing at us. What
to do we knew not, doubtful whether it was best to fly or to
wait for his turning ; but fear prevailed, and we walked gently
off, without being pursued. Next day we all went in chace
of the brute with our muskets, but could not meet with him ;
therefore we brought home our poles, and fitted up the hut
in the best manner possible, and so as to secure us fro^i the
raiu.
About three weeks afterwards, when hunting on the plain
about five miles from home, we saw a lion couched on the
ground, watching his prey, as we imagined, from being giear
a wild cat's hole. We joined close together in a'body, with
our muskets prepared, and Joseph Clinch, resting^his pjece on
my shoulder, fired a ball from the distance of t^^nty^yards,
but missed him. The lion was not affected by thw-repOrt of
the gun, nor stirred from his position. Tl^eh Clinch loaded
his musket a second time, those of the others being kept ready,
in case the animal should advance towards us, and firing, shot
the animal in the right shoulder. As he fell on his back, we
ran up and knocked him on the head with the bones of a
dead horse lying near the spot ; and, having carried the
carcase to our hut, dressed the heart and part of the ribs,
which we thought very indifferent eating.
Finding wild beasts beginning to surround us so much that
we were every day and night in continual danger, and seldom
went abroad without meeting some, it probably being the time
of year when their haunts are taken towards the sea-coast,
we determined to make another exertion for deliverance, in
attempting an expedition once more to Buenos Ayres. With
this view we provided ourselves shoes and jackets of seal¬
skin, and also knapsacks to carry our provender ; and, the
weather having set in fair, we fully resolved to prepare such
a stock of provisions as should last to the end of the journey,
though occupying a month in performance. Thus we divided
into two parties, four repairing to the rocks for seal, and four
hunting on the plain.
Early jn the morning we set out accordingly ; and it was
my duty, with Samuel Cooper, John Andrexes, and John Duck,
to go to the rocks. As our usual way of killing seals was
with stones or clubs, we never carried muskets along with us.
We had been out all day and killed three ; and having got
within a stone-cast of our hut in the dusk of the evening, I
perceived our dogs very busy at a small distance wagging tlieir
tails in a fondling manner. Being a-head of my companions,
1 passed on without much regarding it, thinking they had
lighted on a dead colt ; but on coming to the hut, I was quite
OF ISAAC MORRIS.
confouaded to find it rifled, and all our çecessaries taken
away. In the utmost consternation I ran back to my com¬
panions, whom I saw standing where I had left the dogs ; and
they, seeing me eagerly hastening towards them, cried ont,
" What's the matter, Isaac ?" I told them our hut w as pulled
down, and every thing taken away. " Aye," said they, " and
something worse has happened, for yonder lie poor Guy
Broadwater, and Benjamin Smith, murdered." It was a
most shocking sight : one had his throat cut, and the other
was stabbed in the breast : they were hardly cold, so that we
thought the murderers could not be far off ; and were under
no ^11 apprehensions of sharing the like fate. Going to
inspect the state of the hut more narrowly, we found every
thing carried off ; our powder, ball, and muskets gone ; the fire
extinguished ; and not the least utensil left. Where to go, or
what to do, we knew not ; we durst not trust ourselves another
night on this fatal spot, and yet were afraid to venture farther.
At last we came to the resolution of proceeding to the next
sandy bay, about a mile distant, and taking up our quarters
there for the night. But, on arriving, we found no shelter,
not so much as a cliff to lie under, which obliged us to return
to our old place, and pass the night at it, happen what would.
Next morning, fhejdogs that belonged to our comrades stood
on the top of the cliff' barking at us, and would not come
down, though we called them by their names ; and it was
with difficulty that we enticed them to come in the evening.
What became of Joseph Clinch and John Allen we knew not,
nor could we afterwards learn any account of them. It
seemed most probable to us that the Indians had carried them
off, and murdered the other two, who possibly might make
some resistance, as we had all agreed to do in case of an at¬
tack. But, had it been so, we might reasonably have expected
to find some of their enemies killed, as our people had fire-
arms with them. It was impossible, too, that this catastrophe
could be the result of a quarrel among themselves, from the
manner of their death ; for the one was stabbed, and the
other had. his throat cut ; both, very plainly, done with a
knife, an implement of which none of us was in possession.
We buried our two murdered comrades in the best manner
we could, by scraping away the light sand with our hands
two feet deep, and raising a bed of it over their corpses.
This was the most aflicting blow of any that we had re¬
ceived since our residence in this unhappy country. I will
not attempt to describe the horror we felt ; that must be paint¬
ed in the imagination in stronger colours than can be described
by words. To see four of our companions snatched suddenly
from us, we knew not how, ourselves deprived of our arms
R 2
18^
DANGERS AND DISTI! ESSES
ftnd utensils, left without fire, or any method of procuring it,
expecting every moment to share their fate, or be starved to
death, filled us with unspeakable terrors.
In this melancholy state, the only thing that remained to
be done was immediately quitting this unfortunate place, and
making one attempt more for Buenos Ayres. We had no
time to lose, but instantly set about tearing the seal in small
pieces, raw as it was, with which we stored our knapsacks,
and filled their bladders with water. We set forward, accom¬
panied by our sixteen dogs and two pigs, and with as much
provision as we could carry, praying the Almighty to be our
guide. That we might not miss the mouth of the River^ate,
we kept close along the coast as before, designing, when we
reached it, to travel along the banks until coming to some
inhabited place ; a scheme easy enough in imagination, but
attended, as we found, in practice with insuperable difiSculties.
The whole sea coast is a plain sandy beach ; on the land
side are here and there very high sand hills, in the valleys of
which we reposed during the night. Sometimes finding a few
cockles on the beach regaled us greatly ; and we met with
part of the wreck of a large ship driven ashore, particularly
a man-of-war's gang hoard. Plenty of water from the rains
stood in ponds of the valleys of the sand hills ; and we fre¬
quently discovered dead fish thrown in upon the beach, so that
we had a variety of raw meat to feed upon. We also found
a very large dead whale by the sea side, which was a feast for
our dogs and pigs, and at a little distance a parcel of fine
whale-bone.
At the end of ten days, after hard travelling daily, we made
the cape of the river, but there fotmd ourselves obstructed by
a multitude of small streams and muddy swamps. We swam
ovqr several with our knapsacks across our shoulders ; and,
when night came on, covered ourselves with the rushes, where
we were almost devoured by muskitoes. Next day several
attempts to proceed proved that it was impossible to accom¬
plish our journey ; the farther we advanced, the greater were
our difficulties. Several times we were in danger of being
suffocated, the hogs often sinking us to the shoulders, so that
after many fruitless attempts to get on, we found that we had
no remedy but to tread back the melancholy path, and return
to our old place of rendezvous. This we performed in less
than ten days.
Wanting arms to defend ourselves against the wild beasts,
we were afraid to wander far abroad after our return. Our
two pigs maintained us nearly a fortnight, after which we were
obliged to live on some of our trusty dogs. But this raw way
of feeding, which continued three months longer, brought us
or ISAAC MORRIS.
180
into a state of bad health. About a quarter of a mile from
the hut we found a dead horse, of which we now and then
took a morsel, by way of change ; and, could we haye got
fire to dress it, the variety would have been agreeable enough.
Notwithstanding our fears, necessity compelled us to go
abroad in search of other kind of provisions; and some¬
times we had the good fortune to bring home an armadillo.
One morning, finding the trunk of a large tree, we con¬
ceived that it was not impossible, with the help of the skins
of seals and horses, to make a sort of boat with it, which
might serve to convey us along shore to the River Plate. Yet
we had no kind of tool whatever. But John Duck recollected
that about eleven months before, at the termination of our
first attempt to reach Buenos Ayres, he had thrown away his
musket, which was not worth the trouble of carrying home,
and we had enough besides. We proposed going in search
of it, as, if successful, it might serve to fashion into a hatchet.
Accordingly, having furnished ourselves with some raw seal
and water, we set out, and did find the musket, though above
sixty miles distant. On our return home, we discovered
several ostrich eggs, but never any of the birds themselves,
about half buried in the sand, and they proved a refreshing
meal.
When the musket was brought home, we beat half the
length of the barrel fiat with stones, and whetted an edge to
it against a rock ; the other half served for the handle, and
it made a tolerable hatchet, at least what would have served
instead of one, had not Providence soon put an end to our
design.
Two days after finishing our hatchet, it being my turn to
stay in the hut, my three comrades went to a place which we
called the Long Point, in quest of provisions. Towards eve¬
ning I walked out to see if they were returning, when, to my
astonishment, I discovered about a dozen of horses galloping
down the sandy bay in the direction of our hut ; and as they
came nearer I plainly saw men on their backs, and that these
were Indians. It was vain to fly ; I imagined nothing but
death approaching, and prepared to meet it with all the reso¬
lution I could muster up. I ran towards the strangers, and,
falling on my knees, begged my life with all the signs of hu¬
mility I could make, when I hc¿ird a voice saying, " Don't
be afraid, Isaac, we are all here words which revived me.
The Indians alighted ; and, whilst some were intent on ex¬
amining the hut, others stood with drawn knives ready to
despatch us, in case we made any resistance. When they
had satisfied their curiosity, they gave three confused shouts,
and immediately, making us get up behind them, carried us
R 3
186
DAKGERS AND DISTRESSES
away a few miles inland from the sea-sliore, where there were
about a dozen more of their companions with above four
hundred horses taken in hunting. We were treated with
fcreat humanity : they killed a horse, kindled a fire, and
roasted part of it ; which, to us, who had been eating raw
flesh three months, was most delicious entertainment. They
also gave each of us a i>:oce of an old blanket to cover our
nakedness.
1 had been in great hazard of being left alone ; for, when
the Indians met with my three comrades, and were imme¬
diately hurrying them away to their place of rendezvous,
they were with difficulty made to understand by signs that
there was one more belonging to their party a little way off ;
and then my comraldes guided them to the hut, where I had
the happiness of being taken prisoner.
We decamped from this place next morning, driving a troop
of horses before us, and travelled nineteen days. We then
reached their next place of rendezvous, as 1 conceive about
two hundred miles from our hut to the S.W., situated in
a valley between two very high mountains, with fine pasture
and several small rivers, but with very little wood for many
miles around. Here were about a dozen Indian huts, built
with poles and the skins of horses, inhabited by another
party of Indians, with their wives and children, who gazed
very earnestly on us, as if they had never seen any white
people before.
In this place we were bought and sold four different times,
for a pair of spurs, a brass pan, ostrich-feathers, and such
trifles, which was the low price generally set on each of us ;
and sometimes we were j)layed away at dice, so that we
changed masters several times in a day. We remained nearly
a month in the valley, by which time the several parties of
Indians joined us from their hunting expeditions, each party
bringing the horses they had taken. All were mixed in the
common stock, which was examined and counted by one of
the Indians, who seemed to be a sort of captain over the rest ;
and the whole exceeded fifteen hundred, some of them equal
to the best of our European breed.
After one day's grand feasting, we set out in a body for
their chief town, where the king or captain lived, with a
string of fifteen hundred horses in our train. Four months
were occupied in this journey, and, by our method of travelling,
I believe it must be a thousand miles from the sea coast where
our hut stood. In the day-time we advanced, and at night
reposed in moveable huts, which sheltered us from the weather.
Our constant food was horse flesh, which some chose to eat
raw, and others broiled or roasted ; and as for drink, we never
OF ISAAC MOKIUS.
187
failed of water, for the Indians were acquainted wilh evi'iy
small rivulet ; of these, there were numbers iii the route we
followed, though a stranger would scarcely have found them.
At length we arrived at the end of our journey, in the chief
town where the king of these Indians lived. But the masters
by whom we were last purchased meant to carry us to their
own home, about two hundred miles farther, and had actually
conducted us some miles on the way when we were followed
by a party of horse, and brought back to the capital, the king
claiming us as his property.
The town of which I speak consisted of about thirty huts,
built in a low irregular manner with poles and horse-skins,
suiTounded wilh palisades about three feet distant from each
other. The inhabitants, men, women and children, amounted
to about threescore. We were soon summoned to appear be¬
fore the king, who received us sitting on the ground in his hut,
with a javelin on one side, and a bow and arrows on the
other. A loose mantle encircled his waist, a sort of turret
of ostrich feathers was on his head, and he had a long reed
pipe in his mouth smoking. After our obeisance was made
to him, he began to ask several questions in Spanish, which
those people could speak a little of, and of which, we soon
gave him to understand, we also knew a little. In answer to his
inquiries concerning our country, and how we came hither, we
told him we were Englishmen ; that we were lost in an English
man-of-war in the South sea, going to fight against our ene¬
mies, the Spaniards ; that we were eight in number, who were
left on a desolate part of the continent ; and one evening, on
our return from procuring provisions, we found two of our
companions murdered, and two carried off, on the same sin.t
of ground where we had been lately taken ; our hut pulled
down, and every thing removed, which we supposed must have
been done by some of his countrymen. The king then called
three or four of his men, and talked very earnestly to them, in
their own language. But it seems that they knew nothing of
the atfair, as he told us, though he was pleased to assure us that
strict inquiry should be made of the other parties wluch were
out at the same time. 1 found by him that he sent out parties
every spring from each different town under his government,
which take different routes ; and sometimes join one another
accidentally on their return. He expressed much joy on
finding that we were at war with the Spaniards; and asked
if we were great men in our own country. AVe told him
" Yes and he said the Spaniards were enemies to the
people, taking away their country from them, and driving
tlicm to the mountains.
When the king had ended our examination, he ordered
lug BANGKRS AND DISTllKSSPS
a horse to be killed immediately and dressed for us; he
lodged us in his own hut that night, until one was, next day,
built for our reception.
Here we remained eight months and wintered, during which
time we frequently had snow five or six feet deep. Our chief
work was carrying wood and water, and skinning the horses
killed by the Indians : and, although we were slaves, we were
treated very humanely, and they would sufier no one to use
us ill. Four Spanish women, who had been taken captive in
a skirmish near Buenos Ayres, were in the town, and the
king said, with a smile, that he would give each of us a wife.
The country where these Indians resided is very fruitful in
pasture, as indeed is the whole coast of Patagonia. It abounds
with great plenty of horses, and contains a few black cattle,
which last are entirely neglected by the Indians, as they prefer
horse flesh above all others, and constantly feed upon it. The
people, at least those in that part of the country where we
dwelt, are tall and well made, being in general from five to six
feet high: good-natured and obliging to one another, and
never seeing their fellows want. Though they have what they
call a king, he seems to be only a chief or captain of a party :
for, as they have no settled abode, but live dispersed in little
towns or parties, each party seems to have a chief who pre¬
sides over them like a petty king. I could not observe any rules
of government, but at a drinking-bout king and subjects are
all alike. Their king is distinguished from the rest by being
the largest man, and by wearing a kind of sash around his
waist. It is true he has a deference paid him by his subjects,
and whatever he orders is done immediately, he being himself
exempted from any kind of work. But I never saw any
punishments infiicted by him, nor any quarrels among the
people themselves, excepting at a drinking feast, and then
their wives always took care that no bad consequences should
follow, by putting every weapon out of their way, especially
their knives. For this reason, I imagine that they are always
quarrelsome in liquor ; of which one or two instances hap¬
pened while I was among them. Their manner of feasting is
to take a quantity of small sweet berries, and put them into
a pit dug in the ground, about four feet square, lined in the
sides and bottom with horses' hides. This cask, if I may so
call it, is thus filled half with berries, and then filled up with
. water, which, being stirred well with sticks, is left to ferment
about forty-eight hours. All the people then sit round it, men
and women together, smoking and drinking, and singing in
their way, but more like shrieking cries, and when drunk
they frequently proceed to blows.
These Indians seldom live long in one place, for, when their
OF ISAAC MORRIS.
180
horses have eaten up the pasture, they remove their town, and
all their goods, which is soon done, a few miles off ; and this
occurring several times in a year, they have no settled dwell¬
ing. Their habitations are scattered all over the country,
with few huts together, and there are three times the number
in the to'Ä'n where the chief resides above what I saw any
where else. They seem to have some notion of the devil, and
are afraid of apparitions, for none would stir out of their huts
when dark without company ; and one night, in particular, we
heard a great noise in the town like several drums beating,
which next day we found had been some of the Indians beat¬
ing the sides of their houses, made of horses' skins, to frighten
the devil away.
A new bora child is wrapped up in a sheep's skin, and, in¬
stead of a bed or cradle, laid on a machine, somewhat re¬
sembling our hand-barrow, tlie bottom of which is also covered
with a sheep's skin. This is hung up by the four corners, the
child's legs and arms being fastened with a lash of horse's
skin to prevent it from falling over, and swung backwards and
forwards instead of a cradle. All the children, young and old,
are every morning taken to the nearest rivulet, and plunged
naked under the water, even w hen the ground is covered with
snow. They are thus hardened to run about naked, though
in the midst of winter.
And now, the time of the Indians' hunting voyage approach¬
ing, which is every spring, and the whole summer generally
spent in taking wild horses, we made great intercession to
accompany them. But we were given to understand that we
must be sent further into the country, to remain with other
Indians until their return. We at last prevailed, by assuring
the chief that we had English friends at Buenos Ayres, who
would make him a very handsome satisfaction for us, and
would redeem us at whatever price was set on our heads.
This seemed to please him, and he then consented. We were
at that time about a thousand miles from Buenos Ayres ; and
the route of the Indians extends to the eastern coast of Pa¬
tagonia quite to the sea about a hundred miles southward of
Buenos Ayres. When they set out, they carry away every
thing belonging to them ; women, children, houses, and all.
These last are slung across the horses, and at night are taken
down to be used as shelter from the weather. A few super¬
numerary horses serve for maintaining the party, until they
commence hunting, which seldoms happens before travelling
seven or eight days.
At last the wished-for moment came, when we all set out
in a body, except John Duck, whose misfortune it was to
liave a çoniplexion too nearly resembling the Indians, being
lüO DANGERS AND DISTRESSES
a mulatto born in London ; for which reason he was sold
by the chief farther up the country, where he would end
his days, as there was no prospect of his ever returning to
England.
We had travelled ten or twelve days, without seeing any
wild horses, but soon afterwards several were ingeniously
caught by the Indians. This is done in two ways ; first
with a lash made of horse skins, about fifty feet long, and
two inches broad, with a running noose at one end. The
huntsman holds the noose in his right hand, and the end in
the left, and on coming within a few yards of the wild animal,
though running at full speed, throws the noose over its head,
by which means it is soon taken. Secondly, an iron ball,
about two pounds weight, is fastened to each end of a leather
strap, about twelve feet long ; and an Indian, when within
distance of his object, having swung one of the balls several
times round his head, throws it at the wild horse's legs, at the
same time parting with the other. This seldom fails of en¬
tangling the animal, and throwing it to the ground ; and
horses taken in this way become tame in a few days. The
Indians are even dexterous in killing birds with these balls.
Having arrived within a hundred miles of Buenos Ayres,
we requested the chief to despatch one of his men to the
governor, and acquainthim that he had three English prisoners,
and inquire whether he would redeem them. The chief did
so, and the messenger, on his return, brought him a certain
pledge of fulfilling his promise, which was a gold-laced waist¬
coat. Next day we were desired to get ourselves ready to go
to Buenos Ayres, as he and some of his men would accom¬
pany us. The hopes of once more seeing our fellow Christians
filled us with joy. We were immediately carried before the
governor of Buenos Ayres, who satisfied our Indian prince,
and paid the ransom, which was ninety dollars, and a few
trifies, and then dismissed him. We returned hearty thanks
for his kindness towards us during our abode, in which time
we met with greater regard than afterwards in a long confine-
ment'on board of, the Spanish admiral.
Having undergone an examination by the governor, and
given him a full account of our past misfortunes, we were
dismissed for a short space on our parole. We were greatly
indebted to the president of the English Assiento house, Mr.
Grey, from whose compassion and kind intercession we were
redeemed from the hands of the Indians, as he offered to do
it entirely at his own charge. The governor sent for us several
times, and earnestly urged us to turn Catholics, and serve the
king of Spain : to which we answered that we were Protes¬
tants and true Englishmen, and hoped to die so. Many
OP ISAAC SIORIUS.
191
templing offers were made to seduce ns. Dut, thank God, we
resisted them all. When the governor found that his efforts
were unavailing, we were sent as pi isoners of war on board the
Asia, which lay at Monte Video, about thirty leagues down
the river, waiting for orders. This was the Spanish Admiral
Pizarro's ship, which, after an unsuccessful attempt to pass
Cape Horn, for the purpose of being in the South Seas with
her squadron before ours, was driven back by tempestuous
weather, and obliged to put into the Hiver Plate, after losing
naif her crew. The admiral had quitted her, and gone over¬
land to Chili.
We were confined above a year, along with sixteen other
English prisoners, on board the Asia, and treated more like
slaves than prisoners of war. Our province was to swab and
clean the decks fore and aft every morning ; and, after the
work was done, we were confined between decks, with a sen¬
tinel over us as if we had been criminals, and we had but a
poor allowance of victuals besides. In short, our usage was
so bad that we agreed, along with the rest of the English
prisoners, to attempt obtaining our liberty, though at the risk
of our lives.
One night accordingly we escaped from our guard, intending
to swim ashore, as the ship lay within a quarter of a mile of
the land, and travel to a Portuguese settlement, on the north
side of the river. Another beside myself reached the shore
in safety ; the rest were discovered before plunging into the
water. I was quite naked, and my comrade had only a shirt
wrapped round his head ; but, before we got half way to the
shore, a gun was fired from the ship to alarm the town. We
travelled until two in the morning, and then lay down among
the rushes ; but, the weather being very frosty, and our feet
swelled, and full of thorns, we could travel no further.
Soon after day-light, having met with some men on horse¬
back belonging to the plantations, we surrendered ourselves,
and they took us behind them to their house. Next day we
were carried thence by a party of soldiers sent out in pursuit
of us, on board the ship, and there put in the stocks, neck
and heels, four hours every day for a fortnight.
At length we were informed of the admiral's arrival at
Buenos Ayres ; and he soon came on board, when he ordered
the ship to be refitted in the best manner possible, being de¬
termined to carry her to Old Spain. But there was a great
deficiency of hands, for which reason all men tliat could be
procured were impressed at Monte Video. These, with eleven
Indians, whom the Spaniards, four months before, had taken
prisoners in a skirmish, at a distance from Buenos Ayres, and
now designed for their row galleys, were sent on board ; and
192
DANGl.Hi AND DliTllEtíbES
soon afterwards I had the pleasure of seeing my brother mid¬
shipman, Mr. Campbell, also wrecked in the Wager. Choos¬
ing to follow the fortune of Captain Cheap, he arrived with
him at Chili, and came thence by land to Buenos Ayres,
accompanied by some ofiBcers belonging to the Spanish ad¬
miral, in March.
In the latter end of October, 1745, we sailed from Monte
Video in the Asia, bound for Spain ; and in three days an
incident happened on board, v/hich had nearly proved fatal
to the whole crew.
About nine at night, we were alarmed with the cry of mutiny,
and so indeed it proved ; but sttch a mutiny as never would
have been suspected by any of the ship's crew, or perhaps
credited by posterity, if a number of persons were not living
to attest the fact. The Indians, above mentioned, were a
chief named Orellana, and ten of his followers, who belonged
to a very powerful tribe, which had committed great ravages
in the neighbourhood of Bttenos Ayres. Now on board the
Asia they were treated with much insolence and barbarity by
the Spaniards, the meanest officers among whom were accus¬
tomed to beat them on the slightest pretences, and sometimes
only to shew their superiority. Orellana and his followers,
though apparently patient and submissive, meditated a severe
revenge. He endeavoured to converse with such of the Eng¬
lish as understood the Spanish language, and seemed very
desirous of learning how many of them were on board, and
which they were. Aware of their being as hostile to the
Spaniards as himself, he certainly meant to disclose his ptrr-
pose, and induce them to embark in the plan he had formed
for avenging himself and regaining his liberty. But, not
finding them so precipitate and vindictive as he expected, after
distantly sounding them, he proceeded no farther in respect
to their participation, but resolved to trust his enterprise to
himself and his ten faithful followers.
The necessary arrangements being made, the Indians pro¬
vided themselves with the sharp pointed knives which were
in common use in the ship, and also were secretly employed
in cutting out thongs from raw hides, to the ends of which
they fixed the double-headed shot of the small quarter-deck
guns. This, when swung round their heads, is a dangerous
weapon, and, as already observed, they are extremely expert
with it. An outrage committed on the chief himself precipi¬
tated the execution of his daring enterprise ; for one of the
officers, a brutal fellow, having ordered him aloft, of which he
was incapable of performance, then, under pretence of disobe¬
dience cruelly beat him, and left him bleeding on the deck.
Within a day or two afterwtirds, Orellana and his followers.
OF ISAAC MORRIS.
19»
about nine in the evening, while many of the principal officers
were enjoying the cooiness of the air on the quarter-deck,
came all together on the quarter-deck, and drew towards the
door of the great cabin. They were immediately reprimanded
by the boatswain, who ordered them to be gone. On this
Orellana spoke to his followers in their native language, when
four of them retired, two towards each gangway, while he
himself, and the remaining six, seemed to be slowly quitting
the quarter-deck. When the Indians detached had taken
possession of the gangway, Orellana gave the war whoop,
which is the harshest and most terrific yell that can be con¬
ceived. Instantly the whole drew their knives, and bran¬
dished the double-headed shot which had been prepared, and,
immediately falling on the Spaniards, laid nearly forty of them
at their feet. About twenty of these were killed on the spot,
and the remainder disabled. Many of the officers, at the
commencement of the tumult, pushed into the great cabin,
where they put out the lights and barricadoed the door ; and,
of those who had escaped the first fury of the Indians, some
endeavoured to escape one way and some another, but most of
them ascended the main-shrouds, andsheltered themselves either
in the tops or the rigging. Although the attack was made on
the quarter-deck only, the watch in the forecastle, finding the
communication cut off, and terrified by the wounds of the
few who had forced their way along to them for refuge, and
besides, being ignorant of who and what were their enemies,
also ran up the rigging of the foremast and bowsprit.
Thus did eleven Indians, with unexampled courage and
resolution, almost instantaneously make themselves masters of
the quarter-deck of a sixty-six-gun ship, manned with nearly
five hundred men, and continue some time in peaceable pos¬
session of it. The officers and crew, who had escaped into
different parts of the ship, were long anxious only for their
own safety, and incapable of forming any plan for quelling
the insurrection. The yells of the Indians, indeed, the groans
of the wounded, and the confused clamours of the crew, all
heightened by the obscurity prevailing, greatly magnified the
danger at first. The Spaniards, likewise, sensible of the
disaffection of the impressed men, and, at the same time,
conscious of the barbarity their prisoners had experienced,
believed that it was a general conspiracy, and that their own
destruction was inevitable.
But the tumult considerably subsided when the Indians had
completely cleared the quarter-deck, for those who had es¬
caped were kept silent by dread, and the Indians were incapa¬
ble of pursuing them to renew the disorder. When Orellana
saw himself master of the quarter-deck, he broke open the
1!U DANGEBS AND DISTRESSES
arm-chest, which, on a slight suspicion of mutiny, had been
placed there a few days preceding, as a place of greater sei ii-
rity. Here he expected to find cutlasses sufficient for himself
and his companions, in the employment of which they were
extremely skilful ; and with these, it was supposed, he meant
to make his way to the great cabin. But, to his great disap-
pointment, it contained nothing except fire-arms, which were
of no use to him, at least they concealed the cutlasses under
them. By this time, Bizarro the admiral, and his companions
in the great cabin, were able to hold conversation through the
windows and port-holes with those in the gun-room and be¬
tween decks, and thence learned that the English, who were
chiefly suspected, had not intermeddled in the mutiny, and
were all safe ; and they also found that the only participators
were Orellana and his people. Bizarro, therefore, resolved
to attack them on the quarter-deck, before the discontented
should join them ; and, collecting together whatever arms were
in the cabin, distributed them to his companions. They had
pistols, but neither powder nor ball ; however, in consequence
of the correspondence established with the gun-room, they
lowered down a bucket from the cabin, and, by that means,
received a quantity of pistol-cartridges out of one of the gun¬
room ports. They then partly opened the cabin door, and
fired some shot among the Indians on the quarter-deck, at
first without eflect. At length, Mindinuetta had the good
fortune to shoot Orellana dead on the spot, on which his
faithful companions, abandoning all thoughts of further re¬
sistance, leaped into the sea, where every man perished. Thus
was the insurrection quelled, and the ship regained, after being
two hours in the possession of this gallant chief and his
unfortunate countrymen. To the whole of the affair I was
witness.
The admiral, finding that none of the English had engaged
in the insurrection, treated them with a little more lenity for
a few days, and endeavoured, though fruitlessly, to persuade
them, with great promises of preferment, to enter into the
Spanish service.
Towards the latter end of February, 1746. we arrived at
Concubene, a harbour about five leagues S. of Cape Finis-
terre ; where we requested to be sent on shore, as prisoners of
war. But being told that we must all go in the ship to the
Groyne, we went on the quarter-deck in a body, and said to
the admiral that we should no longer be slaves on board.
Next day, however, we wore sent ashore and confined fifteen
days in a prison, chained together like criminals, and fed on
bread and water. When the ship sailed for the Groyne, we
were released from our diuigeou, and marched thither by land.
OF ISAAC MORRIS.
195
under a file of musketeers. On arriving there, we were put
two days into the guard-house, and thence sent to St. Anto¬
nio's Castle, which is on an island at the entrance of the
harbour ; a prison for thieves and felons. In this dismal
place we were kept fourteen weeks, among the worst of male¬
factors, when an order came from the court of Spain to send
us to Portugal, allowingt us a guide and a real per day.
On reaching Oporto, in eight days, the English consul, on
our application, and on hearing the hardships we had under¬
gone, gave each of us three days' maintenance, and a quarter
of a moidore.
We embarked in the Charlotte, snow, on the 28th of April,
1746, and under convoy of the York and Folkstone men-of-
war, arrived at London on the 5th of July following; three
only of the eight left on the coast of Patagonia, Samuel
Cooper, John Andrews, and myself, being so happy as once
more to see their native coimtry.
FAMINE SUFFERED
by
THE CREW OF
THE AMERICAN SLOOP PEGGY
1765.
The Peggy, a sloop commanded by Captain David Hamson,
sailed from New-York on the 27th of August 1765, with a
cargo of different articles, and also with a negro on board for
Fayal, one of the Azores. She arrived there in safely, and,
being cleared, took in a cargo of wine, brandy, and some other
commodities, with which she sailed back for New-York, on
the 24th of October.
Fine weather prevailed until the 29th, when it began to
blow very hard, and the wind increased into one continued
stOMi until the first of December. The rigging was greatly
damaged, and, as the vessel could make very little way, and all
the provisions, except a small quantity of bread, being ex¬
hausted, it was necessary to restrict the crew to a quarter of
a pound daily, a pint of wine, and a quart of water each.
The ship had now become leaky, the sea was swelled into
mountains by the storm, and the thunder rolled incessantly
above in one dreadful peal, almost without intermission.
While in this distressed condition, by which the people were
in danger of either sinking in the vessel, or of floating until
tliey perished of hunger, they fell in with two ships, the one
bound from Jamaica for London, and the other from New-York
tu Dublin. But, as an aggravation of their calamities, the
weather was so bad that there could be no communication
established ; and with the most acute sensations they beheld
the vessels disappear.
, This circumstance rendered it necessary that the scanty
allowance of bread and water should be still farther reduced ;
and all the people agreeing to a regulation which was the
s 3
198
FAMINE SUFFERED
result of necessity, it was lessened by degrees, until every
morsel of food was exhausted, and also the whole water,
except about two gallons, which remained dirty at the bottom
of a cask. .
The unfortunate men, while preserving every kind of sus¬
tenance, remained obedient to the Captain, but now they
became desperate on being totally deprived of it. They seized
the wine and brandy, and, speedily rendering themselves
intoxicated, their exclamations of distress were mingled with
curses and blasphemy.
The dregs of the water cask were abandoned to the Captain,
who, abstaining as much as possible from wine, carefully
husbanded them with all economy.
In the midst of this complication of want and excess,
and the consequent distraction and despair, another sail was
descried. Every eye was instantly directed towards it, and
immoveably rivetted on the object. Some, actuated by the
principles of devotion, conceived that, because this was Christ¬
mas day, it had been chosen as the season for their deliverance.
Hanging out a signal of distress, the strange sail had neared
them so much at eleven in tlie forenoon that they were able
to impart their condition.
Calm weather now prevailed, and the captain of the vessel
promised whatever relief was in his power, but confined it only
to a supply of bread, from being reduced in every other article
of provisions. Yet this he delayed sending, under pretence
of being occupied in making an observation, while the poor
famished wretches waited an hour in the most anxious state
of suspense, though in perfect confidence of relief. At length
Captain Harrison, quite exhausted with hunger, fatigue, and
weakness, labouring under severe rheumatism, and finding a
mist come over his eyes, retired to enjoy some rest in his cabin.
He had scarce been there a quarter of an hour, when one
of his people came running down, with looks of unutterable
despair, to tell him, in accents scarce intelligible, that the
strange vessel was making all speed away, without affording
even the inconsiderable relief that had been promised.
The Captain crawled on deck, where he found the painful
intelligence only too indisputably verified. Nay, the un¬
feeling wretch crowded more canvas than before, and, in less
than five hours, was out of sight.
So long as the unfortunate men, thus basely deserted, could
discern the smallest traces of his course, they hting about the
shrouds, and ran from one part of the ship to another, with
frantic gestures and ghastly looks. They pierced the air with
their cries, while yet possible that they could be heard, and
implored assistance with lamentations still louder, as the dis-
ON BOARD THE PEGGY.
199
tance between the vessels increased. But the strange Captain,
•with unexampled inhumanity, pursued his voyage without
paying the smallest regard to their entreaties.
Though this aggravated disappointment heightened the
distress of the crew, they struggled as long as possible for
self-preservation. The only living animals on board of ^heir
ship were two pigeons and a cat. The former were imme¬
diately killed, and partitioned among them for a Christmas
dinner.
Next day the cat was also killed, and divided into nine
parts, which were distributed by lot, as nine were to partake
of the repast. The head fell to Captain Harrison, who de¬
voured it with greater relish than he had ever enjoyed from
tasting food.
On the day following the people began to scrape the bottom
of the ship for barnacles, but most of those above water had
been beaten off by the waves, and the men were too weak
to hang long over the side.
During all this time the unfortunate crew were in a state of
intoxication, and the sense of their condition seemed to eva¬
porate in oaths and blasphemy. While they were constantly
occupied in heating wine in the steerage, the Captain subsisted
on the dirty water at the bottom of the cask, half a pint of
which, with a few drops of a medicinal balsam, constituted
his whole sustenance during twenty-four hours. In this con¬
dition he awaited death, and would have contemplated its
approach with little emotion, had it not been for the difficul¬
ties in which it would have involved his wife and children.
Yet, at intervals, he still flattered himself that some other
vessel might heave in sight, and rescue him from impend¬
ing destruction. But the time within which that could be
done was short, both from the state of famine that prevailed,
from the leakiness of the ship, and, indeed, the men were
both too much inebriated, as well as too feeble, to keep the
water under with the pumps. Ha'ving devoured every thing
on board, they had neither candles nor oil, and, as it was
then the depth of winter, sixteen hours were passed in total
aarkness, except for the glimmerings of their fire.
By the assistance of the only remaining sail, the vessel con¬
tinued to make a little way ; but on the 28th of December
she was overtaken by another storm, by which it was blown
in rags. She now lay a wreck in the water, and at the mercy
of the -winds.
During an interval of sixteen days it does not appear in
what manner the crew subsisted ; the cat was the last morsel
of meat they had tasted ; all the candles and oil had been
consumed before the 28th of December ; they could get no
200
FA JUNE SUFFERED
barnacles from the ship's side; yet on the 13th of January
the whole survived.^In the evening of that day, the mate, at
the head of the people half drunk, but with horror in their
countenances, entered the captain's cabin. They said that
they could hold out no longer ; that their tobacco was ex¬
hausted ; that they had eaten up all the leather from the
pumps, and even the buttons off their jackets ; that now they
had no means of averting the fate by which they were menaced,
but by casting .lots which of them should die to sustain the
lives of the re^ They trusted, therefore, that the Captam
would concur m this proposal, and desired him immediately
to favour them with his determination.
Captain Harrison, observing they were in liquor, calmly en¬
deavoured to divert them from their purpose; he requested
that they would try to obtain some rest, saying, at the same
time, that, if Providence did not interpose in their behalf, he
would consult farther with them on the subject next morning.
This mild consideration only rendered the people more out¬
rageous : they swore, with execrations of peculiar horror, that
what was to be done must be done immediately ; that it was
indifferent to them whether they obtained his acquiescence or
the reverse ; and, although they had paid him the compliment
of acquainting him with their resolution, they should compel
him to take his chance with the rest ; for general calamity,
they said, put an end to all personal distinction.
'The Captain, not being in a condition to resist their design,
told them that they might do as they pleased, but that he
would on no account give orders for putting to death the
person on whom the lot might fall, nor would he partake of
so horrid a repast.
On this the people abruptly left him, and went into the
steerage. In a few minutes they returned and informed him
that they had taken a chance for their lives, and that the lot
had fallen on the negro slave who was part of the cargo.
The precipitation of the proceedings, and the privacy with
which they had been conducted, excited strong suspicions in
Captain Harrison that his crew had not dealt fairly by their
intended victim. The poor wretch, aware of the result, and
seeing one of the men loading a pistol, ran to the Captain,
with entreaties that he would endeavour to save his life. But
he could only lament that he had no power to protect him ;
and the unfortunate man, being instantly dragged into the
steerage, was shot through the head.
He was scarce dead, when, having made a large fire, the
people hegan to cut him up, intending to fry his entrails for
supper ; but one of the foremast men, named James Campbell,
was so ravenously impatient that, tearing the negro's liver
ON BOARD THE PEOGY.
201
from the body, he devoured it raw, though he might have
dressed it in a few minutes. The principal part of the night
was occupied in the meal, from which the people did not retire
until two in the morning.
About eight o'clock next day the mate went to the captain to
ask his orders about pickling the body ; but the proposal was
considered so shocking an instance of brutality that he took
up a pistol, and swore that if the mate did not withdraw he
would send him after the negro. The Captain thus refusing
to give his advice, the crew, having consulted together, cut
the body into small pieces, and pickled all but the head and
fingers, which they threw overboard.
On the third day after the negro was butchered, Campbell,
who had devoured his liver raw, died raving mad. This was
imputed by the crew to his voracity ; and, as their hunger was
now subdued, and some food being in store, they were more
under the government of reason, especially owing to their ap¬
prehension of danger from the state of the ship. Therefore,
dreading-the consequence of subsisting on Campbell's body,
they threw it overboard, though not without reluctance. ,
Next day, the 17th of January, while preparing part of
the negro's corpse, by boiling or frying, for dinner, the people
said of the Captain, " Damn him, though he would not consent
to our having any meat, let us give him some and imme¬
diately one of them came to his cabin and offered him a portion
broiled.
The Captain rejected the proffered meal both with resent¬
ment and menaces : he viewed it with horror ; and sickness
had taken away his appetite.
The body of the negro, with observance of the strictest
economy, subsisted the crew, now consisting of six persons,
from the 17th to the ?,6lh of January, when they were once
more reduced to total want. This being endured for three
days, the mate again came to the Captain, at the head of the
people, telling him that, the body having been consumed some
days, and no ship having come to their relief, it now became
necessary to cast lots a second time. It was better, they said,
to die separately than all at once, as possibly some might be
preserved by their proposed expedient untü a vessel should
bring them succour.
The Captain again endeavoured to bring them to reason,
but without success : therefore, considering that, if they
managed the lot without him, as they had done before, he
himself might not have justice, he agreed to take the manage¬
ment, Thus calling all into his cabin, where he lay in bed,
he with great difficulty raised himself, and caused the lots to
be drawn in the same way as the chances are taken for lottery
tickets.
20¿
FAMINE SUFFERED
The lot fell on one David Flat, a foremast man. But the
shock which this produced was so great that the whole crew
remained silent and motionless for a considerable time ; and
so they might have continued much longer, had not the victim,
who appeared perfectly resigned to his fate, expressed himself
in these words ; " My dear friends, messmates, and fellow-
sufferers, all I have to beg of you is to despatch me as soon as
you did the negro, and to put me to as little torture as possible."
Then turning to one Doud, who shot the negro, he said, "It
is my desire that you should shoot me." Doud readily, though
reluctantly, consented.
The victim then solicited a short time to prepare for death,
which his comrades most willingly granted. He was greatly
beloved by all the ship's company ; and during the interval
they seemed inclined not to insist for his life. Yet, having no
alternative but perishing along with him, and, by copious
draughts of wine, having in some measure lulled their sense
of horror at the approaching scene, they made preparations
for its accomplishment. A fire was therefore kindled in the
steerage, to dress a meal whenever they might make it on the
body of their comrade.
Still, as the awful moment drew nearer, their compunction
increased, and friendship and humanity became predominant
over hunger and impending death. They determined that Flat
should live, at least, until eleven o'clock next morning ;
trusting, as they said, that Divine Goodness would, in the
interval, open some other source of relief. At the same time,
they solicited the Captain to read prayers, a task which, col¬
lecting the utmost efibrt of his strength, he was just able to
perform.
As soon as prayers were over, he lay down ready to faint,
and the company immediately retired to their unfortunate
friend Flat. The captain could oveiliear them talking with
great earnestness and affection to him, and expressing their
hope that God would interpose for his preservation. They as¬
sured him also that, although theyiad never yet been able to
catch, or even to see, a single fish, they would again put out all
their hooks, and try whether in that manner any relief could
be obtained. But the unfortunate man could derive little comfort
from their concern ; the agitation produced on his mind was
such that before midnight he became almost deaf, and was
raving mad by four in the morning.
His messmates, on discovering this alteration, debated
whether it would not be an act of humanity immediately to
despatch him, but their original resolution of sparing his life
till eleven o'clock prevailed.
About eight in the morning, as the Captain was ruminating
ON BOARD THE PEGGY.
203
in his cabin on the fate of this unfortunate wretch who had
only three hours to liye, two of his people came hastily down
with uncommon eagerness in their looks, and, seizing both his
hands, fixed their eyes upon him without saying a syllable.
The Captain, recollecting that the people, notwithstanding
their necessities, had thrown Campbell's body overboard,
from apprehension of being struck with his madness, believed
that, for the same reason, they were unwilling to eat Flat,
and had come to put him to death in his stead. Therefore,
disengaging himself by a sudden effort, he snatched up a
pistol and stood on the defensive. The poor men, guessing his
mistake, contrived to explain that their behaviour was merely
the effect of surprise and joy, that they had discovered a sail,
and were so overcome with the sight as to be unable to speak.
They said that the sail appeared to be a large vessel, that
she was then to leeward, and stood for them in as fair a direc-
tion as could be wished. The rest of the crew came down
immediately afterwards, and confirmed the report of a sail
being in sight, but added that she seemed to bear away from
them, on a contrary course.
The account of a vessel being in sight of signals, on whatever
course she steered, struck the Captain with such excessive and
tumultuous joy that he was very nearly expiring under its
effects. As soon as he cotild spe¿, he directed his people to
make every possible signal of distress, though their ship herself
was a signai of the most striking description.. But he was
apprehensive that the strangers at a distance might conclude
that there was nothing alive on board, and so stand away
without coming near him.
His orders were punctually obeyed, and, while lying in his
cabin, he could hear them jumping on deck, and crying aloud,
" She nears us ! she nears us ! she is standing this way !"
The approach of the ship being more and more manifest
every moment, the hopes of the crew naturally increased ; but
amidst their joy at the prospect of deliverance, they remem-
beredtheir unfortunate comrade Flat, and regretted thathecould
not be sensible of the like impressions. Nevertheless, they
immediately proposed taking a can of liquor, which the Captain
strenuously opposed, and at length, though with some difficulty.
Convinced them that their deliverance in a great measure
rested on the regularity of their conduct at that moment.
The whole excepting the mate, therefore, relinquished the can,
which would have rendered all absolutely intoxicated, before
the vessel could come up, and he retired to take it by himself.
After watching the progress of the vessel during some hours,
with all the tumult and agitation of mind that such a state of
suspense could produce, the people had the mortification to
find the prevailing breeze totally die away, so that the vessel
20-1
FAMINE SUFFERED.
was entirely becalmed at the distance of two miles. But they
soon observed her boat put over the stern, and, full manned,
row towards them with vigorous dispatch. Having been twice
before disappointed when confident of deliverance, and, as
they still considered themseives tottering on the verge of
eternity, the confiict they suffered during the approach of the
boat must be pictured in the reader's imagination, for it
cannot be described.
At length, however, she came alongside ; but the crew ex¬
hibited so ghastly an appearance that the men rested on their
oars, and, with looks of inconceivable astonishment, inquired
what they were. When satisfied, they came on board, and
requested this unfortunate company to make all possible expe¬
dition in quitting the wreck, lest they should be overtaken by
a gale of wind, and prevented from regaining their own ship.
As the Captain was incapable of moving, they lifted him
out of his cabin, and, lowering him into the boat with ropes,
he was followed by his people, amqiig whom was poor Flat,
still raving. Just when putting off, it was discovered that the
mate was wanting ; he was immediately summoned, and
proved to have preserved, after his can of liquor, no more
than ability to crawl to the gunwale, having, to all appearance,
forgotten every thing that had happened. The unfortunate
drunken wretch being got down, the strangers rowed away to
their own ship, which they reached in about an hour.
This vessel jvas the Susannah of London, commanded by
Captain Thomas Evers, who was engaged in the Virginia trade,
and was now returning from Virginia to London. He received
the people with all possible tenderness and humanity, and
promised to lie by the wreck until morning, that he might,
if possible, save some of Captain Harrison's clothes. But the
wind blowing very hard, he was obliged to quit her before night,
and, in all probability, she went to the bottom with her cargo.
The Susannah proceeded on her voyage, and, though in
a very shattered condition, and so much reduced in provisions
that it was necessary to put her people on short allowance,
she reached the Land's End about the 2nd of March. She
thence proceeded to the Downs, and a day or two afterwards
Captain Harrison reached London by land.
The mate, as also James Doud, who shot the negro, and
one James Warren, a seaman, died during the passage.
Lemuel Ashley, Samuel Wentworth, and David Flat, who
was to have been shot for food, all survived. The last con¬
tinued raving mad during the voyage, but whether he after¬
wards recovered, is not ascertained.
When Captain Harrison came on shore, he made an oath
to the truth of the preceding melancholy facts, in order that
the interests of his insurers might be preserved.
WRECK
OP
THE ANTELOPE PACKET,
1783.
As the best concerted plans are frequently rendered ahorlive
by accidents, so are the most casual and unexpected occur¬
rences productive of extraordinary benefits. This is fully
exemplified in the following narrative. The wreck of a ship
bound for a quarter altogether different has brought a whole
nation, endowed with many estimable properties, and for¬
merly quite unknown, to our familiar notice.
The Antelope, a packet of nearly 300 tons, in the East
India Company's service, commanded by Captain Henry
Wilson, having arrived at Macao in June 1783, was ordered
to be refitted with the greatest expedition. This being done,
the Captain received his despatches on the 20lh of July, and
embarked the same day. The whole ship's company consist¬
ed of fifty persons, including sixteen Chinese, who received
the advanced money usual on such occasions. The weather
becoming unsettled and hazy, they anchored in seven fathom
water at nine in the evening. Next morning ihey weighed,
and set sail with a fine breeze, and their pilot soon afterwards
left them.
The ship getting farther from the land, a high sea obliged
the Captain to lay to, to secure the cattle and other live stock
on board, and also the anchors, cables, and harbour-rigging.
In the afternoon the lashing of the booms broke, and the ship
fell to leewîfrd, whence he was forced to keep her before the
wind until they were secured, when she again held on her
course. In the evening the topsails were closed reefed, in ex¬
pectation of a gale from the southward, as much lightning
was seen in that quarter.
T
206
WRECK OF THE
Next day the weather continued moderate, but cloudy ; a
great sea ran from the eastward, which made the ship labour
so as to render it necessary to pump every two hours. Similar
weather continued several days, dark and cloudy, with thun¬
der and lightning, and hard rain, so that the ship was in a
manner deluged, and every one wet and uncomfortable. In
the afternoon, the Bashee Islands were in sight. Five were
seen next day, one of which was very remarkable, being in
shape like a Tartar or Chinese woman's hat. They bore no
signs of inhabitants.
On the same day the man at the mast-head discovered that
the fore-top-mast was sprung ; therefore the sails were imme¬
diately taken in, and the top-gallant-mast got down, but the
weather prevented the Captain from getting down the top-mast
until morning. It then proving fair, with tolerably smooth
water, all hands went busily to work to get up a new fore-
top-mast, and to dry and air the ship, as also to secure the
remaining stock and cattle, much of which had perished during
the rains and bad weather. The following morning also being
fine and fair, the opportunity was embraced to open the ports
and wash and cleanse the ship below, as likewise to overhaul
and clean the small arms, and to give the officers instructions
for the voyage.
On the first of August Captain Wilson exercised some of
the Chinese with rowing in the jolly-boat an hour or two, that
they might learn the use of an oar when needful ; and the
second day being fair, and the wind moderate, all hands were
again employed in clearii^ the ship and setting up the rigging.
Divine service was permrmed on deck on Sunday the 3d of
August, which was a ceremony never omitted on Sundays
when the weather would admit of it. From this time until
Wednesday the weather continued variable, when it became
tempestuous. It blew a stwm until mid-day of the seventh,
during which the ship lay to under storm-staysails. Next day
there were fresh gales,'but dry, which enabled the crew to fu¬
migate the v«sel with gunpowder, and clean her between
decks. All the cattle perished during the storm, and a she-
goat, which had kidded, also died, and her young. The
weather became more moderate, so that the company were
enabled to open the ports to dry and air the ship below, to
examine their provisions and stores, and get every thing in
order, after which they proceeded cheerfully on their voyage,
flattering themselves that the unfavourable weatlfer, and the
anxieties it had awakened, were at an end.
But the wind having freshened after midnight of Sunday
the tenth, the sky became overcast, with much thunder, light¬
ning, and rain Mr. Benger, the cUef mate, having the watch
ANTEI.OPK PACKET.
237
had lowered the topsails, and was going to reef them along
with the people on duty. He judged, from the thunder, that
the weather would break and clear up, and qnly prove a slight
squall ; therefore he did not think it necessary to call all
hands up, or acquaint the Captain, who had quitted the deck
at twelve o'clock.
The people being on the yards reefing the sails, the man
who was on the look-out called Breakers ! but so short was
the notice that the call of breakers had scarce reached the ofii-
cer on deck when the ship struck. The horror and dismay
created by this unhappy event was dreadful ; the Captain and
all those below in their beds sprung upon deck in an instant,
anxious to know the cause of the sudden shock they felt, and
the confusion they heard above. A moment soon convinced
them of their melancholy situation ; for the breakers alongside,
through which the rocks made their appearance, presented the
most dreadful scene, and left no room for doubt. The ship
taking a heel, she filled, in less than an hour, as high as the
lower-deck hatchways.
During this awful interval the people thronged round the
Captain, and earnestly requested to be directed what to do ;
they besought him to give orders, which they would imme¬
diately execute. The gunpowder, small arms, bread, and such
provision as would spoil by wet, were instantly brought on
deck, and secured by covering from the rain ; while the mizen-
mast, main, and fore-topmast, and lower yards, were cutaway,
to ease the ship, and prevent her from oversetting, of which
there was some hazard. The boats were hoisted out and filled
with provisions, and also a supply,of water, together with a
compass, which was put in each, and small arms and ammuni¬
tion. Two men had directions to keep them under the lee of
the ship to prevent their being staved, and to be ready to
receive the crew in case the vessel should go to pieces by the
dashing of the waves and violence of the wind, as it then blew
a perfect storm. Every thing, in short,'that coidd be deemed
expedient on this distressing occasion was executed with
unexampled alacrity and obedience.
All the people now assembled aft, as the quarter-deck lay
highest out of the water, and the quarter-boards there afibrd-
ed some little shelter from the sea and rain. The Captain,
after contemplating their wretched situation a few moments,
endeavoured to revive their spirits, then beginning to sink
through fatigue and anxiety. He reminded them that ship¬
wreck was a calamity to which those navigating the ocean
were always liable ; that their situation, indeed, was the
more difficult from this happening in an unknown and unfre¬
quented sea, but the consideration of it should only rouse their
T 2
WRECK OF THE
most active attention, as much must depend on their own
exertions to rescue themselves from distress. When similar
misfortunes happened, he said, tRey were often rendered
more dreadful by the despair and disagreement of the crew,
to avoid which he strongly recommended that no individual
should taste spirituous liquors.
Ready assent was given to the Captain's advice, but, the
whole being wet and exhausted with excessive labour, it was
thought advisable to take some refreshment ; therefore, a glass
of wine and some biscuit were given to each person, and, after
eating, a second glass of wine. They now waited with the
utmost anxiety for the return of day, in hopes of seeing land,
for as yet none had been discovered ; only the mate and
another, in the momentary interval of a dreadful flash of light¬
ning, imagined that they had seen the appearance of it a-head.
During these anxious moments, the company endeavoured
to cheer and console each other, and every one was advised to
clothe himself and prepare to quit the ship, when necessity
should make it inevitable.—And herein the utmost good order
and regularity were observed, not a man offering to take any
thing but what truly belonged to himself ; nor did any of them
either ask for, or attempt to obtain, spirits, or complain of the
négligence or misconduct of the watch, or of any particular
person.
The dawn of day exposed to view a small island to the
southward, three or four leagues distant, and soon after some
other islands were seen to the eastward. Apprehensions were
now felt on account of the inhabitants, to whose dispositions
the ship's people were strangers ; however, after manning the
boats, and loading them in the best manner possible for the
general advantage, -they were dispatched under the care of
Mr. Benger. Those of the crew who accompanied him were
earnestly requested to endeavour to obtain a friendly inter¬
course with the natives, if they found any, and carefully to
avoid any di^greement, unless reduced to the last necessity ;
because the fate of all might depend on the first interview
As soon as the boats departed, those who remained went
immediately to work to get the booms overboard in order to
make a raft to secure themselves, as the ship was hourly ex¬
pected to go to pieces. Great uneasiness was entertained for
the safety of the boats, not only on account of the natives,
but also owing to the weather, as it continued blowing very
hard. In the afternoon, however, they were, with inexpress¬
ible joy, observed coming off ; a sight the more welcome as,
from their long stay, some disaster was dreaded, either from
the inhabitants or the storm. But they at length got safe to
the ship, with the agreeable intelligence that there was no ap¬
pearance of inhabitants on the island where they had landed ¡
ANTELOPE PACKET.
Í209
also, that there was a secure harbour, well slieltered from bad
weather, and some fresh water.
Every one now pursued his labour, with renovated spirits,
to complete the raft, which was in great forwardness ; and,
having finished it, the whole took a second refreshment of
bread and wine, for they strictly conformed to the promise
given to Captain Wilson, not to taste spirituous liquors. The
raft was then loaded with as much provision and stores as it
could carry, consistently with the safety of the people to
embark on it. The pinnace, in which their chief security
rested, was likewise filled with provisions, ammunition, and
small-arms.
The people were still anxiously employed in saving whatever
they could ; but, the ship beginning to have a little motion from
the rising of the tide, there was some danger of the mast fall¬
ing over the side, in which case it must have crushed the raft
and rendered all their labours fruitless. Both the raft and
pinnace being ready to depart, the boatswain was desired to
go on board the ship and sound his whistle, to warn those
below to embark ; for some whom Captain Wilson had ear¬
nestly entreated to desist were still at work. The carpenter,
indeed, was so intent on saving what stores and tools he was
able that he remained below after the raft and pinnace had
departed, and he was therefore put into the jolly-boat.
Thus, with aching hearts, the crew, all except one man, who
was drowned in the morning, quitted the Antelope, quite
ignorant of their future destination. The pinnace, with some
of the stoutest men, took the raft in tow ; and the jolly-
boat also assisted, by towing the pinnace until they had pass¬
ed the reef. The pinnace then, casting loose the rope, the
jolly-boat proceeded alone to the shore, where, arriving about
eight at night, the people found their companions whom
they had left there in the morning. The situation of those
on the raft, and in the pinnace, was extremely dangerous for
half an hour, in crossing the reef, the running of the sea,
and the spray, frequently obscuring the sight of each other ;
and those on the raft were often obliged to lash themselves
to it, clinging with all their strength to escape being carried
away by the sea. The screams of the Chinese, less inured
to the perils of so boisterous an element, added terror to
the scene.
Having cleared the reef, the company found themselves in
smoother water, whence the pinnace hoisted sail, and advanced ;
but, finding she drove to leeward, recourse was had to the oars,
which however, could not resist the strength of a current set¬
ting in that direction. The strength of the men being almost
exhausted and still driving to leeward, it was judged expe-
T 3
210
WRECK OF THE
dient, for the safety of all, that the pinnace should take the people
oñ'the raft, and that during the night the raft should be brought
to a grapnel. The additional men thus taken in double-
banked the oars of the pinnace, and relieved the rowers, though
they at the same time crowded her so much that she could
scarce keep above water. She therefore advanced slowly, but
as she drew nearer to the island where the jolly-boat, with
Captain Wilson, had unladed, he, along with four people, was
returning to her assistance, and hailed her in the dark. But
those of the pinnace, either from sudden joy, or weakness, re¬
turned it with so shrill a tone that the others, alarmed for the
natives, of whom they had observed traces in the morning, re¬
turned precipitately on shore. The arrival of the pinnace
soon afterwards, however, dissipated their apprehensions.
A party who had remained ashore in the morning were
busily employed in clearing away a spot of ground, whereon
they had erected a small tent covered with a sail, under which
the whole took shelter, after drying their clothes at a fire.
Tlie night proved uncomfortable, from wind and heavy rain,
and the distress of the company was not a little increased
from the dread of the vessel going to pieces before they could
save such necessaries from her as they required. They haul¬
ed the boats on shore and set a watch, lest they might chance
to be surprised by the natives.
The constant perspirations they had been in, being pre-
petually wet with salt water, aud the friction of their clothes
from severe labour, had excoriated the skins of the people,
from which they suffered greatly.
The pinnace and jolly-boat were sent for the raft at dawn ;
but, the wind blowing hard, they were afraid to attempt it.
Nevertheless, they were fortunate enough to recover the re¬
mainder of provisions and sails which were left there, and re¬
turned about noon. The weather proving more moderate, the
boats were sent to the wreck to bring away some rice, and
procure whatever necessaries they could for the people, who
stood in great need of them. Those who remained on shore
were employed in drying the powder, and fitting the arms for
use, in case of need.
As the boats did not return till ten in the evening, much
alarm for their safety was excited, because the night came on
with very heavy weather. At length the pinnace arrived with
intelligence that the ship would probably not hold together till
morning, from tlie badness of the weather, as she was then
beginning to part ; the bends and wales being started from
their places. By this acconnt, the hope that had been enter¬
tained of the possibility that she might be floated and repaired
so as to return to Macao was now entirely extinguished ;
ANTELOPE PACKET.
•211
and the shipwrecked mariners saw no consolation for tlieir
misfortunes. They knew nothing of the inhabitants of the
countries around them ; they found themselres suddenly cut
off from the rest of the world ; and the remembrance of
beloved objects, who might, in vain, be expecting their return,
filled them with uncomfortable reflections.
The night was tempestuous, and at day-break it blew so
hard that the boats could not venture to sea ; therefore all
went to work to dry the stores and provisions between the
showers, and many were occupied in forming better tents
with such materials as they had saved.
Captain Wilson, and the linguist, Tom Rose, being on the
beach in the morning, collecting water which dropped from
the rocks, the people, who were behind employed in clearing
away the ground, gave notice that some of the natives were
approaching, as they observed a canoe coming round into the
bay. This gave such alarm that the people all flew to arms ;
however, as there were only two canoes, and but few men in
them, they were desired to remain still and out of sight, until
they should see what reception the Captain and Rose met
with. It appeared that the natives had discovered them, as
they conversed together, and kept stedfastly looking towards
that part of the shore where they were. The people were
desired to be prepared for the worst, but by no means to
appear at present, or, when they did, to shew no signs of
distrust, unless the conduct of the natives should render it
absolutely necessary.
In this short interval the canoes had advanced cautiously
towards the shore, when Captain Wilson desired Rose to
speak to them in the Malay language. They did not under¬
stand it, but stopped their canoes. Yet soon after, one of them
asked, in the Malay tongue, who the strangers were, whether
friends or enemies ? To which the Captain desired Rose to
answer that they were unfortunate Englishmen, who had lost
their ship on the reef, but saved themselves, and were friends !
On this they spoke a few words together, which was supposed
to be the Malay man explaining what was said. Presently
afterwards they stepped out of the canoes into the water,
whereon Captain Wilson waded in to meet them, and, embrac¬
ing them in a friendly manner, carried them on shore, and
introduced them to his ofScers and unfortunate companions.
The strangers were eight in number ; it was afterwards
known that two of them were brothers to the king. One man
w as left in each canoe, and, as they advanced to the cove,
w here the Antelope's people were, they seemed to look round
with great watchfulness, as apprehensive of being betrayed.
-.ither would thev seat themselves near the tents, but kept
212
WliKCK OF THE
close to the beach, that, in case of danger, they might imme¬
diately regain their canoes.
The people now going to breakfast, the strangers were pre¬
sented with some tea and some sweet bisctuts made in China,
of which two or three jars had been saved. Only Captain
Wilson, one or two more, and Rose the interpreter, breakfast¬
ed with them. A wish being now expressed to learn by what
chance the Malay had found his way hither, he said tliat he
had commanded a trading vessel belonging to a Chinese at
Temate, and was cast away, ten months before, on an island
to the southward, then in sight ; that he escaped thence
to Pelew, where he was well received by the king, who he
said was a very good man, and his people also courteous.
This man, besides his own and the Pelew language, spoke a
little Dutch, and some words of English ; but his future con¬
duct gave reason to suspect there was not much truth in the
account he gave of himself. He further said that a canoe
having been out fishing, had seen the ship's mast lying down,
and that the king, being informed of it, had sent off these two
canoes, at four o'clock in the morning, to discover what was
become of the people ; and they well knowing this harbour,
being a place where fishing canoes often sheltered themselves
in hard weather, had come to it first.
The strangers sat about an hour with Captain Wilson, tasted
the tea, but preferred the biscuit ; and they now seemed to be
relieved from every apprehension. They wished one of the
people to be sent to the king, that he might see what like they
were, which Captain Wilson agreed to, and requested his
brother, Mr. Matthias Wilson, to go, to which he readily assent¬
ed, and agreed to depart with them in their canoes. Captain
Wilson was much affected by his departure ; he sent a pre¬
sent to the king of a small remnant of blue broad-cloth, a can¬
ister of tea, one of sugar-candy, and a jar of rusk, which last
article was added at the particular request of the king's
brothers, the younger of whom went in the canoe, while the
elder and three men remained on the island. Captain Wilson
instructed his brother to inform the king who they were, to
acquaint him with their misfortunes, and to solicit his friend¬
ship, as also permission to build a vessel to carry them back
to their own country.
Meantime the strangers walked about testifying great cu¬
riosity at every thing they saw, but expressing apprehensions
that they intruded too' much. They certainly had never seen
white men before, whence it is not to be wondered at if they
looked on them as a new and extraordinary race of beings.
They were themselves of a deep copper-colour, perfectly
naked and their skins soft and glossy from the use of cocoa-
AKTELOPE PACKET.
213
nut-oil. Their legs were tatooed from a little above the ankles
to the middle of their thighs, and so thick as to appear much
darker than the rest of the body. Their hair is of a fine
black, long, and rolled up behind in a simple manner, close
to the hack of the head, which appeared neat and becoming.
They began stroking the arms and bodies of the English, or
rather their waiscoats and coat-sleeves, as if doubting whether
the garments and the men were not of the same substance.
The Malay told them that the English, being exposed to fur
greater cold in their own climate, always went covered, and had
different coverings as the occasion required, so that they could
constantly be dry and warm. The next thing they noticed
was the people's hands, and the blue veins on their wrists ;
and they probably considered the white skin of the hands and
face as artificial, and the veins as the English manner of tatoo-
ing, for they immediately requested that their sleeves might
be drawn up, to see if their arms were of the same colour as
their faces.
The weather being more moderate at day-break of the 13th,
the boatswain called all hands out to work by sounding his pipe,
at which the natives expressed much surprise and pleasure.
The pinnace was sent off to the ship, and the people remaining
on shore employed themselves in clearing the ground, and in
drying provisions. The pinnace returned after dark, reporting
that some canoes had been at the ship, and had carried off
iron and other things, and it was suspected that among them
was the canoe and the three men left to attend the king's bro¬
ther. They had found their way to the cock-pit, and rummaged
the medicine-chest ; but probably, not finding the medicines
very palatable, had thrown out the contents and carried off the
bottles. Fortunately Mr. Sharp, the surgeon, conceiving he
never should get back to the ship, had brought away some of
the most useful medicines with him. As it was low water the
pinnace could not reach the ship, and the men were obliged
to wade over part of the reef to get to her. They now saw
that a large portion of a rock had forced its way through her
I bottom, and in two or three places appeared dry in the inside
of the hold, so that she remained fixed on the reef.
When Captain Wilson communicated to the king's brother
that the ship had been visited, less by way of complaint than
to express his apprehensions that the natives might be hurt by
the medicines, he begged him to entertain no uneasiness
whatever on that account ; because, if they suffered, it would
be entirely owing to their own misconduct, for which, he said,
he felt himself truly concerned. Indeed he appeared much
disturbed, and testified great indignation at the behaviour of
his own men, asking why our people did not shoot them, and
2U
WliKCK OF THE
saying that, on the next offence, it might be done, wiien he
■would undertake to justify it to the king.
This amiable chief staid all night in |he tent ; he endeavour¬
ed to accommodate himself to the manners of the people, and
■would sit at table as they did ■without squatting on his hams.
Every transaction with him afterwards proved him to be ä
man of upright character. He naturally possessed an un¬
bounded curiosity ; nothing escaped his notice ; he wished to
have an explanation of all that he saw, and to imitate what¬
ever our people did ; he lent his personal assistance to every
thing that was doing, and even wished to aid the cook in
blowing the fire.
The people now, finding themselves on a perfectlygood under¬
standing with the king's brother, whose name was Raa Kock,
freely asked, by means of their interpreter, the suggestions of
their own cnrosity. Observing that he wore the polished bone
of some animal, like a bracelet, on his wrist, and having also
remarked that his brother who returned to Pelewhad a similar
ornament, they wished to know on what account it was there.
He, in return, informed them that it was a mark of great dis¬
tinction, conferred by the king on his o^vn family, and on offi¬
cers of state and commanders, and that he himself wore it,
both as brother to the king, and as commander-in-chief of his
army, both by sea and land.
A proposal was made by Captain Wilson to his officers,
particularly evincing his prudence, which was that all the
spirit-casks on board the Antelope should be staved. When
the pinnace had been sent off the day after the wreck, to se¬
cure whatever stores could be saved, |die chief officer served
out some strong liquor to the men, who had many hours en¬
dured the severest toil. But being unable to find any thing
to eat, their hunger and fatigue made the liquor operate on
their heads, so that, on their return, they became noisy and
elated. Thus, lest they might inadvertently become intoxi¬
cated, and be disposed to quarrel among themselves, or be
engaged in disputes with the natives, Captain Wilson submit¬
ted the expedience of staving the casks to his officers. They
completely acquiesced in the necessity of it, on which the Cap¬
tain, having called the men together, represented to them the
propriety of such a measure, as their future welfare and ul¬
timate hopes of preservation might possibly depend upon it.
Much to the credit of the men, they unanimously agreed to
the Captain's proposal, and offered immediately to go on
board and stave every cask of strong liquors, which, that same
day, was conscientiously performed.
Next morning two canoes arrived ■with yams ready boiled,
and some cocoa-nuts, which were presented to Captain Wil-
ANTELOPE PACKET.
215
son. Ana Kuoker, the king's brother, returned in one of
them, along with one of the king's sons, a well made young
man, about twenty-one, but who had lost his nose. Raa
Kook went immediately to receive his brother, and much con¬
versation passed between them.
Mr. Matthias Wilson was conducted by the king's brother,
amidst a vast concourse of the natives, who had assembled
to see him land, to the town on the king's island. There he
was directed to sit down on a mat. When the king appeared
he made an obeisance of respect towards him, lifting his hands
to his head and inclining his body, of which the king seemed
to take little notice ; but the presents were graciously receiv¬
ed. The king ate some of the sugar-candy, which he seemed
to relish, and then directed refreshments to be brought to Mr.
Wilson, who was now surrounded by an immense assemblage
of the natives, of both sexes. Taking off his hat by accident,
all present seemed struck with astonishment, which he, having
remarked, unbuttoned his waiscoat and put off his shoes, that
they might see they were no part of his body. They seemed
to consider, at first sight, that his clothes constituted a portion
of his person ; for, when undeceived, they approached nearer,
stroked him, and put their hands into his breast to feel his skin.
When dark, the king, his brother, several others, and Mr. Wil¬
son, retired into a house, where supper, consisting of shell-fish,
yams, whole and mashed, was served on a stool. He was
then conducted to another house, where there were at least
forty or fifty men and women, and there it was signified to
him he was to sleep. Accordingly he lay down, but was
unable to slumber ; and some considerable time afterwards,
when all was q^uiet, eight men arose and began to make two
great fires at each end of the house, which formed one large
habitation, undivided by partitions. "This operation alarmed him
very much, for he conceived nothing less than that the natives
were going to roast him, and had only lain down that he
might drop asleep, when he could be seized. But his appre¬
hensions were relieved, for, after sitting a little while and
warming themselves, they all retired to their mats. Mr. Wilson
next morning, being conducted to the king, signified that
he was anxious to return to his brother ; but the king thought
there was too much wind, and made signs the canoe would be
overset, whence he spent the remainder of the day in the
island.
The favourable intelligence brought by Mr. Wilson enliven¬
ed all the people, who were now busy in recovering rice, stores,
and iron from the wreck. Two boats were sent off to it, but
the bad weather compelled one of them to return. The peo¬
ple brought information that they had found above twenty
WUECK OF THE
canoes busied about the vessel ; and the natives were angry
at being deprived of some iron, and a cutlass, which they had
got out of her. Raa Kook, however, sent his brother and
nephew off in a canoe to drive them away.
The numbers of the natives visiting the island having now
increased, the people thought that a regular guard, to be reliev¬
ed every two hours, should be nightly appointed. Thus the
whole company was divided into five guards, each "guard hav¬
ing an ofiicer to give the watch-word, which was called and
answered from the different posts every five minutes, there
being nine men always on guard. Captain Wilson thought it
advisable to communicate this resolution to his guests, that
they might not be alarmed by the sudden turning out of the
guard with arms.
The men had been constantly accustomed to the use of
small arms before leaving the Antelope, and were sufficiently
expert to make a respectable appearance. Therefore the
strangers were highly delighted with seeing them go through
their exercise, which seemed to make a forcible impression on
their minds.
On Friday the 15th of August, the king's son, accompanied
by one of his uncles, launched their canoe, and went off at day¬
break to the ship ; the second mate, Mr. Barker, also got off
in the jolly-boat, and the pinnace followed. Both returned
about noon, with rice and other stores, and were going to
make a second trip, but put back on seeing a number of
canoes approach the harbour, and information was given that
the king was coming.
Several canoes soon after appeared at the entrance of the
harbour, and lay to for the king, who was giving orders to
another squadron of them. His canoe then advanced between
four others, the rowers of which splashed the water about with
their paddles, and flourished them over their heads in a very
dexterous manner ; and, as the king passed, the first canoes
that had lain to closed his train, and followed him into the
cove, sounding conch shells. Captain Wilson entering the ca¬
noe, by hU desire, embraced him, informing him, by means of
his interpreters, of his condition, and begging his permission (p
build a vessel. After a short pause, and speaking with a chief
in a canoe next to him, who proved his chief minister, the king
replied that he was welcome to build either here or at his
own island ; saying, that this one was thought unhealthy, and
he feared that the people might prove sickly if they staid on it.
Captain Wilson expressed his acknowledgements ; but inti¬
mated that he would rather remain here, being nearer the
wreck ; and, as he had a person with him very skilful in cur¬
ing sickness, he was not apprehensive for his people. The
ANTELOPE PACKET.
217
Icing seemed pleased and satisfied with this answer, and, step¬
ping into the water, waded ashore. Captain Wilson then
presented him with a scarlet coat.
The king was perfectly naked ; he wore no hone on his
wrist, nor any mark of distinction, but carried a hatchet on
his shoulder, made of iron, while those of the others were of
shell. On landing, he looked around him with the same
kind of caution as his brothers and the rest had done on their
first visit. About three hundred persons were in his train.
He sat down on a sail spread for him, and was presented with
cloth, and also ribbands, to distribute among his attendants.
These were of various colours, and he immediately gave them
away. While the strangers were rolling up the ribbands, the
ship's company observed that every chief fixed his attention
on some particular person. They were much alarmed by this,
apprehending that the individual whom each chief so noticed
was singled out as his prisoner ; but they soon found that it
was quite the reverse, and that he was to be the chiefs par¬
ticular friend or guest. The Captain then introduced his oifi-
cers to the king ; and when the surgeon, Mr. Sharp, was point¬
ed out as the person skilful in curing diseases, he appeared
wonderfully surprised, and kept his eyes fixed on him. The
king inquiring for Captain Wilson's mark of rank or dignity as
chief, he was at loss how to answer ; but, recollecting that a.
ring was an ornamental mark of distinction, he got one from
Mr. Uenger, the chief mate, and put it on.
Raa Kook had been attempting to describe the fire-arms,
whereon the king expressed a desire to see the men exercise ;
accordingly every man was ordered under arms, and drawn up
on the beach ; and, without loss of time, marched along the
shore before him, and fired three volleys. The natives testi¬
fied extraordinary surprise, hooting, hallooing, chattering, and
leaping. Fortunately all the powder in the ship had been
saved ; therefore, though at the expense of some ammunition,
they could impress the natives with an idea of their power.
A live fowl was next shot at, and its wing and leg being broken
created a vast murmur of wonder that this should happen
without seeing any thing come out of the gun.
Raa Kook carried his brother to a grindstone, and the king
remained fixed in astonishment at the rapidity of its motion.
He and the rest were quite bewildered whence the sparks
could come while sharpening iron, and how a stone so well
"'etted became so soon dry. Raa Kook, who had been exer-
cismg himself with it durijig his short residence here, eagerly
turned the handle to let his brother see how well he understood
about it. The kitchen utensils excited much amazement,
though few in number ; the poker, tongs, and kettle, were
V
218
WRECK OF THE
all novelties ; and the commander-in-chief of the forces began
to blow the fire with the bellows, to shew the king what an
adept he was.
The king, afterwards returning to his seat, told Captain
"Wilson that he was going to sleep on the other side of the is¬
land ; and presently a loud cry was given by one of his officers
who wore a thin narrow bone on his wrist. Thb threw our
people into some alarm, but the purport of it immediately ap¬
peared, for all the king's attendants, though dispersed, and
looking at every thing that attracted their attention, instant¬
aneously darted into their canoes. No word of command was
ever obeyed with greater promptitude.
Next day, after considerable difficulty and hesitation on the
part of the king, he explained that he was going in a few days
to wage war with an island which had done him an injury,
and requested Captain Wilson to permit four or five of his
men to accompany him with muskets. The Captain instantly
replied, " That the English were as his own people, and the
enemies of the king were their enemies." Accordingly the
third mate, and four others, as also Rose the interpreter, went
to Pelew, the chiefs taking each in a boat. The expedition
ended successfully, and much gratitude was shewn for the
assistance so readUy afforded. '
The people were now employed on their intended vessel,
and had got a piece of wood for a stem, and also one for a
stem post ; these were squared, as also some of the floor-
timbers, and the ways were laid. Mr. Barker, the second mate
having, in the earliei part of his life, been conversant in a dock¬
yard, assisted the Captain and carpenters in designing tlie
vessel, which they determined should be a schooner, as easier
worked. When a merchant ship is wrecked, it must be under¬
stood that all authority immediately ceases, the command of
the master is at an end, and every one is at liberty to shift for
himself. In this case, the ship's company, considering the ne¬
cessity which there was for some one to be their superior,
imanimously requested Captain Wilson to fill that capacity,-
and they would implicitly obey his orders. He accepted with
great joy the flattering distinction which their generosity of¬
fered him ; but expressed his wish that if it should prove ne¬
cessary to pass any censure or punishment on any individual
that so disagreeable an office might not rest with him. but be
determined by the majority of voices. This was assented to.
The Antelope being fixed to a coral reef, by a rock through
her bottom, the people entertained «sanguine hopes of being
able to save many important and useful materials from her,
and they now dug up their tools, which on the king's arrival
they had considered it prudent to secrete. Each was appointed
ANTKLOl'K PACKKT.
219
to his particular post, and all went to work with the utmost
alacrity. Captain Wilson desired that Mr. Barker might be
looked on as chief director, from whom instructions should be
received ; Mr. Sharp, the surgeon, and Mr. Matthias Wilson,
were appointed to saw down trees, in which the Captain him¬
self often assisted also. The boatswain, who had formerly
served part of an apprenticeship to a blacksmith, now resumed
his old vocation, aided by a mate ; the gunner's occupation
consisted in seeing all the arms kept in order, and occasionally
assisting tlie carpenter's crew. The ' Chinese were employed
as labourers, to bring the trees, when felled, out of the wood,
and to provide water for present use and sea-store.
Notwithstanding this distribution, individuals were changed
as circumstances required ; many had been hurt with wounds
and bruises in getting the things out of the ship when she
struck, and afterwards ; whence the surgeon was often taken
from sawing trees to administer relief to the sufferers.
It was judged expedient to erect a barricade in front of the
tents, towards the sea, which was done by driving a double
row of strong posts, interlaced with the branches of trees, into
the ground, to form a thick fence. The space between the
two rows of posts was filled with logs of wood, stones, and
sand, to render it as solid as possible. On the inside, a foot-
bank was raised, on which the people could stand and fire, in
case of being attacked, with an opening left for one of the six-
pounders, which they intended to bring from the wreck by the
first opportunity. Two large swivels were also mounted on
two stumps of trees, in such a manner that they could be
pointed in every direction.
The boats visited the wreck early on the 19th, and returned,
bringing two hawsers and some boards. One of the natives,
having stolen a small hatchet from a boat, was carrying it off
to his canoe, when a musket loaded with powder was fired to
frighten him, and another of the natives, left by the king,
made him restore it.
Next day, the boats returned to the wreck, and got the
lesser shroud-hawser, some planks, copper, and stores, and
also some junk for oakum. Half a leaguer of arrack, which
had been covered by stores, was discovered and brought on
shore to the Captain, to be used at his discretion. He pro¬
posed that it should be kept, and that each person should have
a pint of grog every evening after work, until the whole was
expended. This was universally approved of, and the cask
immediately secured in the tent.
All hands continued busy in the dock-yard ; at ten o'clock
on Friday the 22nd, they had got the keel laid on the blocks,
and the stern and stern-post bolted The boats brought a good
U 2
2-20
VRIXK OF THK
deal more plank, two casks of beef, besides some empty water-
casks, of wliich the people Avere obliged to secure enough for
their future voyage, as the natives had destroyed several for
the sake of their iron hoops. The gunner got the six-pounder
mounted on a carriage, and made fit for service. It was
planted in the opening of the barricade prepared for it, so as
to command the entrance to the cove.
Murmuring arose among those stationed at the carpenter's
work, as the heat of the weather, and their new employment,
had severely blistered their hands ; but the timely represent¬
ations of Captain Wilson speedily restored harmony, and a
double allowance of grog was served out at night. It was
proposed to call the new vessel the Relief.
On the 25th, four canoes from islands to the southward,
which were understood to be at war with the king of Pelew,
came ashore. They were full of men, who landed Avith great
marks of timidity and caution ; a chief was among them, but,
the interpreter being absent on the expedition, it could not be
ascertained who they Avere. Captain Wilson conducted them
round the cove, and sheAved them the works which Avere be¬
gun ; and, after remaining little more than a hour on shore,
they departed, Avith many acknowledgments for the civility
they had met with. None either pilfered or asked for any thing.
The men who had gone on the expedition returned with an
account of its success ; it had consisted of a hundred canoes,
with above a thousand men, and had been directed against
the Island of Artingall, the people of which, at a festival, had
killed the king's brother, and tAvo of his chiefs, for which they
refused to make any satisfaction.
Raa Kook, the king's brother, informed Captain Wilson
that the king had given him the island on which he then Avas,
which was called Oroolong ; whence the Captain hoisted the
British pendant, and fired three volleys of small-arms, in token
of his taking possession of it. The king had also sent an invi¬
tation for him to come to Pelew, Avhich he then declined, from
the nature of the occupations he was obliged to carry on ; but
he despatched the first mate, and others, to congratulate him
on his victory.
In the end of the month the Captain went to Pelew, where
he was hospitably entertained. The king came doAvn to the
beach, without any state, to receive him, and conducted him
to the town of Pelew, about a quarter of a mile from the shore.
There the people were led into a large square pavement, sur-
roimded by several houses ; they entered one, from which a
number of women issued forth. These were the wives of the
chiefs Avho had assembled to see the English; they Avore
rather fairer than the rest of the Avomen, and had a feAv little
ANTELOPE PACKET.
221
ornaments about them. Their faces, and part of the body,
were rubbed over with turmeric. The women then returned
into the house, and received them with much joy ; they were
all presented with sweet drink, and cocoa-nuts, and sat down to
partake of these provisions. The ladies also seated themselves,
and, taking a parcel of leaves, began making mats, an employ¬
ment in which they pass great part of their time. The king
informed his guests that this house was to be their abode vrhile
they remained here, after which he rose up and withdrew,
apologizing to Captain Wilson that he was going to bathe. A
message soon came from the queen, requesting to see the
English from her dwelling, whither they attended the general
to a grove of cocoa-nut trees. There they came to a sequestered
habitation, before which was a rail, with some tame pigeons
on it, tied by the leg. This bird is held in such estimation
that none except the chiefs and their families are allowed to
eat it. As soon as they approached, the queen opened her
window, and spoke to Raa Kook to desire the strangers to sit
down on the pavement before the house, which being done, a
number of attendants brought out refreshments. She took
great notice of them, and wished some of them to come close
to the window and draw up their coat-sleeves, that she might
see the colour of their skin. Having viewed them attentively,
and asked such questions as she thought she could do with
propriety, she signified that she would not trespass longer on
their time by detaining them ; so they rose and took leave
of her.
They visited some of the other chiefs ; and Raa Kook's
wife brought them a broiled pigeon, of which they partook, out
of compliment for the honour done them. Engaged with the
sight of his children, and the pleasing domestic scenes ex¬
hibited here, night crept fast upon them, and, it being quite
dark, they requested leave to retire.
A great council of chiefs, each seated on a single stone, and
the king on one more elevated than the rest, was next held ;
and after their deliberations, the king, with the interpreter,
came to the house where the English were, and requested
Captain Wilson to allow ten of his men again to go against
the same enemy as before. Captain Wilson replied as he had
already done, that the English were his friends, and would
regard his enemies as their own ; which answer greatly pleased
the king, Several canoes had returned from another expe¬
dition, and they were entertained with a dance of the victori¬
ous warriors. During it two large tubs of sweet liquor were
brought in, and first served out to the English and principal
people present, and then carried to the warriors.
Bad weather preventing Captain Wilson from leaving Pelew,
U a
252
WRECK OF THE
he accompanied tlie king to Iiis buat-buiidcrs, where he gave
directions, and took down to the place a design of his own
för ornamenting some canoes then building. This design to
work after was marked on a board with great accuracy, in
different colours. Here the English dined with the king on
pigeons.
On the evening of the 4th of September, Captain Wilson
reached Oroolong, where he found the greatest harmony sub¬
sisting among his people, and that they had been assiduously
advancing with the vessel ; the boats were sent to the wreck
at day-light of the sixth, to see what other materials could be
procured. In the evening, they returned with planks, nails,
and many necessary articles of essential service, particularly
coals.
A list was made out of the number of the men who were to
go on this second expedition, when every individual, as on the
former occasion, expressed his desire to be oí the party. After
they had settled this matter among themselves, their names
were written down and stuck on a tree in the dock, and they
were directed to hold themselves in readiness for the king.
Fine weather prevailing, all hands were employed in felling
timber, and in getting the frames of the vessel forward. Fotir
canoes arrived in the harbour, and gave some fish to the
people, who, in return, made them a present of iron. In the
evening, it being Sunday, the Captain, when their toil was
over, read prayers.
He went in the jolly-boat, to sound and examine the reef,
himself, in the morning ; and found a passage, due-west from
the island, with three fathom water at low-tide. Between the
island and the reef, there was a flat sand-bank, on which there
were only seven feet at low water ; it was clear sand, except
a few coral spots, which were easily discovered by the colour
of the water.
The king paid Oroolong a visit in the afternoon, accompanied
by his two brothers and his chief minister, and brought some
fine fish as a present. They were different from any hitherto
seen, being above three feet long, nearly one across, and
having a thick bony head ; the bone so uncommonly hard as
to strike fire with an axe. The scales were round,'and near¬
ly the size of a gpanish dollar.
The king was perfectly amazed at the progress and magni¬
tude of the vessel ; he minutely examined every part with the
most pager attention, and impatiently called to his Tachallys,
or artificers, to notice what had so much excited his own as¬
tonishment. The tachallys were seized witli surprise equal to
that of their prince, and after deliberately poring over every
part, pointed out to him the very singular manner in which
ANTELOPE PACKET.
the parts were wedged and bolted together. They were quite
lost in wonder at the use and power of the iron work ; and
the whole together seemed to have engaged their minds as
somewhat, beyond their comprehension. Most of the frame¬
work having been made of the trees growing on the island, the
king specified a kind of wood, which he was concerned at see¬
ing used in the vessel, as he deemed it unlucky wood, and ap¬
prehended that it might expose the mariners to some accident,
earnestly pressing them to take it out. The people intimated
their sense of hw regard for them, but informed him that
experience had taught them nothing was to be apprehended
on that score.
The noise of the forge attracted his attention. The boat¬
swain, at that instant, happened to be beating out a piece of
hot iron on a pig of the same metal, serving for an anvil. This
was a circumstance so entirely new and interesting that he
and the whole natives stood absorbed in admiration. They
could not be persuaded to keep at a distance, nor be deterred
from catching in their hands the luminous particles flying from
the stroke of the hammer. The operations of the cooper,
sawing timber, and the rest, appeared equally marvellous.
The king wished much to get one of the swivels on the ex¬
pedition, as their use had been previously explained to him ;
hftwifver, the Captain endeavoured to make him comprehend
that this was impossible, as they had no boats constructed in
a proper manner to receive it. He then requested that the
six-pounder might be fired ; and, if the natives were surprised
at the discharge of a musquet, their astonishment at its report
may be supposed. It seemed to stvm them all, for every one
kept his fingers a quarter of an hour in his ears, calling out,
"Very bad, very bad." The noise was evidently too loud
for their organs ; their hooting and shouting on the explosion
can hardly be described, and this was increased by the wad¬
ding accidentally setting fire to the dry leaves of a tree which
projected across the cove. The natives, after renewing their
solicitations for the swivel, against giving which the same
reasons were used as formerly, departed for Pelew.
All the loose or unpacked beef being consumed, the stores
were exanftned, and an account taken of them ; and the cap¬
tain, after considering the length of time he qûght be obliged
to remain on the island, set apart as much of me soundest and
best as was deemed necessary for the voyage, which, on no
account, should be touched. It was discovered that some
hams had been cut the preceding night, whereon a reward of
a double allowance of grog was offered to make the offender
known, or to shew where any one was guilty of wasting pro¬
visions. No information, however, was obtained.
22í
WRECK OF THE
On Monday, (lie 13th of September, the party who had
gone on tlie expedition returned with intelligence of its suc¬
cess. A canoe, which brought Mr. Matthias Wilson and John
Duncan, a seaman, had overset from a squall, so sudden that
they could not get down the sail. Four natives were along
with them, two of whom, as the canoe was going over, secured
the two musquets belonging to their friends with one hand, and
buoyed them up with the other, while the remaining two
made a small raft with whatever bamboos, ropes, paddles, and
pieces of wood they could collect. During the time they
were floating the canoe righted itself. The other canoes in
company escaped, with difficulty, to the nearest shore ; but,
the instant they had landed, the English on board put off
again, and took up the two men, m ho could neither of them
swim. Both were almost exhausted, having been floating and
clinging to the raft for nearly two hours. Two bayonets and
a cartouch-box were lost by this accident, but happily no
lives. Captain Wilson instantly rewarded the men who had
saved them.
The victory obtained by the king was greater than the pre¬
ceding one ; great execution was done with the fire-arms,
which puzzled arid bewildered the enemy, who could not
comprehend how their people dropped without receiving any-
apparent blow. Though holes were seen in their bodies, they
could not devise by what means they were thus, in a moment,
deprived of motion and life. Six canoes were captttred, and
nine prisoners ; which was accounted a great number, as
enemies are seldom taken, because the vanquished always
endeavour to carry away their killed and wounded, that the
victors may not have their bodies to expose. Taking a canoe
is an object of equal consequence to what the capture of a
ship of war is in Europe. The battle lasted about three hour.s,
and all the nine prisoners were wounded. Notwithstanding
the earnest interposition of the English, the whole were put to
death. The natives of Pelew urged, in extenuation, that this
had not always been their custom, but was now a measure of
necessity. However, on another occasion, when the king
again desired assistance against his enemies, it was signified
that he must not expect it unless such an inhuqj^n practice
were discontinued, as the custom of the English was never to
injure those who were in their power. Information was also
brought that the king intended visiting 'Oroolong in four or
five days.
The pinnace being next morning sent to the wreck to see
what additional materials could be procured, returned in the
afternoon with some good plank, and a quantity of spike-nails,
things of the utmost service in constructing a vessel ; and a
second trip was equally successfuL
ANTELOPE PACKET.
2-25
The 15lh of September proving bad, after a stormy night,
little could be done until afternoon, when, the weather* clear¬
ing, every hand was employed about the vessel ; ind the
pinnace being sent round the island next day for the wood that
had bjeen cut, almost enough was obtained, as the frame' of
the vessel was nearly completed. A furnace was constructed
to heat the plank, and on the 20th the whole people were em-
ployed in dubbing the timbers, and getting the first plank on
the schooner's bottom. On Sunday three planks more were
got on, and the boats brought fifteen bags of rice from the
wreck, which proved most acceptable, the people being at this
time on short allowance, though undergoing very hard labour.
The rice was greatly damaged by having been long under
water ; it .Would not boil to a grain, but to a jelly. It was a
great consolation that the Antelope still stuck together, as so
many useful articles were recovered from her.
On the 22d the pinnace got sixteen bags more of rice from
the wreck ; and, as a quantity of ,nails and some sheets of
copper were saved, it was at one time in contemplation to
sheath the bottom of the sihooner. This-.plan, however, was
soon abandoned, for there proved a deficiency of copper nails
necessary for the purpose, though she was hot above one-sixth
of the size of the Antelope.
The jolly-boat was now sent to fish, but without success. It
was singular that this should always be the case, whether be¬
cause the people were ignorant of the proper places where
they should resort to, or whether they did not know the
proper bait.
On the 30th the vessei was so far advanced that the people,
having planked her up as high as the bends, began to trench
under her bottom in order to plank to the keel. But an acci¬
dent happened that had like to have been destructive of all
their labours. In the beginning of the night, the tide, rising
higher than usual, broke into the trench, and had nearly
washed away the blocks from under the vessel. This was
fortunately discovered in time, and all hands instantly went
to work with the utmost expedition, to fill up the trench and
secure the vessel from falling oS the stocks, which employed
them till near morning. They then discovered that the dan¬
ger had been infinitely greater than what they supposed ; for,
some of the blocks being displaced by the sea, they were
obliged to get wedges to set up the vessel in order to replace
them. This was a work of the greater labour, from three of
their best workmen then being ill. A bank to keep out the
tide was formed, by laying the pinnace aground directly before
the vessel ; two holes were bored in her bottom, and she was
filled with stones to sink her. About a foot farther off a dry
026
WllKCK OF THK
wall of large stones was raised, and carried round each side of
the vessel beyond high-water mark, lined in the inside with
branches and twigs, which were fastened with stakes to keep
them from being washed away. Sand was then thrown in
so as to make a bank of the whole together of four or five feet
thick, which effectually answered the purpose for which it
was intended.
In the meantime, the king, elated with the success of his
expeditions, planned another of stUl greater magnitude, in
which fully three hundred canoes were employed, and all the
neighbouring chiefs summoned to attend it. He had sent a
mission to Captain Wilson, requesting fifteen men to accom¬
pany him, with one of the swivels ; and the captain, after duly
deliberating the matter, thought it prudent to allow ten men
to go, and the swivel. This attack, which was on the island
of Artingall, as before, proved much more destructive to the
enemy ; but it was also with greater loss, thirty or forty of the
king's people having been wounded ; and several died after
their return to Pelew. The action lasted six hours, and was
fought with great resolution on both sides. One of the king's
brothers, Arra Kooker, would have been killed, had not an
Englishman rescued him.
On the former occasion Raa Kook's son was wounded with
a spear in the foot, which the natives had contrived themselves
to extract. Mr. Sharp, the surgeon, at this time went to Pelew
to visit him, and carried his surgical instruments, lest they
might be required. The young man being very brave, and
finding, though he could not walk, that he could stand up in
his canoe and throw a spear, insisted on going on the late ex¬
pedition, when, early in the engagement, on his eagerly en¬
deavouring to approach the shore, he received a dart in his
body, and instantly fell. This Mr. Sharp found to be the case
on his arrival. Raa Kook carried him to a neighbouring
island ; there, after a repast, which was eaten in the most pro¬
found silence, the lamentations of women was heard at some
distance, and Mr. Sharp, going to see the occasion of it, on
a sign from his conductor, observed a great number of them
following a dead body on a bier, tied up in a mat, and sup¬
ported on the shoulders of four men, who were the only ones
present. The body was then deposited in a grave, without
any ceremony, except that the lamentations of the women con¬
tinued. Raa Kook, it is remarkable, never gave the smallest
hint or indication that this was the funeral of his son.
The surprise and pleasure of the king, on examining the in¬
struments, were very great ; and, there being some stranger
chiefs residing with him on account of his late success, he
begged that they might also be gratified with a sight of them.
ANTELOPE PACKET.
227
An explanation of the different uses to which they could be
put excited much amazement.
On Wednesday the 15th of October, the cook having been
guilty of great negligence, frequently spoiling the rice pre¬
pared for the men, and being suspected, in concert with one
of the Chinese, of secretly appropriating a part of the very
small allowance of meat given to boil along with it, was order¬
ed to be punished. This sentence was passed by the voice of
the majority, as previously determined, and it was inflicted
by stripping the man to the waist, and tying his hands to a
tree to keep him extended, when another, with a thin flat
piece of wood, imposed a number of blows. His assistant was
punished in like manner, and also a Chinese for wounding one
of his countrymen in the head with a stone. Raa Kock ap¬
peared concerned on seeing these fellows tied up, and applied
to Captain Wilson, begging them off. But the safety of his
little community absolutely requiring regularity and obedience,
it was explained to the general that his request could not
possibly be complied with. He stood by, however, during the
infliction of the punishment, and, finding that it was not of a
serious nature, seemed convinced that the Antelope's people
were right; and when the Chinese came to receive the same
discipline, the lamentable cry they set up rather amused him
from their pusillanimity.
Three canoes arrived at the watering-place the same after¬
noon. In one of them was a woman, the first who had ap¬
peared at Oroolong ; they came round to the harbour, and the
woman landed alone. After viewing the vessel, she went to
the cook's habitation, an¿ thence back to the vessel, which
she examined again for a few minutes, and then returned to
her canoe. She appeared to step about very cautiously ; and
who she was could never be known, Raa Kook being absent
at the wreck. Next day a canoe arrived from Pelew, to
notify to the general that ofiers of peace had been brought
by the chief minister of Artingall ; and a treaty was soon con¬
cluded. The king also arrived on the 17th, attended by nine
canoes. His youngest daughter, a girl about nine years old,
of whom he was immoderately fond, accompanied him, and
eight or nine women, who, except the one just mentioned,
were the first who had visited the island. Raa Kook con¬
ducted them about the cove, and they all testified the same
degree of surprise at the sight of the works that had been ex¬
cited in the other natives. One appeared particularly strik¬
ing ; she was superior in elegance and beauty, and had also
a more graceful mien than any female who had been seen at
Pelew. She was very young, and the general said she was
one of tire king's wives called Ludee. After having amused
228
WRECK OF THE
themselves with seeing every thing, a piece of canvas was
spread in the cove for tlie king, the general Eaa Kock, and the
ladies. The captain then entertained them with ñsh and boil¬
ed rice, mixed with molasses to sweeten it, which, never having
tasted before, they seemed to relish very much.
Three of the Artingall people now came to Oroolong with
the king ; and when they were pointed out to Captain Wilson
he gave them an invitation to breakfast, and Raa Kook came
along with them. They were shewn the different works, at
which they were much astonished, and particularly with the
swivel and six-pounder. On seeing the small arms, they ex¬
pressed, by forcible gestures, that these were the instruments
that had killed so many of their countrymen at Artingall.
They did not entertain the least animosity, but behaved with
great cordiality, to the English.
A flying squirrel having settled on a tree near them. Captain
Wilson's servant, who had his gun loaded, shot it. The Ar¬
tingall people, seeing the animal drop from the top of a lofty
tree, without any thing apparently passing to it, ran to take it
up ; when, perceiving the holes of the shot, they remarked that
such of their countrymen as had lost their lives in the late
battles fell down with holes in their bodies just like this
animal,, and died.'
The king asked the captain if the English would go once
more and fight for him ; to which he replied they readily would.
He appeared extremely anxious that he would not leave the
country without previously acquainting him, saying he would
send two men with them to England, and promised to give
them colours to paint the vessel, which he afterwards did.
On Thursday the 23rd of October, the caulkers finished
caulking the bottom of the vessel ; planking the top of the
sides was also completed, and water in the evening handed in¬
to her to try for lesdcs. Steps for the masts were fixed, in the
next place, and her bottom breamed. The trench under her
was filled up, and the dam broken down, which was a work of
some labour, for the bank had become as firm and solid as
if formed by nature. The pinnace was also cleared, and
floated.
The night of the 28th was overcast, and it rained ; before
morning the rain became very heavy, accompanied by strong
gales and squalls, which carried away all the awnings laid over
the vessel, though the dock-yard was in a manner sheltered
by the hills. Next day was also stormy, with hard squalls,
thunder, lightning, and rain. The night proved still worse ;
the people apprehended that their tents would be blown down,
and the vessel shook off the blocks f- and ihey were not a little
uneasy for the safety of their countrymen, now absent on
ANTELOPE PACKET.
229
another expedition. But the following morning brought them
intelligence of their safety ; and that the king's enemies had,
on this occasion, laid down their spears without resistance.
Mr. Sharp, and several of the people, went to congratulate
the king on the peace ; they then learned, for the first time,
that the island where he resided, which was about seven
leagues from Oroolong, was called Coorooraa, though the town
was called Pelew. They found great festivity prevailing, with
feasting and singing ; the English seemed to be the subject
of the s'ongs. The king of Pelelew, the island that had sub¬
mitted, was present ; a man far advanced in years, of a rough
manner and appearance, tatooed up to the navel.
The new vessel now being in a great state of. forwardness,
and the time of departure drawing near. Captain Wilson ex¬
pressed to his officers and people a desire of exploring the
islands whereon they had been thus providentially cast. Ten
or twelve days would suffice for doing it, and they had a
sufficient quantity of provisions to authorise the attempt. He
was the more induced to this from the uncertainty of obtaining
any positive accounts of their number, extent, and situation,
whence it would be a great satisfaction, both to themselves and
their employers, to have a general account of the islands, on
which no European had ever before landed. tThe people lis¬
tened to him with much attention ; but the "mear prospect of
deliverance from a place which every one haá so- short time
ago considered like a prison ; and the doubt of what difficul¬
ties or hostilities they might be exposed to in the survey, added
to the natural inclination of all to take the present opportunity
of returning to their own country, opposed the captain's desire
of inquiry. Unfortunately also, Mr. Sharp brought intelligence
of the king's design to visit them in four or five days, whicli
awakened suspicions of his intentions that were dispelled only
after the most sober reflections.
On Monday the third of November; the weather being fair
and settled, with fresh gales from the north-east, the carpenters
were employed in making the rudder, and the quaner-master
in forming the masts out of some small spars saved from the
wreck. Some were busied in caulking the deck, and others
in painting the sides, which, in addition to the coat the vessel
was to receive from the king's people, would sufficiently keep
out the weather. A consultation was held about the mode of
launching her, when it was agreed to be done by ways, and
not by rollers, as had been once intended.
On Tuesday morning, many hands went to work in cutting
down trees to make blocks and launching-ways. But the
distrust of the people continued ; they conceived that the
natives intended to prevent their departure. They therefore
230
WKECK OF THE
kept a quarter watch at dark, loaded the swivels and six-
pounder with grape-shot, and kept a good look-out to prevent
surprise. Captain Wilson in vain attempted to dispel their
apprehensions ; he recalled to their remembrance the genero¬
sity of the king, and all his people, ever since they were thrown
on these territories; that his behaviour towards them had
always been humane, unreserved and unsuspicious ; and that
there had never been the smallest cause for mistrusting his
sincerity. However, only two or three united in the captain's
sentiments, and, after a long consultation, it was concluded
that all should he strictly on their guard ; but, at the same
time, carefully avoiding appearance of suspicion, unless they
might he driven to necessity. In that case, they had to single out
the chiefs ; and' it is not to be denied that the first and marked
objects of vengeance were to he the humane and liberal king,
the manly and benevolent general, and the facetious and inof¬
fensive Arra Kooker. But this sudden apprehension was dis¬
sipated, and the wonted good-will of the people towards the
natives returned with the cool reflections of a night.
One of the seamen, Madan Blanchard, at this time, informed
Captain Wilson that he was resolved to remain at Pelew, with
the natives, if thq, king would permit him. The captain en¬
deavoured to divert him from this strange resolution, repre¬
senting the disadvantages he would labour under when his
friends and companions were gone ; particularly as he was
unacquainted wi any mechanical employment, whereby he
might render himself of use and consequence. Finding that
he could not be dissuaded from his purpose, the captain de¬
termined to make a merit in leaving him with the king.
Therefore the first opportvmity he told the king that, in return
for the hospitable kindness which both he and his subjects had
shewn them, he would leave one of his people with him to take
care of the guns, and other things, which they intended to give
him on g'oing away. This testimony of confidence and esteem
was well received by the king ; he promised to ihake him a
chief, and to give him two wives, together with a house and
plantations ; assuring the captain that he should do every thing
to make him happy and contented, and that he should always
be with himself or Raa Kook.
Blanchard was aman of about twenty, rather of a grave dis¬
position, good-tempered and inoffensive. Unluckily he had
got no education, and could neither write nor read ; otherwise
he might have made some interesting remarks. On the de¬
parture of his countrymen, he wished them a prosperous voy¬
age, and took leave of all his old shipmates with perfect ease
and indifference. This man turned out differently from what
was expected, and lost all estimation of the king and natives.
ANTELOPE PACKET.
Í231
He left off clothing, though Captain Wilson particularly
recommended the reverse, and wandered from place to place.
About seven years afterwards he was killed in a bloody battle
between the king and a neighbouring island.
Meantime the king was desirous to know when the vessel
would be launched, and oh being told, he came from an island
called Pethoull, where some of the English had also gone. Mr.
Sharp and Mr. M. Wilson invited the general to come into
the pinnace, which he accepted, and ordered his canoes to
attend the king. When two or three miles from laud, it be¬
gan to blow fresh, and the canoes were obliged to run in shore
for shelter. Raa Kook, delighted to see the pinnace sail so
well, and feel so little effect from the weather, requested his
two friends to go on shore and ask the king on board. He,
his daughter, and chief minister, immediately came into the
pinnace. The wind still freshening, they rapidly advanced,
the boat rolling much in going before the wind and sea. The
king and his company expressed great satisfaction that they
sat so dry and comfortable, compared with what they could
have done in a canoe, which is only fit for smooth water ;
besides, the natives of that country have a strong dislike at
being wet, especially by rain. The English, observing the
king so well pleased with the pinnace, informed him that the
captain meant to make him a present of it when he went a-
way. On this he desired his brother to pay particular atten¬
tion to the manner in which the sails were managed.
The vessel was lowered off the blocks, down upon the ways ;
but being too much over on one side, she was righted by
means of a tackle. The king told the captain that he wished
her to be called by some Pelelew name, supposing her called
by an English one, and desired that the name might be
changed to Oroolong, in remembrance of the place where
she had been built. The captain assured him this should
immediately be done, and sent for his officers and people,
whose satisfaction at the idea gave great pleasure to the king.
While the vessel was painting, her stern was particularly
decorated by Raa Kook, under tlie direction of the king, but
whether there was any real design in the ornaments he used
could not be discovered. This finished, several baskets of
cocoa-nuts, in a state of vegetation, and other seeds, were
brought ; ànd the captain was informed that it was for the
purpose of being planted for the English. After being planted,
he was told there would be future fruit for them when they
returned, and should any inhabitants of the other islands
accidentally come on shore and eat the fruit, they would
thank the English for the refreshment.
In the evening, the people tried to launch the vessel, but.
03-2
WRECK or THE
to their great disappointment, they could not move her until
the tide began to fall. Thus every thing was allowed to re¬
main until the next tide, in hopes to discover the cause of
obstruction.
The night proving fine, all hands were employed in preparing
for the launch. They swept tlie vessel with a lower-shroud
hawser, carried out an anchor and hawser a-head, and got a
runner, and tackle purchase upon it. A post with wedges was
likewise set against the stern post, and every thing was made
ready before day-light. The tide ebbed extraordinarily low
during the night, lower than had ever taken place since their
arrival.
At day-light the people began to try their work, and ex¬
amine whether these plans would answer their wishes. The
vessel was got down about six feet, when they desisted until
high water, and sent over to the king, who, with all his at¬
tendants, came to be present at the launch. About seven
o'clock on Sunday, the ninth of November, they happily got
the vessel afloat, to the joy of every spectator, for all seemed
deeply interested in the event. The English gave three loud
huzzas at her going off, in which they were joined by the
natives ; and hearty congratulations were exchanged.
The vessel was immediately hauled into a dock that had
been dug for her, and safely moored, when all went to break¬
fast : the king and chiefs with the captain, and his attendants
with the people. Shears were next got up, and the masts
taken in, as also the water casks and,two six-pounders. The
vessel having stopped two or three times in the course of
launching, had caused some trouble, but more uneasiness. In
taking up the ways this was discovered to have been occasion¬
ed by a nail in the bottom not being driven home. When the
flood-tide came in the afternoon, the vessel was hauled into a
place called the bason, where there were four or five fathom
water, and which was large enough to contain three others
of the same magnitude ; and all could be afloat at low water.
In the night the captain got on board the provisions, stores,
ammunition, and arms, except what was intended as a present
to the king ; and Monday morning was employed in getting
on board anchors, cables, and other necessaries, as also mak¬
ing bitts, and fitting a rail across the stern of the vessel.
The king sent a message to Captain Wilson in the morning,
desiring him to come to the watering-place. On his arrival
he acquainted him that it was his intention to invest him with
the order of the bone, and formally make him a Rupach, or
chief of the highest rank. The Captain expressed his sense
of the king's favour ; and he was then desired to sit down at
a little distance from the king and his chiefs. Raa Kook hav-
ANTELOPE PACKET.
2.3.3
ing received the bone from the king, anointed the captain's
hand with oil, and endeavoured to get it drawn through the
bone, squeezing it into as small compass as possible. Other
chiefs assisted at the ceremony, during which the most pro¬
found silence was preserved, both by them and by all the
people present. The operation was difficult, from the small-
ness of the bone, and the king also suggested in what manner
it might be facilitated. Being at last accomplished, and the
captain's hand fairly passed through, the whole assembly
expressed great joy. The king, addressing him, said the
bone should be rubbed bright every day, and preserved as a
testimony of the rank he held among them, that this mark of
dignity must on every occasion be defended valiantly, nor
suffered to be torn from his arm, but with the loss of life.
The ceremony ended, all the Rupacks congratulated Captain
Wilson on being admitted one of their order, and the inferior
natives flocked round to look at the bone, appearing highly
pleased to see his arm adorned by it, and calling him Englees-
Rupack.
In the evening the tents were all cleared, and every thing
carried on board from the old habitations in the cove. As the
people were much troubled by the natives coming on board,
and wishing to look at the vessel and admire her, Raa Kook
mentioned it to the king, who immediately gave orders that
none but the chiefs should go, and that the others should only
paddle along-side, and look at her from their canoes. When
all the officers were on board, and the sails bent, she was
carried to the west side of the island and moored in six fathom
water, abreast of the well which supplied fresh water.
The king now reverting to what had formerly fallen from
him, expressed his determination to send his second son, Lee
Boo, to England, under the protection of Captain Wilson ; he
described him as a young man of a gentle and amiable dis¬
position ; sensible, and of a mild temper, and said that he had
sent for him from another place, where he was under the care
of an old man ; that he was then at Pelew taking leave of his
friends, and would be at Oroolong next morning. Captain
Wilson answered this singular mark of the king's confidence in
a way that gave him great satisfaction. It appeared that Raa
Kook had made a request of a similar nature, which had been
refused by his brother, and he felt particularly disappointed
by it. The king assigned as his objection that Raa Kook
was next heir to the crown, for the succession there passed to
brothers before descending to sons, and the inconvenience that
might arise, if he himself died during his brother's absence.
Another of the natives, a nephew of the king, appliet^ to the
captain to carry him to England. The king, however, when
X 3
234
WRECK OF THE
t!ie captain mentioned it, said that his nephew was a bad man,
and neglected his family, and that nothing would affect or
alter his disposition.
Raa Kook obtained from Mr. Barker, the second mate, a
plan for building a vessel, as he was very desirous of being
able to construct one after the English fashion. Mr. Barker
recommended the jolly-boat as a model, rather than the pin¬
nace, she being broader, and not so deep.
Before quitting the cove, the people hoisted an English
pendant on a large tree growing close to the place where their
tents had stood. They also afBxed to another tree, near the
place where they had built their little vessel, a plate of copper,
bearing the following inscription ; " The Honourable East
India Company's ship, the Antelope, Henry Wilson com¬
mander, was lost on a reef north of this island, in the night
between the ninth and tenth of August, who here built a
vessel, and sailed hence the 12th day of November, 1783."
The meaning of this inscription was explained to the king,
who made his people comprehend it. He promised that it
should never be taken down, and, if it should happen to fall
by accident, he would take care of it, and have it preserved
at Pelew.
The king's second son, Lee Boo, now arrived, and was in¬
troduced by his father to Captain Wilson, and all the officers
on shore. Every one was prepossessed with his ease and
affability, and the good humour and sensibility of his counte¬
nance. Before dark, the officers took leave of the king, and
went on board ; the captain remained behind, as the king
wished him to pass the night on shore.
On Wednesday the 12th, an English jack was hoisted at
the mast-head of the vessel at day-light, and one of the swivels
fired, as a signal for sailing. When the king understood the
purport of it, he ordered canoes immediately to take on board
yams, cocoa-nuts, sweetmeats, and other things that he had
provided for the voyage ; besides which, many canoes of the
natives, loaded with a profusion of provisions, lay alongside
of the Oroolong.
As soon as the vessel was loaded with every thing that could
be taken on board, and got ready for sea, the boat was sent on
shore for the captain. The king, informed of this, signified that
he and his son would presently come on board, in his canoe.
The captain got to the ship about eight o'clock, and the king,
with Lee Boo and his chiefs, followed very soon afterwards.
The vessel was so deeply laden with their sea-store that a
doubt arose whether she might be able to get over the reef, on
which account it was agreed to land two six-poundei^; that
had been taken, and to leave the jolly-boat behind. The people
ANTELOPE PACKET
235
had no materials for repairing her, and without this she could
not swim much longer. The king, hearing that the people
■were in want of a boat, instantly offered to supply them with
a canoe, and all alongside being too large to hoist in, he sent
his eldest son on shore, who soon returned with one of suitable
dimensions.
The Oroolong proceeded towards the reef, accompanied by
a multitude of canoes, the natives earnestly soliciting that their
gifts might be accepted. The pinnace preceded the vessel, tak¬
ing her in tow ; and several canoes went ahead, shewing the
safest track, while others, stationed by the king's command at
the reef, pointed out the deepest water for her passage over
it. Fortunately, by means of these precautions, the Oroolong
cleared the reef without difficulty.
The king went almost to the reef in the vessel, before mak¬
ing a signal for his canoe to come alongside ; he then gave his
son, Lee Boo, his blessing, *ishiiig him happiness and pros¬
perity, which he received with great respect. He shook all
the officers by the hand in the most cordial manner, next
embracing the captain, and, assuring the people of his affec¬
tionate wishes for their making a successful voyage, he went
over the side of the vessel to his canoe.
Kaa Kook remained very pensive, and suffered the vessel to
proceed a considerable way from the reef, before recollecting
himself and summoning his canoes to return. As this chief
had been the first and truly valuable friend of the English,
they presented him with a brace of pistols, and a cartouch-box
filled with cartridges ; and he then left them, much affected
by the separation. He had been of the most important use,
and had behaved with uncommon generosity during the whole
stay of the English in these islands.
At noon, the Island of Oroolong bore south-east by east,
four leagues distant. Tolerable weather, with light squalls,
rain, and variable winds, prevailed the first two days, and the
crew endeavoured to make more room in stowing their pro¬
visions and stores. In doing this, they discovered that a small
leak, which had sprung the preceding day, was under the end
of one of the floor timbers. They proposed to cut it away,
in order to come at the leak and stop it from within ; but, on
more mature consideration, this was thought too dangerous an
expedient, as it might occasion the starting of a plank, and
thence the sinking of the vessel.
In the night were strong squalls, attended with rain and
lightning ; and on the 25th the Bashee Islands were in sight,
when the ship bore away through a passage between the islands,
and at noon was in the Chinese Sea. On the 26th they saw
land, which proved the island of Formosa. On coming within
236
WRECK OF THE
sight of Macao, an English jack was hoisted at the mast-head,
which, being seen by the Portuguese ships at anchor, they im¬
mediately sent out their boats to meet the Oroolong, carrying
fruit and provisions, and also men to assist ; for they judged,
by the smallness of the vessel, that this was some English
ship's crew that had been wrecked.
Lee Boo was remarkably clean in his person during the
passage, washing himself several times a-day; and, on re¬
covering from a temporary indisposition, appeared easy and
contented. He was extremely astonished on seeing the large
Portuguese ships at anchor in the port of Macao, and equally
astonished at every thing else he saw on shore. He was lost
in silent admiration at the first house he entered. What
struck him most were the upright walls and flat ceilings, and
he seemed as if puzzled to comprehend how they could be
formed. The decorations of the rooms were, also, no small
object of astonishment. He received several little trinkets, as
presents, from some of the gentlemen there, who thought he
would be pleased from their novelty. Among these was a
siring of large beads, the sight of which threw him into perfect
extacy ; he hugged them with a transport+that the possessor
of pearls, as large, could hardly have felt; he ran with eager¬
ness to Captain Wilson to shew him his riches, and, in the ut¬
most agitation, that his family might have them, begged him
immediately to get him a Chinese vessel to carry his treasures
to Pelew and deliver them to the king, that he might distribute
them as he thought best, and thereby see what a country
the English had conveyed him to. He also told the captain
that if they faithfully executed their charge, independent of
what they might receive from his father, he would himself,
on their return, present them with one or two beads, as the
reward of their fidelity.
From Macao, Captain Wilson went to Canton, where the
Oroolong was sold for 700 Spanish dollars. There he had ad-
^ antageous offers of commanding country-ships, which he de¬
clined, thinking it his duty to embrace the earliest opportunity,
in person, to acquaint the East India Company with the fate
of the Antelope, and the peculiar circumstance^ attending it.
The officers and men then dispersed, whífe the captain
earnestly recommended that the whole should go to England,
where he had no doubt the Company would, in some measure,
recompense the hardships they had sustained. He, along
with Lee Boo, embarked in the Morse East Indiam'an, then
bound for England ; where they arrived in safety on the 14th
of July 1784.
This young prince, then only eighteen or nineteen years of
age, interested all who beheld mm ; his natural untutored oh-
ANTELOPE PACKET.
237
servations nearly represented what an amiable, though un¬
educated, mind, which has not been polished by artificial
means, may be. He was extremely ardent to acquire what¬
ever others could do, and to leant the use and meaning of all
that he saw ; but his sole bent and inclination seemed to be
that, on returning to Pelew, he might be able to point out
what was for the benefit for his coimtry. Notwithstanding
the utmost care to prevent it, he unfortunately caughtthe small¬
pox, of which distemper he died five months, or little more,
after his arrival in England. Captain Wilson behaved as a
father to him, and he was considered by the rest of his family
as one of themselves. The king of Pelew had testified strong
resolution in thus parting with his son, and confiding him to
strangers, whom shipwreck had so fortunately thrown on his
shores. He told Captain Wilson that he was aware of the
dangers and diseases to which he would be exposed, in visiting
foreign countries ; and, as death was inevitable by all men, that
he also might be cut off. But should that be the case, it
should not deter him, or any of his country, iirom visiting
Pelew, where he should always rejoice to see them.
After this narrative of the shipwreck of the Antelope packet,
and the fortunate preservation of a number of lives by the
humanity and benevolence of a people either altogether
unknown, or ranked among the savages which inhabit the
uncivilized parts of the globe, perhaps it may not be unin¬
teresting to devote a few additional lines to some more recent
transactions which have taken place with the natives of the
Pelew Islands.
The directors of the East India Company having resolved to
send out vessels to acquaint the king with the death of his son,
orders were sent to Bombay to equip two for that purpose.
Accordingly, the Panther and Endeavour sailed on the 24lh of
August 1790, having on board two officers who had been ship¬
wrecked along with Captain Wilson. During the month of
November the vessels were occupied in working up the south
coast of Java, where they experienced much bad weather. The
thunder and lightning were dreadful, many of the people on
deck being deprived of sight for several minutes after a flash.
On the first of January, 1791, a peal of thunder broke just over
the Panther; the lightning ran down the conductor in a
stream of fire, and the concussion was so violent, and the ship
shook, in such a manner, that Captain M'Cluer, who com¬
manded her, thought she had run a-ground.
The southernmost of the Pelew Islands was in sight on the
21st, and, on the 22d, the vessels came to an anchor within two
238
WRECK OF THE
miles of the shore. Several canoes were seen, but they did
not come near the ships, whence it was concluded they were
either hostile to the king, or going express to inform him of
the arrival of the English. In the evening a number of canoes
were observed rowing very fast, and one of them had a great
number of paddles. This was known to be the king's canoe.
He received the account of his son's death with fortitude, say¬
ing, he never entertained any doubt of the goodness of the
English, and Captain Wilson, who, he was sure, would cherish
him. He was greatly disappointed at not seeing the captain
but appeared satisfied that he was alive and well, and pro¬
moted to the command of a much larger vessel than the
Antelope. The two officers. Lieutenants Wedgeborough
and White, were immediately recognized by the natives, and
experienced the most affectionate reception from them.
Late in the preceding year the English learned that the
king had conquered the Island of Pelelew, when an obstinate
engagement ensued, in which Raa Kook, Arra Kooker, the
king's eldest son, and many old warriors, the friends of the
crew of the Antelope, had been killed.
Mr. Wedgeborough found the cove, where the Oroolong had
been built, now a perfect wUdemess, being quite overgrown
with underwood, except where the cocoa-nut trees stood, which
had been planted by Baa Kook. These were very flourishing,
though they had not yet produced any fruit. The inscription
affixed to a tree had been taken away by the natives of
Pelelew, and was one cause of the war that had just ter¬
minated.
A considerable quantity of live stock was landed for the
purpose of breeding on the Pelew islands, where the only qua¬
drupeds are rats, if the animal which we have supposed the fly¬
ing-squirrel be excepted. These, it was afterwards understood,
throve wonderfully well. The presents sent by the East India
Coitipany to the kmg were conveyed ashore under a detach¬
ment of Sepoys and officers in uniform ; and, after a repast,
the packages containing them were opened. The effect which
they had on the natives was wonderful ; they did not utter a
word, but only exclamations of astonishment. The part which
consisted of arms, the king immediately distributed to his
principal chiefs, recommending that they should be kept clean
and fit for service, when wanted. Grindstones, shovels, saws,
and the remaining packages of utensils, were next landed, and
presented to the king. When ffiese were opened, and the
different things exposed to view, and their uses explained to
him, he was himself as much surprised as his subjects. He
broke silence in about an hour, and, calling his chiefs and
principal people round him, made a long harangue, wherein
ANTELOPE PACKET.
2;30
tlie name of the English was frequently repeated. He then
distributed various articles with his own hands to several
persons, apparently with a regard to their rank.
The king was perfectly at a loss how to express his gratitude
to the English chiefs who had sent him these things. He
asked why they sent so many things, when they knew that he
had nothing to give in return ; he said, that his country, if he
could send it, would be inadequate to what was now before
him. At length, being made perfectly to understand that no
return was expected, and that these things were sent from En¬
gland in acknowledgment for his great humanity and kind¬
ness to the shipwrecked crew of the Antelope, he replied that
his services were very trifling, for their situation at a distance
at Oroolong prevented him from aiding them as he desired.
Captain M'Cluer having resolved to make a survey of the
Pelew Islands, one of the vessels, the Panther, was to proceed
to China, and the Endeavour, commanded by Captain John
Procter, to remain. By this means the natives were to be
instructed in the use of the tools and implements of hus¬
bandry that they had received.
Seeds of different sorts were sown on the 8th of February,
in the places already fitted to receive them, and a large piece
of ground was prepared for another plantation ; hut the bad¬
ness of the weather prevented the progress of the work from
being so quick as could have been wished.
The Panther, which had carried four of the natives to China,
three of whom survived, returned with them, more impressed
in favour of the English than the Chinese. A few days after
her arrival, the king solicited the captain's assistance against
his enemies of Artingall, to which he acceded. The long-boat
was therefore made ready, with a six-poimder, two swivels,
a musquetoon, and ten men with small arms. Lieutenant
Wedgeborough, Mr. Nicholson the surgeon, and twenty Se¬
poys, also embarked.
On the arrival of the hostile army at Artingall, a messenger
was sent by the king of Pelew to ofl'er terms of accommodation,
which, after a considerable delay, were brought to a close, the
enemy being chiefly intimidated by the sight of the English
allies, and the report of their fire-arms. There the English,
when an amicable settlement was made, played off some rockets
and fire-works, to the great amazement of the inhabitants of
Artingall, and the enjoyment ef their friends ; and an oppor¬
tunity was taken to make presents of heads and other things,
to shew they did not come as natural enemies. The king of
Pelew was in future acknowledged the undoubted sovereign
of all the neighbouring islands.
The English vessels were next employed in a survey of tho
240
WRECK OF THE
coast of New Guinea, in their way to which they touched at
Amboyna ; sailed to the coast of New Holland, and thence to
the island of Timor. Mr. Nicholson was unfortunately killed
by the natives of New Guinea, in the course of the voyage,
and two of three Pelew passengers died during its continu¬
ance.
In January, 1793, the two ships arrived at Pelew, where they
learnt the melancholy tidings of the death of the humane and
beneficent king, Abba Thulle, which had taken place about
three months after their departure.
In this same month Captain Procter was despatched to
China with the Endeavour, where he joined the Earl of
Macartney's embassy to the court of Pekin. In February
Captain M'Cluer came to the extraordinary resolution of re¬
signing the command of his ship, and spending the remainder
of his days on the Pelew Islands. He was accordingly left
there with a quantity of arms, utensils, and other conveniences,
and the Panther, having sailed on the 14th of February, arrived
on the 17th of August, 1793, at Bombay, after an absence of
nearly three years.
Captain M'Cluer, however, seems to have tired of his situ¬
ation on the islands, and unexpectedly appeared at Bombay
in June 1794. He had embarked in his boat, along with three
Malay men, and two slaves of his own, intending to go to the
island of Ternate. When he got to the southward of the Pe¬
lew Islands he altered his design, and determined to proceed
to China through the Bernardine passage. Therefore, taking
in a stock of provisions at Pelelew, he reached the Bashee
Islands in ten days. He met very bad weather in crossing
the Chinese sea, but arrived at Macao without any accident.
He had no food but cocoa-nuts and water, nor any instrument
or map to guide him except a single chart of Captain Wilson's.
When his health was established. Captain M'Cluer determined
to return to the Pelew Islands, where he had a son and some
property, meaning to bring them away. He arrived, and em-
barked the whole, with several natives of both sexes, and, in
his voyage towards Bombay, touched at Bencoolen. He thence
sent six of the Pelew women to that port in another vessel,
and was then proceeding in his own vessel witli the other
natives. But neither he nor they were ever heard of more.
In the year 1797, Captain Wilson, on arriving at Bombay,
was informed that three of the women still survived, and, in
consequence of no hopes being entertained of Captain
M'Cluer's return, it was determined to send them home. This
was considered an act of justice, as also to bring away several
Chinese who had been left on the Islands.
A small vessel was prepared, and entrusted to the command
ANTELOPE PACKET.
241
of Lieutenant Snook, who, after a tedious voyage, arrived at
the Pelew Islands in 1798. The inhabitants were greatly re¬
joiced at the arrival of the vessel, and highly pleased at the
return of their countrywomen. They behaved with their
wonted friendship and kindness.
The vessel being refitted. Lieutenant Snook took the Chinese
on board, and returned to Bombay.
More recently. Captain Nathaniel Tucker, sailing with dis¬
patches from Bombay to China, touched at the Pelew Islands
in February 1802. Four canoes came off to him, in one of
which was an Englishman. He and three more Europeans
belonging to a country ship, which had gone to Port Jackson,
were put on shore to collect beech-de-mer, tortoise-shell,
sharks' fins, and other articles for the China market. He was
then to return and take them on board. This was the fourth
time he had been left ashore on a similar employment, and al¬
ways experienced the most friendly and hospitable attention.
'The inhabitants were very solicitous that Captain Tucker
should anchor within the reefs with which these Islands are
surrounded, but, the service he was on requiring expedition, he
was unable to gratify them, and was obliged to make sail
without farther communication.
Captain Wilson was afterwards appointed to the command
of the Warley East Indiaman, and he had again an oppor¬
tunity of distinguishing himself in the course of the present
war in a different manner. A French squadron, under Ad¬
miral Linois, having attacked a fieet of British Indiamen com¬
manded by Captain Nathaniel Dance, was repulsed with con¬
siderable loss, and the fleet preserved. Captain Dance was
knighted for his conduct on the occasion, and Captain Wilson,
who was second in command, received various testimonies of
public approbation. A sword, to the value of £50, was voted
to him by the East India Company, and the like reward by
the Patriotic Society. Captain Wilson had retired from the
service of late years, and died near London in May 1810.
the
MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
PLAN OP THE EXPEDITION—OUTFIT, AND OCCDEBENCES TO THE TIME
OF LEAPING ENGLAND—DESCRIPTION OF THE BREAD-FBUIT.
The King having been graciously pleased to comply with
a request from the merchants and planters interested in his
majesty's West India possessions, that the bread-fruit tree
might he introduced into those islands, a vessel, proper for the
undertaking, was bought, and taken into dock at Deptford,
to he provided with the necessary fixtures and preparations
for executing the object of the voyage. These were completed
according to a plan of my much honoured friend, Sir Joseph
Banks, which, in the event, proved the most advantageous
that could have been adopted for the intended purpose.
The ship was named the Bounty: I was appointed to
command her on the 16th of August, 1787. Her burthen was
nearly two hundred and fifteen tons; her extreme length
on deck, ninety feet ten inches; extreme breadth, twenty-
four feet three inches ; and height in the hold under the
beams, at the main hatchway, ten feet three inches. In the
cockpit were the cabins of the surgeon, gunner, botanist,
and clerk, with a steward-room and store-rooms. The between
decks was divided in the following manner :—the great cabin
was appropriated for the preservation of the plants, and ex¬
tended as far forward as the after hatchway. It had two large
sky-lights, and on each side three scuttles for air, and was fit¬
ted with a false floor cut full of holes to contain the garden-
pots, in which the plants were to be brought home. The deck
was covered with lead, and at the foremost corners of the
cabin were fixed pipes to carry off the water that drained
from the plants, into tubs placed below to save it for future
use. I had a small cabin on one side to sleep in, adjoining
y 2
2u bligh's narrative of
to the great cabin, and a place near the middle of the ship
to eat in. The bulk-head of this apartment was at the after-
part of the main hatchway, and on each side of it were the
berths of the mates and midshipmen ; between these berths the
avm-chest was placed. The cabin of the master, in which was
always kept the key of the arms, was opposite to mine. This
particular description of the interior parts of the ship is ren¬
dered necessary by the event of the expedition.
The ship was masted according to the proportion of the
navy ; but, on my application, the masts were shortened, as I
thought them too much for her, considering the nature of the
voyage.
On the 3rd of September, the ship came out of dock ; but
the carpenters and joiners remained on board much longer,
as they had a great deal of work to finish. •
The next material alteration made in the fitting out was
lessening the quantity of iron and other ballast.— I gave
directions that only nineteen tons of iron should be taken on
board, instead of the customary proportion, which was forty-
five tons. The stores and provisions I judged would be fully
sufficient to answer the purpose of the remainder ; for I am
of opinion that many of the misfortunes which attend ships,
in heavy storms of wind, are occasioned by too much dead
weight in their bottoms.
The establishment of men and officers for the ship were as
follows :—1 Lieutenant to command ; 1 Master ; 1 Boatswain ;
1 Gunner ; 1 Carpenter ; 1 Surgeon ; 2 Master's Mates ; 2
Midshipmen ; 2 Quarter Masters; 1 Quarter Master's Mate;
1 Boatswain's Mate ; 1 Gunner's Mate : 1 Carpenter's Mate ;
1 Carpenter's Crew ; 1 Sail-m'aker ; 1 Armourer ; 1 Corporal ;
1 Clerk and Steward ; 23 able seamen—.Total 44.
Two skilful and careful men were appointed, at Sir Joseph
Banks's recommendation, to have the management of the
plants intended tobe brought home: the one, David Nelson,
who had been on similar employment in Captain Cook's last
voyage ; the other, William Brown, as an assistant to him.
—With these two, oar whole number amounted to forty-six.
It was proposed that our route to the Society Islands should
be round Cape Horn ; and the greatest despatch became
necessary, as the season was already far advanced : but, the
shipwrights not being able to complete their work by the time
the ship was ready in other respects, our sailing was unavoida¬
bly retarded. However, by the 4th of October the pilot came
on board to take us down the river ; on the 9th we fell down
to liong Beach, where we received our gunner's stores, and
guns, four 4-pounders and ten swivels.
Tlie ship was stored and victualied for eighteen months. In
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY 243
addiliou lo the customary allowance of provisions, we Mere
supplied with sour krout, portable soup, essence of malt,
dried malt, and a proportion of barley and wheat in lieu of
oatmeal. I was likewise furnished with a quantity of iron¬
work and trinkets, to serve in our intercourse M-ith the natives
in the South Seas ; and from the board of Longitude I receiv¬
ed a time-keeper, made by Mr. Kendal.
On the 15th I received orders to proceed to Spithead ; but
the winds and weather were so unfhvourable that we did not
arrive there till the 4th of November. On the 24th I received
from Lord Hood, who commanded at Spithead, my final orders.
The wind, which for several days before had been favour»-
able, was now turned directly against us. On the 28th the
ship's company received two months' pay in advance, and on
the following morning we worked out to St. Helen's, where
we were obligei to anchor.
We made different unsuccessful attempts to get down
channel, but contrary winds and bad weather constantly forced
us back to St. Helen's, or Spithead, until Sunday the 23rd of
December, when we sailed with a fair wind.
The object of all the former voyages to the South Seas, un¬
dertaken by the command of his present Majesty, has been
the advancement of science, and the increase of knowledge.
This voyage may be reckoned the first, the intention of which
has been to derive benefit from those distant discoveries.
For the more fully comprehending of the nature and plan of
the expedition, and that the reader may be possessed of every
information necessary for entering on the following sheets, I
shall here lay before him a copy of the instructions I received
from the Admiralty, and likewise a short description of the
bread-fruit.
By the Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of
Great Britain and Ireland, ^c.
Whereas the king, upon a representation from the merchants and
planters interested in his majesty's West India possessions, that the in¬
troduction of the bread-fruit tree into the islands of those seas, to consti¬
tute an article of food, would be of very essential benefit to the inhabitants,
hath, in order to promote the interests of so respectable a body of his
subjects (especially in an instance which promises general advantage)
thought fit that measures should be taken for the procuring some of those
trees, and conveying them to the said West India islands : and whereas
the vessel under your command hath, in consequence thereof, been stored
and victualled for that service, and fitted with proper conveniences and
necessaries for the preservation of as many of the said trees as, from her
size, can be taken on board her ; and you have been durected to receive on
board her the two gardeners named in the margin, * who, from their
knowledge of trees and plants, have been hired for the ptirpose of selecting
such as shall appear to be of a proper species and size ;
• David Nelson, William Brown.
i 3
246
bligh's narrative op
Vou are, therefore, in pursuance of hie m^esty's pleasure, signified to
US by Lord Sydney, one of his principal secretaries of state, hereby re-
?[uired and directed to put to sea In the vessel you command, the first
avourable opportunity of wind and weather, and proceed with her, as
expeditiously as possible, round Cape Horn, to the Society Islands, situate
in the southern ocean, in the latitude of about eighteen degrees south,
and longitude of about two hundred and ten degrees east from Greenwich,
where, according to the accounts given by the late Capt. Cook, and per¬
sons who accompanied him during his voyages, the bread-fruit tree is
to be found in the most luxuriant state.
Having arrived at the above-mentioned islands, and taken on board as
many trees and ))lants as may be thought necessary (the better to enable
you to do which, you have ¿ready been furnished with such articles of
merchandise and trinkets as it is supposed will be w anted to satisfy the
natives) you are to proceed thence through Endeavour Streights (which
separate New Holland from New Guinea) to Prince's Island, in the
Streights of Sunda, or, if it should happen to be more convenient, to pass
on the eastern side of Java to some port on the north side of that island,
where any bread-fruit trees which may have been injured, or have died,
may be re-placed by mangosteens, duriens, jacks, naneas, lansas, and other
fine fruit trees of that quarter, as well as the rice plant which grows upon
dryland; all of which species (or such of them as shall be judged most
eligible) you are to purchase on the best terms you can from the inhabi¬
tants of that island, with the ducats with which you have also been
furnished for that purpose ; taking care, however, if the rice plants above-
mentioned cannot be procured at Java, to touch at Prince's Island for
tiiem, where they are regularly cultivated.
From Prince's Island, or the Island of Java, you are to proceed round
the Cape of Good Hope to the West Indies (calling on your way thither
at any places which may be thought necessary) and deposit one half of
such of the above-mentioned trees and plants as may be then alive at
bis Majesty's botanical garden at St. Vincent, for the benefit of the
Windward Islands, and then go on to Jamaica : and, having delivered
the remainder to Mr. East, or such person or persons as may be autho¬
rised by the governor and council of that island to receive them ; refreshed
your people, and received on board such provisions and stores as may be
necessary for the voyage, make the best of your way back to England ;
repriring to Spithead, and sending to our secretary an account of your
arrival and proceedings.
And whereas you will receive herewith a copy of the instructions which
have been given to the above-mentioned gardeners for their guidance,
as well in procuring the said trees and plants, and the management of
them after they shall be put on board, as for bringing to England a small
sample of each species, and such others as may be prepared by the super¬
intendant of the botanical garden at St. Vincent's, and by the said Mr.
East, or others, for his majesty's garden at Kew : you are hereby required
and directed to afford, and to give directions to your officers and company
to afford, the said gardeners every possible aid and assistance, not only
in the collecting of the said trees and plants at the places before-men¬
tioned, but for their preservation during their conveyance to the places of
their destination.
Given under our hands the 20th November, 17S7«—Howe, Châs.
prett, Rd. Hopkins, J. Leveson Goweb.
To Lieut. W. Bligh, Coynmanding H. M.'a
armed vessel the Bounty f at Spithead.
By command of their Lordships, P. Stevens.
In the foregoing orders it is to be observed that I was par¬
ticularly directed to proceed round Cape Horn ; but, as the
season was so far advanced, and vye were so long detained by
THE MCTINY OF THE BOUKTY.
247
contrary winds, I made application to the Admiralty for dis¬
cretional orders on that point; to which I received the
following answer :—
By the Commissionera for executing the office of Lord High Admiral of
Great Britain and Ireland,
The season of the year being now so far advanced as to render it proba¬
ble that your arrival, with the vessel you command, on the southern
coast of America, will be too late for your passing round Cape Horn
without much difficulty and hazard ; you are, in that case, at liberty (not¬
withstanding former orders) to proceed in her to Otaheite, round the
Cape of Good Hope.
Given under our hands the 18th December, 1787*—Hows, Chas.
Brett, Bayham.
To Lieut. W. Bligh, commanding H.
armed vessel Bounty, Spithead.
By command of their Lordships, P. .fijfsvENS.
The bread-fruit is so well known and described that to
attempt a new account of it would be unnecessary and useless.
However, as it may contribute to the convenience of the
reader, I have given the following extracts respecting it.
Extract from the account of Dampier's Voyage round the World per¬
formed in l688.
" The bread-fruit (as we call it) grows on a large tree, as
big and high as our largest apple-trees. It hath a spreading
head, full of branches and dark leaves. The fruit grows on
the boughs like apples; it is as big as a penny-loaf when wheat
is at five shillings the bushel; it is of a round shape, and
hath a thick tough rind. When the fruit is ripe, it is yellow
and soft, and the taste is sweet and pleasant. The natives
of Guam use it for bread. They gather it, when full-grown,
while it is green and hard; then they bake it in an oven,
which scorcheth the rind and makes it black ; but they scrape
off the outside black crust, and there remains a tender thin
crust ; and the inside is soft, tender, and white, like the crumb
of a penny-loaf. There is neither seed nor stone in the inside,
but all is of a pure substance, like bread. It must be eaten
new ; for, if it is kept above twenty-four hours, it grows harsh
and choaky ; but it is very pleasant before it is too stale.
This fruit lasts in season eight months in the year, during which
the natives eat no other sort of food of hread kind. I did
never see of this fruit any where but here. The natives told
us that there is plenty of this fruit growing on the rest of
the Ladrone islands : and I did never hear of it any where else."
Extract front the account of Lord Anson's Voyage, published by Ufr.
Walter.
" There was, at Tinian, a kind of fruit, peculiar to these
(Ladrone) islands, called by the Indians rhymay, but by us
218
bligh's narrative of
the bread-fruit i for it was constantly eaten by us, during
our stay upon the island,* instead of bread ; and so U7nversally
preferred that no ship's bread was expended in that whole
interval. It grew upon a tree which is somewhat lofty, and
wliich towards the top divides into large and spreading
branches. The leaves of this tree are of a remarkable deep
green, are notched about the edges, and are generally from a
foot to eighteen inches in length. The fruit itself is found
indifferently on all parts of the branches; it is, in shape,
rather elliptical than round ; it is covered with a tough rind,
and is usually seven or eight inches long ; each of them grows
singly, and not in clusters. This fruit is fittest to be used
when it is full-grown, but still green ; in which state, after it
is properly prepared by being roasted in the embers, its taste
has some distant resemblance to that of an artichoke's bottom,
and its texture is not very difi'erent, for it is soft and spungy."
Extracts fiom the account of the first Voyage of Captain Cook.
Hawkesworth, Vol. II.
IN THE SOCIETY ISLANDS.
" The bread-fruit grows on a tree that is about the size of a
middling oak ; its leaves are frequently a foot and a half long,
of an oblong shape, deeply sinuated lÚce those of the fig-tree,
which they resemble in consistence and colour, and in the
exuding of a white milky juice upon being broken. The
fruit is about the size and shape of a child's head, and the
surface is reticulated not much unlike a trufde : it is covered
with a thin skin, and has a core about as big as the handle
of a small knife. The eatable part lies between the skin and
the core ; it is as white as snow, and somewhat of the con¬
sistence of new bread : it must be roasted before it is eaten,
being first divided into three or four parts. Its taste is insipid,
with a slight sweetness somewhat resembling that of the cramb
of wheaten bread mixed with a Jerusalem artichoke."
" Of the many vegetables that have been mentioned already
as serving them for food, the principal is the bread-fruit, to pro¬
cure which costs them no trouble or labour but climbing a,
tree. The tree which produces it does not indeed shoot up
spontaneously ; but, if a man plants ten of them in his life¬
time, which he may do in about an hour, he will as com¬
pletely fulfil his duty to his own and future generations as
the native of our less temperate climate can do by ploughing
in the cold winter, and reaping in the summer's heat, as often
as these seasons return ; even if, after he has procured bread
for his present household, he should convert a surplus into
money, and lay it up for his children.
* About two months : viz. from the latter end of August to the latter
end of October, 1742.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
249
" It is true, indeed, that the bread-fruit is not always
season ; but cocoa-nuts, bananas, plantains, and a great
variety of other fruits, supply the deficiency."
Extract from the account of Captain Cook's last Voyage.
in the society islands.
" I (CaptainCook) have inquired very carefully into their
manner of cultivating the bread-fruit tree at Otaheite ; but was
always answered that they never planted it. This, indeed,
must be evident to every one who will examine the places
where the young trees come up. It will be always observed
that they spring from the roots of the old ones, which run
along near the surface of the ground. So that the bread-fmit
trees may be reckoned those that would naturally cover the
plains, even supposing that the island was not inhabited ; in the
same manner that the white-barked trees, found at Van
Diemen's Land, constitute the forests there. And from this
we may observe that the inhabitant of Otaheite, instead of
being obliged to plant his bread, will rather be under the
necessity of preventing its progress ; which, I suppose, is
sometimes done, to give room for trees of another sort, to
afford him some variety in his food."
in the sandwich islands.
"The bread-fruit trees are planted, and flourish with great
luxuriance, on rising grounds."—"Where the hills rise
almost perpendicularly in a great variety of peaked forms,
tlieir steep sides and the deep chasms between them are
covered with trees, amongst which those of the bread-fruit
were observed particularly to abound."
" The climate of the Sandwich Islands differs very little from
that of the West India Islands, which lie in the same latitude.
Upon the whole, perhaps, it may be rather more temperate."
" The bread-fruit trees thrive in these islands, not in such
abundance, but produce double the quantity of ûuit they do
on the rich plains of Otaheite. The trees are nearly of the
same height, but the branches begin to strike out from the
trunk much lower, and with greater luxuriance."
♦
CHAPTER II.
DEPARTURE FROM ENGLAND—ARRIVAL AT TENERIFFE—SAIL THENCE—
A.AR1VAL OFF CAFE HORN—SEVERITY OF THE WEATHER—OBLIGED TO
BEAR AWAY FOR THE CAFE OF GOOD HOFE.
On Sunday morning, the 23d of December 1787, we sailed
from Spithead, and, passing through the Needles, directed
our course down channel, with a fresh gale of wind at east.
In the afternoon one of the seamen, in furling the main-top-
250
ELIGH'S XAKRATIVJl OF
gallant sail, fell off the yard, and was so fortunate as to savo
himself by catching hold of the main-top-mast-stay In his fall.
At night the wind increased to a strong gale, with a heavy
sea. It moderated, however, on the 25th, and allowed us to
keep our Christmas with cheerfulness ; but the following day
it blew a severe storm of wind from the eastward, which con¬
tinued till the 29th, in the course of which we suffered greatly.
One sea broke away the spare yards and spars out of the star-
hoard main chains. Another heavy sea broke into the ship,
and stove all the boats. Several casks of beer that had been
lashed upon deck were broke loose and washed overboard, and
it was not without great difficulty and risk that we were able
to secure the boats from being washed away entirely. On the
29th we were in latitude 39° 35' N., and longitude 14° 26'W.,
when the gale abated, and the weather became fair. Besides
other mischief done to us by the storm, a large quantity of our
bread was damaged and rendered useless, for the sea had stove
in our stem, and filled the cabin with water. From this time
to our arrival at Teneriife we had moderate weather, and
winds mostly from the northward.
January 4th. This forenoon we spoke a French ship bound
to the Mauritius. The next day, at nine in the forenoon,
we saw the island of Teneriffe, bearing W. S. W. 5 W. about
twelve leagues distant. It was covered with a Úück haze,
except the north-westernmost part, which is a remarkable
headland, resembling a horse's head, the ears very distinct. To
the eastward of this head lie two round rocks, the northern
boundary of Teneriffe. A Spanish packet, bound to Corunna,
an American brig, and several other vessels, were lying here.
As soon as the ship was anchored, I sent an officer (Mr.
Christian) to wait on the governor, and to acquaint him I had
put in to obtain refreshments, and to repair the damages we
had sustained in bad weather. To this I had a very polite
answer from the governor,* that I should be supplied with
whatever the island afforded. I had also directed the officer
to acquaint him that I would salute, provided an equal number
of guns were to be returned ; but, as I received an extraor¬
dinary answer to this part of my message, purporting that his
excellency did not return the same number but to persons
equal in rank to himself, this ceremony was omitted.
During this interval I was visited by the port-master (Captan
Adams), and shortly afterwards several officers came on board
from his excellency, to compliment me on my arrival. As
soon as the ship was moored, I went on shore, and paid my
respects to him.
« Bfarquis de Brancbeforte.
THE MUTINY OP THE BOUNTY. 5Ô1
On Monday morning I began to forward the ship's busiiiess
with the utmost despatch, and gave the necessary directions to
Messrs. Collogan and Sons, the contractors, for the supplies
I wanted. I also got leave of the governor for Mr. Nelson to
range (he hills and examine the country in search of plants
and natural curiosities.
As there was a great surf on the shore, I bargained for every
thing I wanted to be brought off by the shore boats, and agreed
to give five shillings per ton for wate. Very good wine was
bought at ten pounds per pipe, the contract price ; but the
superior quality was fifteen pounds ; and some of this was not
much inferior to the best London Madeira. I found this was
an unfavourable season for other refreshments ; Indian corn,
potatoes, pumpkins, and onions, were all very scarce, and
double the price of what they are in summer. Beef also was
difiScult to be procured, and exceedingly poor ; the price
nearly sixpence farthing per pound. The corn was three
current dollars per fanega, which is full five shillings per
bushel ; and biscuit at twenty-five shillings for the hundred
pounds. Poultry was so scarce that a good fowl cost three
shillings. This is, therefore, not a place for ships to expect
refreshments at a reasonable price at this time of the year,
wine excepted; but from March to November supplies are
plentiful, particularly fruit; of which at this time we could
procure none, except a few dried figs and some bad oranges.
The landing on the beach is generally impracticable with
our own boats, at least without great risk ; but there is a very
fine pier, on which people may land without difficulty, if there
is not much swell in the road. To this pier the water is con¬
veyed by pipes for the use of shipping, and for which all
merchant-ships pay.
There is a degree of wretchedness and want among the
lower class of people which is not any where so common as
among the Spanish and Portuguese settlements. To alleviate
these evils, the present governor of Teneriffe has instituted
a most charitable society, which he takes the trouble to superin-
tend ; and by considerable contributions, a large airy dwelling,
that contains one hundred and twenty poor girls, and as many
men and boys, has been built, and endowed with a sufficiency
of land round it, not only for all present purposes, but for en.
larging the building for more objects of charity as their funds
increase. I had the honour to be shown by his excellency
this asylum (Hospicio, they call it), where there appeared
in every countenance the utmost cheerfulness and content. The
decency and neatness of the dress of the young females, with
the order in which they were arranged at their spinning wheels
and looms, in an extensive airy apartment, was admirable.
232
bligh's narrative of
A governess inspected and regulated all their works, which
were the manufacturing of ribbons of all colours, coarse
linens, and tapes ; all which were managed and brought to
perfection by themselves, from the silk and flax in t^ir first
state ; even the dyeing of the colours is performed by them.
These girls are received for five years, at the end of which
they are at liberty to marry, and have for their portions their
wheel and loom, with a sum of money proportioned to the state
of the fund, which is assisted by the produce of their labour,
and at this time was estimated at two thousand dollars
per annum.
The men and boys are not less attended to : they are em¬
ployed in coarser work, blanketing, and all kinds of common
woollens : if they become infirm, they spend the remainder of
their days here comfortably, and under a watchful inspector,
who attends them in the same manner as the governess does
'he girls. They are all visited every day by the governor,
and a clergyman attends them every evening. By this humane
institution a number of people are rendered useful and in¬
dustrious, in a country where the poor, from the indulgence
of the climate, are too apt to prefer a life of inactivity, though
attended with wretchedness, to obtaining the comforts of life
by industry and labour.
The number of inhabitants in the island, I was informed,
were estimated at between eighty, and one hundred thousand.
Their annual export of wine is twenty thousand pipes, and
of brandy half that quantity. Vessels are frequently here
from St. Eustatia, and thence a great quantity of Tenerifle
wine is carried to the different parts of the West Indies, imder
the name of Madeira.
Teneriflfe is considered of more value than all the other Ca¬
naries : the inhabitants, however, in scarce seasons, receive
supplies from the Grand Canary; but their vineyards here
are said to be greatly superior. Their produce of com, though
exceedingly good, is not sufficient for their consumption ; and,
owing to this, the Americans have an advantageous trade here
for their flour and grain, and take wine in return.
The town of Santa Cruz is about half a mile in extent each
way, built in a regular manner, and the houses in general
large and airy, but the streets are very ill paved. I am told
that they are subject to few diseases ; but, if any epidemic
distemper breaks out, it is attended with the most fatal conse¬
quences, particularly the small-pox, the bad effects of which
they now endeavour to counteract by inoculation. For this
reason they are very circumspect in admitting ships to have
communication with the shore without bills of health.
A sloop from London, called the Chance, William Meredith ,
THE Ml,TI^l OF THE BOUNTY.
2-33
magter, bound to Barbardoes nineteen days from the Downs,
came into the road the day before we sailed. She had
suflered much by the bad weather ; but, having brought
no bill of healtli, the governor would not allow any person to
come omshore, unless I could vouch for them that no epidemic
diseass Rged in England at the time they sailed, which 1 was
able to do, it being nearly at the same time that I left the
land ; and by that means they had the governor's permission
to receive the supplies they wanted, without being obliged
to perform quarantine.
Having finished our business at Teneriffe, on Thursday the
10th, we sailed with the wind at S. E., our ship's company all
in good health and spirits.
I now divided the people into three watches, and gave the
charge of the third watch to Mr. Fletcher Christian, one of
the mates.—I have always considered this as a desirable regu¬
lation, when circumstances will admit of it, on many accounts ;
and am persuaded that unbroken rest not only contributes
much towards the health of a ship's company, but enables
them more readily to exert themselves in cases of sudden
emergency.
As it was my wish to proceed to Otaheite without stopping,
I ordered every body to be at two-thirds' allowance of bread ;
I also directed the water for drinking to be filtered through
dripstones that I had bought at Teneriffe for that purpose.
We ran all night towards the S.S.W., having the wind at
S.E. The next morning we could see nothing of the land.
I now made the ship's company acquaiute'd with the intent
of the voyage ; and, having been permitted to hold out this
encouragment to them, I gave assurances of the certainty of
promotion to every one whose endeavours should merit it.
The winds, for some days after leaving Tenerifle, were
mostly from the southward. Fishing-lines and tackle were
distributed amongst the people, and some dolphins were caught.
On the 17th the wind cameroimd to the N.E., and continued
steady in that quarter till the 25 th, on which day, at noon,
we were in 3° 54' N. As the cloudiness of the sky gave us
reason to expect much rain, we prepared the awnings with
hoses for the convenience of saving water, in which we were
not disappointed. From this time to our meeting with the
S.E. trade wind we had much wet weather, the air close
and sultry, with calms, and light variable winds, generally
from the southward.
On the 29th there was so heavy a fall of rain that we caugbv
seven hundred gallons of water.
On the 31st, latitude at noon, 2" 5' N.. found a current
setting to the N.E., at the latc of fourteen miles in the
z
254
bligh's narrative op
twenty.foarliours. The thcrmoraetor was at 82° in the slllde,
and 811° at the surface of the sea, so that the air and the wEler
were within half a degree of the same temperature. At eight
o'clock in the evening we observed a violent rippling ¿n
the sea, about half a mile to the N.W. of us, whichÂU very
much the appearance of breakers. This I imaginw have
been occasioned by a large school (or multitude) of fish, as
it was exactly in the track the ship had passed, so that if any
real shoal had been there, we must have seen it at the close
of the evening, when a careful look-out was always kept.
However, if it had appeared a-head of us, instead of io-steni,
I should certainly have tacked to avoid it. To such appear¬
ances I attribute the accounts of many shoals withm the
tropics, which cannot be found any where but in maps. Our
latitude at this time was 2° 8'N., and longitude 19°43'W.
The next day we had more of these appearances, from the
number of schools of fish by which the ship was surrotmded.
Saturday the 2nd. This morning we saw a sail to the
N. N. W., but at too great a distance to distinguish what
she was.
Monday the 4lh. Had very heavy, rain ; during which w
nearly filled all our empty water casks. So much wet wea¬
ther, with the closeness of the air, covered every thing with
mildew. The ship was aired below with fires, and firequently
sprinkled with vinegar ; and every little interval of dry wea¬
ther was taken advantage of to open all the hatchways, and
clean the ship, and to have all the people's wet things washed
and dried.
With this weather, and light unsteady winds, we advanced
but 21 degrees in twelve days ; at the end of which time
we were relieved by the S.E. trade wind, which we fell
in with on the 6th at noon, in latitude 1° 21' N., and
longitude 20° 42' W.
The next afternoon we crossed the equinoctial line, in
longitude 21° 50' W. The weather became fine, and the
S.E. trade wind was fresh and steady, with which we kept a
point free from the wind, and got to tíie southward at a good
rate.
The weather continuing dry, we put some of our bread in
casks, properly prepared for its reception, to preserve it fi'om
vermin; this experiment, we afterwards found, answered
exceedingly well.
On the 16th, at daylight, we saw a sail to the southward.
The next day we came up with her, and found her to be the
British Queen, Simon Paul, master, from London, bound
to the Cape of Good Hope on the whale-fishery. She sailed
from Falmouth the 5th of December, eighteen days before I
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
•2-35
IcfiuSpithead. By this ship I wrote to England. At sunset
sh^ was almost out of sight a-stern.
Monday the 18th. At noon we were in latitude 20° 44' S.,
ajd longitude 31° 23' W. In our advances towards, the
suuth||^ wind had gradually veered round to the east, and
was aWmis time at E.N.E. The weather, after crossing the
Line, had been fine and clear, but the air so sultry as to
occasion great faintness, the quicksilver in the thermometer, in
the day-time, standing at between 81 and 83 degrees, and one
time at 85 degrees. In our , passage through the northern
tropic, the air was temperate, the sun having then high south
declination, and the weather being generally fine till we lost
the N.E. trade wind ; but such a thick haze surrounded the
horizon that no object could be seen, except at a very small
distance. The haze commonly cleared away at sunset, and
gathered again at sunrise. Between the N.E. and S.E. trade
winds, the calms and rains, if of long continuance, are very
liable to produce sickness, unless great attention is paid to
keeping the ship clean and wholesome, by giving all the air
possible, drying between decks with fires, and drying and air¬
ing the people's clothes and bedding. Besides these precau¬
tions we frequently wetted with vinegar; and every evening
the pumps were used as ventilators. With these endeavours
to secure health, we passed the low latitudes without a single
complaint.
The currents we met with were by no means regular, nor
have I ever found them so in the middle of the ocean. How¬
ever, from the channel to the southward, as far as Madeira,
there is generally a current setting to the S.S.E.
On the evening of the 21st, a ship was seen in the N.E. but
at too great a distance to distinguish of what country. The
next day the wind came round to the N. and N.W., so that
we could no longer consider ourselves in the trade wind. Our
latitude at noon was 25° 55'S., longitude 36° 9' W. Yariation
of the compass three degrees east.
Sat. 23rd, towards night the wind died away, and we had
some heavy showers of rain, of which we profited, by saving
a ton of good water. The next day we caught a shark and
five dolphins.
Thursday, 26th, we bent new sails, and made other neces¬
sary preparations for encountering the weather that was to
be expected in a high latitude. Our latitude at noon was
29° 38' S., longitude 41° 44' W, Variation 7° 13' E. In the
afternoon, the wind being westerly, and blowing strong in
squalls, some butterflies, and other insects, like what we call
horse-flies, were blown on board of us. No birds were seen
except sheerwaters. Our distance from the coast of Brazil
at this time was above 100 leagues. z 2
25ß
bligh's narrative of
Sunday, Mardi 2iid, in the forenoon, after seeing ,tlpt
every person was clean, divine service was performed, ac¬
cording to my usual custom on this day. I gave to Mr.
Fletcher Christian, whom I had before directed to take charge
of the third watch, a written order to act as lieutena|||B
Saturday, 8th. We were at noon in latitude 36° hWs., and
longitude 52° 53' W. The last four days, we several times
tried for soundings, without finding bottom, though consider-
./bly to the westward of Captain Wallis's track, who had sound¬
ings at fifty-four fathoms depth, in latitude 35° 40' S., and
longitude 49° 54' W. This day we tried with two hundred
and forty fathoms of line, but did not find bottom ; at the
same time, observing a rippling in the water, we tried the
ctirrent by mooring a keg with one hundred fathoms of line,
by which it appeared to run to the N.N.W., at the rate of a
mile and a half per hour. By the noon observation, however,
we were eighteen miles to the southward of our reckoning.
In the afternoon we saw a turtle floating, and, not having
much wind, hoisted a boat out, and sent after it ; but it was
found to be in a putrid state, with a number of crabs feeding
upon it.
The change of temperature began now to be sensibly felt,
there being a variation in the thermometer, since yesterday,
of eight degrees. That the people might not suffer by their
own negligence, I gave orders for their light tropical clothing
to be put by, and made them dress in a manner more suited
to a cold climate. I had provided for this before I left
England, by giving directions for such clothes to be purchased
as were necessary.
Monday, 10th. In the forenoon we struck soundings at
eighty-three fathoms depth ; our latitude 40° 8' S., and longi¬
tude 55° 40' W. This I conchtde to have been near the
edge of the bank ; for, the wind being at S.S.W., we stood
towards the S.E. ; and, after running fourteen miles in that
direction, we could find no bottom with one hundred and
sixty fathoms of line. In the night we stood towards the
W.S.W., with a southerly wind, and got again into soundings.
The next day we saw a great number of whales of an immense
size, that had two spout-holes on the back of the head.—Upon a
complaint made to me by the master, I found it necessary to
punish Matthew Quintal, one of the seamen, with two dozen
laslies, for insolence and mutinous behaviour. Before this, I
had not had occasion to punish any person on board.
On the 12th, we caught a porpoise, by striking it with the
grains. Every one ate heartily of it ; and it was so well
liked that no part was wasted.
On the I4th, in the afternoon, we saw a land bird like a
lark, and passed part of a dead whale that had been left by
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
257
Some whalers after they had taken the blubber ojfT. Saw,
likewise, two strange sail.
On the 19th, at noon, by my account, we were within twenty
leagues of Port Desire ; but, the wind blowing fresh from
the N.W. with thick foggy weather, I did not attempt to make
the land. We passed a good deal of rock-weed, and saw
many whales, and albatrosses and other sea birds.
On the 20th, in the afternoon, the wind, which had for
some time past been northerly, suddenly shifted to the W.
S.W., and blew hard.^SWe steered to the S.S.E. ; and on
the 23rd, at two o'clock in the morning, we discovered the
coast of Terra del Fuego, bearing S.E. At nine in the
forenoon we were off Cape St. Diego, the eastern part of
Terra del Fuego. The wind being unfavourable, I thought
it more advisable to go round to the eastward of Stalen Land
than to attempt passing Ihrought Straits le Maire. The two
opposite coasts of the Straits exhibited very different appear¬
ances. The land of Terra del Fuego hereabouts, though
the interior parts are mountainous, yet near the coast is of
a moderate height, and, at the distance we were from it, had
not an unpromising appearance. The coast of Staten Land,
near the Straits, is mountainous and craggy, and remarkable
fur its high peaked hills. Straits le Maire is a fair opening,
which cannot well be mistaken ; but, if any doubt could
remain, the different appearances of the opposite shores would
sufficiently make the Straits known.
I did not saU within less than six leagues of the coast, that
we might have the wind more regular, and avoid being
exposed to the heavy squalls that came off from the land.
The sight of New Year's Harbotnr almost tempted me to
put in ; but the lateness of the season, and the people being
in good health, determined me to lay aside all thoughts of
refreshment, until we should reach Otaheite. At two o'clock
in the afternoon, the easternmost of New Year's Isles, where
Captain Cook observed the latitude to be 55„ 40' S., bore
from us south four leagues. We saw the entrance isles of
New Year's harbour ; at the back of which the land is very
craggy and mountainous. This must be a very convenient
port to touch at, as the access to it is safe and easy.
About two leagues to the westward of Cape St. John, I ob¬
served the separation of the mountains that Captain Cook
has taken notice of, which has the appearance of Staten Land
being there divided into two islands.
Monday, 24th. We had stood to the southward all night,
with the wind at W.S.W. and S.W. At eight in the morning.
Cape St. John bore N.W., ten leagues distant. Soon aftei
we lost sight of the land.
z 3
'->•>8
BLIGH's \ ark ati ve of
From the time we lost sight of the land, to the end of the
month, we were struggling with bad weather and contrary
winds ; but on the morning of the 31st the wind came to the
Ai.N.E., and made us entertain great hopes that we should
oe able to accomplish our passage round the Cape without
much difficulty. At noon we were in latitude 60" 1' S., and
m 71° 45'W. longitude, which is 8° 26'W. of the meridian
"f Cape St. John. This flattering appearance was not of long
continuance : in the night the wind became variable, and next
day settled again in the W. and N.W., with very bad weather.
On April 2nd, in the morning, the wind, which had blown
fresh all night from the N.W., came round to the S.W., and
increased to a heavy gale. At six in the morning the storm ex¬
ceeded what I had ever met with before ; and the sea, from
the frequent shifting of the wind, running in contrary di¬
rections, broke exceeding high. Our ship, however, lay to
very well under a main and fore staysail. The gale continu-
ued, with severe squalls of hail and sleet, the remainder of this,
and all the next, day.—On the 4th, the wind was less violent,
but far from moderate. With so much bad weather, I found
it necessary to keep a constant fire, night and day ; and one
of the watch always attended to dry the people's wet clothes ;
and this, 1 have no doubt, contributed as much to their health
a s to their comfort.
Our companions in this inhospitable region were albatrosses,
and two beautiful kinds of birds, the small blue petrel, and
pintada. A great many of these were frequently about the
wake of the ship, which induced the people to float a line with
hooks baited to endeavour to catch them ; and their attempts
were successful. The method they used was to fasten the
bait a foot or two before the hook, and, by giving the line
a sudden jerk when the bird was at the bait, it was hooked
in the feet or body.
On the 6th the weather was moderate, and continued so till
the 9th, with the wind veering between the N.W. and S.W..
of which we were able to take advantage.
On the 10th we saw some fish, which appeared spotted, and
about the size of bonetos ; these were the only fish we had
seen in this high latitude.
The stormy weather continued with a great sea. Tte ship
how began to complain, and required to be pumped every
hour; which was no more than we had reason to expect
from such a continuance of gales' and high seas. The decks
also became so leaky that 1 was obliged to allot the great cabin,
of which 1 made little use, except in fine weather, to those
people who had wet berths, to hang their hammocks in ; and
by this means the betwocn-decks was less crowded.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 2"0
Every morning all the hammocks were taken down from
where they hung, and, when the weather was too bad to keep
them upon deck, they were put in the cabin ; so that the
hetween-decks were cleaned daily, and aired with fires, if the
hatchways could not be opened. With all this bad weather
we had the additional mortification tolfind, at the end of every
day, that we were losing ground ; for, notwithstanding our
utmost exertions, and keeping on the most advantageous tacks
(which, if the weather had been at all moderate, would have
sufficiently answered our ptirpose), yet the greater part of the
time we were doing little better than drifting before the wind.
Birds, as usual, were about the ship, and some of them
caught ; and for the first time since we left Staten Land, we
saw some whales. This morning, owing to the violent motion
of the ship, the cook fell and broke one of his ribs, and another
man, by a fall, dislocated his shoulder. The gtmner, who had
the charge of a watch, was laid up with the rheumatism : and
this was the first sick list that appeared on board the ship.
The time of full moon, which was approaching,' made me en¬
tertain hopes that, after that period, we should experience some
change of wind or weather in our favour ; but the event did
not at all answer our expectation. The latitude, at noon this
day, was 58° 9' S., and longitude 76° 1' W.
As we caught a good many birds, but which were all lean
and tasted fishy, we tried an experiment upon them, which
succeeded admirably. By keeping them cooped up, and cram¬
ming them with ground corn, they improved wonderfully in a
short time ; so that the pintada birds became as fine as ducks,
and the albatrosses were as fat and not inferior in taste to fine
geese. Some of the latter birds were caught that measured
seven feet between the extremities of the wings, when spread.
This unexpected supply came very opportunely ; for none of
oQr live stock remained except hogs, the sheep and poultry
not being hardy enough to stand the severity of the weather.
This morning, tlie wind died away, and we had a calm for
a few hours, which gave us hopes that the next would be a
ifiore favourable wind. A hog was killed for the ship's com¬
pany, which gave them an excellent meal. Towards noon,
to our great disappointment, the wind sprung up again from
the westward, and in the afternoon blew strong, with snow
and hail storms.
This was the second day after the full moon ; but, as I have
remarked before, it had no influence on the weather. At
noon our latitude was 58° SI'S., and longitude 70° TW., which
is near seven degrees to the eastward of our situaticm on the
morning of the ninth when we had advanced the farthest
ill our power to the westward, being then in 76" 58' \V.,
260
bligh's narrative ok
three degrees to the west of Cape Deseada, the west patt
of the Straits of Magellan ; and at this time we were 3° 5'i' to
the east of it, and hourly losing ground.
It was with much concern I saw how hopeless, and even
unjustifiable, it was to persist any longer in attempting a pass¬
age this way to the Soqjjtty Islands. We had been thirty days
in this tempestous ocea^ At one time we had advanced so far
to the westward as to have a fair prospect of making our pas¬
sage round ; but from that period hard gales of westerly wind
had continued without intermission, a few hours excepted,
which, to borrow an expression in Lord Anson's voyage, were
" like the elements drawing breath to return upon us with re¬
doubled violence." The season was now too far advanced
for us to expect more favourable winds or weather, and we
had sufficiently experienced the impossibility of beating round
against the wind, or of advancing at all without the help of a
fair wind, for which there was little reason to hope. Another
consideration, which had great weight with me, was that, if I
persisted in my attempt this way, and should, after all, fail to
get round, it would occasion such a loss of time that our ar¬
rival at Otaheite, soon enough to return in the proper season by
the East Indies, would be rendered precarious.'.. On the other
hand, the prevalence of the westerly winds in high southern
latitude left me no reason to doubt of making a quick passage
to the Cape of Good Hope, and thence to the eastward round
New Holland. Having maturely considered all circumstances,
I determined to bear away for the Cape of Good Hope ; and
at five o'clock on the evening of the 2'2d, the wind then blow¬
ing strong at west, I ordered the helm to be put a-weather, to
the greatjoyof everyperson on board. Our sick list at this time
had increased to eight, mostly wiih rheumatic complaints : in
other respects the people were in good health, though exceed¬
ingly jaded.
The passage round Cape Horn, into the South Seas, during
the summer months, has seldom been attended with difficulty,
and is to be preferred, in the moderate seasons, to the more
distant route to the eastward, round the Cape of Good Hope
and New Holland. If we had been one month earlier, or
perhaps less, I doubt not but we should have efi'ected our
passage.
the mütiny of the boukty.
jC H AFTER III.
P.^aSAGE TOWARDS THE CAPE OP GOOD. HOPE—ARRIVAL AT FALAR
BAY—OCCURRENCES THERE—REPORTS COJI££ENING THE GROSVKNOR's
PEOPLE—DEPARTURE FROM THE CAPE.,
The westerly winds and stormy weather continuing,
no reason to repent of my determination. On the 25th at noon
we were in latitude 54° 16'S., and longitude 57° 4'W. The
nearest of the Falkland Islands, by my reckoning, then bore
N. 13° W. ; distance 23 leagues. Our stock of water being
sufficient to serve us to the Cape of Good Hope, I did not
think it worth while to stop at these islands, as the refreshment
we might obtain there would scarce repay us for the expense
of time : we therefore continued our course towards the N .E.
and E.N.E.
Thursday 22nd, at two in the afternoon, we saw the Table
Mountain of the Cape of Good Hope. As it is reckoned unsafe
riding in Table Bay at this time of the year, I steered for
False Bay. The next evening we anchored in the outer part,
and on the forenOon of the 24th got the ship secured in Simon's
Bay, which is in the inner part of False Bay. We found
lying here one outward-boimd Dutch Indiaman, five other
Dutch ships, and a French ship.
After saluting the fort, which was returned by an equal
number of guns, I went on shore, and dispatches were sent
away to Cape Town, to acquaint the governor of our arrival.
A Dutch ship at this time lying in Table Bay, bound for
Europe, I sent letters by her to the Admiralty. It is very
unusual for ships to be in Table Bay so late in the year, on
account of the strong N.W,winds. April is the time limited.
I gave the necessary directions for getting our wants supplied.
The ship required to be caulked in every part, for she was
become so leaky that we had been obliged to pump every
hour in our passage from Cape Horn. This we immediately
set about, as well as repairing our sails and rigging. The
severe weather we had met with, and the leakiness of the
ship, made it necessary to examine into the state of all the
stores and provisions. Of the latter a good deal was found
damaged, particulary the bread.—The time-keeper I look on
shore to ascertain its rate, and other instruments, to make the
necessary astronomical observations.—Fresh meat, with soft
bread, and plenty of vegetables, were issued daily to the ship's
company, the whole time we remained here. A few days
after our arrival, I went over to Cape Town, and waited on his
excellency M. Vandar Graaf, the governor, who obligingly ar-
262
.«Lion's NARRATIIE OF
r.iiigod matters so much to our advantage that we scarcely
iolt the inconvenience of being at a distance from the Cape
Town, whence we received all our supplies
During our stay here, I took care to procure seeds and
plants that would be valuable at Otaheite, and the different
places we might touA^L in our way thither. In this 1 was
greatly assisted by t^íBel Gordon, the commander of the
troops. In company with this gentleman, the loss of the
Grosvenor East Indiaman was mentioned : on this subject,
Colonel Gordon expressed great concern that, from anything he
had said, hopes were still entertained to flatter the affectionate
wishes of the surviving friends of those unfortunate people.
He said that in his travels into the Caffre country he had
met with a native who described to him that there was a
white woman among his countrymen, who had a child, and
that she frequently embraced the child and cried most violent¬
ly. This was all he (the colonelj could understand ; and, being
tlien on his return home, with his health much impaired by
fatigue, the only thing that he could do was to make a friend of
the native by presents and promises of reward on condition that
he would take a letter to this woman, an^ bring him back an an¬
swer. Accordingly he wrote letters in English, French, and
Dutch, desiring that some sign or mark might be returned,
either by writing with a burnt stick, or by any means she
should be able to devise, to satisfy him that she was there ; and
that, on receiving such token from her, every efi'ort should be
made to ensure her safety and escape. But the Caffre, although
apparently delighted with the commission which he had un¬
dertaken, never returned, nor has the colonel ever heard any
thing more of him, though he had been instructed in methods
of conveying information through the Hottentot country.
To this account, that 1 may not again have occasion to in¬
troduce so melancholy a subject, I shall add the little infor¬
mation I received respecting it, when I re-visited the Cape, in
my return towards Europe.—A reputable farmer of the name
ot Holhoiisen, who lives at Swellendham. eight days'journey
from the Cape, had information from some Caffre Hottentots
that at a crawl, or village, in their country, there were white
men and women. On this intelligence, Mr. Holhousen asked
permission of the governor to make an expedition, with some
of the farmers, into the country, requiring a thousand rixdoUars
to bear his expenses. The governor referred him to Mr.Wocke,
the landres of Graverennet, a new colony, in his way. But
f rom the place, where Mr. Holhousen lives, to the laiidros,
Mr. Wocke's residence, is a month's journey, which he did
not choose to undertake at an uncertainly, as Mr. Wocke
might have disapproved of the enterprise. It was in October
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
2G3
last that Mr. Holhousen oflered to go on this service. He
was one of the party who went along the sea-coast in search of
these unfortunate people, when a few of them first made their
appearance at the Cape. I am, however, informed that the
Dutch farmers are fond of making exue^ons into the coun¬
try, that they may have opportunitÍA|||Bhthing away cattle ;
and this, I apprehend, to be one olBre chief reasons why
tmdertakings of this kind are not encouraged.
On the 13th of June, the Dublin East Indiaman arrived from
England ; on board of which ship was a party of the 77th
regiment, under the command of Colonel Balfour.
On the 29th, being ready for sea, I took the lime-keeper and
instruments on board. The error of the time-keeper was 3'
33", 2 too slow for the mean time at Greenwich, and its rate
of going, 3' per day, losing. The thermometer, during our
stay here, was from 51 to 66 degrees.
We had been thirty-eight days at this place, and my people
had received all the advantage that could he derived from
the refreshments of every kind that are here to be met with.
We sailed at four o'clock this afternoon, and saluted the
platform with thirteen guns as we ran out of (he bay, which
were returned.
♦
CHAPTER IV.
PASSXGB TOWARDS VAN DIEMEH'S LAND—MAKE THE ISLAND OP ST.
PAUL—AEEIVAL IN ADVENTURE BAY—NATIVES SEEN—SAIL PROM
VAN DIKIIBN'S LAND.
We lost sight of the land the daj^ after leaving False Bay,
and steered towards the E.S.E., having variable winds the
first week, with much thunder, lightning, and rain. The
remainder of this passage, the winds were mostly between
the S. and W., blowing strong. There were almost every
day great numbers of pintada, albatrosses, blue petterels, and
other oceanic birds, about us ; but it was observed that if the
wind came from the northward, only for a few hours, the birds
generally left us, and their presence again was the forerunner
of a southerly wind.
On Sunday the 22nd, at noon, we were scudding under the
fore-sail and close-reefed main-top-sail, the wind blowing strong
from the west. An hour after noon the gale increased, and blew
with so much violence that the ship was almost driven forecastle
under, before we could get sails clewed up. As soon as the
264
bligil's nauhative of
sails wore taken in, we brought the ship to the wind loweicd
the lower yards, and got the top-gallant-masts upon deck,
which eased the ship very much. We remained lying to till
eight the next morning, when we bore away under a reefed fore¬
sail. In the afternoon the sea ran so high that it became very
unsafe to stand ouAÉ^therefore brought to the wind again
and remained lyin^®B[l night, without accident, excepting
that the man at the steerage was thrown over the wheel, and
much bruised. Towards noon, the violence of the storm
abated, and we again bore away under the reefed fore-sail.
In the afternoon saw some whales.
We continued running to the eastward, it being my inten¬
tion to make the island St. Paul. On Monday the 28lh, at
six in the morning, we saw the island, bearing E. by N., 12
leagues distant : between 10 and 11 o'clock, we ran along the
south side, at about a league distant from the shore. There
was a verdure that covered the higher parts of the land ; but
I believe it w as nothing more than moss, which is commonly
found on the tops of most rocky islands in these latitudes.
We saw several whales near the shore. The extent of this
island is five miles from E. to W. ; and about two or three
from N. to S. As we passed the-east end, we saw a remark¬
able high sugar-loaf rock, abreast of which, 1 have been infer
med, is good anchorage in 23 fathoms, the east point bearing
S. W. by S,, by true compass. I had this information from
the captain of a Dutch packet, in which 1 returned to Europe.
He likewise said there was good fresh water on the island, and
a hot spring, which boiled fish in as great perfection as on
afire.
At noon, we were three leagues past the island. We kept
on towards the E.S.E., and for several days continued to see
rock-weed, which is remarked to be generally the case after
ships pass St. Paul's; but to the westward of it very seldom
any is seen.
We had much had weather, t^th snow and hail, and in
our approach to Van Diemen's Lanthmothing was seen to in¬
dicate the nearness of the coast, except a seal, when we were
within the distance of 20 leagues.
At two o'clock this afternoon, we saw the rock named the
Mewstone, that lies near the S.W. cape of Van Diemen's
»Land, bearing N.E. about six leagues. The wind blew strong
from the N.W. As soon as we had passed the Mewstone,
we were sheltered from a very heavy sea, which ran from the
westward. At eight o'clock at night we were abreast of the
south cape, when the wind became light and variable. Saw
several fires inland.
All the 20th, we were endeavouring to get into Adventure
THF. MHTINY OF THE B0DNT1-.
265
Bay, but were prevented oy variable winds. The next morn¬
ing, at five o'clock, we anchored in the outer part, and at
sun-rise weighed again : at noon, we anchored well in the bay,
and moored the ship.
In our passage from the cape of Good Hope, the winds W"re
mostly from the westward, with ver^Mfcterous weather ;
but one great advantage that this seasOTTW the year has over
the summer months is in being free from fogs. I have already
remarked that the approach of strong southerly w inds is an¬
nounced by many kinds of birds of the albatross or petrel
tribe, and the abatement of the gale, or a shift of wind to the
northward, by their keeping away. The thermometer also very
quickly shows when a change of the winds may be expected,
by varying sometimes six and seven degrees in its height. I
have reason to believe that, after we passed the island St.
Paul, there was a westerly current; the ship being every
day to the westward of the reckoning, which in the whole,
from St. Paul's to Van Diemen's Land, made a difference of
four degrees between the longitude by the reckoning and the
true longitude.
The ship being moored, I went in a boat to look out for the
most convenient place to wood and water at, which I found
to be at the west end of the beach : for the surf, though con¬
siderable, was less there than at any other part of the bay.
The water was in a gully about sixty yards from the beach ;
it was perfectly good, but being only a collection from the
rains, the place is always dry in the summer months; for
we found no water in it when I was here with Captain Cook in
January, 1777.—We had very little success in hauling t^e
seine ; about twenty small flounders, and fiat-headed fish,
called foxes, were all that were taken.
I found no signs of the natives having lately frequented this
bay, or of any European vessels having been here, since the
Resolution and Discovery in 1777. From some of the old
trunks of trees, then cut down, I saw shoots ahout twenty-
five feet high, and fourteen inches in circumference.
In the evening, I returned on board. The next morning,
22nd, at daylight, a party was sent on shore for wooding
and watering, under the command of Mr. Christian and the
gunner ; and I directed that one man should be constantly
employed in washing the people's clothes. There was so
much surf that the wood was obliged to be rafted off in bundles
to the boat. Mr. Nelson informed me that, in his walks to¬
day, he saw a tree, in a very healthy state, which he measured,
and found to be thirty three feet and a half in girth ; its height
was proportioned to its bulk.
Satiuday the 23rd. The surf was rather greater than yes-
2 A
260
bligh's narrative of
terday, which .very much interrupted our wooding and water¬
ing. Nelson to-day picked up a male opossum lïat had been
recently killed, or had died, for we could not perceive any
wound, unless it had received a blow on the back, where there
was a bare place about the size of a shilling. It measured
fourteen inches from the ears to the beginning of the tail,
which was exactly the same length.
Most of the forest trees were at this time shedding their bark.
There are three kinds, which are distinguished from each other
by their leaves, though the wood appears to be the same.
Many of them are full one hundred and fifty feet high ; but
most of those that we cut down were decayed at the heart.
There are, besides the forest trees, several other kinds that are
firm good wood, and may be cut for most purposes, except
masts ; neither are the forest trees good for masts, on account
of their weight, and the difficulty of finding them thoroughly
sound. Mr. Nelson asserted that they shed their bark every
year, and that they increase more from the seed than by
suckers.
I found the tide made a difference of full two feet in the
height of the water in the lake, at the back of the beach.
At high water, it was very brackish, but at low tide it was
perfectly fresh to the taste, and soap showed no signs of its
being the least impregnated. We had better success in fiishing
on board the ship, than by hauling the seine on shore ; for,
with hooks and lines, a number of fine rock cod were caught.
—I saw to-day several eagles, some beautiful blue-plumaged
herons, and a great variety of paroquets. A few oyster-catch-
efl and gulls were generally about the beach, and in the lake
a few wild ducks.
Being in want of plank, I directed a saw-pit to be dug, and
employed some of the people to saw trees into plank. The
greater part of this week the winds were moderate, with un¬
settled weather. On Friday it blew strong from the S. W.,
with rain, thunder, and lightning. We continued to catch fi.sh
in sufficient quantities for every body, and had better success
with the seine.—We were fortunate, also, in angling in tlie
lake, where we caught some very fine tench. Some of the
people felt a sickness from eating muscles, that were gathered
from the rocks ; but I believe it was occasioned by eating too
many. We found some spider-crabs, most of them not good,
being the female sort, and out of season. The males were
tolerably good, and were known by the smallness of their two
foré-claws, or feeders. We saw the trunk of a dead tree, on
which had been cut " A. D. 1773." The figures were very
distinct ; even the slips made with the knife wcre'discerni-
ble. This must have been done by some of captain Furneaux's
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
267
people, in March, 1773, fifteen years before. The marks
of the kuife remaining so unaltered, I imagine the tree must
have been dead when it was cut ; but it serves to show the
durability of the wood, for it was perfectly sound at this
time. I shot two gannets : these birds were of the same size
as those in England ; their colour is a beautiful white, with
the ' wings and tail tipped with jet black, and the top and back
of the head of a very fine yellow. Their feet were black,
with four clawá", on each of which was a yellow line, the
whole length of the foot. The bUl was four inches long, with¬
out nostrils, and very taper "and sharp-pointed.
The east side of the bay being not so thick of wood as the
other parts, and the soil heing good, I fixed on it, at Nelson's
recommendation, as the most proper situation for planting
some of the fruit-trees which I had brought from the Cape of
Good Hope. A circumstance much against any thing succeed¬
ing here is that, in the dry season, the fires made by the
natives are apt to communicate to the dried grass and under¬
wood, and to spread in such a manner as to endanger every
thing that cannot bear a severe scorching. We, however,
chose what we thought the safest situations, and planted three
fine young apple-trees, nine vines, six plantain-trees, a num¬
ber of orange and lemon-seed, cherry-stones, plum, peach, and
apricot-stones, pumpkins, also two sorts of Indian corn, and
apple and pear kernels. The ground is well adapted for the
trees, beeing of a rich loamy nature. The spot where we made
our plantation was clear of underwood ; and we marked the
trees that stood nearest to the different things which weœ
planted. Nelson followed the circuit of the bay, planti^
in such places as appeared most eligible. I have great hopes
that some of these articles will succeed. The particular situa¬
tions I had described in my survey of this place, but I was
unfortunately prevented from bringing it home. Near the
watering place, likewise, we planted on a flat, which appeared
a favourable situation, some onions, cabbage-roots, and po¬
tatoes.
For some days past, a number of whales were seen in the
bay. They were of the same kind as those we had generally
met with before, having two blow-holes on the back of the
head.
On the night of the 1st of September, we observed, for the
first time, signs of the natives being in the neighbourhood
Fires were seen on the low land, near Cape Frederick Henry
and at daylight, we saw the natives with our glasses. As I
expected they would come round to us, I remained all the fore¬
noon near the wooding and watering parties, making obser¬
vations, the morning being very favourable for that purpose.
268
bligh's narrative of
I was, however, disappointed in my conjecture, for the natives
did not appear, and there was too great a surf for a boat to land
on the part where we had seen them.
The natives not coming near us, I determined, on the 2nd,
to go after them, and we set out, in a boat, towards Cape
Frederick Henry, where we arrived about eleven o'clock. I
found landing impracticable, and therefore came to a grapnel,
in hopes of their coming to us, for we ha(^ passed several
flres. After wailing near an hour, I was surprised to see
Nelson's assistant come out of the wood: he had wandered
thus far in search of plants, and told me that he had met with
some of the natives. Soon after we heard their voices like the
cackling of geese, and twenty persons came out of the wood,
twelve of whom went round to some rocks, where the boat
could get nearer to the shore than we then were. Those who
remained behind were women.
We approached within twenty yards of them, but there was
no possibility of landing, and I could only throw to the
shore, tied up in paper, the presents which I intended for
them. I showed the different articles as I tied them up, but
they would not untie the paper till 1 made an appearance of
leaving them. They then opened the parcels, and, as they
took the articles out, placed them on their heads. On see¬
ing this, I returned towards thenf, when they instantly put
every thing out of their hands, and would not appear to take
notice of any thing that we had given them. After throwing
1 few more beads and nails on shore, I made sings for them
t^ go to the ship, and they, likewise, made signs for me to
land ; but as this could not be effected, I left them, in hopes
of a nearer interview at the watering place.
When they first came in sight, they made a prodigious clat¬
tering in their speech, and held their arms over their head>.
They spoke so quick that I could not catch one single word
they uttered. We recollected one man, whom we had formerly
seen among the party of the natives that came to us in 1777,
and who is particularised in the account of JDaptaiii Cook's
last voyage, for his humour and deformity. Some of them
had a small stick, two or three feet long, in their hands, but
no other weapon.
Their colour, as Captain Cook remarks, is a dull bl.ack :
their skin is scarified about their shoulders and breast. They
were of a middle stature, or rather below it. One of them
was distinguished by his body being coloured with red ochre,
but all the others were painted black, with a kind of soot,
which was' laid on so thick over their faces and shonlders that
it is difficult to say what they were like.
They ran very nimbly over the rocks, had a very quick sight
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY,
269
and caught the small heads and nails, which I threw to them,
with great dexterity. They talked to us sitting on their heels,
with their knees close into their armpits, and were perfectly
naked.
In my return towards the ship, I landed at the point of the
harbour near Penguin Island, and from the hills, saw the
water on the other side of the low isthmus of Cape Frederick
Henry, which fAms the bay of that name. It is very exten¬
sive, and in, or near, the middle of the bay, there is a low
island. From this spot, it has the appearance of being a very
good and convenient harbour.
The account which 1 had from Brown, the botanist's as¬
sistant, was that, in his search for plants, he had met an old
man, a young woman, and two or three children. The old man
at first appeared alarnJed, but became familiar on being pre¬
sented with a knii'e. He nevertheless sent away the young
woman, who went very reluctantly. He saw some miserable
wigwams, in which were nothing but a few kanguroo skins
spread on the ground, an d a basket made of rushes.
Among the wood that we cut here, we found many scor¬
pions and centipes, with numerous black ants that were an
inch long. We saw no musquitos, though in the summer
months they are very troublesome.
What is called the new Zealand tea plants grew here in great
abundance; so that it was not only gathered and dried to
use as tea, but made excellent brooms. It bears a small point¬
ed leaf, of a pleasant smell, and its seed is contained in a
berry, about the size of a pea, notched into five equal parts
on the top. The soil, on the west and south sides of the
bay, is black mould with a mixture of fine white sand, and
is very rich. The trees are lofty and large, and the underwood
grows so close together that in many places it is impassable.
The east side of the bay is a rich loamy soil ; but near the tops
of the hills is very much encumbered with stones and rocks :
the underwood thinly placed and small. The trees on the
S.S.E. and S.W. sides of the hills grow to a larger size than
those that are exposed to the opposite points ; for the sides
of the trees open or exposed to the north winds are naked,
with few branches ; while the other sides are in a flourishing
state. From this I do not infer that the equatorial are more
hurtful than the polar winds ; but that the trees, by their sit¬
uation, were more sheltered from the one than from the other.
A calm prevented our sailing to-day. The friendly inter¬
view which we had had with the natives made me expect
that they would have paid us a visit ; but we saw nothing more
of them, except fires in the night, upon the low land to
the northward,
2 A 3
270
Bl-IOIl's NARRATIVE OP
In the forenoon, having a pleasant breeze at N. W., wa
weighed anchor, and sailed out of Adventure Bay.
♦
CHAPTER V.
ROCKV ISLANDS DISCOVERED — SEE THE ISLAND MAITEA, AND
ARRIVE AT OTAHEITE—SHIP CROWDED BV THE NATIVES.
Being clear of the land, we steered towards the E. S. E. it
being my intention to pass to the Southward of New Zea¬
land, as I expected in that route to meet with constant westerly
winds ; in which, however, I was disappointed, for they pro¬
ved variable, and frequently from the eastward blowing strong,
with thick misty weather. The thermometer varied from 41
to 46 degrees.
On the 14th, at noon, we were in 49° 24' S. latitude, and
in 168° 3' E. longitude, which is on the same meridian with
the south end of New Zealand. We altered our course,
steering to the northward of east, and frequently saw rock-
weed, which I supposed to have drifted from New Zealand.
The sea now became rougher, from our being exposed to a
long swell, which came from the N. E.
On the 19th, at day- light, we discovered a cluster of small
rocky islands, bearing east by north four leagues distant from
us. We had seen no birds, or any thing to indicate the near¬
ness of land, except patches of rock-weed, for which the vici¬
nity of New Zealand sufficiently accounted. The wind being
at N. E. prevented our near approach to these isles ; so
that we were not less than three, leagues distant in passing to
the southward of them. The weather was too thick to see dis¬
tinctly : their extent was only three and a half miles from
east to west, and about half a league from north to south :
their number, including the smaller ones, was thirteen. I
could not observe any verdure on any of them : there were
white spots like patches of snow ; but, as Captain Cook, in
describing the land of New Zealand, Near Cape South, says
in many places there are patches like white marble, it is pro¬
bable that what we saw might be of the same kind as wha
he had observed. The westernmost of these islands is the
largest ; they are of sufficient height to be seen at the distance
of seven leagues from a ship's deck. While in sight of the
Islands, we saw some penguins, and a white kind of gull
with a forked tail. Captain Cook's track, in 1773, was near
this spot, but he did not see the islands : he saw seals and
TE.K MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
penguins hereabouts, but considered New Zealand to be the
nearest land. I have named them, after the ship, the Bounty
Isles.
On Sunday, the '21st, we saw a seal, some rock-weed, and
a great many albatrosses.
October 2nd, Thursday, it being calm, and a number of
small blubbers ^bout the ship, I took up some in a bucket, but
I saw no difference between them and the common blubbers
in the West Indies. We frequently, in the night-time, observ¬
ed the sea to be covered with luminous spots caused by prodi¬
gious quantities of small blubbers, that, from the strings
which extend from them, emit a light like the blaze of a candle,
while the body continues perfectly dark.
The 3rd, in the morning, we saw a seal. Captain Cook has
remarked seeing sea-weed, when nearly in the same place.
Our latitude 40° 21' S., longitude 215° E. Being now well to
the eastward of the Society Islands, I steered more to the
northward.
We continued to have the southern oceanic birds accom¬
pany us, and a few whales. The people caught albatrosses,
and fattened them in the same manner which they had done
when off Cape Horn. Some of these measured near eight
feet between the tips of the wings, when spread.
On Thursday, the 9th, we had the misfortune to lose one of
our seamen, James Valentine, who died in the night, of an
asthmatic complaint. This poor man had been one of the
most robust people on board, until our arrival at Adventure
Bay, where he first complained of some slight indisposition,
for which he was bled and got better. Some time afterwards,
the arm in which he had been bled, became painful and in¬
flamed : the inflammation increased, with a hollow cough, and
extreme difiäculty of breathing, to his death.
The 13th, in the afternoon, we saw two land birds, like
what are called sand-larks. Our latitude at this time was 28°
3' S., and longitude 223° 26'E. The next morning we saw
a tropic bird, and some fish. The winds were light and
variable, with calms, from this time to the 19th, when a breeze
sprung up from the N. E., which gradually came round to the
eastward, and proved to be the trade wind.
On the 25th, at half past seven in the morning, we saw the
hsland Maitea, called Osnaburg, by Captain Wallis, who
first discovered it. As Captain Wallis and Captain Cook
had both passed near the south side, I ran along the north side,
which is remarkably steep. The island is high and round, and
not more than three miles in its greatest extent. The south
side, where the declivity from the hill is more gradual, is the
cii.ef place of residence of the natives ; but the north side.
272
bligh's narrative op
from the very summit down to the sea, is so steep thai it
can afford no support to the inhabitants. We steered pretty
close in to the northward of the east end, where we saw but
few habitations : a very neat house on a small eminence, de¬
lightfully situated in a grove of cocoa-nut-trees, particularly
attracted our notice. About twenty of the natives followed
us along shore, waving and showing large pieces of cloth;
but the surf on the shore was too high to think of having
any communication with them. I observed a great number of
cocoa-nut-trees, but did not see one plantain-tree. There
were other trees, but of what kind we could not distinguish ;
near the east end are two remarkable rocks, and a reef runs
off to the eastward about half a league.
We continued our course to the westward, and at six in
the evening saw Otaheite, bearing W. f S. ; the island Maitea.
then in sight, bearing E. f S., eight leagues distant. As
there was great probability that we should remain a con¬
siderable time at Otaheite, it could not be expected that the
intercourse of my people with the natives should be of a very
reserved nature : I therefore ordered that every person should
be examined by the surgeon, and had the satisfaction to
learn, from his report, that they were all perfectly free from
any venereal complaint.
On the 26th, at four o'clock in the morning, having run
twenty-five leagues from Maitea, we brought to till day light,
when we saw Point Venus, bearing S. W. by W., distant
about four leagues. As we drew near, a great number of
canoes came off to us. Their first enquiries were, if we were
tyos, which signifies friends ; and whether we came from Pre-
tanie (their pronunciation of Britain), or from Lima; they
were no sooner satisfied in this than they crowded on board
in vast numbers, notwithstanding our endeavours to prevent
it, as we were working the ship in ; and in less than ten
minutes, the deck was so full that I could scarce find my own
people. At nine in the forenoon, we were obliged to anchor
in the outer p.-irt of Matavai Bay, in thirteen fathoms,
being prevented by light variable winds from placing the
ship in a proper berth.
This passage of fifty-two days from V an Diemen's land may
be rated as moderate sailing. We passed New Zealand
with the spring eqiunox, and the winds, though strong, were
at no time violent. To the southward of 40° 0' S. they
were variable ; between the latitude of 40° and 33« S., the
wind kept in the N. W. quarter ; afterwards, till we got into
the trade, the winds were variable mostly from the eastward,
but light, 'and inclinable to calms. The ship was 3° 22' in
longitude to the eastward of the dead reckoning which the
THE ilUTlNY OF THE BOUETY. 273
timekeeper almost in-variably proved to be owing to a cur¬
rent giving us more easting than the log. Our track was as
distant from any course of former ships as I could convenient¬
ly make it ; and though we made no new discoveries, except
the small cluster of islands near New Zealand, yet in other
parts of the track, as has been noticed, we met with signs of
being in the neighbonrhood of land.
It may not be unworthy of remark that the whole distance
which the ship had run by the log, in direct and contrary
courses, from leaving England to our anchoring at Otaheite,
was twenty-seven thousand and eighty-six miles, which, on
an average, is at the rate of a hundred and eight miles each
Iwenty-fovu hours.
♦
CHAPTER VI.
ACCOUNT OF AN ENGLISH SHIP LATELY SAILED FBOM OTAHEITE—
DEATH OF OMAI—CAPTAIN COOK'S PICTURE SENTON BOARD—OTOO
VISITS THE SHIP—HIS VISIT RETURNED—NATIVES WELL DISPOS¬
ED TOWARDS US—ACCOUNT OF THE CATTLE LEFT BY CAPTAIN COOK
—BREAD-FRUIT PLANTS PROMISED—VISIT TO THE KAEEEB BAHIE
—PRESENTS MADE TO THE ARBEOYS.
The ship being anchored, Sunday, 26th, our number of visitors
continued to increase ; but as yet we saw no person that we
could recollect to have been of much consequence. Some
inferior chiefs made me presents of a few hogs, and I made
them presents in return. We were supplied with cocoa-nuts
in great abundance, but bread-fruit was scarce.
Many enquiries were made after Captain Cook, Sir Joseph
Banks, and many of their former friends. They said a ship
had been here, from which they had learnt that Captain Cook
was dead; but the circumstances of his death they did not
appear to be acquainted with ; and I had given particular di¬
rections to my officers and ship's company, that they should
not be mentioned. The ship spoken of, they informed me,
staid at Otaheite one month, and had been gone fotir months,
by some of their accounts ; according to others, only three
months. The captain they called Tonah. I understood, like¬
wise from them, that Lieutenant Watts was in the ship; who
having been here in the Resolution with Captain Cook, was
well known to them.—One of my first enquiries, as will na¬
turally be imagined, was after our fiiend Omai, * and it was
* Carried to England by Captain Cook.
274
BLIGH'S NAllUATIVE OP
a sensible mortification and disappointment to me to hear
that not only Omai, but both the New Zealand hoys who
had been left with him, were dead. Every one agreed in
their information that they died a natural death. Otoo, who
was the chief of Matavai when Captain Cook was here, the
last time, was absent at another part of the island ; they told
me messengers were sent to inform him of our arrival, and
that he was expected to return soon. There appeared among
the natives in general great good-will towards us, and they
seemed to be much rejoiced at our arrival. This whole day
we experienced no instance of dishonesty. We were so much
crowded that I could not undertake to remove to a more pro¬
per station, without danger of disobliging our visitors, by desi¬
ring them to leave the ship : this business was therefore de¬
ferred till the next morning.
Early in the morning of Monday, before the natives began
to flock off to us, we weighed anchor, to work farther into the
bay, and moored at about a quarter of a mile distance from
the shore ; the ship lying in seven fathoms' water.
Several chiefs now came on board, and expressed «great
pleasure at seeing me. Among these were Otow, the father
of Otoo, and Oreepyah, his brother ; also another chief of
Matavai, called Poeeno : and to these men I made presents.
Two messengers likewise arrived from Otoo, to acquaint me
of his being on his way to the ship ; each of whom brought
me, as a present from Otoo, a small pig, and a young plantain-
tree, as a token of friendship. The ship was now plentifully
supplied with provisions ; every person having as much as he
could consume.
As soon as the ship was secured, I went on shore with the
chief Poeeno, and accompanied by a multitude of the natives.
He conducted me to the place where we had fixed our tents
in 1777, and desired that I would now appropriate the spot
to the same use. We then went across the beach, and through
a walk delightfully shaded with bread-fruit trees, to his own
house. Here we found two women at work staining ä piece
of cloth red. These I found were his wife and her sister.
They desired me to sit down on a mat, which was spread
for the purpose, and with great kindness offered me refresh¬
ments. I received the congratulations of several strangers,
who came to us and behaved with great decorum and at¬
tention. The people, however, thronged about the house in
such numbers that I was much incommoded by the heat,
which being observed, they immediately drew back. Among
the crowd I saw a man who had lost ms arm just above the
elbow ; the stump was well covered, and the cure seemed as
perfect as could be expected from the greatest professional
skill.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
275
I made enquiries about the cattle that had been left there
by Captain Cook, but the accounts I received were very
unfavourable, and so various that for the present I shall
forbear speaking of them. After staying about an horn:, I
got up to take leave, when the women, m a very obliging
manner, came to me with a mat, and a piece of their finest
cloth, which they put on me after the Otaheite fashion.
When I was thus Pressed, they each of them took one of my
hands, and accompanied me to the water-side, and at parting
promised that they would soon return my visit.
In this walk I had the satisfaction to see that the island had
received some benefit from our former visits. Two shaddocks
were brought to me, a fruit which they had not till we in¬
troduced it ; and among the articles which they brought off
to the ship, and offered for sale, were capsicums, pumpkins,
and two young goats.
On my return to the ship, I found that a small disturbance
had been occasioned by one of the natives making an attempt
to steal a tin pot ; which, on being known to Oreepyah, he
flew into a violent rage, and it was with some difliculty that
the thief escaped with his life. He drove all his country¬
men out of the ship ; and when he saw me, he desired if at
any time I found a thief, that I would order him to be tied
up and punished with a severe flogging.
This forenoon a man came on board with Captain Cook's
picture, which had been drawn by Mr. Webber in 1777, and
left with Otoo. It was brought to me to be repaired. The
frame was broken, but the picture no way damaged, except a
little in the back ground. They called it Tooie (which has
always been their manner of pronouncing Captain Cook's
name) Earee no Otaheite, chief of Otaheite. They said Toote
had desired Otoo, whenever any English ship came, to show
the picture, and it would be acknowledged as a token of friend¬
ship. The youngest brother of Otoo, named Whydooah, visited
me this afternoon ; he appeared stupified with drinking ava.
At sunset all our male visitors left the ship.
The next morning early I received a message from Otoo,
to inform me of his arrival, and requesting that I would send
a boat for him ; which I immediately did, with an ofBcer
(Mr. Christian) to conduct him on board. He came with
numerous attendants, and expressed much satisfaction at our
meeting. After introducing his wife to me, we joined noses,
the customary manner of saluting, and, to perpetuate our
friendship, he desired we should exchange names. I was
surprised to fiud that, instead of Otoo, the name by which
he formerly went, he was now called "Tinah. The name uf
Otoo, with the title of Earee Rahie, I was informed, iiaà
276
EMail's NARRATIVE OP
devolved to his eldest son, who was yet a minor, as is the
custom of the country. The name of Tinah's wife was Iddeah :
with her was a woman, dressed with a large quantity of cloth,
in the form of a hoop, which was taken off and presented to
me, with a large hog, and some bread-fruit. I then took my
visitors into the cabin, and after a short time produced my pre¬
sents in return. The present I made to Tinah (by which
name I shall hereafter call him) consisted of hatchets, small
adzes, files, gimlets, saws, looking-glasses, red feathers, and
two shirts. To Iddeah I gave ear-rings, necklaces, and beads;
but she expressed a desire also for iron, and therefore I made
the same assortment for her as I had for her husband. Much
conversation took place among them on the value of the dif¬
ferent articles, and they appeared extremely satisfied ; so that
they determined to spend the day with me, and requested I
would show them all over the ship, and particularly the cabin
where I slept. This, though I was not fond of doing, I indul¬
ged them in, and the consequence was, as I had apprehended,
that they took a fancy to so many things that they got from
me nearly as much more as I had before given them. After¬
wards, Tinah desired me to fire some of tíie great guns : this
I likewise complied with, and, as the shot fell into thé sea at
a great distance, all the natives expressed their surprise by
loud shouts and acclamations.
I had a large company at dinner ; for, besides Tinah and
his wife, there was Otow, the father of Tinah, Oreepyah,
and Whydooah, two of his brothers, Poeeno, and several other
chiefs. "Tinah was a very large man, much above the common
stature, being not less than six feet four inches in height,
and proportionally stout : his age about thirty - five. His
wife (Iddeah) I judged to be about twenty-four years of age ;
she was likewise much above the common size of the women at
Otaheite, and had a very animated and intelligent counte¬
nance. Whydooah, the younger brother of Tinah, was highly
spoken of as a warrior, but had the character of being the
greatest drunkard in the country ; and, indeed, to judge from
the withered appearance of his skin, he must have used the
pernicious drink called ava to great excess. Tinah was fed
by one of his attendants, who sat by him for that purpose,
this being a particular custom among some of the superior
chiefs ; and I must do him the justice to say he kept his at¬
tendant constantly employed ; there was indeed little reason
to complain of want of appetite in any of my guests. As the
women are not allowed to eat in presence of the men, Iddeah
dined with some of her companions about an hour afterwards,
in private, except that her husband Tinah favoured them with
his company, and seemed to have entirely forgotten that he
had already dined.
THE MUTINY OP THE BOUNTY.
277
Provisions were brought off to the ship in the greatest plenty;
and, to prevent as much as possible any thing -which might
occasion disputes, I desired Mr. Peckover, the gunner, to
undertake the management of our traffic with the natives.
Some of the hogs brought to-day weighed 200 lb., and we
purchased several for salting. Goats were likewise brought off
for sale, and I bought a she goat and kid for less than would
have purchased a small hog. Our friends here expressed much
disappointment that there was no portrait-painter on board ;
Tinah, in particular, who wished to have had pictures of his
father and family.
An intimacy between the natives and our people was
already so general that there was scarce a man in the ship who
had not his tyo or friend. Tinah continued with me the whole
afternoon, in the course of which he ate four times of roast
pork, besides his dinner. When he left the ship, he requested
I would keep for him all the presents I had given to him, as
he had not, at Matavai, a place sufficiently safe to secure
them from being stolen ; I therefore showed him a locker in
my cabin for his use, and gave him a key to it. This is perhaps
not so mucha proof of his want of power, as of the estima¬
tion in which they hold European commodities, and which
makes more than the common means of security necessary to
prevent theft.
I had sent Nelson and his assistant to look for plants, and
it was no small pleasure to me to find, by their report, that, ac¬
cording to appearances, the object of my mission would pro¬
bably be accomplished with ease. I had given directions to
every one on board not to make known to the islanders the
purpose of our coming, lest it might enhance the value of the
bread-fruit plants, or occasion other difficulties. Perhaps so
much caution was not necessary ; but at all events I wished
to reserve to myself the time and manner of communication.
Nelson met with two fine shaddock-trees, which he had
planted in 1777 ; they were full of fruit, but not ripe.
Wednesday, 29th.—In the morning I returned Tinah's visit,
for 1 found he expected it. He was in a small shed about a
quarter of a mile to the eastward of Matavai Point, -with his
wife and three children, not their own, but who they said
were relations. In my walk I had picked up a numerous
attendance, for every one I met followed me ; so that I had col¬
lected such a crowd that the heat was scarce bearable, every
one endeavouring to get a look to satisfy their curiosity -.
they, however, carefully avoided pressing against me, and
welcomed me with cheerful countenances, and great good¬
nature.
I made Tinah understand that my visit was particularly to
2 B
278
bligh's narrative op
him, and gave him a second present, equal to the first, which
he received with great pleasure ; and to the people of conse¬
quence that were about him I also presented some article or
other. There were great numbers of children ; and, as I
took notice of the little ones that were in arms, and gave
them beads, both small and great, but with much drollery and
good-humour, endeavoured to benefit by the occasion. Boys
of ten and twelve years old were caught up in arms and
brought to me, which created much laughter; so that in a
short time I got rid of all I had brought on shore.
In my return I called on Poeeno and an elderly chief, a
relation of his, called Moannah, the principal men of this dis¬
trict, and with whom I judged it my interest to be on good
terms. I gave them several valuable articles ; and as the
situation here was eligible for a garden, I planted melon,
cticumber, and salad, seeds. I told them many other things
should be sown for their use ; and they appeared much pleased
when they understood I intended to plant such things as would
grow to be trees and produce fruit. I saw large patches of
tobacco growing without culture, and many pumpkin vines.
The bread-fruit trees and cocoa-nut trees at this time were
full of fruit.
I went on board to dinner, and Moannah accompanied me.
In the afternoon I returned to Poeeno's, with some additonal
seeds to improve the little garden X had begun to make in the
forenoon. While 1 was giving directions, I received a mes¬
sage from Tináh, inviting me to come to him at his brother
Oreepyah's house, which was near the beach. At this place
I found a great number of people collected, who, on my ap¬
pearance, immediately made way for me to sit down by Tinah.
The crowd being ordered to draw back, a piece of cloth about
two yards wide and forty-one yards in length was spread on
the ground ; and another piece of cloth was brought by
Oreepyah, which he put overray shouiders and round my waist,
in the manner the chiefs are clothed. Two large hogs, weigh¬
ing each above two hundred pounds, and a quantity of
baked bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts, were then laid before me
as a present, and I was desired to walk from one end of
the cloth spread on the ground to the other, in the course of
which, Tyo and Ehoah * were repeated, with loud acclama¬
tions. This ceremony being ended, Tinah desired I would
send the things on board, which completely loaded the boat ;
we therefore waited till she came back, and then I took them
on board with me ; for I knew they expected some return.
The present which' I made on this' occasion was equal to any
* Toy uud Ehoah are words of cLe same signiñcation ; i. c. friend.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
279
tliat I had made before ; but I discoveied that Tinab was not
the sole proprietor of what be bad giveb to me, for the present
1 gave was divided among those who I guessed bad contri¬
buted to support bis dignity ; among whom were Moannab,
Poeeno, and Oreepyab ; Tinab, however, kept the greatest part
of what I bad given, and every one seemed satisfied with the
proportion be allotted them.
The Otabeite breed of bogs seems to be supplanted by the
European. Originally they were of the China sort, short,
and very thick-necked ; but the superior size of the European
has made them encourage our breed.
Thursday, 30tb.—At break of day, Tinab and bis wife came
agaiu to the ship, and as their attendants were numerous, I
provided abreakfastfor them of broiled and roasted pork, which
they preferred to tea. Our arrival being known all over
the island, we bad this day a great number of strangers on
board, who came from the most remote parts, and in the
forenoon some books and thimbles were cut out from the blocks.
This induced me to order all the natives out of the ship,
except the chiefs and their attendants. In executing these
orders, a daring fellow attacked the sentinel, but escaped
among the crowd. Every one knew the consequence of
oflending the sentinel, and were exceedingly alarmed at the
appearance of anger Í thought necessary to assume.
Among those who \isited us to-day were two chiefs of great
consequence, Marremarre, and his son Poohaitaiah Olee,
Earees of the districts of Itteeah and Attahooroo. Otee
was fed at dinner in the same manner as Tinab. It was
evident that the attention which I showed to these chiefs
seemed to give imeasiness to Tinab. At sunset my visitors
took leave, and were carried on shore by one of the ship's
boats, which has always been regarded as a mark of distinc¬
tion, and on that account preferred by them to going in their
own canoes. At their request a race was rowed between our
five-oared cutter and one of their double canoes with four
paddles. Great exertions were used on both sides, but the cut¬
ter first reached the shore. In their return to the ship, Oreepyab
stopped them, till a large piece of cloth that he had sent for was
brought, which he tied to the boat-hook, and desired should be
carried off as a trophy of their victory.
The next morning, at sunrise, Moannab came on board with
a message from Tinab, to acquaint me that he was mattow
(afraid to see me) till he had recovered some things that
had been stolen from the ship, and which he had sent after.
I knew there was something wrong, as no canoes came off to
us, and, on looking about, we found the buoy of the best bower
anchor had been taken away, I ima/dne, for the sake of some
2 B 2
28!)
bligh's narrative of
iron hoops that were on it. That this might not create any
coolness, I sent a boat to Tinah, to invite him and his friend
to come on board ; which they immediately did, and were no
longer under any apprehensions. I had made an appoint¬
ment with Oreepyah, for him to go with me to Oparre this
morning, but the accident just mentioned caused him to break
his engagement, he having gone, I was informed, in search of
what had been stolen. *
Oparre is the district next to the westward of Matavai. One
of my reasons for going to Oparre, was to see if Nelson
would be able to procure plants there ; but I gave the credit
of my visit to young Otoo, the son of Tinah, who was the
son of Earee Rahie, and lived with the rest of Tinah's child,
ren at Oparre. I prepared a magnificent present for this youth,
who was represented to me as the person of the greatest con¬
sequence, or rather of the highest rank, in the island. At
noon I left the ship, accompanied by Tinah, his wife Iddeah,
and Poeeno. Moannah was to have been of the party, but he
insisted on remaining in the ship, to prevent his countrymen
from attempting to steal anythmg.
After half an hour's sailing, we arrived at Oparre. During
this time, Tinah gave a more circumstantial account of the
cattle and sheep that had been left with him : he related that
after five years from the time of Captain Cook's departure
(counting sixty-three moons), the people of the island Eimeo
joined with these of Attahooroo, a district of Otaheite, and
made a descent on Oparre : that, after some resistance, by
which many men were killed, Tinah and his people fled to
the mountains, leaving all their property to the mercy of the
victorious party, who destroyed almost every thing which they
found not convenient to take away with them. Some of the
cattle were killed and eaten, but the greater part were taken
to Eimeo. The cows, he said, had produced eight calves, and
the ewes ten young ones. The ducks, among which they
classed the geese, had greatly increased ; but the turkeys and
peacocks, whatever was the cause, had not bred. It seemed
to give Tinah great pleasure to observe how much I was con¬
cerned for the destruction of so many useful animals; but
the cause of his satisfaction, I found, did not proceed from any
expectation that I should replace them, but from the belief
that I would take vengeance on the people who had deprived
him of them ; for with respect to the loss of the cattle, he ap¬
peared so unconcerned and indiflerent that I was very angry
with him. There is, however, sufBcient excuse for his resent¬
ment against the people of Eimeo ; for the large extensive
houses, which we had seen in this part of Otaheite, in the year
1777, were all destroyed, and at present they had no other
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
281
habitations than light sheds, which might be taken by the four
corners, and remoyed by four men ; and of the many large
canoes which they then had, not more than three remained.
Tinah, understanding from my conversation, that I intended
visiting some of the other islands in this neighbourhood, very
earnestly deired I would not think of leaving Matavai. " Here,"
said he, " you shall be supplied plentifully with every thing
you want. All here are your friends, and friends of king
George : if you go to the other islands, you will have every
thing stolen from you." I replied thatonaccoimt of their good¬
will, and from a desire to serve him and his country. King
George had sent out those valuable presents to him ; " and
will not you, Tinah, send something to King George in re¬
turn ?"—" Yes," he said, " I will send him anything I have
and then began to enumerate the different articles in his power,
among which he mentioned the bread-fruit. This was the exact
point to which I wished to bring the conversation ; and, seizing
an opportunity, which had every appearance of being unde¬
signed and accidental, I told him the bread-fruit trees were
what King George would like ; upon which he promised me a
great many should be put on board, and seemed much delight¬
ed to find it so easily in his power to send any thing that
would be well received by King George.
On landing at Oparre, an immense crowd of natives, as
usual, immediately thronged about us. 1 inquired for Oree-
pyah, whom I expected to have met me here, but he was not
yet returned from his search after the thieves ; we therefore
went under a shed of his to wait for him, and in about a quar¬
ter of an hour he joined us, bringing with him an iron scraper,
and one of the hoops of the buoy. I thanked him for the
trouble which he had taken, and assured him that I was
perfectly satisfied ; for he still seemed apprehensive of my dis¬
pleasure.
We took leave, for a short time, of Oreepyah, and I proceed¬
ed with Tinah to make my visit to the young Otoo,the Earee
JtaMe. When we had walked about five minutes, Tinah stop¬
ped, and informed me that no person could be permitted to
see his son, who was covered above the shoulders. He then
took off hisupper garments, and requested I would do the same.
I replied, that I had no objection to go as I would to my own
king, who was the greatest in all the world ; and, pulling off
my hat, he threw a piece of cloth round my shoulders, and w e
went on. About a quarter of a mile farther towards the hills,
through a delightful shade of bread-fruit trees, we stopped at
the side of a small serpentine river ; here I was in view of a
house on the other side, at about fifty yards' distance. From
this house the young king was brought out on a man's shoulders
2 B 3
282
dligh's narrative of
clothed in a piece of fine white cloth, and I was desired by
Tinah to salute him by the name of Too Earee Rahie. The
present which I had prepared was divided into three parts,
and two other children made their appearance in the same
manner. The first present I gave to a messenger who atten¬
ded for that purpose ; and I was instructed by Tinah to say
that it was for the Earee Rahie ; that I was his friend ; that I
hated thieves ; and that I came from Britannia. The second
present was sent in the same manner, with a similar message,
to one of the other children ; and likewise the third.
As I could not see the Earee Rahie distinctly, I desired to
be permitted to go over the river to him ; but this, it seems,
could not be complied with : therefore, after seeing the pre¬
sents delivered, I returned with Tinah towards Oreepyah's
house. I was informed that Tinah had four children by his
wife, Iddeah. Otoo, or Too, the Earee Rahie, appeared to
be about six years old : the second is a girl, named Terrenah
Oroah ; the third, a boy, Terreetappanooai ; and a fourth, an
infant girl, whom I did not see, named Tahamydooah.
When we came to the place where we had first stopped,
Tinah took the cloth from my shoulders, and desired me to
put my hat on ; I expressed a desire to see more of the place,
and he took me back by a different way. On passing a trunk
of a tree, rudely carved, I was desired again to pull my hat
off, and all uncovered their shoulders. This I discovered to
be nothing more than the boundary of the king's land ; on
which whoever set their feet uncovered themselves out
of respect.
We stopped at a house belonging to Tinah, where I was
treated with a concert of one drum and three flutes, with sing¬
ing by four men. I made some presents to the performers,
and we removed to Oreepyah's house, where, after paying
my compliments to him, which I found was expected, Tinah
made me a present of a large hog, and some cocoa-nuts.
He then introduced an uncle of his, called Mowworoah, a
very old man, much taitoed, and almost blind. To this chief
I made a present ; and soon after I embarked, with Tinah,
Oreepyah, their wives, and Poeeno. A vast number of people
were collected on the beach to see us depart; and as soon
as the boat had put off, Tinah desired me to fire my pocket-
pistol, the poopooe ete ete, as he called it : the report seemed
to electrify the whole crowd ; but, finding no harm done, they
gave great shouts of approbation.
Nelson, who acompanied me in this expedition, had but
little opportunity to search after plants, the natives having
crowded so much about him : he saw enough, however, to
assure him that they were to be procured here as plentifully
as at Matavai
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY, 203
In our passage to the ship, which we rowed in one hour,
nothing but Britannie was inquired alter, and of the number
of ships and guns. When I told them we had ships of a
hundred guns, they could not believe it, till I drew one on
paper ; they then asked me if it was not as big as Taraah,
which is a high projecting headland, half way between
Matavai and Oparre, called by us One-tree Hill. Tinah
much wished that one of these large ships should be sent to
Otaheite, and that myself should come in her, and bring him
a number of things that he wanted ; among which he particu¬
larly desired beds and high-backed elbow chairs might not be
forgotten : a request perfectly according with the indolent
character of Tinah.
Saturday, November 1st.—As we had occasion to fix a
tent on Point Venus, this morning we moved the ship nearer
to it, and moored again in six fathoms, the point bearing
N.N. E.
Tinah and several other chiefs dined on board with me. Af¬
ter dinner I went ou shore with Tinah, and made a visit to his
father Otow. I likewise went to the garden which I had made
near Poeeno's house, and found every thing had been taken
care of. After this, I was invited to an entertainment called
Heiva, which Tinah had ordered, and which consisted of sing¬
ing and dancing by three men and a young girl. When this
performance was finished 1 returned to the ship.
Sunday, 2nd.—At daylight I sent Mr. Christian with a
party to erect our tent, and soon after followed myself with
Tinah, Moannah, and Poeeno. With their consent I fixed a
boundary, within which the natives were not to enter with¬
out leave, and the chiefs cautioned them against it.
The principal use of the tents on shore was for a lodgment
fur the plants ; and I had now, instead of appearing to receive
a favour, brought the chiefs to believe that I was doing them a
kindness in carrying the plants as a present from them to the
Earee Rahie no Brilanee. The party at the tent consisted of
nine persons, including Nelson and his assistant.
Tinah dined with me on board, and was to-day my only
visitor : Nevertheless, the ceremony of being fed he so scru¬
pulously observed that, even after all the attendants were sent
away, and we were left by ourselves, I was obliged to lift
the wine to his mouth. The wives of the Earees are some¬
times subject to this restriction after the birth of a child, but
are released after a certain time, on performing a ceremony
called Oammo.
After dinner, Tinah invited me to accompany him with a
pu icnl of provisions to a ptirty of the Arreoys, a society de-
sLiibed in the accounts of the fonner voyages ; in this cet e-
Í284
BLIGH s NARRATIVE OF
mony, * he made me the principal person. Our way to the
place where the offering was to be made was by the side of
a river, along the hanks of which 1 had always walked be¬
fore this time ; but on the present occasion a canoe was pro¬
vided for me, and dragged by eight men. On arriving at the
landing-place, I saw a large quantity of bread-fruit, with some
hogs ready dressed, and a quantity of cloth. At about forty
yards' distance sat a man, who, I was informed, was a prin¬
cipal Arreoy. A lane being made by the crowd, he was
addressed by one of Tinah's people, standing on the canoe,
in a speech composed of short sentences, which lasted about
a quarter of an hour. During this, a piece of cloth was pro¬
duced, one end of which I was desired to hold, and five
men, one with a sucking pig, and the others having each
a basket of bread-fruit, prepared to follow me. In this order
we advanced to the Arreoy, and laid the whole down before
him. I then spoke several sentences dictated to me by Tinah,
the meaning of which I did not understand; and my pro¬
nunciation not being very exact caused a great deal of mirth.
This speech being finished, I was shown another Arreoy, who
had come from Ulitea, and to him likewise 1 was required
to deliver an oration. Tinah, understanding from me that
I had children in my own country, he desired me to make
one more offering on their account. There still remained three
baskets of bread-fruit, a small pig, and another piece of cloth :
with these, assisted as before, 1 made the offering in favour of
my children to the man whom I had first addressed. He
made no reply to all my fine speeches, but sat with great
gravity, and received every thing as a matter of right, and
not of courtesy.
All that I could make out of this strange ceremony was that
the Arreoys are highly respected, and that the society is chiefly
composed of men distinguished by their valour or some
other merit, and that great trust and confidence is reposed
in them ; but I could not comprehend what this had to do
with my children, or why it should be imagined that an offering
made on their account to a society of men who destroy all their
children should be propitious. I learnt from Tinah, in talking
about his children, that his first-born child was killed as
soon as it came into the world, he being then an Arreoy ;
but, before his second child was born, he quitted the society.
The Arreoys are allowed great latitude in their amours, except
in times of danger. Then, as they are almost all fighting men
• A licentious society admitting both men and women, between whom
the intercourse is promiscuous ; children hum iu this society are imme¬
diately destroyed.
THE MtlTlNY OP THE BOUNTY. 28Ö
(tata toa) they are restricted, that they may not weaken or
enervate themselves.
These ceremonies being ended, I returned to the ship.
Such of the natives as I conversed with about the institu¬
tion of so extraordinary a society as the Arreoy asserted that
it was necessary, to prevent an over population. Worrano
worrow no te mydidde, worrow worrow te tata. We have
too many children, and too many men, was their constant ex¬
cuse. Yet it does not appear that they are apprehensive of
too great an increase of the lower class of people, none of them
being ever admitted into the Arreoy society. The most re¬
markable instance, related to me, of the barbarity of this
institution, was of Teppahoo, the Earee of the district of
Tettaha, and his wife, Tetteehowdeeah, who is sister to Otow,
and considered as a person of the first consequence. I was
told that they have had eight children, every one of which
was destroyed as soon as born. That any human beings were
ever so devoid of natural afiection' as not to wish to preserve a
live one of so many children is not credible. It is more rea¬
sonable to conclude that the death of these infants was not an
act of choice in the parants ; but that they were sacrificed in
compliance with some barbarous superstition, with which we
are unacquainted. What strengthens this conjecure is that
they have adopted a nephew as their heir, of whom they are
excessively fond.
In countries so limited as the islands in the South Seas, the
natives of which, before they were discovered by European
navigators, probably had not an idea of the existence of other
lands, it is not unnatural that an increasing population should
occasion apprehensions of universal distress. Orders of celi¬
bacy, which have proved so prejudicial in other coimtries,
might perhaps in this have been beneficial ; so. far at least
as to have answered their purpose by means not criminal.
The number of inhabitants at Otaheite have been estimated
at above one hundred thousand. The island, however, is
not cultivated to the greatest advantage : yet, were they con¬
tinually to improve in husbandry, their improvement could
not, for a length of time, keep pace with an unlimited popula¬
tion.
An idea here presents itself, which, however fanciful it may
appear at first sight, seems to merit some attention ;—While
we see among these islands so great a waste of the human
species, that numbers are bom only to die ; and, at the same
time, a large continent so near them as New Holland, in
which there is so great a waste of land uncultivated, and
almost destitute of inhabitants ; it naturally occurs how ^eatly
the two coimtries might be made to benefit each other ; and
286
bligh's narrative of
gives occasion to regret that the islanders are not instructed
in the means of emigrating to New Holland, which seems as if
designed by nature to serve as an asylum for the superflux of
inhabitants in the islands. Such a plan of emigration, if ren¬
dered practicable to them, might not only be the means of
abolishing the horrid custom of destroying children, as it
would remove the plea of necessity, but might lead to other
important purposes. A great continent would be converted
from a desert to a populous country ; a number of our fellow
creatures would be saved ; the inhabitants of the islands
would become more civilized; and it is not improbable
but that our colonies in New Holland would derive so much
benefit as to more than repay any trouble or expense that
might be incurred in endeavouring to promote so humane a
plan.
The latter, however, is a remote consideration, for the in-
tertropical parts of New Holland are those most suited to the
habits and manner of living of the islanders ; and likewise
the soil and climate are the best adapted to their modes of
agriculture. Man placed by his Creator in the warm climates,
perhaps would never emigrate into the colder, imless under
the tyrannous influence of necessity ; and ages might elapse
before the new inhabitants would spread to our settlers, though
they are but barely within the limits of frost, that great cause
of nine tenths of the necessities of Europeans. Nevertheless,
besides forwarding the purposes of humanity and general con¬
venience, in bringing a people without land to a land without
people, the benefit of a mutual intercourse with a neighbouring
and friendly colony, would in itself be no inconsiderable ad¬
vantage.
Among people so free from ostentation as the Otaheiteans,
and whose manners are so simple and natural, the strictness
with which the punctilios of rank are observed is surprising.
I know not if any action, however meritorious, can elevate a
man above the class in which he was born, unless he were to
acquire sufficient power to confer dignity on himself. If any
woman of the inferior classes has a child by an Earee it is
not suffered to live. Perhaps the offspring of Teppahoo and
Tettehowdeeah were destined to satisfy some cruel adjust¬
ment of rank and precedency.
THE MUTINY OP THE BOUNTY.
287
CHAPTER VIL
A THBPT COMMITTBD —DECEPTION OP THE PAINTED HEAD—CON-
VEaSATION WITH A PRIEST—A WRESTLING MATCH—REPORTS OP
THE NATIVES CONCERNING OTHER ISLANDS—SOME ACCOUNT OP
OMAl.
Mondat, November 3rd.—^The tradb for provisions I direc¬
ted to be carried on at the tent by Mr. Peckover, the gunner.
Moannah likewise resided there, as a guard over his country¬
men ; but though it appeared to be the wish of all the chiefs
that we should remain unmolested, it was not possible entirely
to prevent them from pilfering.
My table at dinner was generally crowded. Tinah, Oreepyah,
Poeeno, and Moannah, were my regular guests, and I was sel¬
dom without some chiefs from other districts. Almost every
individual of any consequence has several names, which
makes it frequently perplexing, when the same person is spoken
of, to know who is meant. Every chief has perhaps a dozen or
more names in the course of tlurty years ; so that the person
who has been spoken of by one visitor will not perhaps be
known to another, unless otW circumstances lead to a dis¬
covery. The father of Tinah, at this time called Otow, was
known in 1769 by the name of Whappai.
I showed Tinah the preparations j was making to take on
board the bread-fruit plants, which pleased him exceedingly,
but he did not forget to remind me that when the next ship
came out he hoped King George would, send him large axes,
files, saws, cloth of all kinds, hats, chairs, and bedsteads, with
arms, ammunition, and in short every thing he could think of
mentioning.
This afternoon, the gudgeon of the rudder belonging to the
large cutter was drawn out and stolen, without being perceiv¬
ed by the man that was stationed to take care of her. Several
petty thefts having been committed by the natives, mostly
owing to the negligence of our own people ; and as these kind
of accidents generally created alarm, and had tendency to
interrupt the good terms on which we were with the cMefs,
I thought it would have a good effect to punish the boat-keeper
in their presence, many of them happening to be then on
board ; and accordingly I ordered him a dozen lashes. Tinah,
with several of the chiefs, attended the punishment, and inter¬
ceded very earnestly to get it mitigated; the women showed
great sympathy, and that degree of feeling which characterises
the amiable part of their sex.
The natives brought off to-day two different kinds of roots
that grow like yams; one they call Ettee, which is a sweet
bligh's narrative op
root, common also to the Friendly Islands, and may be eaten
as a sweet-meat : the other they call Appay, a root like the
Tyah or Eddie in the West Indies. A fruit called Ayyah,
which is the jambo of Batavia, was likewise brought off to
us : they are as large tis middle sized apples, very juicy and
refreshing, and may be eaten in large quantities. Also some
Avees, which are the real Otaheite apple ; but they were not
yet in season. These are a delicious high-flavoured fruit, and
before they are ripe, answer the culinary purposes of our ap¬
ples.
Tuesday, 4th.—A chief called Tootaha, who came from the
island Ulietea, was introduced to me to-day, by Tinah, as one
of his particular friends. I was told that he was a priest, and a
person of great knowledge. I desired Tinah to take what he
thought proper as a present for him ; and I must do Tinah the
justice to say he was more sparing than I should have been.
I likewise received a visit to-day from Oedidee, the man
who had been at sea with Captain Cook in 1773 and 1774, as
related in the account of that voyage. He still retained some
of the English words which he had leamt in that expedition.
Wednesday, 5th.—The weather variable, with lightning, and
frequent showers of rain. Wind E.N.E.
This was the first day of our beginning to take up plants :
we had much pleasure in collecting them, for the natives
offered their assistance, and perfectly understood the method
of taking them up and pruning them.
The crowd of natives was not so great as hitherto it had
been : the curiosity of strangers was satisfied ; and, as the wea¬
ther began to be unsettled and rainy, they had almost all re¬
turned to their homes ; so that only the people of Matavai
and Oparre remained with us, except a few chiefs from other
islands : our supplies however were abundant ; and what
I considered as no small addition to our comforts, we ceased
to be incommoded, when on shore, by the natives following
us, and could take our walks almost unnoticed. In any
house that we wished to enter, we always experienced a kind
reception, and without officiousness. The Otaheiteans have
the most perfect easiness of manners, equally free from for¬
wardness and formality. When they offer refreshments, if
they are not accepted, they do not think of offering them the
second time ; for they have not the least idea of that ceremo¬
nious kind of refusal which expects a second invitation. In
like manner, at taking leave, we were never troubled with
solicitations to prolong our visit, but went without ceremony,
except making use of a farewell expression at parting. Another
dvantage, seldom found in warm countries, was, in this part
of Otaheite, being free from muskitoes, though, at particular
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 2"9
times of the year, the inhabitants are pestered with great num¬
bers of flies.
Moannah continued our constant friend at the lent, and,
with Tinah and all his friends, dined with me every day.
The ship's barber had brought with him from London a
painted head, such as the hair-dressers have in their shops,
to shew the different fashions of dressing hair : and it being
made with regular features, and well coloured, I desired him
to dress it, which he did with much neatness, and with a stick
and a quantity of cloth, he formed a body. It was then
reported to the natives that we had an English woman on
board, and the quarter-deck was cleared of the crowd, that
she might make her appearance. Being handed up the lad¬
der, and carried to the after-part, of the deck, there was a
general shout of " Huaheine no Brittanie myty." Huaheine
signifies woman, and myty, good Many of them thouglit it
was living, and asked if it was my wife. One old woman ran
with presents of cloth and bread-fruit, and laid them at her
feet ; at last they found out the cheat ; but continued all de¬
lighted with it, except the old lady, who felt herself mortified,
and took back her presents, for which she was laughed at
exceedingly. Tinah and all the chiefs enjoyed the joke, and,
after making many inquiries about the British women, they
strictly enjoined me, when I came again, to bring a ship full
of them.
Some very fine sugar-cane was brought to me ; each of
the pieces was six inches round. I had before told Tinah
that our sugar was made of it, and he was very desirous to
discover the means ; for they were so fond of our loaf sugar
that a present to any chief would have been incomplete with¬
out a piece of it. Another article in great estimation, and
likewise expected to make part of a present, was scissors,
which they made use of to keep their beards in order
By this time Nelson had, with assistance from the ship,
completed a large garden near the tents ; in which were sown
seeds of different kinds, that we had collected at the Cape of
Good Hope. I likewise distributed fruit-stones and almonds
for planting, among the chiefs, who, I hope, will endeavour
to make them succeed : and, as they are very fond of sweet-
smelling flowers, with which the women delight to ornament
themselves, I gave them some rose-seed.
Thursday, 6th.—We had very variable weather, much
rain, and some westerly winds ; so that a considerable swell
ran into the bay, and a number of spotted white and black
porpoises made their appearance. I had the mortification
to see that our garden-ground had beerr much trod over ;
and, what was worse, the chiefs appeared but liitle concerned
2 0
2!)0
bligh's narrative of
at it. To this kind of carelessness and indifference I attribute
the' miscarriage of many of the plants left here by Captain
Cook. I had now, in a flourishing state, two orange plants,
some vines, a flg-tree, and two pine-apple plants, which I
gave to Poeeno, whose residence is a place favourable for
their growth.
We got on successfully with our plants, having a hundred
potted at the tent, and in a fair way of doing well. The
cabin was also completed, and ready to receive them on board.
I have before remarked that my friend Tinah was rather
of a selfish disposition, and this afternoon he showed a stronger
instance of it than I was witness to at any time before or
after. His brother Oreepyah sent on board to me a present
of a large hog and a quantity of bread-fruit ; but these kind of
presents are much more expensive than purchasing at the
market. Soon after Oreepyah himself came on board. Tinah
was with me at the time, and whispered me to tell Oreepyah
not to bring any more hogs or fruit, and to take those back
which he had sent. This advice, as may be supposed, did
not produce the effect intended. Oreepyah appears to be a
man of great spirit, and is highly respected by his country¬
men. Among other visitors to-day was one of the men who
had been to Lima in 1776.
Saturday, 8th.—Our plants had now increased to 252 : as
they were all kept on shore at the tent, 1 augmented the guard
there, though, from the general conduct of the natives, there
did not appear the least occasion for so much caution.
■While 1 was at dinner, Tinah desired 1 would permit a
man to come down into the cabin, whom he called his
Taowah, or priest ; for I was obliged to keep a sentinel at
tlie hatchway to prevent being incommoded at my meals
with too much company ; a restriction which pleased the chiefs,
who always asked leave for any particular person to be admit¬
ted of whom they wished me to take notice. The company
of the priest brought on a religious conversation. He said
their great God was called Oro; and that they had many
others of less consequence. He asked me if I had a God ?—
if he had a son? and who was his wife? I told them he had
a son, but no wife. Who was his father and mother ? was
the next question. 1 said he never had father or mother ;
at this they laughed exceedingly. You have a God then who
never had a father or mother, and has a child without a wife !
Many other questions were asked, which my little knowledge
of the language did not enable me to answer.
The weather was now fine again, and a great number of
people were come from other parts of the island. Tinah infor¬
med me that there was to be a Aeiva and a wrestling match
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
201
on shore, and that the performers waited for our attendance ;
we therefore set off with several of our friends, and about a
quarter of a mile from the tents we found a great concourse
of people formed into a ring. As soon as we were seated, a
dancing heiva began, which was performed by two girls and
four men : this lasted half an hour, and consisted of wanton
gestures and motions, such as have been described in the
account of former voyages. When the dance ended, Tinah
ordered a long piece of cloth to be brought ; his wife Iddeah
and myself were desired to hold the two first corners, and, the
remainmg part being supported by many others, we carried it
to the performers and gave it them. Several other chiefs
made a like present or payment. The performers were
strollers, that travelled about the country as in Europe.
After this the wrestling began, and the place soon became
a scene of -riot and confusion. A party of the Arreoys also
began to exercise a privilege, which it seems they are allowed,
of taking from the women such of their clothes as they thought
worth it ; so that some of them were left little better than
naked. One young woman, who was attacked, opposed them
with all her strength, and held fast her cloth, though they
almost dragged her along the ground. Observing that 1 took
notice of her, she held out her hand, and begged my assis¬
tance ; and at my request she escaped being pillaged.
Soon after a ring was again made, but the wrestlers were
so numerous within it that it was impossible to restore order.
In the challenges, they lay one hand upon their breast, and
on the bending of the arm at the elbow with the other hand
they strike a very smart blow, which, as the hand is kept
hollow, creates a sound that may be heard at a considerable
distance ; and this they do so frequently, and with such
force, that the flesh becomes exceedingly bruised, and, the
skin breaking, bleeds considerably. At this time, the sound
from so many resembled that of a number of people in a wood
felling trees. This is the general challenge ; but whtn any two
combatants agree to a trial, they present their hands forward,
joining them only by the extremities of the fingers. They begin
by watching to take an advantage ; at length they close, seize
each other by the hair, and are most commonly parted before
either receives a fall. Only one couple performed any thing
like the part of good wrestlers ; and, as they were an equal
match, this conflict lasted longer than any oí the others ; but
they also were parted.
Iddeah was the general umpire, and she managed with so
much address as to prevent any quarrelling, and there was no
murmuring at her decisions. As her person was large, she
was very conspicuous in the circle. Tinah took no part in the
2 C 2
292
bligh's narrative of
management. Upon the whole, this performance gave me a
better opinion of their strength than of their skill ordexteniy.
For sometime past Tinah had talked of going to the island
of Tethuroa, which lies eight or ten leagues north from Ota-
heite, to fetch his mother ; but 1 found I had only half under¬
stood him, for this morning he inquired when we were to sail
there in the ship ; however he seemed to feel no great dis¬
appointment at my not complying with his wish. Tethuroa,
he informed me, is the property of his family. He likewise
spoke to me about an island called Roo-opow, the situation of
which he described to be to the eastward of Otaheite four or
five days' sail, and that there were large animals upon it with
eight legs. The trulh of this account he very strenuously
insisted upon, and wished me to go thither with him. I was
at a loss to know whether or not Tinah himself gave credit
to this w himsical and fabulous account : for "though they
have credulity suffit n ut to believe any thing, however im¬
probable, they are at the same lime so much addicted to that
species of wit which we call humbug that it is frequently
difficult to discover whether they are in jest or earnest,
'f'heir ideas of geography are very simple ; they believe the world
to be a fixed plane of great extent, and that the sun, moon,
and stars are all in motion round it. I have been frequently
asked by them if 1 have not been as far as the sun and moon ;
for they think we are such great travellers that scarce any
undertaking is beyond our ability.
Another island, called Tappuhoi, situated likewise to the
eastward, was described to me by -Tiuah, tlie inhabitants of
which were said to be all warriors, and that the people of Ota¬
heite did not dare to go there. He told me that very lately a
canoe from Tappuhoi was at the island Maitea ; that as soon
as they landed they began to fight with the people of Maitea,
■who killed them all except a young lad and a woman, who-
have since been at Otaheite I saw the boy, but could get no
information from him. It is most probable that this unfor¬
tunate visit of the canoe from Tappuhoi was not designed,
but occasioned by adverse winds, which forced them so far
from their own island ; and that the people of Maitea began
the attack, taking advantage of their superior numbers on
account of some former quarrel.
Thursday, 13th.—I had a large company to dine with me
to-day. Some of my constant visitors had observed that we
always drank His Majesty's health as soon as the cloth was
removed, but they were by this time become so fond of wine
that they would frequently remind me of the health inthemid-
dle of dinner, by calling out King George Earee no Brittanee,
and would banter me if the glass was not filled to the brim.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 203
Nothing could exceed the miith and jollity of these people
when they met on board.
I was assured, by Oediddee and several others, that the vines
planted at the island Huaheine by Captain Cook had succeed¬
ed and bore fruit ; and that some of the other plants, both at
Huaheine and at Oaitepeha, a district on the S.E. part of
Otaheite, had been preserved, and were in a thriving state,
I was likewise informed that there was a bull and a cow alive
at Otaheite, but on different parts of the island ; the former at
a place called Itteah, the latter at the district of Tettaha. All
the rest were taken away or destroyed by the people of Eimeo.
As Tettaha was at no great distance, I determined to go thiüier
myself the first opportunity, and make inquiries, in hopes that
the breed might still be preserved.
I had much discourse with my guests about Omai ; they
confirmed to me that he died about thirty months after Cap¬
tain Cook left the islands. Soon after Captain Cook's depar¬
ture from Huaheine, there were some disputes between the
people of that island and those of Ulietea, in which also the
natives of Bolabola took a part. Omai, who was become of
consequence from the possessing three or four muskets and
some ammunition, was consulted on the occasion. Such was
his opinion and assurances of success that a war was deter¬
mined on, and took place immediately.—Victory soon follow¬
ed, through the means of those few arms, and many of the
Ultetea and Bolabola men were killed. In this contest their
flints proved bad, or probably the locks of the muskets had
got out of order : this they remedied by a lighted stick, one
man presenting the muskët, and another with the burnt stick
setting fire to the priming ; without which contrivance their
arms would have proved useless. This expedition, it seems,
consumed all their ammunition. Peace was soon after estab¬
lished, but I did not understand that Omai had increased his
possessions or his rank, Nevertheless, I have reason to con-
elude that he was in some degree of favour with his country¬
men, from the general good character which they give of him.
It appears that he always remembered England with kindness ;
for his accounts to his countrymen have been such as to give
them, not only a great idea of our power and consequence,
but of our friendship and good-will towards him.
Tyvarooah, the eldest of the New Zealand boys that were
left with him, died a short time after Omai. About Coah, the
youngest, I had always doubtful accounts till I came to Hua»
heine, where I learnt that he likewise was dead.
'J o 3
bligh's nahkati\k or
CHAPTER VIII.
EXPEDITION TO TETTAHA, APTER A HEIFEB—EXTRAORDINARY DOMES'
TIC ARRANGEMENTS—TINAB'S MOTHER VISITS TBE SHIP—A SBEEP
BROCGBT PROM ULIETEA—HEAVY STORM—DEATH OF THE SCBGEON
—TAOWNE AND TOAHROAH HARBOURS EXAMINED.
After dinner I went OU shore, and while I was at the tents,
from having exposed myself too much in the sun, I was taken
ill, and continued in much pain for near an hour. This was
soon known among the natives, and I was exceedingly sur¬
prised to see Tinah and all the principal people, both men and
women, collecting round me and otfering their assistance.
For his short illness I was made ample amends by the plea¬
sure I received from the attention and appearance of afl'ection
in these kind people.
Friday, 14th November.—This morning I had numberless
inquiries after my health. The weather being fine, I invited
Tmah, Oreepyah, and Poeeno, to accompany me to Tettaha,
in order to inquire after the cow, and soon after sunrise we set
off in the launch. Tettaha is nearly four leagues from Point
Venus. On our arrival, Tinah sent a man to give notice of
our visit. The chief of the district, whose name was Teppa-
hoo, did not appear, but sent a messenger to demand fit I
came only to see the cow, or to take it away with me ? In an¬
swer to this, I sent assurances that I only desired to see it ;
and the chiefs who were with me spoke to the same effect. I
was then desired to proceed in the boat further along shore to
the westward. In our way Tinah made me stop among some
fishing canoes to purchase fish for him, which he ate raw, with
salt water for sauce. When we arrived at the landing-place,
a great number of people had collected, and soon after Teppa-
hoo arrived. Oreepyah and I went with him about a quarter
of a mile, when I was shown one of the most beautiful heifers
I ever saw. I asked if they had any more, but they all said
there was no other than a bull at Itteah, as before-mentioned.
I could not refrain from expressing my displeasure at the de¬
struction and the foolish separation of these fine animals. I
had shared with Captain Cook in the trouble of this business,
and had been equally anxious for the success.
The district of Tettaha is not so luxuriant and fruitful as
the country about Matavai. As I saw nothing of consequence
to detain me, 1 made a present to Teppahoo, and, after in¬
viting him to visit me on board the ship, which he promised to
do, 1 took leave. Tinah had remained all this time in the
boat. 1 observed that no respect was shown to him at this
THE MUTIHÏ OF TUE EOUNTY.
295
place, nor was he able to procure a cocoa-nut, or a bread-fruit,
otherwise than by purchasing it. The heifer being here is a
proof of this district not having been friendly to the people of
Matavai and Oparre.
In our way back, having to row against the wind, we stopped
to refresh at Oparre, and it was eight o'clock by the time we
arrived at the ship. I kept my fellow-travellers on board to
supper, and they did not tail to remind me of the king's health.
Monday, I7th.—Our collection of bread-fruit plants at the
tents continued increasing. This morning 1 sent twelve on
board, in pots, to discover where they would thrive the best,
the air being more temperate on board the ship than on shore.
While I was absent from the ship, Teppahoo had been on
board, and left a hog as a present for me.
After dinner to-day, Tinah, who was my constant visitor,
left the table sooner than usual. When he was gone, Oree-
pyah, his brother, and Oedidde, told me a piece of scandal,
which had been before hinted to me, but which till now 1 had
not heard of with certainty : this was, that Iddeah, Tinah's
wife, kept a gallant, who was a towtow, or servant, and the
very person who always fed Tinah at dinner : and this was
so far from being without Tinah's knowledge or consent that
they said it was by his desire. They added many other cir¬
cumstances, and, as I appeared to doubt, they took several
opportunities, in the course of the day, of mentioning it to
other people, who all declared it was true.
Tuesday, 18th.—This afternoon, I saw Teppahoo, and invit¬
ed him on board : before we parted, I bargained with him for
the heifer, which he promised to bring in five days. My in¬
tention was that, if I got the heifer, I would endeavour to
pttrchase the bull at Itteah : but if that could not be done,
then I could send the heifer as a present to the possessor of
the bull, which might equally well answer my purpose.
It has been mentioned, that Tinah had a place in my cabin
to keep those things which I gave him, as being more secure
on board than on shore. I had remarked lately that his hoard
seemed to diminish the more I endeavoured to increase it : at
length I discovered that Iddeah kept another hoard in the
master's cabin, which she regularly enriched from her hus¬
band's, whenever I made him a present, apprehending that I
should cease giving, when I saw Tinah's locker full. At his
request, I set the carpenters to work to make him a chest large
enough for himself and wife to sleep on. Captain Cook had
formerly given him such a chest, but it had been taken from
him by the Eimeo people.
Friday, 21sl.—This forenoon, I received a message from
Teppahoo, to acquaint me the heifer was brought to Matavai.
296
blioh'-s narrative op
1 immediately went on shore, and found that he had been as
good as his word. The purchase money was paid, which con¬
sisted of a shirt, a hatchet, a spike-nail, a knife, a pair of
scissors, a cimblet, and file ; to which was added, a small
quantity of loaf-sugar. Teppahoo appeared well pleased with
his bargain ; and I sent the heifer to Poeeno's residence, near
which was plenty of grass.
In the afternoon, I was invited to a heiva, the most extraor¬
dinary part of which was an oration, with some ceremonies in
compliment to us. Twelve men were divided into four ranks,
with two women in the front ; behind them all stood a priest,
who made a speech which lasted ten minutes, and which was
listened to with some attention. During this, the picture of
Captain Cook, which had been brought for that purpose, was
placed by my side. When the priest left off speaking, a piece
of white cloth was wrapt round the picture, and another piece
round me. The priest then spoke again for a short time, and
an old man placed a piece of plaited cocoa-nut leaf at my feet ;
the same was done to Tinah, and one piece was put under the
picture. After this the dancing began, which was in the same
style that we had already seen.
The head of the ship was the figure of a woman, and not
ill carved. As we were painting the ship's upper works, I di¬
rected this figure to be painted in colours, with which the is¬
landers were much pleased. Not only the men, but the women,
desired me to bring English women when I came again. To¬
day Oedidde, thinking I was not convinced of the truth of
what he had told me about Iddeah, mentioned the affair to the
lady herself in my hearing, at which she laughed, but said he
did ill to tell me of it. However, it was evident she was not
much offended ; for they were both very much diverted in dis¬
coursing upon the subject.
I find it is not at all uncommon for brothers to have con¬
nexion with the wives of each other, particularly elder brothers
with the wives of their younger brothers, which is gener¬
ally allowed, and no offence taken ; but if any person, not
belonging to the family, endeavours at the same intimacy, it
is resented as an injury. Inclination seems to be the only
binding'law of marriage atOtaheite.
As I purposed to get instruments on shore at Point Venus,
to make observations, I desired Tinah to order a house to be
brought there for me ; which was done, and fixed in half am
hour, being only a light shed supported by posts.
Monday, 24th, I bought a turtle, that was caught on the
reefs. As Tinah was going to leave me for a few days, I
had it dressed for his dinner. He told me that his mother
Oberree-roah, was arrived from the island Tethuroa, and
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
297
begged, that I would send for her in the morning, and take
care of her till he returned ; which 1 willingly promised.
Tuesday, 25th.—This morning, I sent a boat to Oparre,
which returned in the afternoon with Oberree-roah, and two
women, her servants. As she was old and corpulent, it was
with difficulty that we helped her up the ship's side. As
soon as she was in the ship, she sat down on the gangway,
and, clasping my knees in her arms, expressed her pleasure
at seeing me by a flood of tears. Her ser\'ants then pro¬
duced three pieces of cloth, which, with a large hog, some
bread-fruit, plantains, and cocoa-nuts, she had brought as a
present. As she was fatigued by her journey, she wished to
remain on board all night; and I directed accommodations
to be prepared, which was done with little trouble, as nothing
more was necessary than a mat, and some cloth spread on the
deck. She had with her a favourite cat, bred from one that
had been given her by Captain Cook. She told me all the
misfortunes that had befallen her son and friends, since Captain
Cook left Otaheite. All the accounts agree in some of the
cattle being now alive at the island Eimco ; in the numbir
they diflfer ; but that there are eight is the least account.
In the morning, Oberree-roah being desirons to go on shore, I
made her a present of several things, which she did not care to
take with her then, but requested that I would keep them
safe for her. Only Moannah and Poeeno dined with me to¬
day. They told me that Tinah and his brother Oreepyah were
not on good terms together ; and it was imagined that they
would fight as soon as the ship was gone. I had observed a
coolness between them, and had at times endeavoured to make
them more cordial, but with very little effect. Their quarrel
has arisen from a disagreement between their wives.
In the afternoon, a canoe from Ulietea arrived, in which
was an Earee, or chief, of that island, who is a nephew to
Oberree-roah. He brought a sheep with him; the poor animal
was infected with the mange, and in very poor condition.
The climate had not, as far as I could Judge, altered the
quality of the wool, with which he was well covered, except
a part about the shoulders. I imagine this animal to be the
English ewe left by Captain Cook. The owner assured me
that there were ten sheep at Huaheine ; the truth of which
I much doubted. I was surprised, and rather mortified, to
find that he set so little value on this as to let me have it,
at the first word, for a small adze. I sent it to be kept at
Poeeno's, with the heifer.
Friday, 28th.—Tinah and his wife returned to Matavai, and,
from appearances which I have no reason to mistrust, were
sincerely glad to see me again after their short absence. They
2"8
bi.igh's narrative of
brought, as usual, a present of a hog and fruit. This morning
there was an eclipse of the sun, but the weather was so cloudy
that I had only an opportunity of observing the end of the
eclipse, which was at IQ*" 43' 53".
Saturday, 29th, I sent a man to shear the ewe, by which a
remedy could more easily be applied to cure the disease with
which it was infected. The garden made near the tents was
not in a prosperous condition : most of the melons and cucum¬
bers were destroyed by insects ; and the soil, being sandy, was
not favourable to the other seeds. I therefore chose another
spot of ground, farther from the sea-side, and had an assort¬
ment of seeds sown.
Monday, December 1st.—In the night, the rudder of one of
the boats was stolen from the tents. On landing in the morn¬
ing, neither Tinah nor any of his family came near me, being, I
was informed, afraid of my displeasure. As the loss was not
great, I immediately sent to assure them that I had no anger,
except against the person who committed the theft. In conse¬
quence of this message, Tinah and some of the other chiefs came
to the tents, and promised that they would exert themselves to
discover the thief, and get the rudder restored. This was the
first theft, of any consequence, that had been committed since
the tents were on shore ; and my suspicions fell chiefly on the
people who were here from some of the other islands. Tinah
had just begun to build a house for himself, and I promised
that our carpenters should assist him. Whydooah, the young¬
est brother of Tinah, had lately been one of my constant visit¬
ors, and seemed to have left off his former custom of getting
drunk with the Ava. He was esteemed one of their best
warriors ; and I was told that, in the quarrel with the people of
Eimeo, he killed ßlaheine, the chief of that island.
Friday, 5th.—The weather for some time past had been
very unsettled. This afternoon, the wind blew fresh from the
N.W., which occasioned the sea to break very high across the
Dolphin bank ; and in the night such a heavy broken sea came
into the bay that we were obliged to batten all the hatchways
down, and to keep every body upon deck all night, though the
rain came doAx n in torrents. The ship rolled in a most violent
manner. In the morning the wind increasing, and there being
no possibility of putting to sea, we struck yards and topmasts,
and trusted to our anchors. The river swelled so much with
the rain that the point of land on which the tents stood became
an island : and, to preserve the bread-fruit plants from being
endangered, the people were obliged to cut a passage for the
river through a part of the beach, at a distance from the tents.
The sea broke very high on the beach ; nevertheless, a canoe
put off, and, to my surprise, Tinah, his wife, and Moannah,
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 2C9
made their way good through the surf, and came on board to
see me. There was no other person in the canoe, for the
weather did not admit of useless passengers ; each of them had
a paddle, which they managed with great activity and skill.
These kind people embraced me with many tears, and ex¬
pressed their apprehensions for the safety of the ship. Towards
noon, however the sea abated considerably, but the wind con¬
tinued to blow strong from the N.W. At sun-set, Iddeah went
on shore, but Tinah would remain with me the whole night.
Sunday, 7lh.—The wind continued between the N. and
N.W., but had so much moderated that I no longer considered
our situation to be alarming. At noon, Iddeah returned to the
ship, with a large hog, and a supply of bread-fruit, and cocoa-
nuts ; and soon after, she and Tinah left the ship, having ex¬
acted a promise from me that, if the weather was moderate, I
would go on shore in the morning, and visit their parents and
sister, who, they told me, had been much alarmed on our ac¬
count. I received a visit likewise from Poeeno and his wife.
This woman had always shown great regard for us ; and now,
on our meeting, before I could be aware of it, she began beat¬
ing her head violently with a shark's tooth, so that her face was
covered with blood in an instant. I put a stop to this as soon
as I could, and, with the drying up of the blood, her agitation
subsided. This ceremony is frequently performed, upon occa¬
sions either of joy or grief. Her husband said that, if any
accident happened to the ship, I should live with him, and that
they would cut down trees, and build me another ship.
From this sample of the weather, and the information of the
natives, I was convinced it would not be safe to continue in
Matavai Bay much longer ; and I determined to get every
thing ready for sailing as speedily as I could.
The night proved moderate ; and in the morning, I went on
shore, where I was received by Oberree-roah, and several other
friends, with great affection.
The plants received no injury from the bad weather, having
been carefully covered from the spray of the sea : some were
in a dormant state, and others were striking out young shoots.
Nelson thought that it was better to refrain a few days from
taking them on board ; I therefore consented to defer it. He
was of opinion that the plants could be propagated from the
roots only, and I directed some boxes to be filled, as we could
stow them where no others could be placed.
Tuesday, 9th.—This afternoon, in hauling the launch on
shore to be repaired, many of the natives assisting, one of them,
a fine boy about ten years old, was thrown down, and a roller'
which was placed under the boat went over him. The surgeon
being ill, I sent off for his assistant. Fortunately no limb was
300
BLIGIl'a NARRATIVE OP
broken, nor did he receive any material injury. The surgeon
had been a long time ill, the eftect of intemperance and indo¬
lence. He had latterly scarce ever stirred out of his cabin, but
was not apprehended to be in a dangerous state; nevertheless,
this evening he appeared to be so much worse than usual that
it was thought necessary to remove him to some place where
he could have more air ; but to no effect, for he died in an
hour afterwards. This unfortunate man drank very hard, and
was so averse to exercise that he never would be prevailed on
to take half a dozen turns upon deck at a time, in the whole
course of the voyage.
Wednesday, 10th.—As I wished to bury the surgeon on
shore, I mentioned it to Tinah ; who said there would be no
objection, but that it would be necessary to ask his father's
consent first ; which he undertook to do, and immediately left
me for that purpose. By this circumstance it appears that
though the eldest son of an Earee succeeds to the title and
honours of the father as soon as he is born, yet a considerable
portion of authority remains with the father, even after the son
is of age. When Tinah returned, 1 went with him to the spot
intended for the burial place, taking with us two men to dig
the grave ; but on our arrival, ^ found the natives had already
begun it.' Tinah asked me if they were doing right ?
" There," says he, " the sun rises, and there it sets." The
idea that the grave should be east and west, I imagine they
learnt from the Spaniards, as the captain of one of their ships
was buried at Oeitepeha in 1774. Certain it is they had not
the information from any body belonging to our ship ; for 1
believe we should not have thought of it. The grave, how¬
ever, was marked out very exactly. At four in the afternoon,
the body was interred ; the chiefs, and many of the natives,
came to see the ceremony, and showed great attention during
the service. Some of the chiefs were very inquisitive about
what was to be done with the surgeon's cabin, on account of
apparitions. They said, when a man died in Otaheite, and
was carried to the Tupapow, that, as soon as night came, he was
surrounded by spirits, and if any person went there by himself
they would devour him : therefore they said that not less than
two people together should go into the surgeon's cabin for
some time. I did not endeavour to dissuade them from this
belief, otherwise than by laughing, and letting them know that
we had no such apprehensions.
fn the afternoon, the effects of the deceased were disposed of,
and I appointed Mr. Thomas Denbam Ledward, the surgeon's
mate, to do duty as surgeon.
Sunday, 14th.—This forenoon, we performed divine service.
Many of the principal natives attended, and behaved with
the ml'tiny of the boükty.
301
great decency. Some of the women at onetime betrayed an
inclination to laugh at our general responses ; but, on my
looking at them, they appeared much ashamed. After the
service, I was asked if no offering was to be made for the
Eatua to eat.
The weather had been fair all the last week, and at this
time appeared quite settled ; so that I was under no apprehen¬
sions of danger from continuing a little longer in Matavai
bay.
CHAPTER IX.
A WALK INTO THE COUNTRY—THE PBEAH ROAH—PREVAILED ON, BY
THE KINDNESS OP THE CHIEFS, TO DEFER OUR DEPARTURE—BREAD¬
FRUIT PLANTS COLLECTED—MOVE THE SHIP TO TOAHROAH HAR¬
BOUR—FISHING—THREE OF THE SUIP'S COMPANY DESERT—INDIS¬
CRETION OP OUR PEOPLE ON SHORE —INSTANCES OF JEALOUSY
— MOURNING—BULL BROUGHT TO OPARRB BY A PROPHET—THE
DESERTERS RECOVERED—TINAH PROPOSES TO VISIT ENGLAND.
Wednksday, 17th Dec.—This morning I took a walk into the
country, accompanied by Nelson and my old friend Moannah.
The breadth of the border of low laud, before we arived at the
foot of the hills, was near three miles. This part of our jour¬
ney was through a delightful country, well covered with bread¬
fruit and cocoa-nuts trees, and strewed with houses, in which
were swarms of children. We then proceeded along a valley
still among houses, with plantations of yams, tarro, the cloth-
plant, and their favourite root the Ava: there were bread¬
fruit trees on the sides of the hills, which were dwarfs in com¬
parison of those on the low land. Our walk was very much
interrupted by a river, the course of which was so serpentine
that we had to cross it several times, being carried over on
men's shoulders.
On arriving at a Morai, I saw a number of the natives col¬
lected, and was informed that the priests were performing
their devotions. Sixteen men were sitting on their heels ; in
the front was a pole covered with a plaited cocoa-nut branch,
and before each of the men there was a number of small
pieces of the same leaf plaited, which they call hahyree. and
each had likewise a piece round his wrist. One, who appear¬
ed to be the chief priest, prayed aloud, and was answered by
all the rest together : aftera few short sentences and responses,
they rose and each carried a hahyree, which they placed at
the foot of the pole, and returned to prayer : this was repeated
2 D
802
uligh's narrative of
till all the hahyree were delivered, and then the ceremony end¬
ed. I must not forget to mention that they had placed, near
the pole, an offering of plantains and bread-fruit, which they
left for the Eatua. They very kindly asked us to partakp of
a roasted hog, that had been prepared for them whilst they
were praying ; but, as I wished to make the most of the morn¬
ing before the sun was too high, I declined their offer, and
Moannah bespoke refreshments to be ready for us when we
returned.
We continued our walk up the valley, which became very
narrow, and had advanced a considerable way beyond all
the houses and plantations, when we were suddenly stopped
by the cascade, that fell into the river from a height of above
200 feet : the fall at this time was not great, but in the heavy
rains must be considerable. The natives look upon this as the
most wonderful sight in the island. The fall of water is the
least curious part ; the cliff, over which it comes, is perpen¬
dicular, forming an appearance as if supported by square pillars
of stone, and with a regularity that is surprising. Underneath
is a pool eight or nine feet deep, into which the water falls ;
and in this place all the natives make a point of bathing once
in their lives, probably from some religious idea.
The hills here approach each other within a few yards, and
are well covered with wood. As the road appeared difficult,
I did not care to proceed towards the mountain. I cannot
with certainty say how far this curious precipice is from the
bay, but think, in the road by which we went, it cannot be
less than seven miles. It is called Peeah Roah.
In our return, we found a young pig prepared for us, and
we made a hearty meal. We dined in the house of an old
acquaintance of Nelson's; for whom he had, iu 1777, planted
the two shaddock plants, formerly mentioned, which he
had brought from the Friendly Islands. These we had the
satisfaction to see were grown to fine trees, and full of If uit.
In their plantations they do not take much pains, except
with the Ava and the cloth-plant, both of which they are care¬
ful to keep clear of weeds. Many of the plantations of the
cloth-plant were fenced with stone, and surrounded with a
ditch. The yams and plantains are mostly on the higher
grounds. As soon as we had finished our dinner, we return¬
ed towards the ship. I was much delighted, in this walk,
with the number of children that I saw in every part of the
country: they are very handsome and sprightly, and full of an¬
tic tricks. ' They have many diversions that are common with
the boys in England ; such as flying kites, cat's-cradle,
swinging, dancing or jumping in a rope, walking upon stilts,
and wrestling.
THE MtJTIHY OF THE BOUETY.
303
Friday, 19th.—The wind to-day blew fresh, but rontinued
regular from the E. and E.S.E. We had likewise much rain
and a long swell set into the bay. I had not long determined
whether, on leaving Matavai bay, I wotild go to the island
Eimeo, or to the harbour of Toahroah near Oparre : this un¬
certainty made Tinah, and the rest of my friends, very anx¬
ious ; and they appeared much distressed on my desiring them
this afternoon to send on board all the things which they
wished to have repaired by the forge, without delay, that what
they wanted might be done before the ship left Matavai,
which I told them would be in a few days. They very earnestly
intreated I would stay one month longer. I represented this
as impossible, and asked Tinah if he would not go with
me to Eimeo ; but he said that, notwithstanding my protec¬
tion, he was certain the Eimeo people would watch for an
opportunity to kill him. He remained on board with me all
night, but his wife went on shore, and returned early in the
morning, bringing with her some axes, and other things, that
were in need of repair.
\Tlien I went on shore I found Otow, Oberree-roah, Moannah,
and several others, in great tribulation at the thoughts that we
were so soon to leave them. All the people of Matavai, I saw,
were much concerned at my intention of going to Eimeo, and
took every opportunity to prejudice me against the people of
that island ; to which I paid very little attention, as their
motive was obvious. Their expressions of friendship and affec¬
tion for me, however, I could not disregard, as I had no doubt
of their being genuine and unaffected ; and I felt my unwil¬
lingness to leave these kind people so much increased tliat the
next day I sent the master in the launch to re-examine the
depth of water between this bay and Toahroah harbour. He
returned in the evening, and acquainted me that he found a
good bottom, with not less than sixteen fathoms' depth all the
way. The harbour of Toahroah appearing every way safe,
T determined to get the ship there as speedily as possible,
and I immediately made my intention public, which occasioned
great rejoicing.
Wednesday, 24th.—This day, we took the plants on board,
being 774 pots, all in a healthy state; for whenever any plant
had an unfavourable appearance, it was replaced by another.
The number of those rejected was 302, of which not one in
ten but was found to be growing at the root.
The natives reckon eight kinds of the bread-fruit tree, each
of which they distinguish by a different name. 1. Patteah.
2. Eroroo. 3. Awanna. 4. Mi-re. 5. Oree. 6. Pmeerro.
7. Appee e. 8. Rowdeeah. In the first, fourth, and eighth das.«,
the leaf differs from the rest ; the fourth is more siimated;
2 D 2
304
BLIGH s NARRATIVE OV
tlie eiçlith has a large broad leaf, not at all sinuated. The
difference of the fruit is principally in the first and eighth class.
1 n the first, the fruit is rather larger and more of an oblong form ;
in the eighth it is round and not above half the size of the
others. I inquired if plants could be produced from the seed,
and was told they could not, but that they must be taken from
the root. The plants are best collected after wet weather, at
which time the earth balls round the roots, and they are not
liable to suffer by being moved.
The most common method of dii iding time at Otaheite is
by moons ; but they likewise make a division of the year into
six parts, each of whch is distinguished by the name of the
kind of bread-fruit then in season. In this division they kept
a small interval called Tawa, in which they do not use the
bread-fruit. This is about the end of Feburary, when the
fruit is not in perfection ; butther is no part of the year in
w liich the trees are entirely bare.
Thursday, '25th.—At day-light we unmoored, and I sent the
tents in the launch to Oparre, with diiections that after land¬
ing them the launch should meet the ship in the entrance of
Toahroah harbour, to show the safest part of the channel.
At half past ten, we got the ship under sail, and ran down
under top-sails : when we were near the launch, it fell calm,
and the ship shot past her. We immediately let the anchor
go, but, to our great surprise, we found the ship wasa-ground
forwards. She had run on so easy that we had not per¬
ceived it at the time. This accident occasioned us much trouble,
as we were obliged to send anchors out a-stern to get the ship
allodt : in doing this, one of the cables swept a rock, apd was
not got clear again without much difficulty. When the ship
was moored. Point Venus bore N. dti" E. The east point of
the harbour N. 65, E. j of a mile. Our distance from the
shore half a cable's length ; depth of water 85 fathoms.
The next morning, on my landing, I was welcomed by all
the principal people ; I may say by the whole crowd, and con¬
gratulated on the safety of the ship. Tinah showed me a
house near the water side, a-breast the ship, which he desired I
would make u»e of, and was large enough for all our purposes.
He and his brother Oreepyah then desired would I stay and
receive a formal address and present, which they called Otee.
To this I assented, and a stool was brought for me to sit on.
They then Iclt me with Moannah, and in a short time I saw
Tinah retm ning with about twenty men, who all made a stop
at some distance, and a priest said a short prayer to the Eatua,
to which the rest made reply. A man was then sent to me
three several times, at each time bringing me a small pig, and
the stem of a plantain leaf. The first they told me was for the
god of Brittannee, the next for King George, and the last for
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
305
myself. Moannah then got up, and, without being dictated to,
made an oration for me ; the purport of which I understood to
be that I received their offering with thanks ; that we were
good people and friends ; and therefore he exhorted them to
commit no thefts ; he told them to bring their pigs, cocoa-nuts
and bread-fruit, and they wouid receive good things in return ;
that we took nothing without their consent ; and, finally, that
every man was to quit the place (the house we occupied) at
night ; for if they made any visit in the dark, they would be
killed. With this speech the ceremony ended.
I found this a delightful situation, and in every respect con¬
venient. The ship was perfectly sheltered by the reefs in
smooth water, and close to a fine beach without the least surf.
A small river, with very good water, runs into the sea about
the middle of the harbour. I gave directions for the plants to
be landed, and the same party to be with them as at Matavai.
Tinah fixed his dwelling close to our station.
Monday, 29th.—Some of the natives took advantage of the
butcher's negligence, and stole his cleaver. I complained of
this to the chiefs who were on board, and they promised that
they would endeavour to recover it ; but an article so valuable
as this was to the natives I had no great expectation of seeing
restored.
The ship continued to be supplied by the natives as usual.
Cocoa-nuts were in such plenty that I believe not a pint of
water was drunk on board the ship in the twenty-four hours.
Bread-fruit began to be scarce, though we purchased, without
difficulty, a sufficient quantity for our consumption : there
was, however, another harvest approaching, which they ex¬
pected would be fit for use in five or six weeks. The better
kind of plantains also were become scarce ; but a kind which
they call Vayhee were in great plenty. This fruit does not
hang on the trees like the other kinds, but grows upon an
upright stalk of considerable strength and substance. Though
this plantain is inferior in quality to most of the others, it
affords great subsistence to the natives. We received, almost
every day, presents of fish, chiefly dolphin and albacore, and
a few small rock fish. Their fishing is mostly in the night,
when they make strong lights on the reefs, which attract
the fish to them. Sometimes, in fine weather, the canoes arc
out in such numbers that the whole sea appears illuminated.
In the canoes they fish with hook and line, and on the reefs they
strike the fish with a. spear. Some likewise carry out small
nets, which are managed by two men. In the day-time their
fishing canoes go without the reefs, sometimes to a considera¬
ble distance, where they fish with rods and lines, and catch
bonetas, and other fish. Whenever there is a show of fish, a
2 D 3
bligh's narrative of
fleet of canoes immediately proceeds to sea. Their hooks,
being bright, are used without bait, in the manner of our arti-
flcial flies. Tlieir rods are made of bamboo ; but when there
are any very large fish, they make use of an outrigger over the
fore part of the canoe, about twenty-five feet in length, which
has two prongs at the extremity, to each of which is fastened
a hook and line ; and when a fish takes the hook, it is raised
by ropes managed by two men in the stern of the canoe.
1789. January Ist.—Contrary to my expectation, Tinah,
this afternoon, brought on board the cleaver that had been
stolen. The thief had taken it to Attahooroo, and Tinah told
me, which I could easily believe, that it was given up with
great reluctance. The next morning I ofi'ered Tinah a pre¬
sent of axes, and other things ; but, as he suspected this was
meant by way of return for getting the cleaver restored, he
would not be prevailed with to accept a single article.
I had constantly the company of Tinah, his wife, and some
of his relations ; but the royal children, though so near us,
never came in sight of the ship. The river separated them
from the place occupied by our people on shore ; and, for fear
of giving alarm or offence, 1 gave strict orders that no one
should attempt to go near their place of residence.
Monday, 5th.—At the relief of the watch, at four o'clock
this morning, the small cutter was missing. I was immediately
informed of it, and mustered the ship's company ; when it
appeared that three men were absent, Charles Churchill, the
ship's corporal, and two of the seamen, William Musprat, and
John M ill ward; the latter of whom had been sentinel from
twelve to two in the morning. They had taken with them
eight stand of arms and ammunition ; but what their plan was,
or which way they had gone, no one on board seemed to have
the least knowledge. I went on shore to the chiefs, and soon
received information that the boat was at Matavai ; and that
the deserters had departed in a sailing canoe for the island
Tethuroa. On this intelligence, I sent the master to Matavai
to search for the small cutter, and one of the chiefs went with
him ; but before they had got half way, they met the boat with
five of the natives, who were bringing her back to the ship.
This service, rendered me by the people of Matavai, pleased
me much, and I rewarded the men accordingly.
I told Tiiiah, and the other chiefs, that I expected they
would get the deserters brought back ; for that I was deter¬
mined not to leave Otaheite without them. They assured me
that they would do every thing in their power to have them
taken; and it was agreed that Oreepyah and Moannah should
depart the next morning for Tethuroa. Oreepyah inquired if
they had pocket pistols, "for," said he, " though we may sur-
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
307
prise and seize tliem before they can make use of their mus¬
kets ; yet, if they have pistols, they may do mischief, even while
they are held." I quieted these apprehensions by assuring
them that the deserters had no pistols wirfi them.
At day-light, Oreepyah and Moannah set off in two canoos
for Tethuroa, but the weather became so boisterous that they
were obliged to return in the forenoon, and I was happy to see
them get safe in, as the sea ran very liigli without the harbour.
From the first of this month, the weather and wind had been
much unsettled, with a great deal of rain Our former station
at Matavai appeared not at all safe, the sea at times breaking
high over the Dolphin bank, and making a great swell in the
bay. Oreepyah and Moannah both promised me that they
would sail again as soon as the weather should be fine.
Friday, 9th.—The wind continued to blow strong at sea,
though in the harbour we had, at times, but light breezes.
Poeeno, from Matavai, came to see me to-day : he said he was
apprehensive that I w as displeased with him, on account of
otir deserters having been carried to Tethuroa, by a canoe
from Matavai. This, he declared, had been done before he
heard of it ; and that the only service in his power he had not
neglected to do for me, which w as the sending of our boat back
As this was really an act of friendship, I received him with
great cordiality ; and he assured me that there could be
no doubt, from the directions Tinah had given, of the desertei-s
being brought to the ship, as soon as the weather would admit
canoes to go after them.
Saturday, 10th.—One of the officers, this morning, on shore,
inadvertently plucked a branch from a tree called Tutuee, that
bears the oil nut, which was growing at a Morai. On enter¬
ing with it into the house occupied by our people, all the na
lives, both men and women, immediately went away. When I
went on shore, I found this branch tied to one of the posts of
the house, although the effect it had on the natives was known.
I was much displeased at this piece of wantonness, and or¬
dered the branch to be taken away ; but the natives, notwith¬
standing, would not come near the place. They said the
house was taboo, which I understand to signify interdicted,
and that none of them might approach it till the taboo was taken
off, which could only be done by Tinah. To take any thing
away from a Morai is regarded as a kind of sacrilege, and,
they believe, gives great offence to the Eatua. At my request,
Tiiiah took off the taboo, but not before the afiernoon. This
was performed by an offering of a plantain leaf at the Morai,
and a prayer made to the Eatua. After this ceremony, the
house was resorted to by the natives, as usual.
I had not yet given up the hope of obtaining the bull front
308
bligh's narrative of
Itteah, though I had hitherto received no satisfactory answer
to the messages which Tinah had sent at my desire : I there¬
fore spoke to Poeeno, who undertook to negotiate this busi¬
ness, and I commissioned him to make very liberal offers. He
left me after dinner, to return to Matavai. In the evening
a messenger arrived from him, to acquaint me that, in his
absence, the sheep which 1 had trusted to his care had been
killed by a dog ; and that he had sent the culprit, hoping that
1 would kill him for the offence he had committed. This poor
sheep had been so much diseased that I cotild not help sus¬
pecting he died without the dog's assistance, and that the story
of the dog was invented to prevent my attributing it to want
of care. This doubt did not appear in my answer ; as for the
dog, I told the messenger to do with him what he pleased.
"Tuesday, 13th.—This morning, the weather being more mo¬
derate than it had been for some days past, Oreepyah sailed
with two canoes for Tethuroa. Somebusinessprevented Moan-
nah from accompanying him, but he followed the next day
with two other canoes. The wood that we had got at Matavai
being expended, I applied to Tinah, who sent three trees down
to the water side before night, which when cut up made a good
launch load.
I saw two instances of jealousy to-day, one of which had
nearly produced fatal consequences. A man was detected
with a married woman, by the husband, who stabbed him in
the belly with a knife : fortunately the intestines escaped, and
the wound did not prove dangerous. The other instance was
a girl who had constantly lived with my coxswain, beating ano¬
ther girl that she discovered to have been too intimate with him.
Friday, IGth.—In walking to-day with Tinah near a Tu-
papow, I was surprised by a sudden outcry of grief. As I ex¬
pressed a desire to see the distressed person, Tinah took me
to the place, where we found a number of women, one of whom
was the mother of a young female child that lay dead. On
seeing us their mourning not only immediately ceased, but, to
my astonishment, they all burst into an immoderate fit of
laughter, and, while we remained, appeared much diverted
with our visit. I told Tinah the woman had no sorrow for
her child, otherwise her grief would not have so easily subsided ;
on which he jocosely told her to cry again : they did not,
however, resume their mourning in our presence. This strange
beh aviour would incline us to think them hard-hearted and
unfeeling, did we not know that they are fond parents, and,
in general, very affectionate : it is therefore to be ascribed to
their extreme levity of disposition ; and it is probable that
death does not appear to them with so many terrors as it does
to people of a more serious cast.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
309
Sunday, I8lh.—I received a message from Poeeno, to ac¬
quaint me that he had been successful in his negotiation for
the bull, which he had driveu part of the way by land, but
could not get farther on account of the rivers, and therefore
desired a boat should be sent for him. I accordingly ordered
the launch to be got ready, and at two o'clock the next morn¬
ing, Mr. Fryer, the master, set off in her.
In the afternoon, the launch returned with the bull, and my
friend Poeeno. For the night I directed that the bull should
remain at Oparre, and the next day he was taken to the cow
at Matavai.
Wednesday, 2Ist.—To-day, Poeeno brought to me the person
from whom he had the bull, to receive the stipulated payment,
which was one of every article of traffic that I had in my pos¬
session. This man, vt hose name was Oweevee, they told me,
w us inspired by a divine spirit ; and that in all matters of con-
siquence he was consulted, for that he conversed with the
Eatua. It was, they said, the Eatua that ordered him to de¬
mand the bull from Tinah, which not to have complied with
would have been the height of impiety. I endeavoured to
convince them of the roguery of this man, thinking I had a
fair argument to prove it by his selling that which the Eatua
had ordered him to keep ; but here I was easily defeated, fur
tseems the Eatua told hi,uto s^ll me the beast. This being
the case, I said 1 would not give the animals to any person ;
that they were now mine, and that I would leave them under
the protection of Poeeno and Tinah, who 1 hoped rvould take
care of them for me till 1 returned. They both entered into
my views, and promised the animals should be attended to,
and told me that while they were considered as my property
no one would attempt to take them away.
Thursday, 22nd.—This afternuon, I received a" message from
Teppahoo, to inform me that our deserters had passed this
harbour, and were at Tetlaha, about five miles distant. I
ordered the cutter to be got ready, and a little before sun-set
left the ship, taking Oedidee with me. By his advice I landed
at some distance from the place where the deserters were ; but
thinking it necessary to have the boat within call, and Oedidee
assuring me tlrat there was safe landing farther on, I directed
the boat to proceed along shore, whilst Oedidee and I walked
along the beach. The night was very dark and windy, and the
shore being rocky, I soon lost sight of the boat. A few of the
natives had joined us in our walk ; and, from their manner, I
had reason to suspect them of a design to close upon us, with
an intention, no doubt, to plunder : I was provided with
pocket-pistols, and, on producing one, they left us. Oedidee
was so much alarmed that I could scarcely prevail on him to
310
bligh's narrativk of
proceed. When we arrived at Teppahoo's house, we were
very kindly received by him and his wife. The cutter was
arrived, but, there being a very high surf, she could not come
within a hundred yards of the shore.
The deserters, I was informed, were in a house close to
us, and 1 imagined there would be no great difficulty in sectir-
ing them, with the assistance of the natives. They had, how¬
ever, heard of my arrival ; and when I was near the house
they came out, without their arms, and delivered themselves
up. I sent directions off to the boat for one of my people to
come on shore, and for the boat to return to the place where I
landed. My next business was to secure the arms, which I
delivered to Teppahoo to take charge of for the night. One
musket and two bayonets were missing, which they said were
lost by the canoe in which they came from Tethuroa having
overset. I then took leave of Teppahoo, who presented us
with a plentiful supply of provisions, and we proceeded with
the deserters towards the boat : but, as the wind had increased
and it rained hard, I determined to remain on shore till the
morning ; and, having found shelter for the people, we passed
the remainder of the night without accident. At day-light 1
sent for the arms, and we returned to the ship.
I learnt from the deserters that at Tethuroa they had seen
Oreepyah and Moannah, who had made an attempt to secure
them. They said it was their intention to have retiuned to the
ship ; and it is probable that they were so much harassed, by
the natives watching for an opportunity to surprise them, that
they might wish to have the merit of returning of their
own accord, to avoid the disgrace of being seized and brought
back. At the time they delivered themselves up to me, it was
not in their power to have made resistance, their ammunition
having been spoiled by the wet.
In consequence of my having been kept all night from the
ship by the tempestuous weather, the time-keeper went down at
lOh. 5m. 36s. Its rate previous to this, was 1",7 loosing in
24 hours, and its error from the mean time at Greenwich was
7' 29", 2 too slow. I set it going again by a common watch
corrected by observations, and endeavoured to make the error
the same as if it had not stopped ; but being over cautious
made me tedious in setting it in motion, and increased the error
from mean time at Greenwich. The rate of going I did not
find to have altered.
At dinner Tinah congratulated me on having recovered my
men, but expressed some concern that they had not been
brought by Oreepyah and Moannah ; lest I should imagine
they had not done every thing in their power. To this I re¬
plied that I was perfectly satisfied of their good intentions to
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
311
serve me, and that I considered myself under great obligations
to them for the trouble they had been at on my account. I
learnt afterwards that they actually seized and bound the de¬
serters, but had been prevailed upon, by fair promises of their
returning peaceably to the ship, to let them loose : the de¬
serters, however, finding an opportunity to get possession ot
their arms again, set the natives at defiance.
Friday, 30th.—This afternoon I punished one of the seamen,
Isaac Martin, with nineteen lashes, for striking an Indian.
This was a transgression of so serious a nature, and such a
direct violation of my orders, that I would on no account be
prevailed on to forgive it, though great intercession was made
by some of the chiefs.
Oreepyah and Moannah were not yet returned from Tethu-
roa. This place is resorted to by the principal people of this
part of Otaheito, at particular seasons, when fish are in great
plenty there. 11 was described to me to be a group of small
keys, surrounded by a reef : their produce is chiefly cocoa-nuts
and plantains. During the season, bread-fruit and other pro¬
visions are daily carried over from Olaheite. Not less than
a hundred sail of canoes were at Tethuroa when our deserters
were there.
Teppahoo and his wife were become my constant visitors :
he had for some time past been ill, and had made Oparre his
place of residence, for the benefit of our surgeon's advice and
assistance. At this time he complained of a hoarseness and
sore-throat. Mr. Led ward, on examining him, discovered there
had been two holes in the roof of his mouth, which, though
healed, had the appearance of having been large : the adja¬
cent parts appeared sound, yet the surgeon was of opinion
that they were cancerous, and would in the end occasion his
death.
Saturday, 3Ist.—This morning I ordered all the chests to
be taken on shore, and the inside of the ship to be washed
with boiling water to kill the cockroaches. We were constant¬
ly obliged to be at great pains to keep the ship clear of vermin,
on account of the plants.—By the help of traps and good cats,
we were freed from rats and mice. When I was at Otaheite
with Captain Cook, there were great numbers of rats about all
the houses, and so tame that they flocked round the people at
their meals for the oflFals, which were commonly thrown to
them ; but, at this time, we scarce ever saw a rat, which must
be attributed to the industry of a breed of cats left here by
European ships.
After breakfast, I walked with Tinah to Matavai, to see the
cattle and the gardens. Tinah had already taken so large a
dose of the Ava that he was perfectly stupified. Iddeah,
312
BLIOH s NARRATIVE OF
huwevcr, was with us, and she is one of tlie most intelligent
persons I met with at Otaheite.
We went first to Poeeno's house, and saw the hull and cow
together in a very fine pasture. I was informed that the cow
had taken the bull ; so that, if no untoward accident happens,
there is a fair ehanee of the breed being established, lu the
garden, near Poeeno's house, many things had failed. The
Indian corn was in a fine state, and I have no doubt but they
will cultivate it all over the country. A fig-tree was in a very
thriving way, as were two vines, a pine-apple plant, and some
slips of a shaddock-tree. From this place we walked to the
garden at Point Venus; but I had the mortification to find
almost every thing there destroyed by the hogs. Some under¬
ground peas and Indian corn had escaped, and likewise the
caliloo green and ocra of Jamaica.
We returned to the ship ; and after dinner I was not a little
surprised to hear Tinah seriously propose that he and his wile
should go with me to England. He said he would only take
two servants; that he much wished to see King George, who,
he was sure, would be glad to see him. Tinah and many of
his countrymen were become extremely eager to get a knowledge
of other countries, and were continually inquiring about the
situation of the islands which we told them of in these seas.
To quiet his importunity, I was obliged to promise that I would
ask the king's permission to carry them to England, if I came
again ; that then I should be in a larger ship, and could have
accommodations properly fitted up. 1 was sorry to find that
Tinah was apprehensive he should be attacked by his enemies,
as soon as our ship left Otaheite, and that, if they joined, they
would be too powerful for him. The illness of Teppahoo, with
whom he was on good terms, gave him much uneasiness ; Tep-
pahoo's wife being a sister of Otow's, and aunt to Tinah.
They have no children, as has been before related ; and if
Teppahoo were to die, he would be succeeded, as Earee of the
district of Tettaha, by his brother, who is an enemy to Tinah.
I have on every occasion endeavoured to make the principal
people believe that we should return again to Otaheite, and
that we should revenge any injtiry done in our absence to the
people of Matavai and Oparre.
The wife of Oedidee, is likewise an aunt to Tinah, and sister
to Otow. His native place is Ulietea, where he has some pro¬
perty ; but which, I imagine, is not of such consequence to
him as the countenance of the chiefs with whom he is con¬
nected at Otaheite.
THE MUTINY OP THE BOUNTY.
CHAPTER X.
THE SHIP'S CABLE CUT IN THE NIGHT—COOLNESS WITH THE CHIEKS
ON THAT ACCOUNT—VISIT 10 AN OLD LADY—DISTURBANCE AT A
HEIVA—TINAH'S HOSPITALITY—A THIEP TAKEN, AND PUNISHED—
PREPARATIONS FOB SAILING.
Tuesday, February 3d.—I was present, this afternoon, at a
■wrestling match, -where a young man, hy an unlucky fall, put
his arm out of joint at the elhow : three stout men immediate¬
ly took hold of him, and two of them fixing their feet against
his rihs, re-placed it. I had sent for our surgeon, hut before
he arrived, all was well, except a small swelling of the mus¬
cles in consequence of the strain, I inquired what they would
have done if the hone had been broken ? and, to show me their
practice, they got a number of sticks and placed roimd a
man's arm, which they hound with cord. That they have con¬
siderable skill in surgery is not to he doubted. 1 have before
mentioned an instance of an amputated arm being perfectly
healed, and which had every appearance of having been treat¬
ed with great propriety.
The part of the beach nearest the ship was become the ge¬
neral place of resort towards the close of the day. An hour
before sunset, the inhahitants began to collect, and here they
amused themselves with exercising the lance, dancing, and
various kinds of merriment, till nearly dark, when they retired
to their homes. Of this cheerful scene we were spectators and
partakers, every fine evening.
Friday, 6th.—An occurence happened to-day that gave me
great concern, not only on account of the danger with which
the ship had been threatened, hut as it tended greatly to dimi¬
nish the confidence and good understanding which had hither-
too been constantly preserved between us and the natives.
The wind had blown fresh in the night, and at day-light we
discovered that the cable, hy which the ship rode, had been
cut near the water's edge in such a manner that only one
strand remained whole. While we were securing the ship,
Tinah came on board. I could not hut believe he was per¬
fectly innocent of the transaction; nevertheless, I spoke to
him in a very peremptory manner, and insisted upon his dis¬
covering and bringing to me the offender. I was wholly at a
loss how to account for this malicious act. My suspicions
fell chiefly, I may say wholly, on the strangers that came to
us from other parts of the island ; for we had, on every occa¬
sion, received such unreserved and unaffected marks of good
will from the people of Matavai and Oparre that in my own
2 B
314
bligh's narrative of
mind I entirely acquitted them. The anger which I expressed,
however, created so much alarm that old Otow and his wife
(the father and mother of Tinah) immediately quitted Oparre,
and retired to the mountains in the midst of heavy rain, as did
Teppahoo and his family. Tinah and Iddeah remained, and
expostulated with me on the unreasonableness of my anger
against them. He said that he would exert his utmost endea¬
vours to discover the guilty person ; but it might possibly not
be in his power to get him delivered up, which would be the
case, if he was either of Tiarraboo, Attahooroo, or of the is¬
land Eimeo. That the attempt might have been made as much
out of enmity to the people of Matavai and Oparre as to me ;
every one knowing the regard I had for them, and that 1 had
declared 1 would protect them against their enemies. All this
I was inclined to believe ; but I did not think proper toappear
perfectly satisfied, lest Tinah, who was naturally very indolent,
should be remiss in his endeavours to detect the offender. To
guard as much as possible against future attempts of this kind,
I directed a stage to be built on the forecastle, so that the ca¬
bles should be more directly under the eye of the sentinel;
and I likewise gave orders that one of the midshipmen should
keep watch forward.
In the afternoon, Oreepyah returned from Tethuroa. He
told me that Moannah and himself had narrowly escaped being
lost in the bad weather, and that Moannah had been obliged to
take shelter at Eimeo. Several canoes had been lost lately in
their passage to or from Tethuroa. The oversetting of their
canoes is not the only risk they have to encounter, but is pro¬
ductive of another danger more dreadful ; for at such times
many become a prey to the sharks, which are very numeroiis
in these seas. 1 was informed likewise that they were some
times attacked by a fish, which, by their description, I imagine
to be the barracoota, as they attribute to it the same propensity.
Saturday passed tvilhout my seeing any thing of Tinah the
whole day. The next morning, he and Iddeah came to me,
and assured me that they had made the strictest inquiries con¬
cerning the injury intended us, but had not been able to dis¬
cover any circumstance which could lead them to suspect who
were concerned in it. This was not at all satisfactory, and I
behaved towards them with great coolness, at which they were
much distressed ; and Iddeah, at length, gave vent to her sor¬
row by tears. I could no longer keep up the appearance of
mistrusting them ; but I earnestly recommended to them, as
they valued the King of England's friendship, that they would
exert their utmost endeavours to find out the ofibndeis ;
which they faithfully promised. Our reconciliation according¬
ly took place, and messengers were sent to acquaint Otow and
Teppahoo, and to invite them to return.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
315
It has since occurred to me that this attempt to cut the ship
adrift was most probably the act of some of our own people ;
whose purpose of remaining at Otaheite might have been ef¬
fectually answered, without danger, if the ship had been dri¬
ven on shore. At the time, I entertained not the least thought
of this kind, nor did the possibility of it enter into my ideas,
having no suspicion that so general an inclination, or so strong
an attachment to these islands, could prevail among my people
as to induce them to abandon every prospect of returning to
their native country.
A messenger came to me this afternoon, from the Earee of
Tiarraboo, the S.E. division of Otaheite, with an invitation
for me to visit him. I excused myself on account of the dis¬
tance, and, at Tinah's request, sent back by the messenger a
handsome present, which I hope Tinah will get the credit of.
I observed, with much satisfaction, that a great part of what
Tinah had received from me he had distributed ; to some, out
of friendship and esteem, and to others, from motives of
political civility.
Tuesday, 10th.—Teppahoo and his family left us to-day to
go to Tettaha, where a grand heiva was to be performed, at
which their presence was required.
Wednesday, 11th.—A small party of heiva people passed
through Oparre this morning, in their way to Tettaha, where
they were going by appointment. They had the civility to
send me word that, if I chose, they would stay to perform a
short heiva before me ; and 1 immediately attended. It be¬
gan by a dance of two'young girls, to the music of drums and
flutes, which lasted ho long time ; at the conclusion, they sud¬
denly dropped all their dress, which was left as a present for
me, and went off without my seeing them any more. After
this, the men danced ; their performance was more indecent
than any 1 had before seen, but was not the less applauded
on that account by the natives, who seemed much delighted.
After this entertainment, 1 went, with Tinah and Iddeah, to
pay a visit to an old lady named Wanow-oora, widow to
Towah, the late Earee of Tettaha, who conducted the expe¬
dition against Eimeo, when Captain Cook was here in 1777.
The old lady had just landed, and we found her sitting on the
beach, by the head of her canoe. With Tinah was a priest
and three men, who carried a young dog, a fowl, and two
young plantain boughs ; these were intended for the offering
or present, called Otee. Tinah and his party seated them¬
selves at-about ten yards' distance from Wanow-oora, and were
addressed by her in short sentences for a few minutes and re¬
ceived her Otee, which was exactly the same as his. Tinah's
priest, in return, made a short prayer, and his offering was
2 B 2
316
uligh's narrative of
presented to the old lady. Tinah then rose and went to her,
and embraced her in a very alfectionate manner ; and she re.
turned his kindness with tears, and many expressions which
I could not understand. Soon after he conducted her to a
shed, and we remained with her till it was time to go on board
to dinner. I invited her to be of the party, but she excused
herself on account of age and infirmity. Tinah gave directions
for her and her attendants to be supplied with whatever they
had occasion for, and we went oflf to the ship.
Friday, the 13th.—This forenoon Tinah sent to inform me
that many strangers were arrived I'rom all parts, to be present
at a grand hciva, which he had prepared in compliment to
me. I accordingly went on shore, and found a great crowd of
people collected together. A ring was made at a little distance
from our post, and Tinah and several other chiefs came to
meet me. When we were all seated, the heiva began by
women dancing ; after which a present of cloth, and a tawme,
or breast-plate, was laid before me. This ceremony being
over, the men began to wrestle, and regularity was no longer
jtreserved. Old Otow came to me, and desired I would help
to put a stop to the wrestling, as the people came from different
districts, some of which were ill-disposed towards others.
What Otow had apprehended was not without reason, for in
an instant the whole was tumult ; every man took to his arms,
and, as I found my single interference could be of no service,
1 retired to our post, and ordered all my people there under
arms. At the time the disturbance began, Tinah and Iddeah
were absent : their first care was for me, and Iddeah came to
see if I was safe at the post. She had a double covering of
cloth round her, and her waist was girded with a large rope.
I desired her to stay under my protection : this she would not
consent to, but said she would return as soon as all was over ;
and away she went.
I immediately gave orders for two guns to be fired from the
ship without shot, which had a good effect: and, as no chief
was concerned in the tumult, but, on the contrary, all of them
c xerted their influence to prevent mischief, every thing was
soon quiet, and Tinah and Iddeah returned to let me know
that all was settled. They went on board, with some other
chiefs, and dined with me.
After dinner, I went on shore with Tinah and his friends;
and I found three large hogs dressed, and a quantity of bread¬
fruit, which he had ordered to be prepared before he went on
board, and now desired I would present them to the different
parties that had come to see the entertainment :—one to the
chief people of Attahooroo, one to the Arreoys, and a third to
the performers of the heiva. I presented them according to
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY,
317
his directions, and they were received with thankfulness and
pleasure. This I looked upon as very handsomely done on the
part of Tinah, and I was glad to see that it was regarded in
the same light by his guests. These instances of liberality
make full amends for the little slips which I have formerly
noticed in Tinah. At this time, a day seldom passed that he
did not give proofs of his hospitality, by entertaining the prin¬
cipal people that came from different parts of the island to
visit him, or to see the ship. Some of the chiefs he commonly
invited to dine on board, and made provision for others on
shore. Scarce any person of consequence went away without
receiving some present from him. This I encouraged, and was
glad it was in my power to assist him. But, besides the
political motives that I have alluded to, it would be unjust to
Tinah not to acknowledge that his disposition seemed im¬
proved ; he was more open and unreserved in his manners
than formerly, and his hospitality was natural and without
ostentation.
Monday, the 16th.—I was present this afternoon, at a
wrestling-match by women. The manner of challenging,
and method of attack, were exactly the same as among the
men. The only difference that I could observe was not in
favour of the softer sex ; for in these contests they showed
less temper, and more animosity, than I could have imagined
them capable of. The women, 1 was told, not only wrestle
with each other, but sometimes with the men ; of this I have
never seen an instance, and imagine it can happen but seldom,
as the women in general are small, and by no means mascu¬
line. Iddeah is said to be very famous at this exercise.
Tuesday, the 17th.—I walked with Tinah towards the hills,
to see his country residence, which was at a very neat house,
pleasantly situated, and surrounded with plantations. From
this place we saw the island Tethurea. The next morning, I
went to Matavai, to look after the Indian corn, which 1 judged
would be full ripe for gathering ; but, on my arrival, I found
that the natives had been beforehand with me, the whole being
taken away. This I was not at all sorry for, as it shows that
they value it too much to neglect cultivating it.
Monday, 23rd.—Iddeah sent on board, for our dinners to¬
day, a very fine tarro pudding ; and Tinah brought a bunch of
bananas, that weighed eighty-one pounds, on which were two
hundred and eighty-six fine fruit : ten had broken ofi' in the
carriage. The tarro pudding is excellent eating, and easily
made : I shall describe this piece of cookery, as the know¬
ledge of it may be useful in the West Indies The tarro, being
cleared of the outside skin, is grated down, and made up in
rolls of about half a pound each, which they cover neatly with
S £ 3
318
BLIGll's NAHRATIVE OP
leaves, and bake for near half an hour. An equal quantily
of ripe cocoa-nnt meat is likewise grated, from which, through
a strainer, the rich milky juice is expressed. This juice is
heated, by putting smooth hot stones in the vessel that contains
it, and the tarro is then mixed with it, and kept constantly
stirring to prevent burning, till it is ready, which is known by
the cocoa-nut juice turning to a clear oil
Wednesday, 25th.—Iddeah was very uneasy to-day, on ac¬
count of her youngest child being ill. She would not accept
of assistance from our surgeon, but said she had sent to Tettaha
for a man, who she expected would come and tell her what to
do. These physical people are called Tata rapaofw.
Thursday, 26th.—This morning, a man died of a consump¬
tion, about two miles from our post. I was informed of it by
Mr. Peckover, the gunner, who I had desired to look out fur
such a circumstance. I therefore went, accompanied by
Iddeah, in hopes of seeing the funeral ceremony ; but before
tte arrived, the body was removed to the Toopapow. It lay
bare, except a piece of cloth round the loins, and another
round the neck : the eyes were closed : the hands were placed
one over the pit of the stomach, and the other upon his breast.
On a finger of each Inuid was a ring, made of platted fibres of
the cocoa-nut tree, with a small bunch of red feathers. Under
the Toopapow, a hole was dug, in which, at the end of a month,
the corpse was to be buried. The deceased was of the lower
class ; the Toopapow, however, was neat, and ofierings of
cocoa-nuts and platted leaves lay on the ground.
The dead are sometimes brought to the Toopapow in wooden
coffins, which are not shaped like ours, but are simply a long
box. This custom, Iddeah informed me, they learnt from the
Europeans, and is not very common, as making plank is a
work of great labour.
Monday, March 2nd.—When I landed this morning, I found
the inhabitants, that lived near to us, had left their houses,
and retired towards the mountains; and was informed that
in the night a water-cask, part of an azimuth compass, and
Mr. Peckovcr's bedding, had been stolen from the post on
shore ; the knowledge of which had caused a general alarm.
I sent a message to complain of this theft to Tinah, who did
not come near me. About two hours elapsed, during which
time I went on board to breakfast, and returned, when I saw
Tinah and Oreepyah, with a number of people, at a house at
some distance ; and soon after they all marched to the east¬
ward, passing close by our post. Oedidee, who was with me,
told me that they had intelligence of the thief, and were gone
in quest of him : and, in less than an hour, news was brought
that they had taken him. Shortly after, the whole party ap-
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
319
poared, with the water-cask and compass. Tinah had hold of
ihe thief by the arm, and, showing him to me, desired that
I would kill him. The bedding, he said, he had not heard of,
but would go in search of it. I applauded him for the pains
he had taken in this business, and explained, with some
success, the injustice of stealing from us : that if any of our
people committed the least offence against them, it did not
pass unnoticed ; and that friendship required, on their part,
that those who injured us should not be protected by them.
Tinah stopped me from saying more by embracing me, and the
•\ hole crowd cried out Tyo mity (i. e. good friend). Tinah
then left me, to enquire after the bedding, and I sent the offend¬
er on board, whom I punished with a severe dogging. I was
glad to find this man was not of Oparre or Matavai.
The fine fruit, called Avee, was just coming into season : it
was likewise in season at the time of our arrival in October.
The bread-fruit trees, I have no doubt, bear all the year round :
we have seen a scarcity of bread-fruit, but have never been
wholly without it. Some fern-root was shown to me, which,
in scarce seasons, is used by the natives as bread. It bears a
long even-edged leaf, about an inch wide ; the taste somewhat
resembled that of a yam. I was informed by our people that
in their walks they saw, in many places, patches of Indian corn
just making their appearance through the ground. This con¬
vinces me that the corn taken from Matavai could not havi
been better disposed of.
Goats are frequently offered for sale, but I rather discoura¬
ged the buying of them, for fear of injuring the breed. The
natives will not eat them, neither will they taste the milk ; and
ask, with some appearance of disgust, why we do not. milk the
sows ? I endeavoured to prevail on Tinah and Iddeah to eat
the goats' milk, by mixing it with fruit, but they would only
try one spoonful.
We had begun to make preparations for sailing; and Tinah
supplied us with a sufficient stock of wood, by ordering trees
to be brought down from the country. He had frequently
expressed a wish that I w ould leave some fire-arms and am¬
munition with him, as he expected to be attacked after the
ship sailed ; and, perhaps, chiefiy on account of our partiality
to him : I, therefore, thought it but reasonable to attend to his
request ; and I was the more readily prevailed on, as he said
his intentions were to act only on the defensive. This indeed
seems most suited to his disposition, which is neither active nor
enterprising. If Tinah had spirit in proportion to his size and
strength, he would probably be the. greatest warrior in Ota-
hi'ite ; but courage is not the most conspicuous of his virtues.
When I promised to leave with him a pair of pistols, which
3'iO bligh's narrative of
fhey prefer to muskets, he told me that Iddeah would fight
with one, and Oedidee with the other. Iddeah has learnt to
load and fire a musket with great dexterity, and Oedidee is an
excellent marksman. It is not common for women in this
country to go to war, hut Iddeah is a very resolute woman, of
a large make, and has great bodily strength.
Friday, 6th.—I sent Mr. Fryer, the master, to sotmd Taowne
harbour. The knowledge that we intended shortly to sail
having spread among the natives, a great many broken iron
tools were brought from all parts of the island, to he repaired
at our forge ; and this morning, a messenger arrived from
Waheatua, the Earee of Tiarraboo, with several pieces of
Spanish iron, which he desired to have made into small adzes.
This request was, of course, complied with.
•
CHAPTER XI.
ARRIVAL OP AN ARREOT WOMAN FROM TETHVROA—A PRESENT DE¬
LIVERED BT TINAH FOR HIS MAJESTY—OTHER OCCURRENCES TO
THE TIME OF THE SHIF'S DEFARTURE FROM OTAHEITE.
1789. March.—From the 5th to the I4th of this month, the
wind blew constantly firom between the N.W. and S.W., with
a great deal of rain. This was the longest continuance of
westerly winds, without interruption, that we experienced. On
the 13th, several canoes arrived here, and at Matavai, from
Tethuroa ; in these were a large tribe of the Arreoys, and
among them Huheine Moyere, the wife of Oreepyah, who is
an Arreoy woman, and remained at Tethuroa after Oreepyah
came away. On her arrival, a ceremony was performed, called
Hooepippee, which seemed to be designed as a public visit
to all their friends, who are collected on the occasion. In
this ceremony there was nothing remarkable : the Arreoy
men took their opportunity to plunder the women who were
near them, and Iddeah made a present of some cloth to Hu¬
heine Moyere, and a baked hog to the Arreoys.
After this ceremony, a present was produced from many of
the principal people, for young Otoo, the Earee Rahie: which
was received by Iddeah, Tinah being absent. This present
consisted of five hogs, and forty-eight baskets filled with bread¬
fruit, cocoa-nuts, tarro, and different kinds of puddings. The
baskets were decorated with slips of cloth, stained with variety
of colours, and carried by 24 men, each of whom had a
pole on his shoulder, at each end of which was a basket.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 321
I have seldom spoken of Otoo, who was too young to have any
share in the management of affairs, and with whom we were
not permitted to have any intercourse, except speaking to him,
now and then, across a river ; at which times, I did not neg¬
lect to send the children some Utile presents, so that they
always rejoiced to see me. I might have been admitted to a
nearer acquaintance, if I would have gone with my shoulders
uncovered, as his parents did, but this 1 declined. The child¬
ren do not live under the same roof, the two sisters eating and
sleeping in a separate house, though at other times they are
generally together.
The island Tethuroa may very properly be compared to
some of our watering-places in England, producing a similar
ctfect upon those who visit it. Many, who went there covered
with scurf, returned plump and fair, and scarce like the same
people. This alteration for the better is in a, great measure to
be attributed to the discontinuance of the Ava, which Tethuroa
does not produce ; the cocoa-nut trees, likewise, which sup¬
ply them with their only beverage, growing on low sandy keys
and having their roots below the level of the sea, may probably
have qualities different from the cocoa-nuts of Olaheite ; which,
with a plenty of fish, that at other times they are not accustom¬
ed to, must no doubt contribute to the amendment described.
Saturday, 14th.—I was visited to-day by a very old man,
an uncle to Tupia, the person who went from these islands
in the Eñdeavour, in the year 1769, and who died at Batavia.
He appeared to be near 70 years old, and was treated with
much respect by the natives. He made several inquiries con¬
cerning his nephew, and requested that, when 1 came again, I
would bring his hair. At the time that Tinah mentioned to
me his desire of visiting England, I asked what account I
could give to his friends, if he should not live to return ; to
which he replied that I must cut off his hair, and carry it to
them, and (hey would be perfectly satisfied.
On the 16th, I was informed lhat a stop was put to the sale
of hogs in the district of Tettaha. Teppahoo, the Earee of
that district, told me that they had very few hogs left there,
and that it was necessary, for a certain time, to prohibit every
person from killing or selling, that they might have time to
breed. I did not think it reasonable to solicit any indulgence
on this head : my friends at Matavai and Oparre promised to
supply us, as long as we remained here, though we had con¬
siderably thinned their stock. After our departure, the same
restriction was to take place in these districts, and it being
delayed on our account certainly deserves to be regarded
among their acts of friendship towards us.
As it was generally known that we were preparing to sail, a
3-22
bligh's narrative of
number of the natives from other parts of the island were con¬
stantly with us, and petty thefts were committed, whenever
the negligence of our people afforded an opportunity : but no
attempt of any consequence was made.
Thursday, 19th.—This evening, Mr. Samuel, my clerk, re¬
turned from an excursion to the mountains, having been two
days absent. He described the hills to be well clothed with
wood, except the tops of the higher mountains, which only
produced bushes and fern. The birds he saw were blue par-
roquets and green doves, except one, which he found burrow¬
ing in the ground, and brought to me. This bird was about
the size of a pigeon, and proved to be a white-bellied petrel, of
the same kind as those seen in high latitude, which are called
sheerwaters. He likewise brought a branch of a plant, like
the New Zealand-tea-plant, and which at Van Diemen's Land
we had made use of for brooms. From the hills he saw the
islands Maitea and Huaheine, which are situated nearly in op¬
posite directions from Otaheite, and are 70 leagues distant
from each other.
Friday, 27th.—For some days past, Tinah had been busied
in getting two parais, or mourning-dresses, laade, which he
intended as a present to King George. Being finished, they
were this morning hung up in his house, as a public exhibition,
and a long prayer made on the occasion ; the substance of
which was that the King of England might for ever remain
his friend, and not forget him. When he presented the parais
for me to take on board, he could not refrain from shedding
tears. During the short remainder of our stay here, there ap¬
peared among the natives an evident degree of sorrow that we
were so soon to leave them, which they showed by unusual
kindness and attention.
We began, this afternoon, to remove the plants to the ship.
They were in excellent order : the roots had appeared through
the bottom of the pots, and would have shot into the ground
if care had not been taken to prevent it.
The weather was considerably altered for the better, and the
trade-wind appeared settled. The rainy and bad season of
the year may be reckoned to begin towards the end of No¬
vember, and to continue till near the end of March. During
this time, the winds are variable, and often westerly, though
we seldom found them to blow strong in that direction. We
likewise experienced frequent intervals of fine weather ; but,
during these months, so open a road as Matavai bay is not a
safe anchoring-place for ships that intend remaining any
length of time at Otaheite.
Tuesday, the 31st.—To-day, all the plants were on board,
being in 774 pots, 39 tubs, and 24 boxes. The number of
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
323
bread-fruit plants •were lOlS : besides which, we had collected
a number of other plants. The avee, which is one of the
finest flavoured fruits in the world. The ayyah, which is a
fruit not so rich, but of a fine flavour and very refreshing.
The rattah, not much unlike a chesnut, which grows on a
large tree, in great quantities : they are singly in large pods,
from one to two inches broad : and may be eaten r.iw, or
boiled in the same manner as Windsor beans, and so dressed
are equally good. The orai-ah, which is a very superior kind
of plantain. All these I was particularly recommended to
collect, by my worthy friend. Sir Joseph Banks. I had also
taken on board some plants of the ettow and matte, with which
the natives here make a beautiful red colour ; and a root
called pecah, of which they make an excellent pudding.
I now made my last presents to several of my friends with
whom I had been most intimate, particularly to Teppahoo.
Several people expressed great desire to go with us to Eng¬
land. Oedidee, who was always very much attached to us,
said, he considered it as his right, having formerly left his
native place, to sail with Captain Cook. Scarce any man be¬
longing to the ship was without a tyo, who brought to him
presents, chiefly of provisions for a sea store.
Friday, the 3rd of April.—Tinah and his wife, with his
parents, brothers, and sister, dined with me to-day, and, as I
meant to sail early the next morning, they all remained on
board for the night. The ship -was crowded the whole day
with the natives, and we were loaded with cocoa-nuts, plan¬
tains, bread-fruit, hogs, and goats. In the evening, there was
no dancing or mirth on the beach, such as we had beeii
accustomed to, but all was silent.
Saturday, 4th.—At day-light, we unmoored . the slock of
the best bower anchor was so much eaten by the worms that it
broke in stowing the anchor : the small bower had an iron
stock ; and, in these voyages, it is very necessary that ships
should be provided with iron anchor-stocks. At half past six,
there being no wind, we weighed, and, with our boats and two
sweeps, towed the ship out of the harbour. Soon after the
sea breeze came, and we stood off towards the sea.
The outlet of Toahroah harbour being narrow, I could per¬
mit only a few of the natives to be on board ; many others, how¬
ever, attended in canoes, till the breeze came, when I was
obliged to leave them. We stood ofr and on, almost all the
remainder of the day. Tinah and Iddeah pressed me very
strongly to anchor at Matavai bay, and stay one night longer ;
but, as I had already taken leave of most of my friends, I
thought it better to keep to my intention of sailing. After din¬
ner, I ordered the pre.sents which I had reserved for Tinah
324
bligh's narrative of
and his wife to be put in one of the ship's boats, and, as I had
promised him fire-arms, I gave him two muskets, a pair of
pistols, and a good stock of ammunition. I then represented to
them, the necessity of their going away, that the boat might
return to the ship before it was dark ; on which they took a
most affectionate leave of me, and went into the boat. One of
their expressions, at parting, was " Yourah no f Eatua tee
eveerah. " " May the Eatua protect you, for ever and ever."
All the time that we remained at Otaheite, the picture of
Captain Cook, at the desire of Tinah, was kept on board the
ship. On delivering it to him, I wrote oh the back the time
of the ship's arrival and departure, with an account of the
number of plants on board.
Tinah had desired that I would salute him, at his departure,
with the great guns, which I could not comply with, for fear
of disturbing the plants ; but, as a parting token of our regard,
we manned ship with all hands, and gave him three cheers.
At sunset, the boat returned, and we made sail, bidding fare¬
well to Otaheite, where for twenty-three weeks we had been
treated with the utmost affection and regard, and which
seemed to increase in proportion to our stay. That we were
not insensible to their kindness, the events which followed
more than sufficiently prove ; for to the friendly and endear¬
ing behaviour of these people may be ascribed the motives for
that event which effected the ruin of an expedition that, there
was every reason to hope, would have been completed in the
most fortunate manner.
To enter into a description of the island, or its inhabitants,
I look upon as superfluous. From the accounts of former
voyages, and the facts which I have related, the character of
the people will appear in as true a light as by any description
in my power to give. The length of time that we remained at
Otaheite, with the advantage of having been there before, gave
me opportunities of making, perhaps, a more perfect vocabulary
of the language than h.as yet appeared ; but 1 have chosen to
defer it for the present, as there is a probability that I may
hereafter be better qualified for such a task.
the mutiny of the bounty. 3jô
CHAPTER XII.
AT TUB ISLAND HUAHEINE—A FRIEND OF OMAI VISITS THE 8HIF—•
LEAVE THE SOCIETY ISLANDS—A WATER-SPOUT—THE ISLAND WHY-
TOOT ACKEE DISCOVERED—ANCHOR IN ANNAMOOKA ROAD—OUR PAR¬
TIES ON SHORE ROBBED BY THE NATIVES—SAIL FROM ANNAMOOKA—
THE CHIEFS DETAINED ON BOARD—PART FRIENDLY.
Sunday, 5th April 1789.—We steered towards the Islanc
Huaheine, which we got sight of the next morning. At noon
we brought to, near the entrance of Owharre harbour, it not
being ray intention to anchor. We could see every part of the
harbour distinctly, but my attention was particularly directed
to the spot where Omai's house had stood, no part of which
was now visible. It was near three o'clock before any canoes
came off to us, for the people on shore imagined that the ship
was coming into the harbour. The first that arrived had
three men in it, who brought a few cocoa-nuts. I enquired
about the chief, or Earee Rahie and one of the fellows, with
great gravity, said, he was the Earee Rahie, and that he had
come to desire 1 would bring the ship into the harbour. I
could not help laughing at his impudence : however, I gave
him a few nails for his cocoa-nuts, and he left us. Immed¬
iately after, a double canoe, in which were ten men, came
alongside ; among them was a young man who recollected
and called me by my name. Several other canoes arrived,
with hogs, yams, and other provisions, which we purchased.
My acquaintance told me that he had lived with our friend
Omai. He confirmed the account that has already been given ;
and informed me that, of all the animals which had been left
with Omai, the mare only remained alive. He said that Omai
and himself had often rode together ; and I observed that
many of the islanders, who came on board, had the represen¬
tation of a man on horseback tattowed on their legs. After
the death of Omai, his house was broken to pieces, and the
materials stolen. The fire-arms were at Ulietea, but useless.
I enquired after the seeds and plants, and was informed that
they were all destroyed, except one tree ; but of what kind
that was, I could not make out from their description. I was
much pressed to take the ship into the harbour, and Omai's
companion requested me to let him go to England. When they
found that I would not stop among them, they seemed jealous
of our going to Ulietea, and it appeared to give them some
satisfaction when I fold them that I should not go near that
island.
2 F
326
bligh's narrative of
The canoes had left us, and we were making sail, when we
discovered an Indian in the water, swimming towards the
shore, which, in all probability, he would not have been able to
reach. We took him up, and, luckily, another canoe coming
alongside, we put him in her. The people of the canoe said
that the man was insane ; but how he came to be swimming
so far from the land we could not conjecture. At six o'clock
we made sail, and ran all night to the S.W., and S.W. by S.,
between the Islands Huaheine and Ulietea. The next morn¬
ing, I altered the course, steering more to the westward, for
the Friendly Islands.
On the 9th, at nine o'clock in the morning, the weather be¬
came squally, and a body of thick black clouds collected in the
east. Soon after, a water-spout was seen at no great distance
from us, which appeared to great advantage from the darkness
of the clouds behind it. As nearly as I could judge, it was
about two feet diameter at the upper part, and about eight
inches at the lower. I had scarce made these remarks, when
I observed that it was advancing rapidly towards the ship.
We immediately altered our course, and took in all the sails,
except the foresail; soon after "which, it passed within ten
yards of our stern, making a rustling noise, but without our
feeling the least effect from its being so near us. The rate at
which it travelled I judged to be about ten miles per hour,
going towards the west in the direction of the wind. In a
quarter of an hour after passing tis, it dispersed. • I never was
so near a water-spout before : the connection between the
column, which was higher than our mast-heads, and the water
below, was no otherwise visible than by the sea being disturb¬
ed in a circular space of about six yards in diameter, the cen¬
tre of which, from the whirling of the water rotmd it, formed
a hollow ; and from the outer parts of the circle the water
was thrown up with much force, in a spiral direction, and could
be traced to the height of fifteen or twenty feet. At this ele¬
vation we lost sight of it, and could see nothing of its junction
with the column above. It is impossible to say what injury
we should have suffered if it had passed directly over us.
Masts, I imagine, might have been carried away, but I do not
apprehend it would have endangered the loss of a ship.
As we sailed very near the track made in former voyages,
I had little reason to expect that we should at this time make
any new discovery : nevertheless, on the llth, at day-light,
land was seen to the S. S. W., at about five leagues' distance,
which appeared to be an island of a moderate height. On
the north part was a round hill : the N. W. part was highest
and steep : the S.E. part sloped off to a low point.
The wind had been westerly since the preceding noon, and
THE 3IITINY OF THE BOUNTY.
327
at the time we saw the land, the ship was standing to the
N. W. At six, we lacked to the southward, and, as we ad¬
vanced in that direction, discovered a number of low keys, of
which at noon we counted nine ; they were all covered with
trees. The large island first seen had a most fruitful appear
ance, its shore being bordered with flat laud, on which grew
innumerable cocoa-nut, and other, frees; and the higher
grounds beautifully interspersed with lawns. The wind being
light and unfavourable, we endeavoured all day, but without
success, to get near the land. In the night we had a heavy
squall, which obliged us to clew up all our sails, and soon after
it fell calm.
On the 12th, the winds were light and variable all day, with
calms. At two in the afternoon, we were within three miles
of the southernmost key, and could see a number of people
within the reefs. Shortly after, a canoe, in which were four
men, paddled off to us, and came alongside, without showing
any signs of apprehension or surprise. I gave them a few
beads, and they came into the ship. One man, who seemed
to have an ascendency over the others, looked about the ship
with some appearance of curiosity, but none of them would
venture to go below. They asked for some boiled fresh pork,
which they saw in a bowl, belonging to one of the seamen,
and it was given them to eat, with boiled plantains. Being
told that I was the Earee or chief of the ship, the principal
person came and joined noses with me, and presented to me
a large mother-of-pearl shell which hung with platted hair
round his neck ; this he fastened round my neck, with signs
of great satisfaction.
They spoke the same language as at Otaheite, with very
little variation, as far as I could judge. In a small vocabula¬
ry, that I made whilst conversing with these men, only four
words, out of twenty-four, differed from the Otaheite. The
name of the large island, they told me, was Wytootackee, and
the Earee was called Lomakkayah. They said that there
were no hogs, dogs, or goats upon the island, nor had they
yams, or tarro ; but that plantains, cocoa-nuts, fowls, bread¬
fruit, and avees, were there in great abundance. Notwith¬
standing they said that no hogs were on the island, it was
evident they had seen such animals ; for they called them by
the same name "as is given to them at Otaheite, which made me
suspect that they were deceiving me. However, I ordered a
young boar and sow to be put into their canoe, with some
yams and tarro, as we could afford to part with some of these
articles. I also gave to each of them a knife, a small adze,
some nails, beads, and a looking-glass. The latter they ex¬
amined with great curiosity; but with the iron-work they ap-
328
BLIGH s NARRATIVE OF
peared to be acquainted ; calling it acmree, which is the com¬
mon name for iron among the islands where it is known.
As they were preparing to leave us, the chief of the canoe
took possession of every thing that I had given to the others.
One of them showed some signs of dissatisfaction ; but, añer
a little altercation, they joined noses, and were reconciled. I
now thought they were going to leave the ship ; but only two
of them went into the canoe, the other two purposing to stay
all night with us, and to have the canoe return for them in the
morning. I would have treated their confidence with the re¬
gard it merited, but it was impossible to say how far the ship
might be driven from the island in the night. This I explain¬
ed to them, and they reluctantly consented to leave us. They
were very solicitous that somebody from the ship should go on
shore with them ; and just before they quitted us, they gave
me a wooden spear, which was the only thing, the paddles
excepted, they had brought with them in the canoe. It was a
common long staff, pointed with the toa wood.
The people that came off to us did not differ in appearance
from the natives of Hervey's Islands, seen in Captain Cook's
last voyage, though much more friendly and inoffensive in their
manners. They were tattowed across the arms and legs, but
not on the loins or posteriors, like the people of Otaheite.
From their knowledge of iron, they have doubtless communi¬
cation with Hervey's Islands, which are not more than
eighteen leagues distant from them.
In the night, a breeze sprung up from the south, and we
continued our course to the westward.
On the 18th, at sunset, we saw Savage Island; and in the
night, passed by to the southward of it.
At eleven o'clock in the forenoon of the 21st, we saw the
island Caow, from the mast-head, bearing N.W. by W. j W.
This island is a high mountain, with a sharp-pointed top, and
is the north-westernmost of all the Friendly Islands. At noon
we saw it very distinctly from the deck, it being then nine¬
teen leagues distant from us.
The wind being to the Southward, we could not fetch An-
namooka, at which island I intended to stop, before the even¬
ing of the 23rd, when we anchored in the road, in twenty-
three fathoms ; the extremes of Annamooka bearing E. by Ñ.
and S. by E., our distance from the shore being half a league.
In the middle of the day, a canoe had come off to us from the
island Mango, in which was a chief, named Latoomy-lange,
who dined with me. Immediately on our anchoring, several
canoes came alongside, with yams and cocoa-nuts, but none
of the natives offered to come on board, without first asking
permission. As yet, I had seen no person with whom I could
THE MÜTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 325
iecollect to have been formerly acquainted. I made enquiries
after some of our old friends, particularly the chiefs, but I
found myself not sufSciently master of the language to obtain
the information I wanted.
Friday, 24th.—Our station being inconvenient for watering,
at daylight we weighed, and worked more to the eastward,
where we anchored in twenty-one fathoms ; our distance from
the shore being half a league. Sounded all round the ship,
nd found the ground to be a coarse coral bottom, but with
even soundings.
By this time, some large sailing canoes were arrived from
different islands in the neighbourhood of Annamooka; and
an old lame man, named Tepa, whom I had known in 1777,
and immediately recollected, came on board. Two other
chiefs, whose names were Noocaboo and Kunocappo, were
with him. Tepa having formerly been accustomed to our
manner of speaking their language, I found I could converse
with him tolerably well. He informed me that Poulaho,
Feenow,.and Tubow, were alive, and at Tongataboo, and that
they would come hither as soon as they heaid of our arrival,
of which he promised to send them immediate notice. He
said that the cattle which we had left at Tongataboo had all
bred, and that the old ones were yet living. He enquired
after several people who were here with Captain Cook. Being
desirous to see the ship, I took him and his companions below,
and showed them the bread-fruit and other plants, at seeing
which they were greatly surprised. I made each of them a
present ; and, when they had satisfied their curiosity, I invit¬
ed them to go on shore with me in the ship's boat.
I took Nelson with me to procure some bread-fruit plants,
one of our stock being dead, and two' or three others a little
sickly. When we landed, there were about two hundred
people on the beach, most of them women and children.
Tepa showed me a large boat-house, which, he told me, we
might make use of ; thinking we should have a party on shore
as our ships had formerly. I went with him in search of
water, but could find no better place than where Captain Cook
had watered, which is a q'uarter ot' a mile inland from the
east end of the beach. I next walked to the west point of the
bay, where some plants and seeds had been sown by Captain
Cook ; and had the satisfaction to see, in a plantation close
by, about twenty fine pine-apple plants, but no fruit, this not
■being the proper season. They told me that they had eaten
many of them, that they were fine and large, and that at
Tongataboo there were great numbers.
When I returned to the landing-place, I was desired to sit
down, and a present was brought me, which consisted of some
bundles of cocoa-nuts onl^. This fell short of ray expectat-
2 F 3
330
bligh's narrative of
tions ; however, I appeared satisfied, and distributed beads and
trinkets to the women and children near me.
Numerous were the marks of mourning with which these
people disfigure themselves, such as bloody temples, their
heads deprived of most of the hair, and, what was worse, al¬
most all of them with the loss of some of their fingers. Several
fine boys, not above six years old, had lost both their little
fingers ; and some of the men, besides these, had parted with
the middle finger of the right hand.
The chiefs went off with me to dinner, and I found a brisk
trade carrying on at the ship for yams ; some plantains and
bread-fruit were likewise brought on board, but no hogs. In
the afternoon, more sailing canoes arrived, some of which
contained not less than ninety passengers. We purchased
eight hogs, some dogs, fowls, and shaddocks. Yams were in
great abundance, very fine and large ; one yam weighed above
forty-five pounds. Among the people that came this afternoon
were two of the name of Tubow, which is a family of the
first distinction among the Friendly Islands; one of them was
chief of the island Lefooga ; with him and Tcpa I went on
shore to see the wooding-place. I found a variety of sizeable
trees ; but the kind which I principally pitched upon was the
Barringtonia of Forster. I acquainted Tepa with my inten¬
tion of sending people to cut wood, which meeting with his
approbation, we parted.
On the 25th, at daylight, the wooding and watering parties
went on shore. I had directed them not to cut the kind or
tree • which, when Captain Cook wooded here in 1777, blind¬
ed, for a time, many of the wood-cutters. They had not been
an hour on shore, before one man hall an axe stolen from him,
and another an adze. Tepa was applied to, who got the axe
restored, but the adze was not recovered. In the evening we
completed wooding.
Sunday, 26th.— In the morning. Nelson went on shore to
get a few plants ; but, no principal chief being among the
people, he was insulted, and a spade taken from him. A
boat's grapnel was likewise stolen from the watering party.
Tepa recovered the spade for us ; but the crowd of natives was
become so great, by the number of canoes that had arrived
from diflerent islands, that it was impossible to do anything,
where there was such a multitude of people, without a chief
of sufScient authority to command the whole. I therefore
ordered the watering party to go on board, and determined to
sail ; for I could not discover that any canoe had been sent to
* I'xcanaria Agaliocha Linn. Sp. Pl., called, in the Malay language,
Caju Mata Boota, which signiñes Che tree that wounds the eyes.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
331
acquaint the chiefs of Tongatahoo of our being here. For
some time after the thefts were committed, the chiefs kept
away, but before noon they came on board.
At noon, we unmoored, and, at one o'clock, got under sail.
The two 'Tubows, Kunocappo, Latoomy-lange, and another
chief, were on board, and I acquainted them that, unless the
grapnel was returned, they must remain in the ship. They
were surprised, and not a little alarmed. Canoes were imme¬
diately dispatched after the grapnel, which, I was informed,
could not possibly be brought to the ship before the next day,
as those who had stolen it immediately sailed with their prize
to another island. Nerertheless, 1 detained them till sunset,
when their uneasiness and impatience increased to such a de¬
gree that they began to beat themselves about the face and
eyes, and some of them cried bitterly. As this distress was
more than the grapnel was worth, and I had no reason to im¬
agine that they were privy to, or in any manner concerned in,
the theft, I could not think of detaining them longer, and called
their canoes alongside. I then told them they were at liberty
to go, and made each of them a present of a hatchet, a saw,
with some knives, gimlets, and nails. This imexpected present,
and the sudden change in their situation, affected them not
less with joy than they had before been with apprehension.
They were unbounded in their acknowledgments ; and I have
little doubt but that we parted better friends than if the affair
had never happened.
We stood to the northward all night, with light winds, and
on the next day, the 27th, at noon, were between the islands
Tofoa and Kotoo. Latitude observed 19° 18' S.
Thus far the voyage had advanced in a course of uninter¬
rupted prosperity, and had been attended with many circum¬
stances equally pleasing and satisfactory. A very different
scene was now to be experienced. A conspiracy had been
formed, which was to render all our past labour productive
only of extreme misery and distress. The means had been
concerted and prepared with so much secrecy and circum¬
spection that no one circumstance appeared to occasion
the smallest suspicion of the impending calamity.
332
bligh's naiiuative of
CHAPTER XIII.
A MOTINY IN THE SHIP.
Monday, 27th April, 1789.—We kept near the island Kotoo
all the afternoon, in hopes that some canoes would come off
to the ship ; but in this I was disappointed. The wind being
northerly in the evening, we steered to the westward, to pass
to the south of Tofoa. I gave directions for this course to be
continued during the night. The master had the first watch,
the gunner the middle watch, and Rlr. Christian the morning
watch.
This was the turn of duty for the night.
Tuesday, 28th.—Just before sun-rising, while I was yet
asleep, Mr. Christian, with the master-at-arms, gunner's mate,
and Thomas Burkitt, seaman, came into my cabin, and, seizing
me, tied my hands with a cord behind my back, threatening
me with instant death if I spoke or made the least noise. I,
however, called as loud as I could in hopes of assistance ; but
they had already secured the officers who were not of their
party, by placing sentinels at their doors. There were three
men at my cabin door, besides the four within ; Christian had
only a cutlass in his hand, the others had muskets and bayonets.
I was hauled out of bed and forced on deck in my shirt, suffer¬
ing great pain from the tightness with which they had tied my
hands. I demanded the reason of such violence, but received
no other answer than abuse for not holding my tongue. The
master, the gunner, the surgeon, Mr. Elphinstone, master's
mate, and Nelson, were kept confined below, and the fore-
hatchway was guarded by sentinels. The boatswain and
carpenter, and also the clerk, Mr. Samuel, were allowed to
come upon deck, where they saw me standing abaft the mizen-
mast, with my hands tied behind my back, under a guard,
with Christian at their head. The boatswain was ordered to
hoist the launch out, with a threat, if he did not tlo it instant¬
ly, to take care of himself.
When the boat was out, Mr. Hayward and Mr. Hallet, two
of the midshipmen, and Mr. Samuel, were ordered into it. I
demanded what their intention was in giving this order, and
endeavoured to persuade the people near me not to persist in
such acts of violence ; but it was to no effect. " Hold your
tongue, sir, or you are dead this instant," was constantly re¬
peated to me.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY'. 333
The master by this time had sent to request that he might
come on deck, which was permitted ; but he was soon ordered
back again to his cabin.
I continued my endeavours to turn the tide of affairs, when
Christian changed the cutlass which he had in his hand for a
bayonet that was brought to him, and, holding me with a
strong gripe by the cord that tied my hands, he with many
oaths threatened to kill me immediately, if I would not be
quiet; the villains round me had their pieces cocked and
bayonets fixed. Particular people were called on to go into
the boat, and were hurried over the side, whence I concluded
that with these people I was to be set adrift. I therefore madé
another effort to bring about a change, but with no other effect
than to be threatened with having my brains blown out.
The boatswain and seamen who were to go in the boat were
allowed to collect twine, canvass, lines, sails, cordage, an
eight-and-twenty gallon cask of water, and Mr. Samuel got
150 pounds of bread, with a small quantity of rum and wine,
also a quadrant and compass; but he was forbidden, on pain
of death, to touch either map, ephemeris, book of astronomical
observations, sextant, time-keeper, or any of my surveys or
drawings.
The mutineers having forced those of the seamen whom
they meant to get rid of into the boat. Christian directed a
dram to be served to each of his own crew. I then unhappily
saw that nothing could be done to effect the recovery of the
ship ; there was no one to assist me, and every endeavour on
my part was answered with threats of death.
The officers were next called upon deck and forced over
the side into the boat, while I was kept apart from every one
abaft the mizen-mast. Christian, armed with a bayonet, hold¬
ing mé by the bandage that secured my hands. The guard
round me had their pieces cocked, but, on my daring the un¬
grateful wretches to tire, they uncocked them.
Isaac Martin, one of the guard over me, I saw had an incli-
nation to assist me, and, as he fed me with shaddock (my lips
being quite parched), we explained our wishes to each other
by our looks; but this being observed, Martin was removed
from me. He then attempted to leave the ship, for which
purpose he got into the boat ; but, with many threats, they
obliged him to return.
The armourer, Joseph Coleman, and two of the carpenters,
MTntosh and Norman, were also kept contrary to their incli¬
nation ; and they begged of me, after I was astern in the boat,
to remember that they declared they had no hand in the trans¬
action. Michael Byrne, 1 am told, likewise wanted to leave
the ship.
334
bligh's narrative of
It is of no moment for me to recount my endeavours to
bring back the offenders to a sense of their duty ; all I could
do was by speaking to them in general ; but it was to no pur¬
pose, for I was kept securely bound, and no one except the
guard suffered to come near me.
To Mr. Samuel I am indebted for securing my journals and
commission, with some material ship papers. Without these
I had nothing to certify what I had done, and my honour and
character might have been suspected, without my possessing a
proper document to have defended them. All this he did with
great resolution, though guarded and strictly watched. He
attempted to save the time-keeper, and a box with my surveys,
drawings, and remarks for fifteen years past, which were
numerous, when he was hurried away, with " Damn your
eyes, you are well off to get what you have."
It appeared to me, that Christian was some time in doubt
whether he should keep the carpenter or his mates ; at length
he determined on the latter, and the carpenter was ordered
into the boat. He was permitted, but not without some
opposition, to take his tool-chest.
Much altercation took place among the mutinous crew dur¬
ing the whole business: some swore "I'll be damned if he
does not find his way home, if he gets anything with him"
(meaning me) ; and, when the carpenter's chest was carrying
away, " Damn my eyes,. he will have a vessel built in a
month while others laughed at the helpless situation of the
boat, being very deep, and so little room for those who were
in her. As for Christian, he seemed as if meditating de¬
struction oh himself and every one else.
I asked for arms, but they laughed at me, and said I was
well acquainted with the people among whom I was going,
and therefore did not want them ; four cutlasses, however,
were thrown into the boat after we were veered astern.
The officers and men being in the boat, they only waited for
me, of which the master-at-arms informed Christian ; who
then said—" Come, Captain Bligh, your officers and men are
now in the boat, and you must go with them ; if you attempt
to make the least resistance you will instantly be put to
death and, without further ceremony, with a tribe of armed
ruffians about me, I was forced over the side, where they
untied my hands. Being in the boat, we were veered astern
by a rope. A few pieces of pork were thrown to us, and some
clothes, also the cutlasses I have already mentioned ; and it
was then that the armourer and carpenters called out to me
to remember that they had no hand in the transaction. After
having undergone a great deal of ridicule, and been kept some
time to make sport for these unfeeling wretches, we were at
length cast adrift in the open ocean.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
Quarter Masters.
Sail-ma
Cooks.
I had with me in the boat the following persons ■
Names, Stations.
John Fryer Master.
Thomas Ledward Acting Surgeon.
David Nelson Botanist.
William Feckover Gunner.
William Cole Boatswain.
William Purcell Carpenter.
William Elphinstone Master's Mate.
John Norton
Peter Linkletter
Lawrence Lebogue Sail-maker.
John Smith
Thomas Hall
George Simpson Quarter Master's Mate.
Robert Tinkler A Boy.
Robert Lamb Butcher.
Mr. Samuel Clerk.
There remained on board the Bounty
Fletcher Christian Master's Mate.
Peter Heywood "I
Edward Young V Midshipmen.
George Stewart J
Charles Churchill Master at Arms.
John Mills Gunner's Mate.
James Morrison Boatswain's Mate.
Thomas Burkitt Able Seaman.
Matthew Quintal Ditto.
John Sumner . Ditto.
John Millward Ditto.
William M'Koy Ditto.
Henry Hillbrant Ditto.
Michael Byrne .' Ditto.
William Musprat Ditto.
Alexander Smith Ditto.
John Williams Ditto.
Thomas Ellison Ditto.
Isaac Martin Ditto.
Richard Skinner Ditto.
Matthew Thompson Ditto.
William Brown Gardener.
Joseph Coleman Armourer.
Charles Norman Carpenter's Mate.
Thomas M'Intosh Carpenter's Crew.
336
bligh's narrative of
In all twenty-five hands, and the most able men of the ship's
company.
Having little or no wind, we rowed pretty fast towards
Tofoa, which bore N.E. about ten leagues from us. While
the ship was in sight, she steered to the W.N.W., but I con¬
sidered this only as a feint ; for when we were sent away
—" Huzza for Otaheite" was frequently heard among the
mutineers.
■ Christian, the chief of the mutineers, was of a respectable
family in the north of England. This was the third voyage
he had made, with me ; and, as I found it necessary to keep
my ship's company at three watches, I had given him an order
to take charge of the third, his abilities being thoroughly equal
to the task ; and by this means the master and gunner were
not at watch and watch.
Heywood * was also of a respectable family in the north of
England, and a young man of abilities, as well as Christian.
These two had been objects of my particular regard and atten¬
tion, and I had taken great pains to instruct them, having en¬
tertained hopes that, as professional men, they would hare
become a credit to their country.
Young was well recommended, and had the look of an able
stout seaman : he, however, fell short of what his appearance
promised.
Stewart was a young man of creditable psurents, in the Ork¬
neys ; at which place, on the return of the Resolution from the
South Seas, in 1780, we received so many civilities that, on
that account only, I should gladly have taken him with me ;
but, independent of this recommendation, he was a seaman
and had always borne a good character.
Notwithstanding the roughness with which I was treated,
the remembrance of past kindnesses produced some signs of
remorse in Christian. When they were forcing me out of the
ship, I asked him if this treatment was a proper return for
the many instances he had received of my friendship ? he ap¬
peared disturbed at my question, and answered, with much
emotion—" That,—Captain Bligh,—that is the thing ;—1 am
in hell—I am in hell."
As soon as 1 had time to reflect, I felt an inward satisfaction
which prevented any depression of my spirits ; conscious of
my integrity and anxious solicitude for the good of the service
in which I had been engaged, I found my mind wonderfully
supported, and I began to conceive hopes, notwithstanding so
heavy a calamity, that I should one day be able to account to
my King and my country for the misfortune.—A few hours
* See Appendix.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
337
before, my situation had been peculiarly flattering. I had a
ship in the most perfect order, and well sttued with every ne¬
cessary both for service and health : by early attention to those
particulars I had, as much as lay in my power, provided
against any accident in case I could not get through Endea¬
vour Straits, as well as against what might befal me in them—
add to this, the plants had been successfully preserved in the
most flourishing state ; so that, upon the whole, the voyage
was two thirds completed, and the remaining part, to all ap¬
pearance, in a very promising way ; every person on board
being in perfect health, to establish which was ever amongst
the principal objects of my attention.
It will very naturally be asked, what could be the reason
for such a revolt ? In answer to which I can only conjecture
that the mutineers had flattered themselves with the hopes
of a more happy life among the Olaheiteans than they could
possible enjoy in England : and this, joined to some female
connexions, most probably occasioned the whole transaction.
The women at Otaheite are handsome, mild, and cheerful
in their manners and conversation, possessed of great sensi¬
bility, and have sufficient delicacy to make them admired and
beloved. The chiefs were so much attached to our people
that they rather encouraged their stay among them than other¬
wise, and even made them promises of large possessions.
Under these, and many other attendant, circumstances, equally
desirable, it is now perhaps not so much to be wondered at,
though scarcely possible to have been foreseen, that a set of
sailors, most of Uiem void of connexions, should be led away :
especially when, in addition to such powerful inducements,
they imagined it in their power to fix themselves in the midst
of plenty, on one of the finest islands in the world, where they
need not labour, and where the allurements of dissipation
are beyond anything that can be conceived. The utmost,
however, that any commander could have supposed to have
happened is that some of the people would have been
tempted to desert. But if it should be asserted that a com¬
mander is to guard against an act of mutiny and piracy in his
own ship more than by the common rules of service, it is as
much as to say that he must sleep locked up, and, when
awake, be girded with pistols.
Desertions have happened, more or less, from most of the
ships that have been at the' Society Islands ; but it has always
been in the commander's power to make the chiefs return their
people : the knowledge, therefore, that it was unsafe to desert,
perhaps, first led mine to consider with what ease so small
a ship might be surprised, and that so favourable an oppor¬
tunity would never offerte them again.
2 G
33«
BLIÜH'S NARllATIVK OF
The secresy of this mutiny is beyond all conception.* Thir¬
teen of the party, who were with me, had always lived for¬
ward among the seamen ; yet neither they, nor the messmates
of Christian, Stewart, Heywood and lioung, had ever observed
any circumstance that made them in the least suspect what
was going on. To such a close-planned act of villany, my
mind being entirely free from any suspicion, it is not wonder¬
ful that I fell a sacrifice. Perhaps, if tliere had been marines
on board, a sentinel at my cabin-door might have prevented
it ; for I slept with the door always open, that the officer ot
the watch might have access to me on all occasions, the pos¬
sibility of such a conspiracy bebig ever the farthest from ray
thoughts. Had their mutiny been occasioned by any griev¬
ances, either real or imaginary, I must have discovered symp¬
toms of their discontent, which would have put me on my
guard : but the case was far otherwise. Christian, in particu¬
lar, I was on the most friendly terms with : that very day he
was engaged to have dined with me ; and the preceding night
he excused himself from supping with me on pretence of
being unwell ; for which I felt concerned, having no sus¬
picions of his integrity and honour.
♦
CHAPTER XIV.
VROCEEO IN THE LAUNCH TO THE ISLAND TOFOA—DIFriCDLTY IN
OBTAINING SUPPLIES THEER—TEEACHEEODS ATTACE OF THE NA¬
TIVES—ESCAPE TO SEA, AND EEAE AWAY FOE NEVY HOLLAND.
My first determination was to seek a supply of bread-fruit
and water at Tofoa, and afterwards to sail for Tongataboo, and
there risk a solicitation to Poulaho, the king, to equip our
boat, and grant us a supply of water and provisions, so as to
enable us to reach the East Indies.
The quantity of provisions I found in the boat was 1501b.
of bread, 16 pieces of pork, each piece weighing 21h., 6
* From subsequent disclosures it does not appear that any conspiracy
had been entered into, but that the mutiny was solely occasioned hy a
sudden determination taken by Christian, who had received insulting
language from Captain Bligh on several occasions, and particularly on the
previous afternoon, and he was but too readily seconded hy many of the
people, particularly the men who had deserted at Otaheite. The motives
which Captain Bligh ascribes to the crew generally, without doubt, ac¬
tuated many when the explosion occurred, but there is no reason to believe
that any previous intention of mutiny existed. Heywood and Stewart,
who were left behind, took no part in the affair. See Appendix.
THE MDTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
339
quarts of rum, 6 bottles of wine, with 28 gallons of water, and
four empty barrecoes.
Fortunately it was calm all the afternoon, till about four
o'clock, when we were so far to windward that, with a
moderate easterly breeze which sprung up, we were able to
sail. It was nevertheless dark when we got to Tofoa, where I
expected to land ; but the shore proved to be so steep and rocky
that we were obliged to give up all thoughts of it, and keep
the boat imder the lee of the island with two oars ; for there
was no anchorage. Having fixed on this mode of proceeding
for the night, I served to every person half a pint of grog, and
each took to his rest as well as our unhappy situation would
allow.
Wednesday, April 29th. In the morning, at dawn of day,
we rowed along shore in search of a landing place, and about
ten o'clock we discovered a cove with a stony beach, at the
N. W. part of the island, where I dropt the grapnel within twenty
yards of the rocks. A great surf ran on the shore ; but, as I
was unwilling to diminish our stock of provisions, I landed
Mr. Samuel, and some others, who climbed the cliffs and got
into the country to search for supplies. The rest of us remained
at the cove, not discovering any other way into the country than
that by which Mr. Samuel had proceeded. It was great con¬
solation to me to find that the spirits of my people did not sink,
notwithstanding our miserable and almost hopeless situation.
Towards noon, Mr. Samuel returned, with a few quarts of
water which he had found in holes ; but he had met with no
spring, nor any prospect of a sufScien-J supply in that particular,
and had seen only Üie signs of inhabitants. As it was uncer¬
tain what might be our future necessities, I only issued a
morsel of bread and a glass of wine to each person for dinner.
I observed the latitude of this cove to be 19° 41' S. This is
the N.W part of Tofoa, the north-westernmost of the Friendly
Islands.
The weather was fair, but the wind blew so strong from the
E.S.E. that we could not venture to sea. Our detention
made it absolutely necessary to endeavour to obtain something
towards our support ; for I determined, if possible, to keep our
first stock entire. We therefore weighed, and rode along
shore to see if anything could be got ; and at last discovered
some cocoa-nut" trees ; but they were on the top of high preci¬
pices, and the surf made it dangerous landing : both one and
the other, we however got the better of. Some of the people,
with much difficulty, cUmbed the cliffs, and got about twenty
cocoa-nuts, and others slung them to ropes, by which we haul¬
ed them through the surf into the boat. This was all that
could be done here ; and, as I found no place so safe as the
2 G 2
340
bligh's narrative of
one we had left, to spend the night at, I returned to the cove,
and, having served a cocoa-nut to each person, we went to
rest again in the boat.
Thursday, 30th.—At daylight, we attempted to put to sea;
but the wind and weather proved so bad that I was glad tore-
turn to our former station ; where, after issuing a morsel of
bread and a spoonful of rum to each person, we landed, and I
went off with Mr. Nelson, Mr. Samuel, and some others, into
the country, having hauled ourselves up the precipice by long
vines, which were fixed there by the natives for that purpose ;
this being the only way into the country.
We found a few deserted huts, and a small plantain walk,
but little taken care of ; from which we could only collect
three small bunches of plantains. After passing this place, we
came to a deep gully that led towards a mountain, near a vol¬
cano ; and, as I conceived that in the rainy season very great
torrents of water must pass through it, we hoped to find suifi-
cient for our use remaining in some holes of the rocks; but,
after all our search, the whole that we collected was only nine
gallons. We advanced within two miles of the foot of the
highest mountain in the island, on which is the volcano that is
almost constantly burning. The country near it is covered
with lava, and has a most dreary appearance. As we had
not been fortunate in our discoveries, and saw nothing to alle¬
viate our distresses, except the plantains and water above
mentioned, we returned to the boat exceedingly fatigued and
faint. When I came to the precipice whence we were to
descend into the cove, I '^as seized with such a dizziness in
my head that I thought it scarce possible to efiect it : however,
by the assistance of Nelson and others, they at last got me
down, in a weak condition. Every person being returned by
noon, I gave about an ounce of pork and two plantains to each,
with half a glass of wine. I again observed the latitude of
this place 19» 11'S. The people who remained by the boat
I had directed to look for fish, or what they could pick up
about the rocks ; but nothing eatable could be found : so that,
upon the whole, we considered ourselves on as miserable a
spot of land as could well be imagined.
I could not say positively,from the former knowledge I had
of this island, whether it was inhabited or not ; but I knew it
was considered inferior to the other islands, and I was not cer¬
tain but that the Indians only resorted to it at particular times.
I was very anxious to ascertain this point ; for, in case there
had been only a few people here, and those could have fur¬
nished us with but very moderate supplies, the remaining in
is spot to have made preparations for our voyage would have
been preferable to the risk of going amongst multitudes, where
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 3n
perhaps we might lose everything. A party, therefore, suffi¬
ciently strong, 1 determined, should go another route, as soon
as the sun became lower ; and they cheerfully undertook it.
About two o'clock in the afternoon the party set out ; but,
after suffering much fatigue they rettirned in the evening,
without any kind of success.
At the head of the cove, about 150 yards from the water-side
there was a cave ; the distance across the stony beach was
about a hundred yards, and from the country into the cove
there was no other way than that which I have already de¬
scribed. The situation secured us from the danger of being
surprised, and 1 determined to remain on shore for the night,
with a part of my people, that the others might have m9re
room to rest in the boat with the master ; whom I directed to
lie at a grapnel, and be watchful, in case we should be at¬
tacked. I ordered one plantain for each person so be boiled ;
and, having supped on this scanty allowance, with a quarter of
a pint of grog, and fixed the watches for the night, those whose
turn it was, laid down to sleep in the cave, before which we
kept up a good fire ; yet notwithstanding we were much
troubled with flies and musquitoes.
Friday, May 1st.—At dawn of day, the party set out again
in a different route, to see what they could find ; in the course
of which they suffered greatly for want of water • they,
however, met with two men, a woman and a child : the men
came with them to the cave, and brought two cocoa-nut shells
of water. I endeavoured to make friends of these people,
and sent them away for bread-fruit, plantains, and water.
Soon after, other natives came to us ; and by noon there were
thirty about us, from whom we obtained a small supply, but
I could only afford one ounce of pork, and a quarter of a
bread-fruit to each man for dinner, with half a pint of water ;
for I was fixed in my resolution not to use any of the bread
or water in the boat.
No particular chief was yet among the natives : they were
notwithstanding, tractable, and behaved honestly, exchanging
the provisions they brought for a few buttons and beads. The
party who had been' out iuformed me of their having seen
several neat plantations ; so that it remained no longer a doubt
of there being settled inhabitants on the island ; for which
reason I determined to get what I could, and to sail the first
moment that the wind and weather would allow us tc put
to sea.
I was much puzzled in what manner to account to the
natives for the loss of my ship ; I knew they had too much
sense to be amused with a story that the ship was to join me,
when she was not in sight from the hills. I was at first doubt-
2 G 3
342
bligh's narrative of
ful whether I should tell the real fact, or say that the ship had
overset and sunk, and that we only were saved : the latter
appeared to be most proper and advantageous for us, and I
accordingly instructed my people, that we might all agree in
one story. As I expected, inquiries were made about the
ship, and they seemed readily satisfied with our account ; hut
there did not appear the least symptom of joy or sorrow in
their faces, although I fancied I discovered some marks of
surprise. Some of the natives were coming and going the
whole afternoon, and we got enough of bread-fruit, plantains,
and cocoa-nuts for another day; but of water they only
brought us about five pints. A canoe also came in with four
men, and brought a few cocoa-nuts and bread-fruit, which I
bought as I had done the rest. Nails were much inquired
after, but I would not suffer any to be shown, as they were
wanted for the use of the boat.
Towards evening, I had the satisfaction to find our stock of
provisions somewhat increased ; but the natives did not appear
to have much to spare. What they brought was in such small
quantities that I had no reason to hope we should be able to
procure from them sufficient to stock us for our voyage. At
sun-set all the natives left us in quiet possession of the cove.
I thought thi.»! a good sign, and made no doubt that they would
come again the next day with a better supply of food and
water, with which I hoped to sail without farther delay : for
if, in attempting to get to Tongataboo, we should be driven to
leeward of the islands, there would be a larger quantity of
provisions to support us against such a misfortune.
At night, I served a quarter of a bread-fruit and a cocoa-
nut to each person for supper ; and, a good fire being made,
all but the watch went to sleep.
Saturday 2nd. At day-break, the next morning, I was
pleased to find every one's spirits a little revived, and that they
no longer regarded me with those anxious looks which had
constantly been directed towards me since we lost sight of the
ship : every countenance appeared to have a degree of cheer¬
fulness, and they all seemed determined to do their best.
As there was no certainty of our being supplied with water
by the natives, I sent a party among the gullies in the moun¬
tains, with empty shells, to see what could be found. In their
absence the natives came about us, as I expected, and in
greater numbers ; two canoes also came in from round the
north side of the island. In one of them was an elderly
chief, called Macca-ackavow. Soon after, some of our foraging
party returned, and with them came a good-looking chief
called Egijeefow, or perhaps more properly Eefow, Egij or
Eghee, signifying a chief. To each of these men I made a
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
343
present of an old shirt and a knife, and I soon found they had
either seen me, or had heard of my being at Annamooka.
They knew 1 had been with Captain Cook, whom they in¬
quired after, and also Captain Clerk. They were very inquisi¬
tive to know in what manner I had lost my ship. During this
conversation, a young man, named Nageete, appeared, whom
I remembered to have seen at Annamooka : he expressed much
pleasure at our meeting. I inquired after Poulaho and Feenow,
who, they said, were at Tongataboo ; and Eefow agreed to
accompany me thither, if I would wait fill the weather
moderated. The readiness and affability of this man gave me
much satisfaction.
This, however, was but of short duration, for the natives
began to increase in number, and I observed some symptoms
of a design against us. Soon after they attempted to haul
the boat on shore, on which I brandished my cutlass in a
threatening manner, and spoke to Eefow to desire them to
desist.; which they did, and every thing became quiet again.
My people, who had been in the mountains, now returned
with about three gallons of water. I kept buying up the little
bread-fruit that was brought to us, and likewise some spears
to arm my men with, having only four cutlasses, two of which
were in the boat. As we had no means of improving our
situation, I told our people I would wait till sun-set, by which
time, perhaps, something might happen in our favour ; for, if
we attempted to go at present, we must fight our way through,
which we could do more advantageously at night ; and that
in the mean time we would endeavour to get off to the boat
what we had bought. The beach was lined with the natives,
and we heard nothing but the knocking of stones together,
which they had in each hand. 1 knew very well this was the
sign of an attack. At noon I served a cocoa-nut and a bread¬
fruit to each person for dinner, and gave some to the chiefs,
with whom I continued to appear intimate and friendly. They
frequently importuned me to sit down, but I as constantly re¬
fused: for it occurred both to Nelson and myself, that they
intended to seize hold of me, if I gave them such an oppor¬
tunity. Keeping, therefore, constantly on our guard, we were
suffered to eat our uncomfortable meal in some quietness.
After dinner, we began by little and little to get our things
into the boat, which was a troublesome business, on account
of the surf. I carefully watched the motions of the natives,
who continued to increase in number ; and found that, instead
of their intention being to leave us, fires were made, and places
fixed on for their stay during the night. Consultations were
also held among them, and every thing assured me we should
be attacked. I sent orders to the master that when he saw us
344
biigh's NARRATI-VE of
coming down he should keep the boat close to the shore, that
we might the more readily embark.
I had my journal on shore with me, writing the occurrences
in the cave, and in sending it down to the boat, it was nearly
snatched away, but for the timely assistance of the gunner.
The sun was near setting, when I gave the word, on which
every person, who was on shore with me, boldly took up his
proportion of things, and carried them to the boat. The
chiefs asked me if 1 would not stay with them all night ? I
said, "No, I never sleep out of my boat ; but in the morning
we will again trade with you, and I shall remain till the wea¬
ther is moderate, that we may go, as we have agreed, to see
Poulaho, at Tongataboo." Macca-ackavow then got up, and
said, " You will not sleep on shore ? then Mattie," (which
directly signifies we will kill you) and he left me. The onset
was now preparing : every one, as I have described before,
kept knocking stones together, and Eefow quitted me. All
but two or three things were in the boat, when I took Nageete
by the hand, and we walked down the beach, every one in a
silent kind of horror.
While I was seeing the people embark, Nageete wanted me
to stay to speak to Eefow ; hut I found he was encouraging them
to the attack, and it was my determination, if they had then
begun, to have killed him for his treacherous behaviour. I or¬
dered the carpenter not to quit me till the other people were
in the boat. Nageete. finding T would not stay, loosed him¬
self from my hold and went off, and we all got in the boat
except one man, who, while I was.getting on board, quitted it,
and ran up the beach to cast the sternfast off, notwithstanding
the master and others called to him to return, while they were
hauling me out of the water.
I was no sooner in the boat than the attack began by about
two hundred men ; the unfortunate poor man who had run up
the beach was knocked down, and the stones flew like a
snower of shot. Many Indians got hold of the stern rope,
and were near hauling the boat on shore ; which they would
certainly have effected, if I had not had a knife in my pocket,
with which 1 cut the rope. We then hauled off to the grapnel,
every one being more or less hurt. At this time, I saw five of
the natives about the poor man they had killed, and two of
them were beating him about the head with stones in their
hands.
We had no time to reflect, for, to my surprise, they filled
their canoes with stones, and twelve men came off after us, to
renew the attack, which they did so effectually as nearly to
disable us all. Our grapnel was foul, but Providence here
assisted us ; the fluke broke, and we got to our oars, and pulled
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
345
to sea. They, however, could paddle round us, so that we
were obliged to sustain the attack without being able to return
it, except with such stones as lodged in the boat, and in this
I found we were very inferior to them. We could not close,
because our boat was lumbered and heavy, of which they well
knew how to take advantage : I therefore adopted the expe¬
dient of throwing overboard some clothes, which, as I expected,
they stopped to pick up ; and, as it was by this time almost
dark, they gave over the attack, and returned towards the shore,
leaving us to reflect on our unhappy situation.
The poor man killed by the natives was John Norton ; this
was his second voyage with me as a quarter-master, and his
worthy character made me lament his loss very much. He has
left an aged parent, I am told, whom he supported.
I once before sustained an attack of a similar nature, with
a smaller number of Europeans, against a multitude of Indians :
it was after the death of Captain Cook^ on the Morai at
Owhyee, where I was left by Lieutenant King. Yet, not¬
withstanding this experience, I had not an idea that the power
of a man's arm could throw stones, from two to eight pounds'
weight, with such force and exactness as these people did. Here
ttnhappily we were without fire-arms, which the Indians knew ;
and it was a fortunate circumstance that they did not begin to
attack us in the cave ; for in that case our destruction must
have been inevitable, and we should have had nothing left for
it but to sell our lives as dearly as we could ; in which I found
every one cheerfully disposed to concur. This appearance of
resolution deterred them, supposing they could effect their
purpose without risk after we were in the boat.
Taking this as a sample of the disposition of the natives,
there was but little reason to expect much benefit by perse¬
vering in the intention of visiting Poulaho ; for I considered
their good behaviour formerly to have proceeded from a dread
of our fire-arms, and which, therefore, was likely to cease, as
they knew we were now destitute of them : and, even sup¬
posing our lives not in danger, the boat and every thing we
had would most probably be taken from us, and thereby all
hopes precluded of ever being able to return to our native
country.
We set our sails, and steered along shore by the west side
of the island Tofoa ; the wind blowing fresh from the east¬
ward. My mind was employed in considering what was best
to be done, when I was solicited by all hands to take them to¬
wards home ; and, when I told them that no hopes of relief
for us remained (except what might be found at New Hol¬
land) till I came to Timor, a distance of fuU twelve hundred
leagues, where there was a Dutch settlement, but in what
346
bligh's narrative of
part of the island I knew not, they all agreed to live on one
ounce of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, per day.
Therefore, after examining our stock of provisions, and re¬
commending to them, in the most solemn manner, not to de¬
part from their promise, we bore away across a sea, where
the navigation is but little known, in a small boat, twenty-
three feet long from stem to stern, deep laden with eighteen
men. I was happy, however, to see that every one seemed
better satisfied with our situation than myself.
Our stock of provisions consisted of about one hundred and
fifty pounds of bread, twenty-eight gallons of water, twenty
pounds of pork, three bottles of wine, and five quarts of rum.
The difference between this and the quantity we had on leav¬
ing the ship was principally owing to our loss in the bustle
and confusion of the attack. A few cocoa-nuts were in the
boat, and some bread-fruit, but the latter was trampled to
pieces.
«
CHAPTER XV.
PASSAGE TOWARDS WEW HOLLAND—ISLANDS DISCOVERED IN OCR
RODTE—OUR GREAT DISTRESSES—SEE THE REEFS OP NEW HOL¬
LAND, AND FIND A PASSAGE THROUGH THEM.
It was about eight o'clock at night when we bore away
under a reefed lug foresail ; and, having divided the people
into watches, and got the boat in a little order, we returned
God thanks for our miraculous preservation, and, fully confi¬
dent of his gracious support, 1 found my mind more at ease
than it had been for some time past.
Sunday 3rd.—At day-break, the gale increased; the stm
rose very fiery and red, a sure indication of a severe gale of
wind. At eight it blew a violent storm, and the sea ran very
high, so that between the seas the sail was becalmed, and
when on the top of the sea it was too much to have set : but
we could not venture to take in the sail, for we were in very
imminent danger and distress, the sea curling over the stem
of the boat, which obliged us to bale with all our might. A
situation more distressing has, perhaps, seldom been experi¬
enced.
Our bread was in bags, and in danger of being spoiled by the
wet : to be starved to death was inevitable, if this could not
be prevented : I therefore began to examine what clothes
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
347
there were in the boat, and whet other things could be spared;
and, having determined that only two suits should be kept for
each person, the rest was thrown overboard, with some rope
and spare sails, which lightened the boat considerably, and we
had more room to bale the water out. Fortunately the car¬
penter had a good chest in the boat, in which we secured the
bread the first favourable moment. His tool chest also was
cleared, and the tools stowed in the bottom of the boat, so that
this became a second convenience.
I served a tea-spoonful of rum to each person (for we were
very wet and cold) with a quarter of a bread-fruit, which was
scarce eatable, for dinner : our engagement was now strictly
to be carried into execution, and I was fully determined to
make our provisions last eight weeks, let the daily proportion
be ever so small.
At noon, I considered our course and distance from Tofoa
to be W.N.W. I W. 86 miles, latitude 19° 27' S. I directed
the course to the W.N.W., that we might get a sight of the
islands called Feejee, if they lay in the direction the natives
had pointed out to me.
The weather continued very severe, the wind veering from
N.E. to E.S.E. The sea ran higher than, in the forenoon,
and the fatigue of baling, to keep the boat from filling, was
exceedingly great. We could do nothing more than keep be¬
fore the sea : in the course of which the boat performed so
well that I no longer dreaded any danger in that respect. But
among the hardships we were to undergo that of being con¬
stantly wet was not the least ; the night was very cold, and at
day-light on Monday, 4th, our limbs were so benumbed that
we could scarce find the use of them. At this time I served a
tea-spoonful of rum to each person, from which we ail found
great benefit.
As I have mentioned before, I determined to keep to the
W.N.W., till I got more to the northward ; for I not only
expected to have better weather, but to see the Feejee Islands,
as I have often understood, fiom the natives of Annamooka,
that they lie in that direction. Captain Cook likewise con¬
sidered them to be N.W. by W. from Tongalaboo. Just be¬
fore noon, we discovered a small flat island, of a moderate
height, bearing W.S.W., 4 or 5 leagues. 1 observed our lati¬
tude to be 18° 58' S. ; our longitude was, by account, 3° 4' W.
from the island of Tofoa, having made a N. 72° W. course,
distance 95 miles, since yesterday noon. I divided five small
cocoa-nuts for our dinner, and every one was satisfied.
A little after noon, other islands appeared, and at a quarter
past three o'clock we could count eight, bearing from S. round
by the west to N.W. by N. ; those to the south, which were
the nearest, being four leagues distant from us.
348
bligh's narrative of
I kept my course to the N.W. by W., between the islands,
the gale having considerably abated. At six o'clock, we dis¬
covered three other small islands to the N.W., the western¬
most of them bore N.W.J W. 7 leagues. I steered to the
southward of these islands, a W.N.W. course for tlie night,
under a reefed sail.
Served a few broken pieces of bread-fruit for supper, and
performed prayers.
The night turned out fair, and, having had tolerabloi rest,
every one seemed considerably better in the morning, Tuesday,
5th, and contentedly breakfasted on a few pieces of yams that
were found in the boat. After breakfast we examined our
bread, a great deal of which was damaged and rotten ; this,
nevertheless, we were glad to keep for use.
I had hitherto been scarcely able to keep any account of
our run ; but we now equipped ourselves a little better, by
getting a log-line marked, and, having practised at counting
seconds, several could do it with some degree of exactness.
At noon I observed, in latitude 18° Kf S., and considered
my course and distance from yesterday noon, N. W. by
W. J W., 94 miles ; longitude, by accoimt, from Tofoa
4. 29' W.
For dinner, I served some of the damaged bread, and a
quarter of a pint of water.
About six o'clock in the afternoon, we discovered two
islands, one bearing W. by S. 6 leagues, and the other N.W.
by N. 8 leagues ; I kept to windward of the northernmost,
and passing it by 10 o'clock, I resumed our cotiise to the
N.W. and W.N.W. for the night.
Wednesday, 6th.—The weather was fair and the wind
moderate all day from the E.N.E. At day-light, a number of
other islands were in sight from S.S.E. to the W., and round
to N.E. by E. ; between those in the N.W. 1 determined to
pass. At noon a small sandy island or key, two miles distant
from me, bore from E. to S. | W. 1 had passed ten islands,
the largest of which I judged to be 6 or 8 leagues in circuit.
Much larger lands appeared in the S.W. and N.Ñ.W., be¬
tween which 1 directed my course. Latitude observed 17° 17'
5. ; course since yesterday noon N. 50, W. ; distance 84
miles ; longitude made, by account, 5° ZT W.
Our allowance for the day was a quarter of a pint of cocoa-
nut milk, and the meat, which did not exceed two ounces to
each person ; it was received very contentedly, but we suffered
great drought. 1 durst not venture to land, as we had no
arms, and were less capable of defending ourselves than we
were at Tofoa.
To keep an account of the boat's run was rendered difficult
THE MUTINÏ" OF THE BOUNTY.
349
from being constantly wet with the sea breaking over us ; but,
as we advanced towards the land, the sea became smoother,
and I was enabled to form a sketch of the islands. Those we
were near appeared fruitful and hilly, some very movmtainous,
and all of a good height.
To our great joy we hooked a fish, but we were miser¬
ably disappointed by its being lost in trying to get it into the
boat.
We continued steering to the N.W., between the islands,
which, by the evening, appeared of considerable extent, woody,
and motmtainous. At sun-set, the southernmost bore from S.
to S.W. by W. and the northernmost from N. by W. ^ W. to
N.E. 5 E. At six o'clock we were nearly mid-way between
them, and about six leagues distant from each shore, when
we fell in with a coral bank, on which we had only four feet
water, without the least break on it, or ruffle of the sea. to
give us warning. I could see that it extended about a mile
on each side of us.
I directed the course W. by N. for the night, and served to
each person an ounce of the damaged bread, and a quarter of
a pint of water, for supper.
As our lodgings were very miserable, and confined for want
of room, ■ I endeavoured to remedy the latter defect, by
putting ourselves at watch and watch ; so that one half always
sat up while the other lay down on the boat's bottom, or upon a
chest, with nothing to cover us but the heavens. Our limbs
were dreadfully cramped, for we could not stretch them out ;
and the nightä were so cold, and we so constantly wet, that,
after a few hours' sleep, we could scarce move.
Thursday, 7lh.—At dawn of day, we again discovered land
from W.S.W. to W.N.W., and another island N.N.W., the
latter a high round lump of but little extent : the southern
land that we had passed in the night was stül in sight. Being
very wet and cold, I served a spoonful of rum and morsel of
bread for breakfast.
The land in the west was distinguished by some extraor¬
dinary high rocks, which, as we approached them, assumed
a variety of forms. The country appeared to be agreeably in¬
terspersed with high and low land, and in some places covered
with wood. Off the N.E. part lay some small rocky islands,
between which and an island 4 leagues to the N.E., I directed
my course ; but a lee current very unexpectedly set us verynear
to the rocky isles, and we could only get clear of it by rowing,
passing close to the reef that surrounded them. At this time
we observed two large sailing canoes coming swiftly after us
along shore, and, being apprehensive of their intentions, we
rowed with some anxiety, fully sensible of our weak and de-
2 H
350
bligh's narrative of
fenceless state. At noon it was calm and the weather cloudy ;
my latitude is therefore doubtful to 3 or 4 miles. Our course
since yesterday noon N.W. by W., distance 79 miles ; latitude
by account, 16° 29' S., and longitude by account, from Tofoa,
6° 46' W. Being constantly wet, it was with the utmost difS-
culty 1 could open a book to write, and I am sensible that
what 1 have done can only serve to point out where these
lands are to be found again, and give an idea of their extent.
All the afternoon, we bad light winds at N.N.E. ; the
weather was very rainy, attended with thunder and lightning.
Only one of the canoes gained upon us, which by three o'clock
in the afternoon was not more than two miles off, when she
gave over chase'.
If 1 may judge from the sail of these vessels, they are of a
similar construction with those at the Friendly Islands, which,
with the nearness of their situation, gives reason to believe
that they are the same kind of people. 'Whether these canoes
had any hostile intention against us must remain a doubt ;
perhaps we might have benefited by an intercourse with them ;
but, in our defenceless situation, to have made the experiment
would have been risking too much.
I imagine these to be the islands called Feejee, as their ex¬
tent, direction, and distance from the Friendly Islands an¬
swers to the description given of them by those islanders.
Heavy rain came on at four o'clock, when each person did
his utmost to catch some water, and we increased our stock
to 34 gallons, besides quenching our thirst for the first time
since we had been at sea ; but an attendant consequence made
us pass the night very miserably, for, being extremely wet,
and having no dry things to shift or cover us, we experienced
cold shiverings scarcely to be conceived. Most fortunately
for us, the forenoon, Friday, 8th, turned out fair, and we
stripped and dried our clothes. The allowance 1 issued to¬
day was an ounce and a half of pork, and a tea-spoonful of
rum, half-a-pint of cocoa-nut milk, and an ounce of bread.
The rum, though so small in quantity, was of the greatest
service. A fishing-line was generally towing from the stern
of the boat, but, though we saw great numbers of fish, we
could never catch one.
At noon, I observed in latitude 16° 4' S., and found we had
made a course, from yesterday noon, N. 62° W., distance 62
miles ; longitude, by account, from "Tofoa, 7° 42' W.
In the afternoon we cleaned out the boat, and it employed
us till sun-set to get every thing dry and in order. Hitherto
1 had issued the allowance by guess, but I now made a pair
of scales, with two cocoa-nut shells : and, having accidentally
some pistol-balls in the boat, 25 of which weighed one pound
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
35]
or 16 ounces, I adopted one,* as the proportion of weight that
each person should receive of bread at the times I served it.
I also amused all hands, with describing the situation of
New Guinea and New Holland, aud gave them every inform¬
ation in my power, that, in case any accident happened to
me, those who survived might have some idea of what they
were about, and be able to find their way to Timor, which at
present they knew nothing of, more than the name, and some
not even that. At night, I served a quarter of a pint of water
and half an ounce of bread, for supper.
Saturday, 9th.—In the morning, a quarter of a pint of
cocoa-nut milk, and some of the decayed bread, was served
for breakfast ; and, for dinner, I divided the meat of four
cocoa-nuts, with the remainder of the rotten bread, which was
only eatable by such distressed people.
At noon, I observed the latitude to be 15° 47' S. ; course since
yesterday N. 75° W., distance sixty-four miles ; longitude
made, by account, 8° 45' W.
In the afternoon I fitted a pair of shrouds for each mast,
and contrived a canvas weather cloth round the boat, and
raised the quarters about nine inches, by nailing on the seats
of the stern sheets, which proved of great benefit to us.
The wind had been moderate all day in the S.E. quarter,
with fine weather ; but, about nine o'clock in the evening,
the clouds began to gather, and we had a prodigious fall of
rain, with severe thunder and lightning. By midnight we
caught about twenty gallons of water. Being miserably wet
and cold, 1 served to the people a tea-spoonful of rum each,
to enable them to bear with their distressed situation. The
weather continued extremely bad, and the wind increased ;
we spent a very miserable night, without sleep, except such as
could be got in the midst of rain. The day brought no relief
but its light. The sea broke over us so much that two men
were constantly baling : and we had no choice how to steer,
being obliged to keep before the waves for fear of the boat
filling.
The allowance now regularly served to each person was one
25th of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water at
eight in the morning, at noon, and at sun-set. To-day I
gave about half an ounce of pork for dinner, which, though
any moderate person would have considered only asa mouth¬
ful, was divided into three or four.
"The rain abated towards noon, and I observed the latitude
to be 15° 17' S.; course N. 67° W., distance seventy-eight
miles ; longitude made 10° W.
•It weighed 2/2 graius.
352
bligh's narrative of
The wind continued strong from S.S.E. to S. E., with very
squally weather and a high breaking sea, so that we were
miserably wet, and suffered great cold in the night.
Monday, 11th.—In the morning at day-break, 1 served to
every person a tea-spoonful of rum, our limbs being so cramped
that we could scarce move them. Our situation was now ex¬
tremely dangerous, the sea frequently running over our stern,
which kept us baling with all our strength.
At noon the sun appeared, which gave us as much pleasure
as in a winter's day in England. 1 issued the 25th of a pound
of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water as yesterday. Lati¬
tude observed 14°50' S. ; course 71° W., distance 102 miles;
and longitude, by account, 11° 39' W. from Tofoa.
In the evening it rained hard, and we again experienced a
dreadful night. At length the day (Tuesday the 12th) came,
and showed to me a miserable set of beings, full of wants,
without anything to relieve them. Some complained of great
pain in their bowels, and every one of having almost lost the
use of his limbs. The little sleep we got was no ways refresh¬
ing, as we were covered with sea and rain. 1 served a spoon¬
ful of rum at day-dawn, and the usual allowance of bread and
water for breakfast, dinner and supper.
At noon it was almost calm, no sun to be seen, and some of
us shivering with cold. Course since yesterday, W. by N.,
distance eighty-nine miles ; latitude, by account, 14° 33' S. ;
longitude made 13° 9' \V. The direction of our course was to
pass to the northward of the New Hebrides.
The wet weather continued, and in the afternoon the wind
came from the southward, blowing fresh in squalls. As there
was no prospect of getting our clothes dried, 1 recommended to
every one to strip, and wring them through the salt water, by
which means they received a warmth that, while wet iüi
rain, they could not have.
This afternoon we saw a kind of fruit on the water, which
Nelson told me was the Barringtonia of Forster; and as 1 saw
the same again in the morning, and some men-of-war birds, 1
was led to believe that we were not far from land.
We continued constantly shipping seas and baling, and
were very wet and cold in the night ; but I could not afford
the allowance of rum at day-break.
Wednesday, 13th.—At noon 1 had a sight of the sun, lati¬
tude 14° 17' S. ; course W. by N. seventy-nine miles ; longi¬
tude made 14° 28' W. AU this day we were constanüy
shipping water, and suffered much cold and shiverings in
the night.
Thursday, 14th.—Fresh gales at S.E., and gloomy weather,
with rain and a high sea. At six in the morning we saw land.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
353
from S.W. by S. eight leagues, to N.W. by W. f W. six
leagues, which soon after appeared to be four islands, one of
them much larger than the others, and all of them high and
remarkable. At noon we discovered a small island and some
rocks, bearing N.W. by N. four leagues, and another island
W. eight leagues, so that the whole were six in number ; the
four 1 had first seen bearing from S. 5 E. to S.W. by S. our
distance three leagues from the nearest island. My latitude
observed was 13° 29' S., and longitude by account from Tofoa,
15° 49'W. ; course, since yesterday noon, N. 63° W., distance
eighty-nine miles. At four in the afternoon we passed tlie
westernmost island.
Friday, 15th.—At one in the morning another island was
discovered, bearing W.N.W., five leagues distance, and at
eight we saw it for the last time, bearing N.E. seven leagues.
A number of gannets, boobies, and men-of-war birds were
seen.
These islands lie between the latitude of 13° 16' and 14*
10'S.; their longitude, according to my reckoning, 15° 51' to
17° 6' W. from the island Tofoa.* The largest island I judged
to be about twenty leagues in circuit, the others five or six.
The easternmost is the smallest island, and most remarkable,
having a high sugar-loaf hill.
The sight of these islands served only to increase the misery
of our situation. We were very little better than starving,
with plenty in view ; yet to attempt procuring any relief was
attended with so much danger that prolonging of life, even in
the midst of misery, was thought preferable, whilst there re¬
mained hopes of being able to surmount our hardships. For
my own part, 1 considered the general run of cloudy and wet
weather to be a blessing of Providence. Hot weather would
have caused us to have died with thirst ; and probably, being
so constantly covered with rain or sea protected us from that
dreadful calamity.
As I had nothing to assist my memory, I could not then
determine whether these islands were a part of the New
Hebrides or not : 1 believed them to be a new discovery,
which I have since found true ; but, though they were not
seen either by Monsieur Bougainville or Captain Cook, they
are so nearly in the neighbourhood of the N ew Hebrides that
they must be considered as part of the same group. They are
fertile and inhabited, as I saw smoke in several places.
The wind was at S.E., with rainy weather all day. The
• By making a proportional allowance for the error aftern ards found in
the dead reckoning, 1 estimate the longitude of these islands to be from
-07« 17' E. to lOS" 34' E. from Greenwich.
2 H 3
304
bligh's narrative of
night was very dark, not a star could be seen to steer by, and
the sea broke continually over us. I found it necessary to
counteract as much as possible the effect of the southerly
winds, to prevent being driven too near New Guinea ; for in
general we were forced to keep so much before the sea that, if
we had not, at intervals of moderate weather, steered a more
southerly course, we should inevitably, from a continuance of
the gales, have been thrown in sight of that coast : in which,
case there would most probably have been an end to our
voyage.
Saturday, the 16th.—In addition to our miserable allowance
of one 25th of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of
water, I issued for dinner about an ounce of salt pork to each
person. I was often solicited for this pork, but 1 considered
it more proper to issue it in small quantities than to suffer it
to be all used at once or twice, which would have been done
if I had allowed it.
At noon I observed, in 13° 33' S. ; longitude made from
Tofoa, 19° 27' W. ; course, N.82° W., distance 101 miles.
The sun breaking out through the clouds, gave us hopes of
drying our wet clothes ; but the sunshine was of short dura¬
tion. We had strong breezes at S.E. by S., and dark gloomy
weather, with storms of thunder, lightning, and rain. The
night was truly horrible, and not a star to be seen, so that our
steerage was uncertain.
Sunday, the 17th.—At dawn of day 1 found every person
complaining, and some of them solicited extra allowance,
which I positively refused. Our situation was miserable;
always wet, and suffering extreme cold in the night, without
the least shelter from the weather. Being constantly obliged
to bale, to keep the boat from filling, was, perhaps, not to be
reckoned an evil, as it gave us exercise.
The little rum we had was of great service : when our
nights were particularly distressing, 1 generally served a
tea-spoonful or two to each person ; and it was always joyful
tidings when they heard of my intentions.
At noon a water-spout was very near on board of ns. I
issued an ounce of pork, in addition to the allowance of bread
and water ; but before we began to eat every person stripped,
and, having wrung their clothes through the sea-water, found
much warmth and refreshment. Course since yesterday noon
W.S.W., distance 100 miles ; latitude, by account, 14° 11'S.,
and longitude made 21° 3' W.
The night was dark and dismal ; the sea constantly break¬
ing over us, and nothing but the wind and waves to direct
our steerage. It was my intention, if possible, to make New
Holland, to the southward of Endeavour Straiis, being sensi¬
ble that it was necessary to preserve such a situation as would
TUE MUTINY OF THE BOUKTY". !5ö5
make a southerly wind a fair one ; that we might range along
the reefs till an opening should be found into smooth water,
and we the sooner be able to pick up some refreshments.
Monday, 18th.—In the morning tlie rain abated, when we
stripped, and wrung our clothes through the sea-water as
usual, which refreshed us greatly. Every person complained
of violent pain in his bones ; I was only surprised that no
one was yet laid up. The customary allowance of one 25th
of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, was
served at breakfast, dinner, and supper.
At noon I deduced my situation by account, for we ha4 no
glimpse of the sun, to be latitude 14° 52' S. ; course since yes¬
terday noon W.S.W., 106 miles ; longitude made from Tofoa
22° 45'W. Saw many boobies and noddies, a sign of being in
the neighbourhood of land. In the night we had very severe
lightning, with heavy rain ; and were obliged to keep baling
without intermission.
Tuesday, 19th.—Very bad weather and constant rain. At
noon, latitude, by account, 18° 37' S. ; course since yesterday,
N. 81° W., distance ICQ miles ; longitude made 24° 33'. W.
With the allowance of bread and water, served half an ounce
of pork to each person for dinner.
Wednesday, 20th.—Fresh breezes E.N.E., with constant
rain ; at times a deluge. Always baling.
At dawn of day, some of my people seemed half dead : our
appearances were horrible ; and I could look no way but I
caught the eye of some one in distress. Extreme hunger was
now too evident, but no one suffered from thirst, nor had we
much inclination to drink, that desire, perhaps, being satisfied
through the skin. The little sleep we got was in the midst of
water, and we constantly awoke with severe cramps and pains
in our bones. This morning I served about two tea-spoonfuls
of rum to each person, and the allowance of bread and water
as usual. At noon the sun broke out, and revived every one.
I found we were in latitude 14° 49' S. ; longitude made 25°
46' W. ; course S. 88° W., distance, seventy-five miles.
All the afternoon we were so covered with rain and salt
water that we could scarcely see. We suffered extreme cold,
and every one dreaded the approach of night. Sleep, though
we longed for it, afforded no comfort ; for my own part I
almost lived without it. Aboiit two o'clock in the morning
(Tuesday 21st) we were overwhelmed with a deluge of rain.
It fell so heavy that we were afraid it would fill the boat, and
were obliged to bale with all our might. At dawn of day I
served a larger allowance of rum. Towards noon the rain
abated and the sun shone, but we were miserably cold and wet,
the sea breaking constantly over us ; so that, notwithstanding
356
bligh's narrative of
the heavy rain, we had not been able to add to our stock of
fresh water. Latitude, by observation, 14° 29' S., and longi¬
tude made, by account from Tofoa, 27° 25' W., course since
yesterday noon, N. 78° W., ninety-nine miles. I now consi¬
dered myself nearly on a meridian with the east part of New
Guinea.
Friday, 22nd. Strong gales from E.S.E. to S.S.E., a high
sea, and dark dismal night.
Our situation this day was extremely calamitous. We were
obliged to take the course of the sea, running right before it,
and watching with the utmost care, as the least error in the
helm would in a moment have been our destruction.
At noon it blew very hard, and the foam of the sea kept
running over our stern and quarters ; I however got propped
up, and made an observation of the latitude, in 14° 17' S.
course N. 85" W., distance 130 miles ; longitude made 29°
38'W.
The misery we suffered this night exceeded the preceding.
The sea flew over us with great force, and kept us baling with
horror and anxiety. At dawn of day (Saturday 23rd) I found
every one in a most distressed condition, and began to fear
that another such night would put an end to the lives of seve¬
ral, who seemed no longer able to support their suflierings.
I served an allowance of two tea-spoonfuls of rum ; after
drinking which, having wrung our clothes, and taken our
breakfast of bread a,nd water, we became a little refreshed.
Towards noon the weather became fair, but with very little
abatement of the gale, and the sea remained equally high.
With some difficulty I observed the latitude to be 13° 44' S. :
course since yesterday noon N. 74° W., distance 116 miles;
longitude made 31" 32' W. from Tofoa.
The wind moderated in the evening, and the weather looked
much better, which rejoiced all hands so that they ate their
scanty allowance with more satisfaction than for some time
past. The night also was fair ; but, being always wet with
the sea, we suffered much from the cold.—Sunday, 24th. A
fine morning, I had the pleasure to see, produce some cheer¬
ful countenances ; and, the first time for fifteen days pa.st,
we experienced comfort from the warmth of the sun. We
stripped, and hung our clothes up to dry, which were by
this - time become so threadbare liât thej' would not keep
out either wet or cold.
At noon I observed in latitude 13° 33' S. ; longitude, by ac¬
count, from Tofoa 33° 28' W. ; coiutse N. 81° W., distance 114
miles. With the usual allowance of bread and water for din¬
ner, I served an ounce of pork to each person. This afternoon
we had many birds about us which are never seen far from
land, such as boobies and noddies.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
357
As the sea began to run fair, and we shipped but little wa¬
ter, I took the opportunity to examine into the state of our
bread, and found tíiat, according to the present mode of issuing,
there was a sufficient quantitv remaining for twenty-nine days'
allowance ; by which time I noped we should be able to reach
Timor. But as this was very uncertain, and it was possible
that, after all, we might be obliged to go to Java, I determined
to proportion the allowance so as to make our stock hold out
six weeks. I was apprehensive that this would be ill received,
and that it would require my utmost resolution to enforce it ;
for, small as the quantity was which I intended to take away
for our future good, yet it might appear to my people like rob¬
bing them of life ; and some, who were less patient than their
companions, I expected would very ill brook it. However,
on my representing the necessity of guarding against delays
that might be occasioned in our voyage by contrary winds, or
other causes, and promising to enlarge upon the allowance as
we got on, they cheerfully agreed to my proposal. It was ac¬
cordingly settled that every person should receive one twenty-
fifth of a pound o'f bread for breakfast, and the same quantity
for dinner ; so that by omitting the proportion for supper, we
had forty-three days' allowance.
Monday, 25th.—At noon some noddies came so near to us
that one of them was caught by hand. This bird was about
the size of a small pigeon. J divided it, with its entrails,
into eighteen portions, and by a well-known method at sea,
of, Wào shall have this ? * it was distr ibuted, with the allow¬
ance of bread and water for dinner, and eaten up, bones aird
all, with salt water for sauce. I observed the latitude 13» 32'
S. ; longitude made 35° 19'W. ; course N. 89°W., distance
108 miles.
In the evening, several boobies flying very near to us, we
had the good fortune to catch one of them. This bird is as
large as a duck : like the noddy, it has received its name from
seamen, for suffering itself to be caught on the masts and yards
of ships. They are the most presumptive proofs of being in
the neighbourhood of land of any sea-fowl we are acquainted
rvith. 1 directed the bird to be killed for supper, and the
blood to be given to three of the people who were the most
distressed for want of food. The hody, with the entrails, beak,
and feet, I divided into eighteen shares, and, with an allow¬
ance of bread, which 1 made a merit of granting, we made a
good supper, compared with our usual fare.
* One person turns his back on the object that is to be divided : another
then points separately to the portions, at each of them asking aloud.
" Who shall have this?" to which the first answers by naming somebody.
This impartial method of division gives every man an equal chance of the
best share.
358
bligh's narrative of
Tuesday, 26th.—Fresh breezes from the S.E., with fine wea¬
ther. In the morning we caught another booby, so that Pro¬
vidence appeared to be relieving our wants in an extraordi¬
nary manner. Towards noon, we passed a great many pieces of
the branches of trees, some of which appeared to have been
no long time in the water. I had a good observation for the
latitude, and found our situation to be in 13° 41' S.; longitude,
by account, from Tofoa, 37° 13' W., course S. 85" W., 112
miles. The people were overjoyed at the addition to their
dinner, which was distributed in the same manner as on the
preceding evening ; giving the blood to those who were the
most in want of food.
To make the bread a little savoury, most of the people fre¬
quently dipped it in salt water ; but 1 generally broke mine
into small pieces, and ate it in my allowance of water, out of
a cocoa-nut shell, with a spoon ; economically avoiding to take
too large a piece at a time, so that 1 was as long at dinner
as if it had been a much more plentiful meal.
The weather was now serene, ivhich, nevertheless, was not
without its inconveniences, for we began to feel distress of a
different kind from that which we had lately been accustomed
to suffer. The heat of the sun was so powerful that several
of the people were seized with a languor and faintness, which
made life indifferent. We were so fortunate as to catch two
boobies in the evening; their stomachs contained several
flying-fish and small cuttle-fish, all of which 1 saved to be
divided for dinner the next day.
Wednesday, 27th.—A fresh breeze at E.S.E., with fair
weather. We passed much drift-wood this forenoon, and saw
many birds ; I therefore did not hesitate to pronounce that we
were near the reefs of New Holland. From my recollection
of Captain Cook's survey of this coast, 1 considered the direc¬
tion of it to be N.W., and 1 was therefore satisfied that, with
the wind to the southward of E., 1 could always clear any
dangers.
At noon, 1 observed in latitude 13° 26' S. ; course since yes¬
terday N. 82° W., distance 109 miles ; longitude made 39» 4'
W. After writing my account, I divided the two birds with
their entrails, and the contents of their maws, into eighteen
portions, and, as the prize was a very valuable one, it was di¬
vided as before, by calling out, Who shall have this ? so that
to-day, with the allowance of a twenty-fifth of a pound of
bread at breakfast, and another at dinner, with the proportion
of water, 1 was happy to see that every person thought he
had feasted.
In the evening, we saw a gannet ; and the clouds remained
so fixed in the west that 1 had little doubt of our being near
the land. The people, after taking their allowance of water
TUE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 3Ö!)
for supper, amused themselves with conversing on the proba¬
bility of what we should find.
Tmirsday, 28th.—At one in the morning, the person at the
helm heard the sound of breakers, and I no sooner lifted up
my head than I saw them close under our lee, not more than
a quarter of a mile distant from us. I immediately hauled on
a wind to the N.N.E., and in ten minutes' time we could
neither see nor hear them.
I have already mentioned my reason for making New Hol¬
land so far to the southward : for I never doubted of nume¬
rous openings in the reef, through which I could have access
to the shore : and, knowing the inclination of the coast to be
to the N.W., and the wind mostly to the southward of E., I
could with ease range such a barrier of reefs till I should find
a passage, which now became absolutely necessary, without a
moment's loss of time. The idea of getting into smooth wa¬
ter, and finding refreshments, kept my people's spirits up :
their joy was very great after we had got clear of the breakers,
to which we had approached much nearer than I thought was
possible, without first discovering them.
In the morning, at day-light, we could see nothing of the
land or of the reefs. We bore away again, and, at nine
o'clock, saw the reefs. The sea broke furiously over every
part, and we had no sooner got near to them than the wind
came at E., so that we could only lie along the line of the
breakers ; within which we saw the water so smooth that
every person already anticipated the heart-felt satisfaction he
should receive, as soon as we could get within them. I now
found we were embayed, for we could not lie clear with the
sails, the wind having backed against us ; and the sea set in
so heavy towards the reef that our situation was become un¬
safe. We could effect but little with the oars, having scarce
strength to pull them ; and I began to apprehend that we
should be obliged to attempt pushing over the reef. Even this
I did not despair of effecting with success, when happily we
discovered a break in the reef, about one mile from us, and at
the same time an island of a moderate height within it, nearly
in the same direction, bearing W.s N. I entered the passage
with a strong stream running to the westward, and found it
about a quarter of a mile broad, with every appearance of
deep water.
On the outside, the reef inclined to the N.E. for a few miles,
and thence to the N.W. : on the south side of the en¬
trance, it inclined to the S.S.W. as far as I could see it ; and
I conjecture that a similar passage to this which we now en¬
tered may be foimd near the breakers that I first discovered,
which are twenty-three miles S. of this channel.
seo
JÍLIGH'S NAnKATIVE OF
Being now happily within the reefs, and in smooth water, [
endeavoured to keep near thera to try for fish ; hut the tide
set us to the N.W., 1 therefore bore away in that direction,
and, having promised to land on the first convenient spot we
could find, all our past hardships seemed already to be forgot¬
ten.
My longitude, made by dead reckoning, from the island
Tofoa to our passage through the reef, is 40° 10' W. Provi¬
dential Channel, I imagine, must lie very nearly under the
same meridian with our passage ; by which it appears we had
outrun our reckoning 1° 9'.
We now returned God thanks for his gracious protection,
and with much content took our miserable allowance of a
twenty-fifth of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of
water, for dinner.
♦
CHAPTER XVI.
raogaess to the noatawaad, along the coast op new Holland
—land on olfpeeent islands, in seaech of supplies.
As we advanced within the reefs, the coast began to show
itself very distinctly, in a variety of high and low land ; some
parts of which were covered with wood. In our way towards
the shore, we fell in with a point of a reef which is connected
with that towards the sea, and here we came to a grapnel, and
tried to catch fish, but had no success. Two islands lay about
four miles to the W. by N., and appeared eligible for a resting-
place, if for nothing more ; but, on our approach to the near¬
est island, it proved to be only a heap of stones, and its size
too inconsiderable to shelter the boat. We therefore proceed¬
ed to the next, which was close to it and towards the main.
On the N.W. side of this, I found a bay and a fine sandy point
to land at. Our distance was about a quarter of a mile from
a projecting part of the main, which bore from S.W. by S., to
N.N.W. f W. We landed to examine if there were any
signs of the natives being near us: we saw some old fire¬
places, but nothing to make me apprehend that this would be an
unsafe situation for the night. Every one was anxious to find
something to eat, and it was soon discovered that there were
oysters on these rocks, for the tide was out ; but it was nearly
dark, and only a few could be gathered. I determined there¬
fore to wait tUl the morning, when I should better know how
to proceed, and I directed that one half of our company should
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
361
sleep on shore, and the other half in the boat. We would
gladly have made a fire, but, as we could not accomplish it,
we took our rest for the night, which happily was calm and
undisturbed.
Friday, 29th.—The dawn of day brought greater strength
and spirits to us than I expected ; for, notwithstanding every
one was very weak, there appeared strength sufficient remain¬
ing to make me conceive the most favourable hopes of our
being able to surmoimt the difficulties we might yet have to
encounter.
As there were no appearances to make me imagine that
any of the natives were near us, I sent out parties in search
of supplies, while others of the people were putting the boat
in order, that we might be ready to go to sea in case any un¬
foreseen cause should make it necessary. One of the gud¬
geons of the rudder had come out in the course of the night,
and was lost. This, if it had happened at sea, might have
been attended with the most serious consequences, as the
management of the boat could not have been so nicely pre¬
served as these very heavy seas required. I had been appre¬
hensive of this accident, and had in some measure prepared
for it, by having grummets fixed on each quarter of the boat
for oars ; but our utmost readiness in using them wonld not
probably have saved us. It appears, therefore, a providential
circumstance that it happened in a place of safety, and that
it was in our power to remedy the defect ; for by great good
luck we found a large staple in the boat, which answered the
pmrpose.
The parties returned, highly rejoiced at having found plenty
of oysters and fresh water. I had also made a fire, by the
help of a small magnifying glass ; and, what was still more
fortunate, we found, among the few things which had been
thrown into the boat and saved, a piece of brimstone and a
tinder-box, so that I secured fire for the future.
One of the people had been so provident as to bring away
with him from the ship a copper pot ; by being in possession
of this article we were enabled to make a proper use of the
supply we now obtained ; for, with a mixture of bread, and a
little poik, we made a stew that might have been relished by
people of far more delicate appetites, and of which each
person received a full pint.
The general complaints of disease among us were a dizzi¬
ness in the head, great weakness of the joints, and violent
tenesmus ; most of us having had no evacaution by stool
since we left the ship. I had constantly a severe pain at my
stomach; but none of our complaints were alarming; on the
contrary, every one retained marks of strength, that, with a
2 I
362
bligh's narrative of
mind possessed of a tolerable share of fortitude, seemed able
to bear more fatigue than I imagined we should have to
undergo in our voyage to Timor.
As I would not allow the people to expose themselves to
the heat of the sun, it being near noon, every one took his
allotment of earth where it was shaded by the bushes, for a
short sleep.
The oysters which we found grew so fast to the rocks that
it was with diiSculty they could be broken off ; and at length
we discovered it to be the most expeditious way to open them
where they were fixed. They were of a good size, and well
tasted. To add to this happy circumstance, in the hollow of
the land there grew some wire-grass, which indicated a moist
situation. On forcing a stick, about three feet long, into the
ground, we found water, and with little trouble dug a well,
which produced as much as our occasions required. It was
very good, but I could not determine if it was a spring or not.
We were not obliged to make the well deep, for it fiowed as
fast as we emptied it ; which, as the soil was apparently too
loose to retain water from the rains, renders it probable to be
a spring. On the south side of the island, likewise, we found
a small run of good water.
Besides places where fires had been made, there were
other signs of the natives sometimes resorting to this island.
I saw two ill-constructed huts or wigwams, which had only
one side loosely covered ; and a pointed stick was found, about
three feet long, with a slit in the end of it, to sling stones with ;
the same as the natives of Van Diemen's Land use.
The track of some animal was very discernible, and Nelson
agreed with me that it was the kangaroo ; but whether these
animals swim over from the main land, or are brought here
by the natives to breed, it is impossible to determine. The
latter is not improbable ; as they may be taken with less
difficulty in a confined spot like this than on the continent.
The island is about a league in circuit ; it is a high lump
of rocks and stones covered with wood ; but the trees are
small, the soil, which is very indifferent and sandy, being barely
sufficient to produce them. The trees that came within our
knowledge were the manchineal and a species of purow ; also
some palm-trees, the tops of which we cut down, and the
soft interior part or heart of them was so palatable that it
made a good addition to our mess. Nelson discovered some
fern roots,- which I thought might be good roasted, as a sub¬
stitute for bread, but in this I was mistaken ; it however was
very serviceable in its natural state to allay thirst, and on that
account I directed a quantity to be collected to take into the
boat. Many pieces of cocoa-nut shells and husk were found
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
363
about the shore, but we could find no cocoa-nut trees, neither
did I see any on the main.
I had cautioned the people not to touch any kind of berry
or fruit that they might find ; yet they were no sooner out of
my sight than they began to make free with three different
kinds, that grew all over the island, eating without any reserve.
The symptoms of having eaten too much began at last to
frighten some of them ; but on questioning others, who had
taken a more moderate allowance, their minds were a little
quieted. The others, however, became equally alarmed in
their turn, dreading that such symptoms would come on, and
that they were all poisoned, so that they regarded each other
with the strongest marks of apprehension, uncertain what
would be the issue of their imprudence. Fortunately the
fruit proved wholesome and good. One sort grew on a small
delicate kind of vine ; they were the size of a large gooseberry,
and very like in snbstance, but had only a sweet taste : the
skin was a pale red, streaked with yellow the long way of the
fruit ; it was pleasant and agreeable. Another kind grew on
bushes, like that which is called the sea-side grape in the
West Indies ; but the fruit was very different, being more
like elder-berries, and grew in clusters in the same manner.
The third sort was a blackberry ; this was not in such plenty
as the others, and resembled a bullace, or large kind of sloe,
both in size and taste. When I saw that these fruits were
eaten by the birds, I no longer doubted of their being whole¬
some, and those who had already tried the experiment not
finding any bad effect made it a certainty that we might eat
of them without danger.
Wild pigeons, parrots, and other birds, were about the
summit of the island, but, having no fire-arms, relief of that
kind was not to be expected, unless we should find some un¬
frequented spot where the birds were so tame that we might
take them with our hands.
The shore of this island is very rocky, except the place at
which we landed, and here I picked up many pieces of pumice-
stone. On the part of the main nearest to us were several
sandy bays, which at low-water became an extensive rocky
flat. The country had rather a barren appearance, except in
a few places where it was covered with wood. A remarkable
range of rocks lay a few miles to the S.W., and a high peaked
hill seemed to terminate the coast towards the sea, with islands
to the southward. A high fair cape showed the direction of
the coast to the N.W., about seven leagues distant ; and two
small isles lay three or four leagues to the northward of our
present station.
I saw a few bees or wasps, and several lizards ; and the
2 1 2
364
bi.tgh's narrative op
LUokberry bushes were full of ants' nests, webbed like a
spider's, but so close and compact as not to admit the rain,
A trunk of a tree, about 50 feet long, lay on the beach ; from
which I conclude that a heavy sea sets in here, with a
northerly wind.
This day being the anniversary of the restoration of king
Charles the Second, and the name not being inapplicable to
our present situation (for we were restored to fresh life and
strength), I named this Restoration Island ; for I thought it
probable that Captain Cook might not have taken notice of it.
The other names which I have presumed to give the different
parts of the coast are meant only to show my route more
distinctly.
At noon, I observed the latitude of the island to be 12° 39'
S. ; our course having been N. 66° W., distance 18 miles from
yesterday noon. The wind was at R.S.B., with very fine
weather.
In the afternoon, 1 sent parties out again to gather oysters,
with which, and some of the inner part of the palm top, we
made another good stew for supper, each person receiving a
full pint and a half ; but 1 refused bread to this meal, for 1
considered that our wants might yet be very great, and was
intent on saving our principal support, whenever it was in my
power. After supper, we again (hvided, and those who were
on shore slept by a good fire.
Saturday, 30th.—In the morning, 1 discovered a visible
alteration in our company for the better, and 1 sent them away
again to gather oysters. We had now only two pounds of
pork left. This article, which I could not keep iiuder lock
and key as 1 did the bread, had been pilfered by some incon¬
siderate person, but every one denied having any knowledge
of this act ; 1 therefore resolved to put it out of their power
for the future, by sharing what remained for our dinner.
While the party was out picking up oysters, I got the boat in
readiness for sea, and filled all our water vessels, which
amounted to nearly 60 gallons.
The party being returned, dinner was soon ready, which
was as plentiful a meal as the supper on the preceding even¬
ing, and with the pork 1 gave an allowance of bread. As it
was not yet noon, 1 sent the people once more to gather oysters
for a sea store, recommending to them to be as diligent as
possible, for that 1 was determined to sail in the afternoon.
At noon, 1 again observed the latitude 12° 39' S. ; it was
then high-water, the tide had risen three feet, but 1 could not
oe certain whence the flood came. I deduce the time of
high-water at full change to be ten minutes past seven in the
niur.iing
THE MUTINY OF THE HOUNTY.
365
Early in the afternoon, the people returned with the few
oysters that they had collected, and every thing was put into
the boat. I then examined the quantity remaining, and found
thirty-eight days' allowance, according to the last mode of
issuing a 25th of a pound at breakfast and at dinner.
Fair weather, and moderate breezes at E.S.E. and S.E.
Being ready for sea, I directed every person to attend
prayers. At four o'clock we were preparing to embark;
when about twenty of the natives appeared, running and
hallooing to us, on the opposite shore. They were each armed
with a spear or lance, and a short weapon which they carried
in their left hand : they made signs for us to come to them.
On the top of the hills we saw the heads of many more :
whether these were their wives and children, or others who
waited for our landing, meaning not to show themselves, lest
we might he intimidated, I cannot say ; hut, as I found we
were discovered to be on the coast, I thought it prudent to
make the best of our way, for fear of being pursued by
canoes ; though, from the accounts of Captain Cook, the
chance was that there were very few, if any, of consequence
on any part of the coast. I passed these people as near as I
could with safety : they were naked, and apparently black,
and their hair or wool bushy and short.
I directed my course within two small islands that lie to
the north of Restoration Island, passing between them and
the main land, towards Fair Cape, with a strong tide in my
favour ; so that I was abreast of it by eight o'clock. The
coast we passed was high and woody. As I could see no land
without Fair Cape, I concluded that the coast inclined to the
N.W. and W.N.W. ; I therefore steered more towards the
W. ; but by eleven o'clock at night we met with low land,
which inclined to the N.E. ; and at three o'clock in the morn¬
ing I found that we were embayed, which obliged us to stand
back for a short time to the southward.
Sunday the 31st.—At day-break, I was exceedingly sur¬
prised to find the appearance of the country entirely changed,
as if in the course of the night we had been transported to
another part of the world ; for we had now a low sandy coast
in view, with very little verdure, or any thing to indicate that
it was at all habitable to a human being, except a few patches
of small trees or brushwood.
Many small islands were in sight to the N.E., about six
miles distant. The E. part of the main bore N. four miles,
and Fair Cape S.S.E. five or six leagues. I took the channel
between the nearest island and the main-land, which were
about one mile apart, leaving all the islands on the starboard
side Some of these were very pretty spots, covered with
2 I 3
31)6
bligh's nakrative of
■«•cod, and well situated for fishing ; large shoals of fish were
about us, but we could not catch any. In passing this strait
we saw another party of Indians, seven in number, running
towards us, shouting and making signs for us to land. Some
of them waved green branches of the bushes which were near
them, as a token of friendship ; but some of their other
motions were less friendly. A little farther off, we saw a
larger party, who likewise came towards us. I therefore de¬
termined not to land, though I much wished to have had
some intercourse with these people. Nevertheless I laid the
boat close to the rocks, and beckoned to them to approach ;
but none of them would come within two hundred yards of
us. They were armed in the same manner as the people we
had seen from Restoration Island ; they were stark naked,
their colour black, with short bushy hair or wool, and in their
appearance were similar to them in every respect. An island
of a good height bore N. | W., four miles from us, at which I
resolved to land, and thence to take a look at the coast.
At this isle we arrived about eight o'clock in the morn¬
ing. The shore was rocky, but the water was smooth, and we
landed without difficulty. I sent two parties out, one to the
northward, and the other to the southward, to seek for sup¬
plies, and others I ordered to stay by the boat. On this occa¬
sion fatigue and weakness so far got the better of their sense
of duty that some of the people expressed their discontent at
having worked harder than their companions, and declared
that they would rather be without their dinner than go in
search of it. One person, in particular, went so far as to tell
me, with a mutinous look, that he was as good a man as myself.
It was not possible for me to judge where this might have an
end, if not stopped in time ; therefore, to prevent such disputes
in future, I determined either to preserve my command, or
die in the attempt : and, seizing a cutlass, I ordered him to
take hold of another and defend himself ; on which he called
out that I was going to kill him, and immediately made con¬
cessions. I did not allow this to interfere further with the
harmony of the boat's crew, and every thing soon became
quiet.
The parties continued collecting what they could find,
which were some fine oysters and clams, and a few small dog¬
fish that were caught in the holes of the rocks. We also fotmd
some rain-water in the hollow of the rocks, on the north part
of the island, so that of this essential article we were again so
fortunate as to obtain a full supply.
After regulating the mode of proceeding, I walked to the
highest part of the island, to consider our route for the night.
To my surprise, no more of the main-land could be seen here
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
367
than from below, the northernmost part in sight, which was
full of sand-hills, bearing W. by N., about three leagues.
Except the isles to the E.S.E. and S., that we had passed, 1
could only discover a small key N.W. by N. As this was
considerably farther from the main than the spot on which we
were at present, I judged it would be a more secure resting-
place for the night ; for here we were liable to an attack, if
the Indians had canoes, as they undoubtedly must have ob¬
served our landing. My mind being made up on this point,
I returned, after taking a particular look at. the island we were
on, which I found only to produce a few bushes, and some
coarse grass ; the extent of the whole not being two miles in
circuit. On the north side, in a sandy bay, I saw an old canoe,
about thirty-three feet long, lying bottom upwards, and half
buried in the beach. It was made of three pieces, the bottom
entire, to which the sides were sewed in the common way.
It had a sharp projecting prow rudely carved, in resemblance
of the head of a fish ; the extreme breadth was about three
feet, and I imagine it was capable of carrying twenty men.
The discovery of so large a canoe confirmed me in the
purpose of seeking a more retired place for our night's lodging.
At noon, the parties were all returned, but had found much
difficulty in gathering the oysters, from their close adherence
to the rocks, and the clams were scarce ; I therefore saw that
it would be of little use to remain longer in this place, as we
should not be able to collect more than we could eat. 1
named this Sunday Island : it lies N. by W f W. from Re¬
storation Island ; the latitude, by a good observation, 11°
58' S.
We had a fresh breeze at S.E. by S., with 'fair weather.
At two o'clock in the afternoon we dined ; each person
having a full pint and a half of stewed oysters and clams,
thickened with small beans, which Nelson informed me were a
species of dolichos. Having eaten heartily, and completed
our water, I waited to determine the time of high water, which
I found to be at three o'clock, and the rise of the tide about
five feet. According to this, it is high water on the full and
change, at nineteen minutes past nine in the morning : I ob-
sei^d the flood to come from the southward, though, at Re¬
storation Island, I thought it came from the northward. I
think Captain Cook mentions that ho found great irregularity
in the set of the flood on this coast.
We steered for the key seen in the N.W. by N., where we
arrived just at dark, but found it so surrounded by a reef of
rocks that I could not land without danger of staving the
boat ; and on that account we came to a grapnel for the
night.
308
BLIGH'S KabRATIVE OF
Monday, June 1st.—At dawn of day, we got on shore,
and tracked the boat into shelter ; for, the wind blowing fresh
without, and the ground being rocky, it was not safe to trust
her at a grapnel, lest she should be blown to sea : I was,
therefore, obliged to let her ground in the course of the ebb.
From appearances, I expected that if we remained till night
we should meet with turtle, as we discovered recent tracks of
them. Innumerable birds of the noddy kind made this island
their resting-place ; so that we had reason to flatter ourselves
with hopes of getting supplies in greater abundance than it
had hitherto been in our power. Our situation was at least
four leagues distant from the main. We were on the nortli-
westernmost of four small keys, which were surrounded by a
reef of rocks connected by sandbanks, except between the two
northernmost ; and there likewise it was dry at low water ;
the whole forming a lagoon island, into which the tide flowed ;
at this entrance I kept the boat.
As usual, I sent parties away in search of supplies, but, to
our great disappointment, we could only get a few clams and
some dolichos : with these, and the oysters we had brought
from Sunday Island, I made up a mess for diimer, with the
addition of a small quantity of bread.
Towards noon. Nelson, and some others, who had been to
the easternmost key, returned; but Nelson was in so weak a
condition that he was obliged to be supported by two men.
His complaint was a violent heat in his bowels, a loss of sight,
much drought, and an inability to walk. This I found was
occasior^pd by his being unable to support the heat of the sun,
and that, when he was fatigued and faint, instead of retiring
into the shade to rest, he had continued to attempt more than
his strength was equal to. I was glad to find that he had no
feVer ; and it was now that the little wine, which I had so care¬
fully saved, became of real use. I gave it in very small quanti¬
ties, with some pieces of bread soaked in it ; and he soon be¬
gan to recover. The boatswain and carpenter also were ill, and
complained of head-ach, and sickness of the stomach. Others,
who had not had any evacuation by stool, became shockingly
distressed with the tenesmus; so that there were but few
without complaints. An idea prevailed that the sickn^ of
the boatswain and carpenter was occasioned by eatin™the
dolichos. Myself, however, and some others, who had taken
the same food, felt no inconvenience ; but the truth was, that
many of the people had eaten a large quantity of them raw,
and Nelson informed me that they were constantly teasing
him, whenever a berry was found, to know if it was good to
eat; so that it would not have been surprising if many of
them had been really poisoned.
THK MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY. 309
Our dinner was not so well relished as at Sunday Island,
because we had mixed the dolichos with our stew. The
oysters and soup, however, were eaten by every one, except
Nelson, whom I fed with a few small pieces of bread soaked
in half a glass of wine, and he continued to mend.
In my walk round the island, I found several cocoa-nut
shells, the remains of an old wigwam, and the backs of two
turtle, but no sign of any quadruped. One of the people
found three sea-fowl's eggs.
As is common on such spots, the soil is little other than
sand, yet it produced small toa-trees, and some others, that
we were not acquainted with. There were fish in the lagoon,
but we cquld not catch any. Our wants, therefore, were not
likely to be supplied here, not even with water for our daily
expense : nevertheless, I determined to wait till the morning,
that we might try our success in the night for turtle and birds.
A quiet night's rest also, I conceived, would be of essential
service to those who were unwell.
The wigwam and turtle shell were proofs that the natives
at times visited this place ; and that they had canoes the re¬
mains of the large canoe that we saw at Sunday Island left
no room to doubt; but I did not apprehend that we ran any
risk by remaining here a short time. I directed our fire, how¬
ever, to be made in the thicket, that we might not be dis¬
covered by its light.
At noon, I observed the latitude of this island to be 11° 47' S.
The main-land extended towards the N.W., and was full of
white sand-hills : another small island lay within us, bearing
W. by N. 3 N., three leagues distant. Our situation being
very low, we could see nothing of the reef towards the sea.
The afternoon was advantageously spent in sleep. There
were, however, a few not disposed to it, and those were em¬
ployed in dressing some clams to take with us for the next
day's dinner : others we cut up in slices to dry, which I knew
was the most valuable supply we could find here ; but they
were very scarce.
Towards evening, I cautioned every one against making too
large a fire, or sufiering it after dark to blaze up. Mr. Samuel
aq¿ Mr. Peckover had the superintendance of this business,
wmle I was strolling about the beach to observe if I thought
it could be seen from the main. I was. just satisfied that it
could not, when on a sudden the island appeared all in a blaze,
that might have been discerned at a much more considerable
distance. I ran to learn the cause, and found that it was oc¬
casioned by the imprudence and obstinacy of one of the party,
who, in my absence, had insisted on having a fire to himself;
in making which the flames caught the neighbouring grass, and
370
bligh's narrative of
rapidly spread. This misconduct might have produced very
serious consequences, by discovering our situation to the
natives ; for, if tliey had attacked us, we had neither arms nor
strength to oppose an enemy. Thus the relief which I expect¬
ed from a little sleep was totally lost, and I anxiously waited
for the flowing of the tide, that we might proceed to sea.
It was high-water at half past five this evening, whence I
deduced the time, on the full and change of the moon, to be
58' past ten in the morning: the rise was nearly five feet. I
could not observe the set of the flood:, but imagined it to come
from the southward, and that I was mistaken at Restoration
Island, as I found the time of high-water gradually later the
more we advanced to the northward.
At Restoration Island, high-water,
full and change 7*' KT
Sunday Island 9 19
Here 10 58
-\fter eight o'clock, Mr. Samuel and Mr. Peckover went out
to watch for turtle, and three men went to the east key to en¬
deavour to catch birds. All the others complaining of being
sick, took their rest, except Mr. H ay ward and Mr. Elphinston,
whom I directed to keep watch. About midnight the bird
party returned, with only twelve noddies, birds which I have
already described to be about the size of pigeons ; but, if it
had not been for the folly and obstinacy of one of the party,
who separated from the other two, and disturbed the birds,
they might have caught a great number. I wa.s so much pro¬
voked at my plans being thus defeated, that I gave this offend¬
er* a good beating. I now went in search of the turtling
party, who had taken great pains, but without success. This
did not surprise me, as it was not to be expected that turtle
would come near us, after the noise which had been* made
at the beginning of the evening in extinguishing the fire. I
therefore desired them to come back, but they requested to
stay a little longer, as they still hoped to find some before day¬
light. : however, they returned by three o'clock, without any
reward for their labour.
The birds we half dressed, that they might keep the better :
and these, with a few clams, made the whole of the su^ly
procured here. I tied a few gilt buttons and some piece# of
iron to a tree, for any of the natives that might come after us ;
and, finding my invalids much better for their night's rest, we
embarked, and departed by dawn of day. Wind at S.E. ;
course to the N. by W.
♦ Robert Lamb.—This man, when became to Java, acknowledged he
had eaten nine birds raw, after he separated from his two companions.
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
371
Tuesday, 2nd.—When we had run two leagues to the north¬
ward, the sea suddenly became rough, which not having be¬
fore experienced since we were within the reefs, I concluded
to be occasioned by an open channel to the ocean. Soon
afterwards, we met with a large shoal, on which were two
sandy keys. Between these and two others, four miles to the
west, I passed on to the northward, the sea still continuing to
be rough.
Towards noon I fell in with six other keys, most of which
produced some small trees and brush-wood. These formed a
pleasing contrast with the main-land we had passed, which was
full of sand-hills. The country continued hilly, and the north¬
ernmost land, the same we had seen from the lagoon island,
appeared like downs, sloping towards the sea. N early abreast
of us was a flat-topped hill, which, on account of its shape,
1 called Pudding-pan hill ; and a little to the northward were
two other hills, which we called the Paps ; and here was a
small tract of country without sand, the eastern part of which
forms a cape, whence the coast inclines to the N.W. by N.
1 divided six birds, and issued one 25th of a pound of bread
with half a pint of water, to each person for dinner, and I gave
half a glass of wine to Nelson, who was now so far recovered
as to require no other indulgence.
The gunner, when he left the ship, brought his watch with
him, by which we had regulated our time till to-day, when
unfortunately it stopped ; so that noon, sun-rise and sun-set,
are the only parts of the twenty-four hours of which hence¬
forward I can speak with certainty as to time.
The wind blew fresh from the S.S.E. and S.E. all the after¬
noon, with fair weather. As we stood to the N. by W., we
found more sea, which I attributed to our receiving less shelter
from the reefs to the eastward : it is probable they do not ex¬
tend so far north as this ; at least it may be concluded that
there is not a continued barrier to prevent shipping having ac¬
cess to the shore. I observed that the stream set to the N.W.,
which I considered to be the flood. In some places along the
coast we saw patches of wood. At five o'clock, steering to
the N.W., we passed alarge and fair inlet, into which, I imagine,
there is a safe and commodious entrance ; it lies in latitude
11» S. About three leagues to the northward of this is an
island at which we arrived about sun-set, and took shelter for
the night under a sandy point, which was the only part we
could land at. This being rather a wild situation, I thought it
best to sleep in the boat ; nevertheless I sent a party away to
see if any thing could be got, but they returned without suc¬
cess. They saw a great number of turtle' bones and shells,
where the natives had been feasting, and their last visit seemed
372
blioh's narratite op
to be of late date. The island was covered with wood, but in
other respects it was a lump of rocks.
Wednesday, 3rd.—We lay at a grapnel till day-light, with a
very fresh gaie and cloudy weather. We continued steering
to the N.W. Several islands and keys were in sight to the
northward : the most northerly island was mountainous, hav¬
ing on it a very high round hül ; and a smaller was remark¬
able for a single peaked hill. I was now tolerably certain
that we should be clear of New Holland in the afternoon.
As an addition, to our dinner of bread and water, I served
to each person six oysters.
At two o'clock in the afternoon, as we were steering to the
S.W., toward the westernmost part of the land in sight, we fell
in with some large sand-banks that run off from the coast : I
therefore called this Shoal Cape. We were obliged to steer
to the northward again, till we got round the shoals, when I
directed the course to the W.
At four o'clock, the westernmost of the islands to the north¬
ward bore N. four leagues ; Wednesday Island E. by N. five
leagues ; and Shoal Cape S.E. by E. two leagues. A small
island was seen bearing W., at which we arrived before dark,
and found that it was only a rock where boobies resort, for
which reason I called it Booby Island. Here terminated the
rocks and shoals of the N. part of New Holland ; for, except
Booby Island, no land was seen to the westward of S., after
three o'clock this afternoon.
CHAPTER XVII.
PaSSAGK PROM ^EW HOLLAND TO THE ISLAND TIMOR—ARRIVE AT
COPANG—RECEPTION THERE.
On Wednesday, June 3rd, at eight o'clock in the evening,
we once more launched into the open ocean. Miserable as
our situation was in every respect, I was secretly surprised to
see that it did not appear to affect any one so strongly as my¬
self ; on the contrary, it seemed as if they had embarked on
a voyage to Timor in a vessel sufficiently calculated for safety
and convenience. So much confidence gave me great pleasure,
and I may venture to assert that to this cause our preservation
is chiefly to be attributed.
I encouraged every one with hopes that eight or ten days
THE ilLTINT OF THE BOUNTY.
373
■would bring us to a land of safety ; and, after praying to God
for a continuance of his most gracious protection, I served an
allowance of water for supper, and directed our course to the
W. S.W., to counteract the southerly winds, in case they
should blow strong.
We had been just six days on the coast of New Holland, in
the course of which we found oysters, a few clams, some birds
and water. But perhaps a benefit nearly equal to this we re¬
ceived, by having been relieved from the fatigue of being con¬
stantly in the boat, and enjoying good rest at night. These
advantages certainly preserved our lives ; and, small as the
supply was, I am very sensible how much it alleviated our
distresses. By this time nature must have sunk under the
extremes of hunger and fatigue. Some would have cccased
to struggle for a life that only promised wretchedness and
misery ; and others, though possessed of more bodily strength,
must soon have followed their unfortunate companions. Even
in our present situation, we were most deplorable objects ; but
the hopes of a speedy relief kept up our spirits. For my own
part, incredible as it may appear, I felt neither extreme hun¬
ger nor thirst. My allowance contented me, knowing that I
could have no more.
Thiursday, 4th.—I served one 25th of a pound of bread, and
an allowance of water for breakfast, and the same for dinner,
with an addition of six oysters to each person. At noon, la¬
titude observed 10° 48' S. ; course since yesterday noon, S. 81'
W., distance 111 miles; longitude, by account, from Shoal
Cape, 1° 45' W. A strong trade wind at E.S.E., with fair
weather.
This day we saw a number of water-snakes, that were ringed
yellow and black, and towards noon we passed a great deal
of rock-weed. 'Though the weather was fair, we were con¬
stantly shipping water, which kept two men always employed
to bale the boat.
Friday, 5th.—At noon I observed in latitude 10° 45'S. ;
our course since yesterday W. J N., 108 miles ; longitude
made 3° 35' W. Six oysters were, as yesterday, served to
each man, in addition to the usual allowance of bread and
water.
In the evening a few boobies came about us, one of which I
caught in my hand. The blood was divided among three of
the men who were weakest", but the bird I ordered to be kept
for our dinner the next day. Served a quarter of a pint of
water for supper, and to some, who were most in need, half
a pint. In the course of the night, being constantly wet with
the sea, we suffered much cold and shiverings.
Saturday, 6th.—At day-light I found that some of the clams
2 K
374
BLIQH'S NARRATIVE OF
which had been liung up to dry for sea-store were stolen ; but
every one solemnly denied having any knowledge of it. This
forenoon we saw a gannet, a sand-lark, and some water-snakes,
which in general were from two to three feet long.
The usual allowance of bread and water was served for
breakfast, and the same for dinner, with the bird, which I dis¬
tributed in the usual way of Who shall hate this ? I proposed
to make Timor about the latitude of 9° 30' S., or 10° S. At
noon I observed the latitude to be 10° 19' S. ; course N. 77»
W., distance, 117 miles ; longitude made from the Shoal Cape
the north part of New Holland, 5° 31' W,
In the afternoon 1 took an opportunity of examining our
store of bread, and found remaining nineteen days' allowance,
at the former rate of serving one 25th of a pound three times
a day ; therefore, as 1 saw every prospect of a quick passage,
I again ventured to grant an allowance for supper, agreeable
to my promise at^ie time it was discontinued.
We passed the bight miserably wet and cold, and in the
morning I heard heavy complaints. The sea was high and
breaking over ns. I could only afford the allowance of bread
and water for breakfast ; but for dinner 1 gave out an ounce
of dried clams to each person, which was all that remained.
At noon 1 altered the course to the W.N.W., to keep more
from the sea, as the wind blew strong. Latitude observed 9° 31'
S. ; course N. 57° W., distance, eighty-eight miles ; longitude
made 6° 46' W.
The sea ran very high all this day, and we had frequent
showers of rain, so that we were continually wet, and suffered
much cold in the night. Mr. Ledward, the surgeon, and
Lawrence Lebogue, an old hardy seaman, appeared to be
giving way very fast. 1 could only assist them by a tea-
spoonful or two of wine, which I had carefully saved, expect,
ing such a melancholy necessity.
Monday, 8th.—Wind at S.E. The weather was more mo¬
derate than it had been for some days past. A few gannets
were seen. At noon I observed 8° 45' S. ; course W.N.W. j
W., 106 miles; longitude made 8° 23' W. The sea being
smooth, I steered W. by S.
At four in the afternoon we caught a small dolphin, which
was the first relief of the kind that we obtained. I issued
about two ounces to each person, including the offals, and saved
the remainder for dinner the next day. Towards evening the
wind freshened, and it blew strong all night, so that we shipped
much water, and suffered greatly from the wet and cold.
Tuesday, 9th.—At day-light as usual I heard much com¬
plaining, which my own feelings convinced me was too well
founded. 1 gave the surgeon and Lebogue a little wine, but
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
375
I could afford tliem no farther relief, except encouraging them
■with hopes that a very few days longer, at our present fine
rate of sailing, would bring us to Timor.
Gannets, boobies, men of war and tropic birds, were con¬
stantly about us. Served the usual allowance of bread and
water, and at noon we dined on the remains of the dolphin,
which amounted to about an ounce per man. I observed the
latitude to be 9° 9' S. ; longitude made 10° 8'W.; course,
since yesterday noon, S. 76° W. ; distance 107 miles.
This afternoon 1 suffered great sickness from the nature of
part of the stomach of the fish, which had fallen to my share
at dinner. At sun-set 1 served an allowance of bread and
water for supper.
Wednesday, 10th.—In the morning, after a very comfortless
night, there was a visible alteration ibr the worse in many of
the people ; which gave me great apprehensions. An extreme
weakness, swelled legs, hollow and ghastly countenance, a
more than common inclination to sleep, with an apparent de¬
bility of understanding, seemed to me the melancholy presages
of an approaching dissolution. The surgeon and Lebogue, in
particular, were most miserable objects. I occasionally gave
them a few tea-spoonfuls of wine, out of the little that remain¬
ed, which greatly assisted them. The hopes of being able to
accomplish the voyage was our principal support. The boat¬
swain very innocently told me that he really thought 1 looked
worse than any one in the boat. The simplicity with which
he uttered such an opinion amused me, and I returned him
a better compliment.
Our latitude at noon, was 9° 16' S. Longitude from the
north part of New Holland, 12° 1' W. Course since yester¬
day noon, W. J S., Ill miles. Birds and rock-weed showed
that we were not far from land ; but I expected such signs
here, as there are many islands between the east part of
Timor and New Guinea. The night was more moderate than
the last.
Thursday, 11th. Every one received the customary allow¬
ance of bread and water, and an extra allowance of water
was given to those who were most in need. At noon 1 ob¬
served in latitude 9° 41' S.; course S. 77° W., distance 109
miles ; longitude made 13° 49' W. I had little doubt of
having now passed the meridian of the eastern part of Timor,
which is laid down in 128° E. This diffused universal joy
and satisfaction.
In the afternoon, we saw gannets, and many other birds,
and at sunset we kept a very anxious look-out. In the even¬
ing we caught a booby, which I reserved for our dinner the
next day.
2 K 2
370
bligh's narrative of
Friday, 12tli.—At three In the morning, with an excess of
joy, we discovered Timor bearing from W.S.W to W.K.W.,
and I hauled on a wind to the N.N.E. till day-light, when the
land bore from S.W. by S. to N.E. by N. Our distance from
the shore, two leagues.
It is not possible for me to describe the pleasure which the
blessing of the sight of this land diffused among us. It ap¬
peared scarce credible to ourselves that, in an open boat, and
so poorly provided, we should have been able to reach the coast
of Timor in forty-one days after leaving Tofoa, having in that
time run, by our log, a distance of 3618 miles ; and that,
notwithstanding our extreme distress, no one should have
perished in the voyage.
I have already mentioned that I knew not where the Dutch
settlement was situated ; but I had a faint idea that it was at
the S.W. part of the island. I therefore, after day-light, bore
away along shore to the S.S.W., which I was the more readily
induced to do as the wind would not suffer us to go towards
the N.E. without great loss of time.
The day gave us a most agreeable prospect of the land,
which was interspersed with woods and lawns : the interior
part mountainous, but the shore low. Towards noon, the
coast became higher, with some remarkable head-lands. We
were greatly delighted with the general look of the country,
which exhibited many cultivated spots and beautiful situations;
but we could only see a few small huts, whence I concluded
that no European resided in this part of the island. Much
sea ran on the shore, which made landing impracticable. At
noon, we were abreast of a high head-land ; the extremes of
the land bore S.W. J W., and N.N.E. f E. ; our distance off
shore being three miles ; latitude, by observation, 9° 59' S. ;
and my longitude, by dead reckoning from the north part of
New Holland, 15° 6' W.
With the usual allowance of bread and water for dinner, I
divided the bird we had caught the night before, and to ¿e
surgeon and Lebogue I gave a little wine.
The wind blew fresh at E. and E.S.E., with very hazy
weather. During the afternoon, we continued our course
along a low shore, covered with innumerable palm-trees, called
the fan palm, from the leaf spreading like a fan ; but here we
saw no signs of cultivation, nor had the country so fine an
appearance as to the eastward. This, however, was only a
small tract, for by sunset it improved again, and I saw several
great smokes where the inhabitants were clearing and culti¬
vating their grounds. We had now run twenty-five miles to
the W.S.W. since noon, and were W. five miles from a low
point, which, in the afternoon, I imagined had been the
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
377
iouthemmost land ; and here the coast formed a deep bend,
with low land in the bight that appeared like islands. The
west shore was high ; but from this part of the coast to the
high cape which we were abreast of at noon, the shore is low,
and I believe shoal. I particularly remark this situation,
because here the very high ridge of mountains, that run from
the east end of the island, terminate, and the appearance of
the country changes for the worse.
Tliat we might not run past any settlement in the night,
I determined to preserve my station till the morning, and
therefore brought to under a close-reefed foresail. We were
here in shoal water, our distance from the shore being half a
league, the westernmost land in sight bearing W.S.W. f W.
Served bread and water for supper, and, the boat lying to very
well, all but the olficer of the watch endeavoured to get a
little sleep.
Saturday, 13th.—At two in the morning, we wore, and
stood in shore till day-light, when I found we had drifted,
during the night, about three leagues to the W.S.W., the
southernmost land in sight bearing W. On examining the
coast, and not seeing any sign of a settlement, we bore away
to the westward, having a strong gale, against a weather cur¬
rent, which occasioned much sea. The shore was high and
covered with wood ; but We did not run far, before low land
again formed the coast, the points of which opening at west,
I once more fancied we were on the south part of the island ;
but at ten o'clock we found the coast again inclining towards
the south, part of it bearing W.S.W. 5 W. At the same
time, high land appeared in the S.W. ; but the weather was
so hazy that it was doubtful whether the two lands were
separated, the opening only extending one point of the com¬
pass. For this reason I stood towards the outer land, and
found it to be the island Roti.
I returned to Ihe shore we had left, and brought to a grapnel
in a sandy bay, that I might more conveniently calculate my
situation. In this place, we saw several smokes where the
n.itive.s were clearing their grounds. During the little time
we remained here, the master and carpenter very much im¬
portuned me to let them go in search of supplies ; to which,
ai length, I assented ; but, not finding any other person willing
to be of their party, they did not choose to quit the boat. I
stopped here no longer than for the purpose just mentioned,
and we continued steering towards shore. We had a view of
a beautiful-looking country, as if formed by art into lawns
and parks. The coast is low, and covered with woods, in
which are innumerable fan palm-trees, that look like cocoa-nut
walks. The interior part is high land, but very different from
•2 K 3
378
BLIGIÎ S NARRATIVE OF
the moro eastern parís of the island, where it is exceedingly
mountainous, and, to appearance, the soil better.
At noon, the island Eoti bore S.W. by W. seven leagues.
I had no observation for the latitude, but, by account, we were
in 10° 12' S. ; our course since yesterday noon being S. 77°
W., 54 miles. The usual allowance of bread and water was
served for breakfast and dinner, and to the surgeon and Le-
bogue I continued to give wine.
We had a strong breeze at E.S.E, with hazy weather, all
the afternoon. At two o'clock, having run tíirough a very
dangerous breaking sea, the cause of which 1 attributed to be
a strong tide setting to windward, and shoal water, we disco¬
vered a spacious bay or sound, with a fair entrance about two
or three" miles wide. I now conceived hopes that our voyage
was nearly at an end, as no place could appear more eligible
for shipping, or more likely to be chosen for an European
settlement : I therefore came to a grapnel near the east side
of the entrance, in a small sandy bay, where we saw a hut, a
dog, and some cattle; and I immediately sent the boatswain
and gunner away to the hut, to discover the inhabitants.
I had just time to make some nautical observations, when I
saw the boatswain and gunner returning with some of the
natives : I therefore no longer doubted of our success, and
that our expectations would be fully' gratified. They brought
five Indians, and informed me that they had found two families,
where the women treated them with European politeness.
From these people I learned that the governor resided at a
place called Coupang, which was some distance to the N.E.
I made signs for one of them to go in the boat, and show us
the way to Coupang, intimating that I would pay him for his
trouble : the man readily complied, and came into the boat.
These people were of a dark tawny colour, had long black
hair, and chewed a great deal of betel. Their dress was a
square piece of cloth round the hips, in the folds of which
was stuck a large knife ; a handkerchief wrapped round the
head ; and another hanging by the four corners from the
shoulders, which served as a bag for their betel equipage.
They brought us a few pieces of dried turtle, and some ears
of Indian corn. This last was the most welcome ; for the
turtle was so hard that it could not be eaten without being
first soaked in hot water. They offered to bring us some
other refreshments if I would wait ; but, as the pilot was
willing, I determined to push on. It was about half an hour
past four when we sailed.
By direction of the pilot, we kept close to the east shore
under all our sail ; but as night came on, the wind died away,
and we were obliged to try at the oars, which I was surprised
THE MUTINY OP THE BOUNTY. 379
to see vie could use -with some effect. At ten o'clock, find¬
ing we advanced but slowly, I came to a grapnel, and, for
the first time, I issued double allowance of bread and a little
wine to each person.
Sunday, 14th.—At one o'clock in the morning, after the
mosthappy and sweet sleep that ever men enjoyed, we weighed,
and continued to keep the east shore on board, in very smooth
water ; when at last I found we were again open to the sea ;
the whole of the land to the westward that we had passed
being an island, which the pilot called Pulo Samow. The
northern entrance of this channel is about a mile and a half
or two miles wide, and I had no ground at ten fathoms.
The report of two cannon that were fired gave new life to
every one ; and soon after we discovered two square-rigged
vessels and a cutter at anchor to the eastward. We endea¬
voured to work to windward, but were obliged to take to our
oars again, having lost ground on each tack. We kept close
to the shore, and continued rowing till four o'clock, when
I brought to a grapael, and gave another allowance of bread
and wine to all hands. As soon as we had rested a little, we
weighed again, and rowed till near day-light, when we came
to a grapnel, off a small fort and town, which the pilot told
me was Coupang.
Among the things which the boatswain had thrown into
the boat before we left the ship was a bundle of signal-flags
that had been used by the boats to show the depth of water
in sounding : with these we had, in the course of the passage,
made a small jack, which I now hoisted in the main shrouds,
as a signal of distress ; for I did not think proper to land
without leave.
Soon after day-break, a soldier hailed us to land, which I
immediately did, among a crowd of Indians, and was agree¬
ably surprised to meet with an English sailor, who belonged
to one of the vessels in the road. His captain, he told me,
was the second person in the town ; I therefore desired to be
conducted to him, as I was informed the governor was Ul, and
could not then be spoken with.
Captain Spikerman received me with great humanity. I
informed him of our distressed situation ; and requested that
care might be taken of those who were with me, without delay.
On which he gave directions for their immediate reception at
his own house, and went himself to the governor, to know at
what time I could be permitted to see him ; which was fixed
to be at eleven o'clock.
I now desired my people to come on shore, which was as
much as some of them could do, being scarce able to walk ;
they, however, were helped to the house, and found tea witk
bread and butter provided for their breakfast.
SSO BLIGIl's NABRATIVE OF
The abilities of a painter, perliaps, could seldom have been
displayed to more advantage than in the delineation of the
two groups of figures, which at this time presented themselves
to each other. An indifferent spectator would have been at a
loss which most to admire ; the eyes of famine sparkling at
immediate relief, or the horror of their preservers at the sight
of so many spectres, whose ghastly countenances, if the cause
had been unknown, would rather have excited terror than pity.
Our bodies were nothing but skin and bones, our limbs were
full of sores, and we were clothed in rags ; in this condition,
■with the tears of joy and gratitude flowing down our cheeks,
the people of Timor beheld us with a mixture of horror,
surprise, and pity.
The governor, Mr. William Adrian Van Este, notwith¬
standing extreme ill-health, became so anxious about us that
I saw him before the appointed time. He received me with
great affection, and gave me the fullest proofs that he was
possessed of every feeling of a humane and good man. Sorry
as he was, he said, that such a calamity could ever have hap¬
pened to us, yet he considered it as the greatest blessing of
his life that we had fallen under his protection ; and, though
his infirmity was so great that he could not do the office of a
ftiend himself, he would give such orders as I might be certain
would procure us every supply we wanted. A house should
be immediately prepared for me, and, with respect to my
people, he said, that I might have room for them either at the
hospital or on hoard of Captain Spikerman's ship, which lay
in the road ; and he expressed much uneasiness that Coupang
could not afford them better accommodations, the house assign¬
ed to me being the only one uninhabited, and the situation of
the few families that lived at this place such that they could
not conveniently receive strangers. For the present, till
matters could be properly regulated, he gave directions that
victuals for my people should be dressed at his own house.
On returning to Captain Spikerman's house, I found that
every kind relief had been given to my people. The surgeon
had dressed their sores, and the cleaning of their persons had
not been less attended to, several friendly gifts of apparel
having been presented to them.
I desired to be shown to the house that was intended for me,
which I found ready, with servants to attend. It consisted of
a hall, with a room at each end, and a loft over-head, and was
surrounded by a piazza, with an outer apartment in one cor¬
ner, and a communication from the back part of the house to
the street. I therefore determined, instead of separating from
my people, to lodge them all with me ; and I divided the house
as follows ; One room I took to myself, the other I allotted to
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
381
the master, surgeon, Mr. Nelson, and the gunner ; the loft to
the other officers ; and the outer apartment to the men. The
hall was common to the officers, and the men had the back
piazza. Of this disposition I informed the governor, and he
sent down chairs, tables, and benches, with bedding and other
necessaries, for the use of every one.
The governor, when I took my leave, had desired me to ac¬
quaint him with every thing of which I stood in need ; but it
was only at particular times that he had a few moments of
ease, or could attend to any thing ; being in a dying state,
with an incurable disease. On this account I transacted what¬
ever business I had, with Mr. Timotheus Wanjon, the second
of this place, who was the governor's son-in-law ; and who
also contributed every thing in his power to make our situation
comfortable. I had been, therefore, misinformed by the
seaman, who told me that Captain Spikerman was the next
person in command to the governor.
At noon, a dinner was brought to the house, sufficiently
good to make persons more accustomed to plenty eat too
much. Yet, I believe, few in such a situation would have ob¬
served more moderation than my people did. My greatest ap¬
prehension was that they would eat too much fruit, of which
there was great variety in season at this time.
Having seen every one enjoy this meal of plenty, I dined
myself with Mr. Wanjon ; but I felt no extraordinary incli¬
nation to eat or drink. Rest and quiet I considered as more
necessary to the re-establishment of my health, and therefore
retired soon to my room, which I found furnished with every
convenience. But, instead of rest, ray mind was disposed to
reflect on our late sufferings, and on the failure of the expe¬
dition ; but, above all, on the thanks due to Almighty God, who
liad given us power to support and bear such heavy calamities,
and had enabled me, at last, to be the means of saving
eighteen lives.
In times of difficulty, there will generally arise circum¬
stances that bear particularly hard on a commander. In our late
situation, it was not the least of my distresses to be constant¬
ly assailed with the melancholy demands of my people for an
increase of allowance, which it grieved me to refuse. The
necessity of observing the most rigid economy in the distri¬
bution of our provisions was so evident that I resisted their
solicitations, and never deviated from the agreement we made
at setting out. The consequence of this care was, that at our
arrival we had still remaining sufficient for eleven days, at our
scanty allowance ; and, if we had been so unfortunate as to
have missed the Dutch settlement at Timor, we could have
proceeded to Java, where I was certain that every supply we
wanted could be procured.
382
BLlGIl's NARRATIVE OF
Another disagreeable circumstance to which my situation
exposed me was the caprice of ignorant people. Had I been
incapable of acting, they would have carried the boat on shore,
as soon as we made the island of Timor, without considering
that landing among the natives, at a distance from the Eu¬
ropean settlement, might have been as dangerous as among
any other Indians.
The quantity of provisions with which we left the ship was
not more than we should have consumed in five days, had
there been no necessity for husbanding our stock. The mu¬
tineers must naturally have concluded that we could have no
other place of refuge than the Friendly Islands ; for it was not
likely they should imagine that, so poorly equipped as we
were in every respect, there could have been a pos.sibility of
our attempting to return homewards ; much less can they
suspect that the account of their villany has already reached
their native country.
When I reflect how providentially our lives were saved at
Tofoa, by the Indians delaying their attack; and that, with
scarce any thing to support life, we crossed a sea of more tlian
1200 leagues, without shelter from the inclemency of the
weather ; when I reflect that in an open boat, with so much
stormy weather, we escaped foundering, that not any of us were
taken off by disease, that we had the great good fortune to
pass the unfriendly natives of other countries without accident,
and at last happily to meet with the most friendly and best
of people to relieve our distresses ; I say, when I reflect on
all these wonderful escapes, the remembrance of such great
mercies enables me to bear, with resignation and cheerfulness,
the failure of an expedition, the success of which I had so
much at heart, and which was frustrated at a time when I
was congratulating myself on the fairest prospect of being able
to complete it in a manner that would fully have answered
the intention of his Majesty, and the humane promoters of
so benevolent a plan.
With respect to the preservation of our health, during a
course of sixteen days of heavy and almost continual rain, I
would recommend to every one in a similar situation, the me¬
thod we practised, which is, to dip their clothes in the salt
water, and wring them out, as often as they become filled
with rain ; * it was the only resource we had, and I believe
• The surgeon of the Pandora (the vessel sent to take the mutineers,
and which was wrecked on the homeward voyage), makes tills observation
on the practice here recommended by Captain tiligh : " This is not ad-
ria-liir, if protracted beyond three or four days, as after that time the
great .absorption from the skin that takes place taints the fluids with the
bitter parts of sait water, so that the saliva becomes intolerable in the
mouth." The great rains that fell nearly all the time of Captain Bligh's ex¬
posure probably prevented the eflects experienced by the crew of the Pandora.
the mutiny of the bounty. 383
was of the greatest seryice to us, for it felt more like a change
of dry clothes than could well be imagined. We had occasion
to do this so often that at length all our clothes were wrung to
pieces ; for, except the few days we passed on the coast of
New Holland, we were continually wet either with rain or sea.
Thus, through the assistance of Divine Providence, we sur¬
mounted the difficulties and distresses of a must perilous voy¬
age, and arrived safe in an hospitable port, where every
necessary and comfort were administered to us with a
most liberal hand.
♦
CHAPTER XVIII.
at conpanq.
July.—from the great humanity and attention of the governor
and the gentlemen at Coupang, we received every kind of
assistance, and were not long without evident signs of re¬
turning health. Shortly after our arrival, I presented to the
governor a formal aecount of the loss of the Bounty ; and a
requisition, in his Majesty's name, that instructions might be
sent to all the Dutch s ettlements, to stop the ship if she made
her appearance. With this a complete deseriptive list of the
mutineers was given.
I likewise requested, in one of my first visits to the governor,
that Nelson might have permission to walk about the eountry
in seareh of plants, which was readily granted, with an olfer
of whatever assistance I should think necessary : and the go¬
vernor assured me that the country was well worth examina¬
tion, as it abounded with many curious and medicinal plants.
From this indulgence i derived no benefit ; for Nelson, who,
since we left New Holland, had been butin a weakeondition,
about this time was taken ill, in consequence of a cold caused
by imprudently leaving off warm clothing.
To secure our arrival at Batavia, before the October fleet
sailed for Europe, I gave public notice of my intention to hire
a vessel to carry us to Batavia. In consequence of this notice,
several offers were made, but none that I thought reasonable ;
which determined me to purchase a small schooner in the
road, that was thirty-four feet long ; for which I gave 1000
rix-dollars, and fitted her for sea, under the name of His Ma-
384
BLIQH'S NARRATIVE OF
jesty's schooner Resource. As the coast of Java is frequently
infested with small piratical vessels, it was necessary that we
should be provided with the proper means of defence. In this
I was assisted by the ftiendship of Mr. Wanjon, who supplied
me with four brass swivels, fourteen stand of small arms and
ammunition, which he obligingly let me have as a loan, to be
returned at Batavia.
On the 20th of July, I had the misfortune to lose Mr. David
Nelson ; he died of an inflammatory fever. The loss of this
honest man I very much lamented ; he had, with great care
and diligence, attended to the object for which ho was sent,
and had always been ready to forward every plan that was
proposed for the good of the service in which we were en¬
gaged. He was not less useful in our voyage hither, in the
course of which he gave me great satisfaction, by the pa¬
tience and fortitude with which he conducted himself.
July 2Ist. This day, I was employed attending the funeral
of Mr. Nelson. The corpse was carried by twelve soldiers
dressed in black, preceded by the minister ; next followed my¬
self and the second governor ; then ten gentlemen of the town
and the ofiBcers of the ships in the harbour ; and after them
my own officers and people.
After reading our burial-service, the body was interred behind
the chapel, in the burying-ground appropriated for the Euro¬
peans of the town. I was sorry 1 could get no tombstone to
place over his remains.
This was the second voyage Mr. Nelson had undertaken to
the South Seas, having been sent out by Sir Joseph Banks, to
collect plants, seeds, &c., in Captain Cook's last voyage. And
now, after surmounting so many difficulties, and in the midst
of thankfulness for his deliverance, he was called upon to pay
the debt of nature, at a time least expected.
Our schooner being victualled and ready for sea, on the
20th of August, I took an affectionate leave of the hospitable
and friendly inhabitants of Coupang, and embarked. In the
afternoon we sailed, having the haunch, which had so much
contributed to our preservation, in tow. We exchanged sa¬
lutes with the fort and shipping as we ran out of the harbour.
This settlement was formed in the year 1630, and is the only
one the Dutch have on the island Timor. They have residents
in different parts of the country. On the north side of Timor
there is a Portuguese settlement. The produce of the island
is chiefly sandal-wood and bees-wax ; the former article is now
scarce. Wax they have in great plenty. The bees build their
nests in bushes and in the boughs of trees, to which the natives
cannot approach but with fire. The honey is put into jars,
and the wax is run into blocks of three feet in length, and
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
385
from twelve to lifteen inches square. The natives, at least
those who live in the neighbourhood of Coupang, are of a
very indolent disposition, of which the Chinese have taken
advantage ; for, though the Malays are very fond of trafic,
most of their trade is carried on in small Chinese vessels, of
from ten to thirty tons' burthen. There is a market at Cou¬
pang for the country people, in which, however, there is little
business done. I have seen a man from the country come to
market with two potatoes ; and this is not unusual. These being
sold for two doits (equal to a halfpenny English) serve to sup¬
ply him with betel to chew ; and the remainder of the day is
passed in lounging about the town. The inland people, who
live at a distance from the Europeans, are strong and active ;
but their want of cleanliness subjects them to filthy diseases.
The chief of the natives, or king of the island, is by the
Dutch styled Keyser (emperor). This prince lives at a place
called Backennassy, about four mUes' distance from Coupang.
His authority over the natives is not wholly undisputed ;
which is by the Dutch attributed to the intrigues of the
Portuguese, who are on the north part of Timor. The is¬
land has lately suffered much by a competition between the
present king and one of his nephews, which caused a. civil
war, that lasted from the begining of the year 1786 to 1788,
when their differences were settled by a treaty chiefly in
favour of the king. The ravages committed in these disputes
have occasioned a scarcity of provisions that probably, from
the want of industry in the natives, will not soon be remedied.
I had an opportunity of making a visit to the king. His
dwelling was a large house, which was divided into only three
apartments, and surrounded by a piazza ; agreeably situated,
but very dirty, as was all the furniture. The king, who is an
elderly man, received me with much civility, and ordered re¬
freshments to be set before me, which were tea, rice, cakes,
roasted Indian corn, and dried buffalo flesh, with about a pint
of arrack, which I believe was all he had. His dress was a
cheque wrapper girded round his waist with' a silk and gold
belt, a loose linen jacket, and a coarse handkerchief about his
head. A few of the chiefs were with him, who partook of our
repast ; after which the king retired with three of them for a
short time, and, when he returned, presented me with a round
plate of metal about four inches diameter, on which was stamp¬
ed the figure of a star. As I had been informed that arrack
would be an acceptable present, I was prepared to make a
■return, which was well received. They never dilute their
liquor, and, from habit, are able to drink a large quantity of
spirits at a time, without being intoxicated.
When a king dies, a large feast is made, to which all the
■2 L
386
uligh's narrative of
inhabitants are invited. The body, after a few days, is put
into a coffin, which is closed up and kept three years before
it is interred.
The Dutch have been at some pains to establish Christianity
among the natives ; but it has not gained much ground, ex¬
cept in the neighbourhood of Coupang. The present king
was christened by the name of Barnardus. His Indian name
is Bacchee Bannock. The Scriptures are translated into the
Malay language, and prayers are performed, in the church at
Coupang, by a Malay clergyman, in that language.
I met, at Timor, with most of the fruits that are described
in Captain Cook's first voyage as natives of Batavia, except
the mangostan. The bread-fruit tree, called by the Malays
soccoom, likewise grows here with great luxuriance, and ap¬
pears to be as much a native of this island as it is of Otaheite.
The fruit is exactly of the same kind, but not so good. A
bread-fruit of Timor weighs half as much more as one of
equal size at Otaheite. It is not used here as bread, but
generally eaten with milk and sugar. At Backennassy I saw
about twenty of the trees, larger than any I have seen at
Otaheite. Here is also a sort of bread-fruit tree, that pro¬
duces seeds not unlike Windsor beans, and equally palatable,
either boiled or roasted. No other part of the fruit is eatable;
and though the tree, I am told, is to all appearance the same
as the other, the fruits have but little resemblance ; the fruit
of this being covered with projecting points nearly half an
inch in length.
I received a present of some fine plants, from the governor,
which I was afterwards unfortunately obliged to leave at Bata¬
via, for want of proper room to take care of them, in the
packet by which I returned to Europe. Mr. Wanjon likewise
favoured me with some seeds for his Majesty's garden at Kew,
which I had the good fortune to deliver safe, on my return :
and some of the mountain rice, cultivated at Timor, on the
dry land, which was forwarded to his Majesty's botanic gar¬
den at St. Vincent, and to other parts in the West Indies.
A resemblance of language between the people of the South
Sea islands, and the inhabitants of many of the islands in the
East Indies, has been remarked in Captain Cook's first voy¬
age. Here, the resemblance appeared stronger than has yet
been noticed ; particularly in their numerals. But besides the
language, I observed some customs among the people of Ti¬
mor still more striking for their similarity. They practise the
Tooge-too^e * of the Friendly Islands, which they call Toom-
* Tiie Tooge-tooge and the Roomee&TC described in Captain Coch's li-et
voypge.
the mutiny of the bounty.
387
hock : and the Roome of Otaheite, which they call Ramos I
likewise saw placed on their graves offerings of baskets witli
tobacco and betel.
T left the governor, Mr. Van Este, at the point of death. To
this gentleman our most grateful thanks are due, for the
humane and friendly treatment that we received from him.
His ill state of health only prevented him from showing us
more particular marks of attention. Unhappily, it is to his
memory only that I now pay this tribute. It was a fortunate
circumstance for us that Mr. Wanjon, the next in place to
the governor, was equally humane and ready to relieve us.
His attention was unremitting, and, when there was a doubt
about supplying me with money, to enable me to purchase a
vessel, he cheerfully took it upon himself ; without which, it
was evident, I should have been too late at Batavia to have
sailed for Europe with the October fleet. I can only return
such services by ever retaining a grateful remembrance of
them. Mr. Max, the town surgeon, likewise behaved to us
with the most disinterested humanity : he attended every one
with the utmost care ; for which I could not prevail on him
to receive any payment, or to render me any account, or other
answer than that it was his duty.
♦
CHAPTER XIX.
VKOM TIMOR TO BATAVIA.
Thursday, August 20th.—From Coupang we steered N.W.
by W., having a moderate breeze at S.E. with fair weather.
Saturday, 22d.—At daylight we saw the island Flores to
the northward. We steered along the south side of Flores,
mostly with light winds and hazy weather, so that we did not
constantly keep sight of the coast.
Tuesday, 25th.—At noon we were off Toorns island, which
bore N.W. by N., three or four leagues distant. There is a
curious high peak on the S.W. part : the land near the shore
is low and woody.
On the 27th, at noon, we were near the entiance of the Straits
of Mangaryn, which not appearing so open and clear as repre¬
sented in the map, I steered for the Straits of Sapi, intending
to pass through ; but was obliged to give up this plan, by
strong currents setting to the S.E., which there was not suf¬
ficient wind to enabie us to stem. I therefore again stood for
2 L 2
388
BLIGH'S NAKttATIVE OF
the Straits of Mangaryn, which we ran through in the afternoon
of the 29th, being favoured with a fresh breeze from the S.S.E.
On the Plores side, there are many good harbours and bays,
where vessels may anchor ; but the country hereabouts ap¬
pears burnt up and desolate.
When we had passed the straits, we kept to the westward,
running along the north side of the island Sumbawa, where
there is a very high mountain near the coast ; at the foot of
which, I am informed, are many runs of good water, con¬
veniently situated for ships to supply themselves.
In the night of the 31st, several prows were rowing about
us, on which account we kept all night under arms.
Thursday, Sept. 3d.—This and the two following days we
were sailing along the north side of the island Lembeck, on
which is a high mountain. Most of the islands in this route
are distinguished by high mountains. Lembeck appears to
be well clothed with wood. In the nights we saw fires placed
on the high lands, at a distance from the coast.
Sunday, 6th.—In the afternoon we saw the high land of
Cape Sandana, which is the N.E. part of Java. The next
day we were off Cape Sandana, which is a low cape projecting
from the high land already mentioned.
We steered to the westward, along the coast of Java; and
on the 10th, at noon, we anchored off Passourwang, a Dutch
settlement on the coast of Java, in two fathoms ; distant from
the shore half a league ; the entrance of the river bearing
S.W. The coast hereabouts is so shoal that large ships are
obliged to anchor three or four miles from the land. As soon
as we were at anchor, I got in my boat and went on shore.
The banks of the river, near the entrance, were mud, on which
grew a few mangrove bushes. Among them we saw hogs
running, and many were lying dead in the mud, which
caused a most intolerable stench, and made me heartily repent
having come here ; but, after proceeding about a mile up the
river, the course of which was serpentine, we found a very
pleasant country, and landed at a small and well-constructed
fort : where I was received in a friendly and polite manner
by M. Adrian Van Rye, the commandant. By the return of
the boat, I sentón board a small bullock, and other provisions.
I likewise took a pilot to conduct us to Sourabya.
The houses at Passour wang are neatly built, and the country
appears to be well cultivated. The produce of this settlement
is rice, of which they export large quantities. There are but
few Dutch here ; the J avanese are numerous, and their chief
lives with considerable splendour. They have good roads, and
posts are established along the coast ; and it appears to be a
busy and well-regulated settlement.
THK MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
389
The next day, about noon, we sailed ; and on the 12th, in
the evening, anchored in Sourabya road, in seven fathoms ;
distance from the shore one mile. We found riding here
seven square-rigged, and several smaller, vessels.
It was too late when we anchored to send a boat on shore.
The next morning, before daylight, three guard-boats station¬
ed themselves near us, and I was informed that I must not
land or send a boat on shore. This restriction, I learnt from
the officer of^ the guard-boats, was in conformity to general
orders concerning all strange vessels on their first arrival. At
nine in the forenoon, leave came off for us to land, and soon
after the guard-boats quitted us.
I was received on shore with great civility and friendship
by the governor, or Opperhooft, M. Ant. Barkay, and the com¬
mandant of the troops, M. de Boso. By these gentlemen X
was hospitably entertained, and advised to remain till the 16th,
when some vessels were to sail, with whom I might keep
campany, which they recommended on account of pirates.
Sourabya is one of the most pleasant places I ever saw.
It is situated on the banks of a river, and is a mile and a half
distant from the sea-shore, so that only the flag-staff can be
seen from the road. The river is navigable up to the town for
vessels of 100 tons' burthen, and the bank on one side is made
convenient for tracking. The Chinese carry on a consider¬
ably trade here, and have a town or camp on the side of the
river opposite to Sourabya. The country near the town is
flat, and the soil light, so that they plough with a single bul¬
lock or buffalo {Jtarrabow). The interior parts of the country,
near the mountains, are infested with a breed of fierce tigers,
which makes travelling inland very dangerous. They have
here a breed of horses, which are small, but they are hand¬
some and strong.
The Javanese- in this neighbourhood are numerous. M.
Barkay and M. de Bose took me with them to pay a visit to
two of the principal natives, whom we found attended by a
number of men armed with pikes, in great military order. We
were entertained with a concert of musip ; the instruments
were gongs, drums, and a fiddle with two strings. I hired a
pilot here to carry us to Batavia.
On the 17th, we sailed from Sourabya, in company with
three prows. At noon we anchored at Crissey, which is a
town with a small fort belonging to the Dutch. We remained
here about two hours and then weighed. ,
The navigation through the Straits of Madura is so intricate
that, with the little opportunity I had, I am unable to under¬
take a description of it. The next day (September 18th),
having passed the straits, we bore away to the westward, along
2 I. 3
390
blioh's jmarrative of
l.he coast of Java, in company with the prows before mention¬
ed. We had regular soundings all the way to Samarang, off
■which place we anchored on the 22d in the afternoon. The
shoalness of the coast here makes the road of Samarang very
inconvenient, both on account of the great distance that large
ships (of which there were several in the road) are obliged to
lie from the shore, and of the landing, which is in a river that
cannot be entered before half-flood. This river resembles the
one at Passourwang, the shores being low, with ofiensive dead
animals lying about. I was met at the landing-place by the
equipage-master, and he furnished me with a carriage to car¬
ry me to the governor, whose residence is about two miles
from the town of Samarang. I requested, and obtained, leave
to have our wants supplied, which were, to recruit our pro¬
visions, and to get a new main-mast, ha'ñng sprung ours in
the passage from Sourabya.
Samarang is a fortified town, surrounded by a wall and
ditch ; and is the most considerable settlement, next to Bata¬
via, that the Dutch have in Java. Here is a very good hospi¬
tal, and a public school, chiefly for teaching the mathematics.
They have likewise a theatre. Provisions are remarkably
cheap here, beef being at ten doits per pound, and the price
of a fowl twelve doits.
1 experienced great civility from some of the gentlemen at
Samarang, particularly from M. le Baron de Bose, a merchant,
brother to the M. de Bose, commandant of the troops at Sou¬
rabya : and from M. Abegg, the surgeon of the hospital, to
whom we were indebted for advice and medicines, for which
he would not consent to receive payment.
On the 26th, we sailed from Samarang ; and ■with us, a galley
mounting six swivels, which the governor had directed to
accompany us to Batavia. •«
On the first of October we anchored in Batavia road, where
we found, riding, a Dutch ship of war, and twenty sail of
Dutch East India ships, besides many smaller vessels.
♦—
C H A PT E R XX.
OCCÜRaENCES at batavia, and pass.lgb thbncb to england.
In the afternoon, at four o'clock, I went on shore, and landed
at a house by the river, where strangers first stop and give au
account who they are, whence they come, &c. From this
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
391
place, a Malay gentleman took me in a carriage to the Saban-
dar, Mr. Englehard, whose house was in the environs of the
city, on the side nearest the shipping. The Sabandar is the
officer with whom all strangers are obliged to transact their
business ; at least, the whole must go through his hands.
With him, I went to pay my respects to the governor-general,
who received me with great civility. I acquainted his excel¬
lency with my situation, and requested my people might be
taken care of, and that we should be allowed to take a passage
to Europe in the first ship that sailed. I likewise desired per-
mission to sell the schooner and launch. All this his excel¬
lency told me should be granted. I then took leave, and re¬
turned with the Sabandar, who wrote down the particulars of
my wants, in order to form from them a regular petition, to
be presented to the council the next day. I had brought from
the governor of Coupang, directed for the governor-general at
Batavia, the account of my voyage and misfortune, translated
into Dutch, from an account that I had given to Mr. Van
Este. So attentive had they been at Timor to every thing
that related to us.
There is a large hotel at Batavia, fitted up purposely for the
accommodation of strangers, who are not allowed to reside at
any other place. It is situated near the great river, in a part
of the city that is reckoned the most airy and healthy. Ne¬
vertheless, I found the air hot and suffocating, and was taken
ill in the night with a violent pain in my head. The next
morning, at nine, the council sat, and I attended, accompanied
by the Sabandar ; and was informed that the council had
complied with all I had requested.
When I returned to the hotel, my head-ach increased, and
a violent fever cjtine on. I sent to acquaint the Sabandar of
my situation, andw-as soon after attended by the head surgeon
of the town hoäfRal, Mr. Aansorp ; by whose care and skill,
m less than 24 hours, the fever considerably abated, but a
severe head-ach continued. I had an invitation from the
governor-general to dine with him ; which, of course, I was
obliged to decline.
I hired a carriage, which cost three dollars per day, for the
benefit of taking an airing. My lodgings at the hotel were so
close and hot that I desired the Sabandar to apply to the
governor-general, for leave to hire a house in the country ;
which request his excellency not only immediately complied
with, but gave directions for my being accommodated at the
house of the physician or surgeon-general, Mr. Sparling.
One of my people, Thomas Hall, being ill with a flux, I
obtained leave for him to be sent to the country hospital, which
is a convenient airy building.
392
bligh's narrative of
Tuesday, 6th.—This morning, at sunrise, I left the hotel,
and was carried to Mr. Sparling's house, about four miles
distant from the city, and near the convalescent hospital, which
at this time had also sick men in it, the whole number of
patients amounting to 800. I found every thing prepared for
my comfort and convenience. Mr. Sparling would suffer me
to take no medicine, though I had still considerable fever, with
head-ach : but I found so much relief from the difference of
the air that in the evening I was able to accompany Mr.
Sparling on a visit to the governor-general, at one of his coun¬
try seats ; where we found many ladies, all dressed in the Ma¬
lay fashion, some of them richly ornamented with jewels. I
had invitations from several gentlemen, and some very kindly
pressed me to make their country houses my abode, till my
health should be re-established.
My indisposition increasing, Mr. Sparling advised me to
quit Batavia as speedily as possible, and represented the neces¬
sity of it to the governor-general. I was informed, from his ex¬
cellency, that the homeward bound ships were so much crowd¬
ed that there would he no possibility of all my people going
in one ship, and that they could be accommodated no other
way than by dividing them into different ships. Seeing, there¬
fore, that a separation was unavoidable, I determined to follow
the advice' of the physician, and, as a packet was appointed to
sail for Europe on the 16th instant, I sent to request of the
governor that I might be allowed to take a passage in her for
myself, and as many of my people as they were able to receive.
In answer to this, I was acquainted that myself and two more
could be accommodated in the packet, she being too small to
admit a greater number ; but that I might rest assured of
passages being provided for those that femained, by the
earliest opportunities. fcA
Friday, 9th.—This day, anchored in the the General
Elliot, an English ship, commanded by Captain Lloyd. In
the Straits of Banca, he had met with some boats belonging
to the East India Company's ship Vansittart, that was lost in
the straits of Billaton, by having struck on a rock that went
through her bottom. Captain Wilson, who commanded the
Vansittart, I was informed, had just finished a survey of those
straits, and was hoisting his boat in, when the ship struck.
Immediately on reeeiving the intelligence. Captain Lloyd, in
the General Elliot, and another ship in company called the
Konsuch, sailed for the wreck. They found the ship had
been burnt down to the water's edge by the Malays. They,
however, saved 40 chests of treasure, out of 55, which were
said to have been on board. Most of the ship's company
were saved : one man only was lost in the ship, and five others
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
393
in a small boat were missing, who were supposed to have
taken some of the treasure.—^The greater part of the people
went with Captain Wilson to China, and some were with
Captain Lloyd.
Saturday, lOth.—^This morning, the Resource was soid by
public auction ; the custom* at Batavia is to begin high, and
to lower the price, till some person bids ; and the first bidder
is the buyer. She was accordingly put up at 2000 rnr-dollars,
but, to my great disappointment, no one offered to purchase
before the auctioneer had lowered the demand to 295 rix-
dollars, for which price she was sold ; the purchaser being an
Englishman, Captain John Eddie, who commanded an
English ship from Bengal. If no strangers had been present
at the sale, I imagine they would have let her run down to
200 dollars, in which case I should have had no alternative.
The launch likewise was sold. The services she had ren¬
dered us made me feel great reluctance at parting with her ;
which I would not have done, if I could have found a conve¬
nient opportunity of getting her conveyed to Europe.
Little as the schooner had sold for, I found I was in danger
of having the sum lessened, for the Sabandar informed me
(hat, by an order of the council, there was a duty on the sale
of all vessels. With this demand I would by no means com¬
ply ; for I thought I had sufficiently suffered, in sustaining a
loss of 705 rix-dollars out of 1000, by the purchase and sale
of the vessel, she having cost 1000 rix-dollars.
This day, Thomas Hall, whom I had sent to be taken care
of at the hospital, died. He had been ill of a flux from the
time of our arrival at Timor.
Monday, 12th.—I agreed with the captain of the packet for
a passage to £m||Be, for myself, my clerk, and a servant. The
Sabandar iini^Ki me it was necessary that my officers and
people shm^^Eiexamined before a notary, respecting the
loss o^ie BoÍBIíJ^ as otherwise the governor and council were
not le^Sly authorised to detain her, if she should be found in
any of the Dutch settlements. They were therefore, at my
desire, examined ; and afterwards made affidavit before the
governor and council at the Stadt-house.
My officers complaining to me of the unreasonableness of
some tradesmen's bills, I spoke to the Sabandar. A bill of
51 dollars for five hats he reduced to 30 dollars, and in other
articles made proportionable deductions.
Paper money is the currency of Batavia, and is so under¬
stood in all bargains. At this time, paper was at 28 per cent
discount : there is likewise a difference in the value of the
ducatoon, which at Batavia is 80 stivers, and in Holland only
63 stivers ; this occasions a loss of 21 ¿ per cent, on remittance
394
bligh's naerative op
of money. It therefore follows, that if any person at Batavia
remits money by bills of exchant;e to Europe, they lose by
the discount and the exchange 49j per cent.
Those who have accounts to pay, and can give unexcep¬
tionable bills on Europe, will ñnd a considerable saving by
negociating their bills with private people ; who are glad to
give for them a premium of '20 per cent, at the least. This
discovery I made somewhat too late to profit by.
One of the greatest difiicullies that strangers have to en¬
counter is their being obliged to live at the hotel. This hotel
was formerly two houses, which by doors of communication
have been made one. It is in the middle of a range of build¬
ings, more calculated for a cold country than for such a cli¬
mate as Batavia. There is no free circulation of air, and, what
is equally bad, it is always very dirty; and there i.s great
want of attendance. What they call cleaning the house is
another nuisance; for they never use any water to cool it or
to lay the dust, but sweep daily with brooms, in such a man¬
ner that those in the house are almost suffocated by a cloud
of dust.
The months of December and January are reckoned the
most unhealthy of the year, the heavy rains being then set
in. The account of the seasons, as given to me here, I
believe may be relied on.
The middle of November, the west monsoon begins, and
rain.
December and January.—Continual rain, with strong west¬
erly wind.
F ebruary.—Westerly wind. Towards the end of this month
the rain begins to abate.
IMaich.—Intervals of fine weather. Winiwmsterly.
April.—In this month, the east monsoon |I|Ék. Weather
generally fine, with showers of rain,
May.—East monsoon fixed. Showery. y
June and July.—Clear weather. Strong east wind.
August and September.—Wind more moderate.
October.—In this month, the wind begins to be variable,
wiih showers of rain.
The current is said always to run with the wind. Never¬
theless I found the reverse in sailing from Timor to Java.
Between the end of October and the beginning of the ensuing
year, no Dutch ship bound for Europe is allowed to sail from
Batavia, for fear of being near the Mauritius, at the time of
the hurricanes, which are frequent there in December and
January.
My illness prevented me from gaining much knowledge oi
Batavia. Of their public buildings, I saw nothing that gave
THE MUTIN V OF THE BOUNTY.
395
me so much satisfaction as their country hospital for seamen
it is a large, commodious, and airy building, about four miles
from the town, close to the side of the river, or rather in the
river ; for the ground on which it stands has, by labour, been
made an island of, and the sick are carried there in a boat :
each ward is a separate dwelling, and the different diseases
are properly classed. They have sometimes 1400 patients in
it : at this time there were 800, but more than hair of these
were recovered and fit for service, of whom 300 were destined
for the fleet that was to sail for Europe. I went through most
of the wards, and there appeared great care and attention.
The sheets, bedding, and linen, of the sick were perfectly neat
and clean. The house of the physician, Mr. Sparling, who
has the management of the hospital, is at one extremity of the
building : and here it was that I resided. To the attention
and care of this gentleman, for which he would receive no
payment, I am probably indebted for my life.
The hospital in the town is well attended, but the situation
is so ill chosen that it certainly would be the saving of many
lives to build one in its stead up tlie river ; which might be
done with great advantage, as water carriage is so easy and
convenient. A great neglect in some of the commanders of
the shipping here was suffering their people to go dirty, and
frequently without frock, shirt, or any thing to cover their
bodies ; which, besides being a public nuisance, must pro-
bably be productive of ill health in the most robust consti-
tution.
The governor-general gave me leave to lodge all my people
at the country hospital, which I thought a great advantage,
and with yghich they were perfectly satisfied. The officers,
however, at AgUpwn request, remained in the town.
The time iplj^Kor the sailing of the packet approaching, I
settled my ac{9|pts with the Sabandar, leaving open the
victualling accMnt, to be closed by Mr. Fryer, the master,
previous to his departure : whom I likewise authorized to sup¬
ply the men and officers left under his command with one
month's pay, to enable them to purchase clothing for tJieir
passage to England.
I had been at great pains to bring living plants from Timor,
in six tubs ; which contained jacks, naneas, karambolas,
namnaras, jambos, and three thriving bread-fruit plants. These
I thought might be serviceable at the Cape of Good Hope, if
brought no farther : but I had the mortification of being
obliged to leave them all at Batavia. I took these plants on
board at Coupang, on the 20th of August : they had expe¬
rienced a passage of forty-two days to my arrival here.
The bread-fruit plants died to the root, and sprouted a&esh
3¡)6
bi.igh's narrative u
thence. The karambolas, jacks, naneas, and namnams, I had
raised from the seed, and tney were in fine order. No judg.
ment can hence be formed of the success of transporting
plants, as in the present trial they had many disadvantages.
This morning, Friday 16th, before sun-rise, I embarked on
board the Vlydte packet, commanded by Captain Peter
Couvret, bound for Middleburgh. With me likewise em¬
barked Mr. John Samuel, clerk, and John Smith, seaman.
Those of our company who staid behind, the governor pro¬
mised me should follow in the first ships, and be as little
divided as possible. At seven o'clock the packet weighed,
and sailed out of the road.
On the 18th we spoke the Rambler, an American brig,
belonging to Boston, bound to Batavia. After passing the
Straits of Sunda, we steered to the north of the Cocos Isles.
These islands, Captain Couvret informed me, are full of cocoa-
nut trees ; there is no anchorage near them, but good landing
for jjoats.
In the passage to the Cape of Good Hope there occurred
nothing worth remark. I cannot, however forbear noticing
the Dutch manner of navigating. "They steer by true compass,
or rather endeavour so to do, by means of a small moveable
central card, which they set to the Meridian ; and whenever
they discover the variation has altered 2^ degrees since the
last adjustment, they again correct the central card. This
is steering within a quarter of a point, without aiming at
greater exactness. The-ofBcer of the watch likewise corrects
the course for lee-way, by his own judgment, before it is
marked down in the log board. They heave no log: I was
told that the company do not allow it. Their manner of com-
puting their run is by means of a measur@|^^tance of forty
feet along the ship's side : they take noticcHBiy remarkable
patch of froth, when it is abreast the f(^Hpst end of the
measured distance, and count half seconds^ll the ;mark of
froth is abreast the after end. With the number of half
seconds thus obtained, they divide the number forty-eight,
taking the product fbr the rate of sailing in geographical miles
in one hour, or the number of Dutch miles in four hours.
It is not usual to make any allowance to the sun's declina¬
tion, on account of being on a different meridian from that for
which the tables are calculated : they in general compute
with the numbers just as they are found in the table. From
all this it is not difficult to conceive the reason why the Dutch
are frequently above ten desees out in tlieir reckoning. Their
passages likewise are considerably lengthened by not carry,
ing a sufficient quantity of sail.
December 16th, in the afternoon we anchored in Table Bay
THE MUTINY 01 THE BOUNTY.
397
The next morning I went on shore, and waited on his Bxcel-
ency M. Vander Graaf, who received me in the most polite
and friendly manner. The Guardian, commanded by Lieut.
Eiou, had left the Cape about eight days before with cattle
and stores for Port Jackson. This day anchored in Table
Bay the Astrée, a French frigate, commanded by the Count
de St. Kivel, from the Isle of France, on board of which ship
was the late governor, the Chevalier d'Bntrecastreaux. Other
ships that arrived during my stay at the Cape were a French
forty gun frigate, an East India ship, and a brig of the same
nation : likewise two other French ships, with slaves £:om the
coast of Mosambique, bound to the West Indies : Dutch packet
from Europe, after a four month's passage : and the Harpy,
a South Sea whaler, with 500 barrels of spermaceti, and 400
of seal and other oils. There is a standing order, from the
Dutch East India Company, that no person who takes a pas¬
sage from Batavia for Europe, in any of their ships, shall be
allowed to leave the ship before she arrives at her intended
port ; according to which regulation, I must have gone to
Holland in the packet. Of this I was not informed till I was
taking leave of the governor-general, at Batavia, when it was
too late for him to give the captain an order to permit me to
land in the channel. He however desired I would make use
of his name to Governor Vander Graaf, who readily complied
with my request, and gave the necessary orders to the captain
of the packet, a copy of which his Excellency gave to me ;
and, at the same time, recommendatory letters to people of
consequence in Holland, in case 1 should be obliged to pro.
ceed so far.
I left a letternt the Cape of Good Hope, to be forwarded
to Governor Pmlms, at Port Jackson, by the first opportunity,
containing a sh^ account of my voyage, with a descriptive,
list of the pirat*: and from Batavia I had written to Lord'
Cornwallis : so that every part of India will be prepared to
receive them.
We sailed from the Cape, on Saturday, 2nd January, 1790,
in company with the Astrée French frigate. The next morn¬
ing neither ship nor land was in sight. On the 15th, we pass¬
ed in sight of the island St. Helefia. The 21st, we saw the
Island Ascension. On the 10th of February, the -wind being
at N.E., blowing fresh, onr sails were covered with a fine
orange-coloured dust. Fuego, the westernmost of the Cape da
Verd islands, and the nearest land to us, on that day at nu(W
bore N.B. by E. 5 E., distance 140 leagues. On the 13th m
March, we saw the Bill of Portland, and on the evening of
the next day, Sunday, March the 14th, I left the packet, and
was landed at Portsmouth, by an Isle of Wight boat.
2 M
THE MHTINl OF THE BOUNTI.
Those of my officers and people whom I left at Batana
were provided with passages in the earliest ships ; and, at
the time we parted, were apparently in good health. N ever-
theless, they did not all live to quit Batavia. Mr. Elphinstone,
master's mate, and Peter Linkletter, seaman, died within a
fortnight after my departure ; the hardships they had expe¬
rienced having rendered them unequal to cope with so un¬
healthy a climate as that of Batavia. The remainder embark¬
ed on board the Dutch fleet for Europe, and arrived safe at
this country, except Robert Lamb, who died on the passage,
and Mr. Ledward, the surgeon, who has not yet been heard
of. Thus, of nineteen who were forced by the mutineers into
the launch, it has pleased God that twelve should surmount
the difficulties and dangers of tlte voyage, and live to revisit
their native country.
♦
APPENDIX:
CONTAINING ADDITIGNAI,
PARTICULARS RESPECTING THE MUTINY
ON BOARD THE BOUNTY, AND A RELATION OF THE FATE
OF THE MUTINEERS, AND OF THE SETTLEMENT
IN PITCAIRN'S ISLAND.*
No satisfactory reason has ever been assigned for the mu¬
tiny in the Bounty, though it is generally believed that the
genial soil and climate of the South Sea Islands, the
courteous manners of the natives, and, above all, the blan¬
dishments of the females, proved irresistible to seamen, who
had no prospect but toil and uncertainty before them. Ota-
heite is a spot peculiarly favoured by nature, and there the
mutineers first designed to settle.
Others, however, have thought that Captain Bligh was
partly accountable for the catastrophe. One, in particular, says ;
" Captain Bligh's character stood deservedly high in his pro¬
fession, in which he afterwards rose to the rank of a flag
officer '; but his temper was infirm, and when under its influence
he suflered himself to use language, both to his crew and offi¬
cers, which it is now surprising to believe was not qtáte tin-
♦ The authorities chiefly relied on are the papers of Capt. HaywooNj,
flrst made public in 1835 : the narrative of the voy-g;e of the Pandora, by
Mr. Hamilton ; the voya^ of the Briton, by Mr. ähilliheer ; and the
narrative of Capt. Beechey's voyage in the Blossom.
APPENDIX.
399
common at that period, even from gentlemen holding the rank
he did, at the time of the mutiny.
" Disputes began early between him and his oificers and
crew, and appear to have originated from the circumstance of
the commander combining in his own person, as was usual in
small vessels, the offices of captain and purser. Many irritating
altercations occurred, which were met by Captain Bligh with
much heat of temper, but when passed, though forgotten by
him were remembered by others. His conduct in the voyage
out, when his judicious regulations preserved the health of his
ship's company in a very trying season, and the remarkable
steadiness of his management of his men, when exposed in the
boat, and tried to the utmost by their behaviour, even then
unruly, prove him to have been not only fully equal, but worthy,
to command. Six months' relaxation from the strict reins of
discipline on the fascinating shores of Otaheite were not cal¬
culated to make the renewed curb, sit easy. Disputes again
began, and the captain's temper again got the better of him.
Christian, who had nxeived kindness from the captain with
one hand and insults with the other, took a sudden resolution
which he afterwards repented bitterly ; he found ready help¬
mates, but none rallied round the captain. All, save the cap¬
tain's clerk on the one side, and those whom Christian had,
in the first instance, called on, on the other, were for a time
paralysed, and slowly took their determination, biassed by fear
or hatred in all their actions, but none by love, if we except
the compassionate sailor who fed the captain with shaddock.
" Captain Bligh considered the mutiny as the result of a
conspiracy, but no evidence to support that opinion was ever
produced ; on the contrary, in a journal kept by Morrison the
boatswain's mate an account of its origin is given, professedly
from Christian's own relation, and this is the only distinct
narrative of it that has ever been made public. It appears that
Christian, feeling himself much aggrieved at the captain's
treatment, had formed the resolution of quitting the ship on
the evening preceding the mutiny, and for that purpose had
provided himself with a stout plank, to which he had fixed
several staves. On this frail raft he determined to trust iiim-
self, hoping to reach the island of Tofoa ; and with this view
had, with the assistance of two midshipmen, Stewart and
Hayward, who were privy to his design, filled a bag with pro-
vision. The ship making very little way prevented him from
executing his design. About half past three he Jay down to
sleep, and at four was roused to take the watch. On going on
deck he found his mate, Mr. Hayward, asleep, and the other
officer, Mr. Hallett, didnot appear. He instantly determined to
seize the ship, went forward, spoke to some of the crew he
2 M 2
400
THE MUT1^Y riK THE BOUNTY.
thought he could trust, put arms in their hands, and proceeded
as Captain Bligh relates.
" This appears, from all the various accounts of the evidence
on the Court Martial, afterwards held on the mutineers, to
have been the true state of the case ; hut the moral obligation
of obedience to discipline in a ship must have been totally
forgotten by both officers and crew, when such a sudden de¬
termination was thought capable of execution, and not one
soul stepped forward to oppose it."
When the boat containing Captain Bligh and his com¬
panions was cast off, there remained on board the Bounty :—
Fletcher Christian, Master's Mate, and acting Lieutenant,
afterwards murdered at Pitcairn's Island.
Peter Heywood, Midshipman, surrendered himself to Cap¬
tain Edwards of the Pandora ; was tried, condemned, par¬
doned, and afterwards attained the rank of captain in the
service.
Edward Young, Midshipman, died at Pitcairn's Island.
George Stewart, do., drowned on board tlie Pandora.
Charles Churchill. Master-at-A^ms, murdered by Thompson
at Otaheite.
John Mills, Gunner's Mate, murdered at'Pitcairn's Island.
James Morrison, Boatswain's Mate, tried, condemned, and
pardoned.
Thomas Burkitt, Seaman, tried, comdemned, and executed.
Matthew Quintal, do., put to death by Adams and Young at
Pitcairn's Island.
John Sumner, do., drowned on board the Pandora.
John Millward, do., tried, condemned, and executed.
William M'Koy, do., committed suicide at Pitcairn's Island.
Henry Hillbrant, do., drowned on board the' Pandora.
Michael Byrne, do., tried and acquitted.
William Musprat, do., tried, condemned, and pardoned.
Alexander Smith (alias John Adams), do., died at Pitcairn's
Island in 1829.
John Williams, do., murdered at Pitcairn's Island.
Thomas Ellison, do., tried, condemned, and executed.
Isaac Martin, do., murdered at Pitcairn's Island.
Richard Skinner, do., drowned on board the Pandora.
Matthew Thompson, do., put to death by the natives at Ota¬
heite, for the murder of Churchill.
William Brown, Gardener, murdered at Pitcairn's Island.
Joseph Coleman, Armourer, tried and acquitted.
Charles Norman. Carpenter's Mate^ do. do.
Thomas MTntosh. Carpenter's Crew, do. do.
When Captain BUgh's boat was cast off, Christian assumed
appendix.
4Ü1
the command of the Bounty, and steered for Otaheite. On
their arrival they invented a tale about Capt. Bligh's having
joined Capt. Cook, who, they said, was living, and induced
the natives to give them a large supply of stores. Many of the
mutineers wished to rem.ain here ; hut Christian forbade their
doing so, and sailed to Toobouai, an island situated in lat.
20° 13' S., and Ion. 149° 35' W. Here, however, they found
it impossible to agree ; Christian, therefore, sailed back to
Otaheite, and there landed all who wished to stay, on Sept.
20th. As this volume also contains an account of the voyage
of the Pandora, it is unnecessary here to say more than that,
as several well disposed individuals of the Bounty's crew
had been compelled to join the mutineers, because their ser¬
vices were required, they adopted industrious habits on reach¬
ing Otaheite. Conquering many obstacles in finding limber
and necessary articles, they contrived to build a schoonei
of the size of a Gravesend passage boat ; but they could
not avail themselves of it for the purpose they intended,
for want of stores for a voyage. One named Churchill, who
had been master - at - arms, and very active in the mutiny,
was invited by a chief to reside with him, and his patron
dying soon after, without children, according to thè customs
of the island he inherited his territory ; but, unfortunately,
another called Thompson, a rude and brutal seaman, envying
his preferment, took an opportunity of shooting him. The
natives, however, revenged the murder of their new chief by
stoning Thompson to death. The others continued to partici¬
pate in the wars of the Otaheitans, and partly adopted their
manners, when the Pandora arrived. This was a deadly blow
to all their prospects, and they at length found no alternative
but submission. But the connections which had been formed
were productive of the most distressing circumstances, of
which a noted instance is told.
Stewart had married the daughter of an Otaheitean chief,
and both lived at his residence in the happiest state of conju¬
gal affection. When the Pandora arrived, a beautiful female
infant, the fruit of their union, was still at its mother's breast,
but the offender alone was seized, and secured in irons on
board of the vessel. Frantic with grief, the unhappy wife
procured a canoe, and, with her infant in her arms, hastened
to her husband. So painful and tender a scene ensued that
the officers beholdingi it were altogether overwhelmed, and the
unfortunate youth himself entreated that she might not again
be received in the vessel. But it required violence to separate
her from him, and she was conveyed ashore in a state of dis-
traction. The pang was too great; withheld from her hus¬
band, the poor victim sunk into the deepest dejection, sh<
2 M 3
402
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
luat all relish for life, and, after pining two months nnder a
rapid decay, died of a broken heart.
»«««***»«
The Conrt-Martial met on the 12lh of September, and, after
an investigation which lasted six days, gave their judgment
that the charges had been proved against Peter Heywood,
James Morrison, Thomas Ellison, Thomas Burkitt, John
Millward, and William Musprat ; but recommended Hey¬
wood and Morrisoç to mercy. Norman, Coleman, M'Intosh,
and Byrne, all of whom had expressed their desire to go into
the boat, were acquitted. Eventually, a free pardon was granted
to Heywood, Morrison, and Musprat ; but the other three
suffered the penalty of their crime, and were hung on board
the Brunswick, on the 29th of October.
The case of Heywood was particularly hard, and was gene¬
rally so considered. He had done no act which could be con¬
strued into assisting in the mutiny; but his case is an instance,
which should never be forgotten by the seaman, of that salu¬
tary rule which determines that he who does not oppose a
mutiny makes himself a party of it. There were, however,
so many- extenuating circumstances in Heywood's case as
almost to take it out of the reach of even this strict interpre¬
tation. He was only fifteen years of age, and this was his
first voyage ; waked from his sleep by the news of a mutiny,
he came on deck, found the captain a prisoner, heard two of
the officers (Hayward and Fryer, who were afterwards forced
into the boat), terrified at the idea of being turned adrift, en¬
treat to be left in the ship, and saw that no effort was made
by his superiors or any other to oppose the mutineers. He at
first very naturally determined rather to risk himself in the
ship than in the boat of whose safety he despaired ; but he
changed this determination, and had with Stewart gone to his
berth to get some things together, when, by order of the mu¬
tineers, the two young men were confined below, and not per¬
mitted to come upon deck till the boat with Captain Bligh had
put off. All these circumstances were duly appreciated ; Mr.
Heywood was permitted, against the usual practice in sucn
cases, to resume his profession,! in which his career was pros¬
perous and honourable. He saw much hard service, and at¬
tained the rank of captein. He died in the year 1825.
It is now time to return Christian, and pursue his unfor-
• We abstain from particulars connected with the arrival of the
mutineers in England, as they will he found in the voyage of the Pandora.
t Lord Hood, who sat as President on his trial, received him as a mid¬
shipman on board the Victory.
APPENDIX.
403
túnate career. All the accounts of his proceedings and of the
fate of his companions are derived from Alexander Smith, or,
as he afterwards called himself, though from what cause is
not known, John Adams. His varying statements to the dif¬
ferent persons who saw him at Pitcairn's Island regarding
Christian, though apparently not very consistent, may perhaps
be both true, especially as no motive for falsehood is apparent.
To Captains Staines and Pipon, who first visited him, he stated
that Christian was never happy, that he appeared full of shame
and misery, after the desperate act he had performed ; and
that, on the voyage to Pitcairn's Island, he shut himself up in
his cabin, scarcely ever appeared, and, when he did, seemed
sunk in the deepest melancholy ; yet he told Captain Beechey
that Christian was always cheerful ; that his example was of
the greatest service in exciting his companions to labour; that
he was naturally of a happy ingenuous disposition, and won
the good opinion and respect of all who served under him. It
does not seem improbable that, before he had efiected his object,
and whilst he was in continual dread of seizure by some
British vessel, doubts and fear might cloud his mind, and
deaden his spirit, yet that when he foundhimself, as he believed,
free from all danger and in the full command of those from
whom he exacted and received obedience, he shotild become
all that Adams stated him to be to Captain Beechey.
It has generally been supposed that he was a prey to re¬
morse, and that this feeling, continually weighing upon and ir¬
ritating his mind, rendered him morose and savage, and that
the indulgence of such feelings cost him his life. This idea
was grounded upon Captain Bligh's statement in his narration,
" that when he reproached Christian with his ingratitude, he
replied, ' That is what it is, Mr. Bligh ; I am in hell, I am in
hell! —and upon Adams's statement of his conduct on the
voyage to Pitcairn's Island. The evidence on the Court Martial
shows that Captain Bligh was quite mistaken in the words of
Christian and their import. The master, Mr. Fryer, in his
evidence, stated that on coming on deck he said to Christian,
" Consider what you are about," to which he replied, " Hold
your tongue, sir ! I have been in hell for weeks past :
Captain Bligh has brought all this on himself;" alluding to
the frequent quarrels that they had had, and the abuse he
had received from Captain Bligh. With respect to Christian's
seclusion and apparent melancholy on the subsequent voyage,
that has already been noticed and an explanation attempted.
Again, it has been stated that Christian's own act, in forci¬
bly taking the wife of one of the Otaheiteans, was the occasion
of his death : , that he was. shot by the injured husband. It
will be seen, in the subsequent narration, that this was not the
404
THE MUTIN"* OF THE BOUNTY,
case ; that Williams, and not Christian, was the offending party,
and that his crime was the immediate, though not the only,
cause of a general insurrection of the black men against the
whites, in which Christian fell ; not a single victim, but with
others. It is also worthy of remark that, on the visit of the
English to Pitcairn's Island, the young natives, on being ques¬
tioned concerning religion, said it had been first taught by
Christian's order. The mid-day prayer which they said he
appointed is remarkable : " I wUl arise and go to my father,
and say unto him. Father, I have sinned against heaven and
before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son."
This prayer, or rather confession, they said Christian had ap¬
pointed to be said every day at noon, and that the practice
was never neglected.
All this tends to prove that Christian's feelings were more
those of healthy repentance than morbid remorse.
From this digression we will now return to our narrative.
When Christian left Otaheite, there were on board, besides
himself, eight of the most desperate of the mutineers, and six
men and twelve women, natives of Otaheite and Toobouai.
His object was to seek out an uninhabited island out of the
traçk of voyagers, where he intended to break up his vessel,
and live with his companions secluded from the world. He
fell in with an island first discovered by Captain Carteret, and
named by him Pitcairn's Island. It was by him laid down
â degrees of longitude out of its true position, which is 25® 4'
S. lat., and 130»25' W. long.
Here Christian and his companions ran the ship on the rocks,
and, after getting out every thing useful, set her on fire. Their
conduct was ill calculated to gain the affection of the islanders.
Acts of gross violence and oppression on the part of the Eng¬
lish provoked the Otaheiteans ; Williams, one of the number,
deprived one of the natives of his wife ; and the countrymen
of the injured man determined on revenge. They took up
arms ; and, in one of their attacks. Christian, Williams, and
Mills fell. The disputes, however, continued, till at length
all the natives were killed ; and four Englishmen, Smith (or
Adams), Young, M'Koy, and Quintal, who were all that
survived, lived together peaceably for some years.
M'Koy, who was a Scotchman, who could not forget his
beloved whiskey, was continually trying experiments on the
tee root, and at last succeeded in manufacturing a spirituous
liquor ; the consequence of this was that he and Quintal were
constantly intoxicated, and in his own case this proceeded so
far as to produce delirium, and in one of the fits he threw
himself from the cliff, and was killed on the spot. This was
about 1798.
APPENDIX.
405
In the course of next year Quintal's wife was killed from a
fall from the rocks, and nothingwould satisfy him but the wife
of one of his companions, although there were several unmar¬
ried women to choose from ; Young and Adams would not
give up their wives, and in revenge Quintal attempted to mur¬
der them. His design was prevented, but he swore he would
carry it into execution. Young and Adams now considered
themselves justified in putting Quintal to death, to secure their
own lives ; and accordingly they executed their purpose by
cutting him down with a hatchet.
Two men alone were now left of all who had landed on the
island ; their situation, and the dreadful scenes they had wit¬
nessed—scenes of guilt which entailed their own punishment,
appear to havehad their due effect. Young, who was of a respect¬
able family, was tolerably educated, and Adams, who was a
man of considerable abilities, both applied themselves in ear¬
nest to manage their little settlement with regularity and order.
They studied the bible, and from its pages learnt and taught
the good lessons of correct life in this world and the steadfast
hope of a happier future. They read the Church prayers every
Sunday, and instructed the children. Young died about a
year after Quintal, and Adams was now left the solitary sur¬
vivor. He steadily pursued the good course he had begun, and
was looked up to by all as their chief ; he was their friend,
adviser, comforter, instructor, and governor. He regulated
every thing, and under his rule they prospered,
Tims they lived on, unknown to the world, but happy in
their own society, and pure from the follies and wickedness
which disturb the tranquillity of others till the year 1808
(eighteen years from the foundation of the settlement), when
an American vessel, the Topaz, Capt. Folger, touched at the
island. Capt. Folger was astonished at discovering the descend¬
ants of the mutinous crew of the Bounty, in a race of young
people rapidly springing up to manhood, and speaking both
English and Otaheitean fluently. He found the little settle¬
ment in great order and harmony ; their number was about
thirty-five, who all looked upon Adams as their father and com¬
mander. Captain Folger did not publish any account of his
discovery, which was first noticed in the newspapers, and
afterwards authenticated by a communication made by him to
Lieutenant Fitzmaurice at Valparaiso.
N o more was heard of Pitcairn's Island or its inhabitants,
till 1814, when two frigates, the Briton* andTagus, command¬
ed by Sir Thomas Staines, and Captain Pipon, cruising in the
• An account of the voyage of the Briton was published by Mr. Shil-
libeer, one of her lieutenants.
406
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
Pacific, came to Pitcairn's Island, which, from the error in the
charts before alluded to, they were surprised at meeting with
in that position. Their astonishment was increased when
they were hailed by the crew of a canoe which had put off to
them with " Won't you heave us a rope now ?" After some
difficulty, for the rope could not be made fast to the canoe,
the crew came on board ; they were fine young men, about
five feet ten inches high, with manly features, partaking some¬
what of the Otaheitean cast of countenance, and with long
black hair. Their dress was a mantle tied round the waist by
a girdle ; one end being thrown over the shoulders, and the
other hanging to the knees, very much in the fashion of the
belted plaid of the ancient Highlanders. They wore straw
hats ornamented with feathers. The young women have in¬
variably beautiful teeth, fine eyes, and an open expression of
countenance, with an engaging air of simple innocence and
sweet sensibility ; and their manners, far from displaying the
licentiousness common to the inhabitants of other South
Sea islands, were simple and unsophisticated, but perfectly
modest.
A few questions put and answered on both sides explained
every thing ; and one of the visitors proved to be son of Chris¬
tian, who was the first bom on the island, and christened
Thursday October, and another was the son of Young. They
were naturally delighted and astonished at all they saw in the
ship, but were greatly puzzled with the cow, and could not
determine whether it was a huge goat or a horned pig, those
being the only two quadrupeds they were acquainted with.
They were asked into the cabin to breakfast, but, before
partaking of the meal, both stood up, and one of them, putting
his hands in a posture of devotion, asked a blessing ; and they
were surprised to observe that this practice, which they said
was taught them by Adams, was not attended to by their
new acquaintance.
Sir Thomas Staines and Captain Pipon determined to go on
shore, which they effected through a considerable surf, which
thoroughly wetted them ; and when Adams found that there
was no intention of seizing him, and that the two captains
had come ashore unarmed, he came down to the beach. He
was a fine-looking old man, between fifty and sixty. He took
the captains to his own house, which stood at one end of the
square, round which the houses, which all exhibit traces of
European construction, are placed ; the centre is a green,
fenced in for the poultry, of which they have a large stock.
Sir Thomas Staines made a proposal to Adams to go home
with him, which he appeared anxious to do ; but when he
spoke of his desire to his family, a touching scene of sorrow
APPENDIX.
407
was immediately displayed, and his danghter flinging i-er arms
round his neck, asked him " who would then take care of all
his little children ?" He could not resist such entreaties, and
although it was perhaps the strict duty of the captains to take
him, yet they felt themselves justified in waving its execution
in this peculiar case.
They found every thing regulated with the most exact
order ; every family possessed its separate property, which was
well cultivated, John Adams leading the young men and
women to work every day. He did not encourage marriage
before some property was got together for the support of a
family ; a rule that was willingly submitted to, and in no case
had the slightest tendency to libertinism been observed.
Adams was accustomed to perform the ceremonies of bap¬
tism and marriage, but had not ventured to administer the
sacrament.
After a stay of two days only, the Briton and Tagus depart¬
ed, and the next account of the island is that of Captain
Beechey, who visited it in 1825 ; he gives an equally pleasing
account of the people, or, as it may not improperly be de¬
scribed, the family, of Pitcairn's Island, and of the patriarch
Adams. He found a new-comer among them, a man named
Buffett, who had belonged to a whaler, but was so much de¬
lighted with the society of this little settlement that he begged
to remain. He was a man of a religious turn of mind, and
being possessed of some information made himself very use¬
ful both as schoolmaster and clergyman. Captain Beechey
attended church, where John Adams read the prayers of the
Church of England and Buffett preached, but for fear any of
his sermon might be forgotten he repeated it three times over.
All the inhabitants were particular in their religious observ¬
ances, never omitting their morning and evening prayer and
hymn.
The furniture of their houses was very good ; they manu¬
factured bedsteads, chests, tables, and stools. The cloth for
their sheets and dresses is manufactured from the paper mul¬
berry tree. Their houses were large and strongly built of
wood, thatched with the leaves of the palm-tree ; they build
them with two stories, the upper one being the sleeping room,
and the lower the eating room.
The peculiar and unprecedented condition of these happy
islanders has always excited the most lively interest in all
who have visited their hospitable village ; uniting all the sim¬
plicity of the untaught savage with the regular industry and
religious feelings of cultivated society, they presented an
anomaly in the human race which had never before been
presented to the eye of the philosopher.
408
THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY,
All their feelings and habits were moulded upon the patri¬
archal model ; Adams was looked on as their chief and fatner
from a natural feeling of reverence for him, the oldest of the
community, whose wisdom taught them how to supply those
wants which they felt, and how to secure the happiness they
experienced by pursuing a life of peace and concord. Being
himself taught by example, his pupils profited by his experi¬
ence without being exposed to the snares and temptations of
cornipt society.
What would have been the result, had this society been
permitted to remain unmolested on their sea-girt and rock-
embattled fortress for two or three generations, it is impossible
to determine ; the enemy have surprised the fort, the wolf has
found his way into the sheepfold !
When John Adams was dying, he called his children, as
the islanders may not improperly be termed, around him, and
after exhorting them to remember the good counsels he had
given them, and never to fail in their religious and moral
duties, he recommended them, when he was gone, to choose
one from among them who should be their chief.
They did not follow this advice of the venerable patriarch,
and the reason is obvious. At this time three other English¬
men, besides Adams, were residing on the island, each of
whom, from his presumed superior knowledge, was by the
unsophisticated simplicity of the islanders considered better
fitted to command than one of themselves, and who would
probably have refused to obey one of those whom they con¬
sidered as their pupils. Had a choice been made among the
Englishmen, there was (from their character and various pre¬
tensions) every probability of a contest for power. One of
them, by marriage with Adams's daughter, was possessed of
property in the island, and as such might perhaps have claim¬
ed the succession as the legitimate representative of the last
chief ; Buffett had long lived among them, exercising the
honoured offices of their school-master and spiritual teacher ;
whilst George Nunn Hobbs, who appears to have been an
ignorant fanatic, was already disputing the latter function
with Buffett.
They feared that discord and contention would result from
any choice under these circumstances, and, as ambition had
not yet lighted her unhallowed flame on the pure altar of their
innocent hearts, none among themselves attempted to claim
superiority, and from the death of Adams they continued with¬
out a chief, or any authorised check upon disorder. The
natural results have succeeded, and the once happy family is
scattered and divided.
The island is from six to seven miles in circumference, and
APPIümDIX.
409
contains an area of about 2500 acres, one-twelfth of which
only was cultivated at the time of Captain Waldegrave's
visit in 1830. The population was then only 79, and Captain
Waldegrave computed that the soil, if fully cultivated, would
support one thousand souls, which is perhaps an excessive es¬
timate. The soil naturally produces the cocoa-nut, plantains,
bananas, yams, sweet potatoes, taro-root, the cloth-tree, the
banyan [ficus Indicus), and the mulberry ; the bread-fruit
(brought by Christian), water-melons, pumpkins, potatoes,
tobacco, the lemon, and orange, had been cultivated with
success.
From remains of ancient moráis, or burying-places, and
some rudely carved images, and hatchets foimd on the island,
it appears to have been formerly inhabited, but abandoned,
either from the population exceeding the means of supply, or,
which is quite as likely, from the death of all the inhabitants.
The dread of over-peopling their islands seems quite a disease
among the inhabitants of the Polynesian islands ; and to this
may be attributed the institution of the detestable society of
Arreoys, whose professed object is to lessen the population,
which it does very effectually. Their wars are also a constant
drain, and their indolent and intemperate life induces mala¬
dies which also serve to thin the population. All these causes
have operated so efficiently that there is every reason to be¬
lieve that the population of the various islands was as great,
if not larger, two or three hundred years ago, as it is at pre¬
sent ; yet the dread of over-population still continues.
How different was it witS the natives of Pitcairn ! bred up
in temperance and virtue (for the fate of Quintal and M'Koy
produced its due effect), they were as remarkable for vigorous
health and extraordinary muscular power as for the rectitude
of their moral conduct. It was an easy feat for the men to
swim round their island ; and the women, whose beauty and
engaging manners have been already noticed, were scarcely
inferior to the men. George Young and Edward Quintal, two
of the islanders, have each carried, at one time, a kedge-
anchor, two sledge-hammers, and an armourer's anvil, weighing
together upwards of six hundred pounds; and Quintal once
carried a boat twenty-eight feet in' length. They had begun
to build regular keeled boats, instead of canoes, and if left to
themselves would have found means of emigration when the
time came and a surplus population made such a proceeding
necessary ; but by their more recent visitors they appear to
have been inoculated with this foolish fear of exhausting their
resources, and if any are now left they are but a remnant.
In consequence of a representation made by Captain Bee-
chey, a supply of various articles of dress and agricultural
2 N
410
THB MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY.
tools were sent out from Valparaiso in the Seringapatam,
Capt. the Hon. W. Waldegrave, who arrived in March 183U.
He found that two new visitors had come among them, John
Evans, the son of a coach-maker in Long Acre, and George
Munn Hohbs ; this latter had assumed the office of clergyman
and schoolmaster, before exercised by Bufl'ett, and had in fact
created a sort of schism in the once peaceful society, whilst
the religious doctrines he taught appeared to savour more of
cant than true piety. Captain Waldegrave found that Adams
had died in tlie preceding year, 1829. The population at
the time of Captain Waldegrave's visit was estimated at 79,
and already the people had begun to speculate on removing to
a larger island. This idea has since been encouraged by the
missionaries engaged in the South Sea Islands ; and it is un¬
derstood that, about three years ago, the design was carried
into execution, and the inhabitants transported to Otaheite
and other neighbouring islands. The destruction of such a
society, so pure and so happy, cannot be contemplated without
a sigh. Never perhaps was there an instance of such good
seed springing from so evil a stock ; and the example of
Adams, who from a man of violence and blood became the
venerated patriarch of a thriving colony, who owed all they
knew to his care and instruction, may serve to teach a useful
lesson, proving as it does that man, having the will, still has
the power to retrace his steps in the path of evil, and to turn
them, though tardily yet surely, to the path of good.
ADVENTURES OF THE CHRONOMETER
BELONGING TO THE " BOUNTT."
Tas Chronometer which was in the Bonntr at the time of the mntin^ hat at length
been discovered, and given np to Captain llerbert, of Her Majesty's ship Calliope. A
few particulars relative thereto will, we are assured, be not witUoat interest to^our
nautical friends. The Chronometer, marked *'Sarcom Kendal, London, a.D.
fell into the hands of a captain of an .American, who touched at Pitcairn'a Island shortly
after the mutineers had settled themselyca there. It uas stolen from the American cap*
tain on the ship's passage from Juan Fernaitdez to Valparaiso ; and next made its appear¬
ance at Conception, where it was purchased for three doubloons, by an old Spaniard, uf
the name of Castillo, who kept it in hit possession till his death, which happened lately
at Santiago ; when his family sent it to Captain Herbert, to be conveyed to the British
Museum. It appears, ou being taken to be repaired bv Mr. Monat, of Valparúao, that
it was in a complete state of preservation, without the least mark of wear in any part uf
it. The escapement palates are rubies fixed to the verge of the balance by icrew collets.
Mr. Monat speaka in high terms of the beauty of the workmanship. The Chronometer
is five inches in diameter, with three dials ou ita face ; one for hoars, one for minutes,
and one for seconds ; with an outward silver case, made as the outer eases of pocket-
watches were sixty or seventy years ago ;bo that its appearance la that of a gigantic ^tch.
In winding up it was osual to past the le.k arm throucb the opening for the face in (be
upper valve of the outer case, in the manner of placing the outer case of a pocket-watch
On the left thumb when winding. A Chilian geiitlcniaii coming in one dar, and seeing
the case thus suspended, exclaimed,' Que cosa para freer Huevos'.*' It is now on
board the Calliope, and will, in all probability, return to the place of its construction,
after an absence of so manv years : and that, too, without having circumnavigated the
earth hv oi lv the very small quaiititv of longitude between the most western meri<'ian,
reached bv the Boantv, in endeavourtug to double Cape Horn, and that of Santiago,
the uiuaC eastern meriilian the Chtuuometcr reached in C\uix.—Devonport Iele¿rapn.
WRECK OF THE
PANDOEA FRIGATE,
28tli August 1791.
Independently of the object of the preceding voyage being
rendered abortive, so flagrant an act of insubordination could
Dot pass unnoticed. The British government, therefore,
having resolved to bring the mutineers to punishment, and
also to obtain a survey of Endeavour Straits, for the purpose
of facilitating the passage to Botany Bay, sent out the
Pandora Frigate, of 24 guns and 160 men, under command
of Captain Edwards, in the year 1790.
In January 1791 the Pandora passed the Straits of Ma¬
gellan, and, on the 23d of March, anchored in Matavai Bay
in the Island of Otaheite. At dawn next morning a native
paddled on board, who informed Captain Edwards that several
of the mutineers were still on the island, but that Mr.
Christian and nine men had long since left it in the Bounty,
saying to the natives that Captain Cook was living, and that
Captain Bligh had gone to settle at Whytutakee along
with him.
A chosen party was quickly dispatched in quest of the
mutineers, some of whom, however, immediately came on
board when the Pandora anchored. But, meantime, others,
who had sailed on an expedition to the south-east of Otaheite,
and reached the southernmost point, of the island, obtained
intelligence of what was passing, therefore they immediately
put to sea again ; while another part of them, gaining the
heights of the island, claimed the protection of a chief. He,
however, chose rather to prefer the party who had come in
•2 n 2
412
WllECK OF THE
pursuit; and, though the mutineers at first testified a desire
to resist, they speedily grounded their anns.
Being brought down to the coast, a prison was built on the
quarter-deck of the Pandora, that they might be kept apart
from the ship's company, and be in a place with free circu¬
lation of air. They were victualled in every respect in
tlie same way as the rest of the ship's company, and had all
llie extra indulgences with which the crew were liberally
•supplied.
Many of the prisoners had married the daughters of the
most respectable chiefs ; their wives visited them daily,
bringing their children, and supplying them with every deli¬
cacy they could procure. These interviews were most
aflecting to the spectator.
Here the Pandora's tender was put in commission, and,
having sailed from Otaheite on the eighth of May, reached
Whytutakee, but obtained no information of the rest of the
muiineers. At Palmerston's Islands some of the yards and
spars belonging to the Bounty were discovered, and a boat
was sent to make a further search, but she never returned,
and no probable conjecture of her fate could be formed.
Annamooka, where Captain Bligh had been treated with
such barbarity, was twice visited, and a new island discovered
on the eighth of August, from which a fleet of natives put
o.T to attack the ship. The natives were all armed with clubs,
and, resting on their paddles, gave the war-whoop at stated
periods, but some came on board, who proved great adepts
at thieving. They were uncommonly strong and athletic,
insomuch that one fellow, who was detected making off with
booty, escamed the hold of five of the stoutest men in the
ship, and Mwped overboard with his prize.
"The Panopra, having reached Endeavour Straits, nearly ran
on a shoal, and, other dangers appearing, a boat was sent out
to diccc)\ er whether there was a passage. A signal Was made
of such being fotmd, but tlie tender having parted company,
and the jolly-boat being lost, it was essential that this one
should join the ship. She therefore lay to, and, sounding,
found fifty fathoms ; the top-sails were filled, but. before the
tacks were hauled on board, and the sails trimmed, she
struck on a reef of rocks.
Every possible exertion was made to get the ship off by the
sails, but, these failing, the boats were hoisted over to carry
out an anchor. Before that could be done, however, the
carpenter reported that she had made eighteen inches of water
in five minutes, and, in a quarter of an hour more, there were
nine feet water in the hold. All hands were immediately
PANDORA FRIGATE.
413
turned to the pumps, and to bale at the différent hatchways,
and some of the prisoners let out of irons to assist.
The wind blew violently, and the ship beat so hard on the
rocks that she was every minute expected to go to pieces ;
a dark and stormy night ensued, and the mariners, encom¬
passed by rocks, shoals, and broken water, saw nothing but
destruction before them.
About ten o'clock, however, the ship beat over the reef, and
the anchor was let go in fifteen fathoms. The guns were now
ordered to be thrown overboard, and whatever hands could
be spared from the pumps were employed in thrumming
a topsail to haul over the ship's bottom. One of the chain-
pumps giving way, the water gained fast on the people : the
topsail was abandoned, and every individual laboured at the
pumps ; for, should the vessel -go down before morning, not a
soul could be saved. She now took a heel, whereby some of
the guns heaving overboard ran to leeward and crushed one
man to death, and the fall of a spare-topmast killed another.
The people becoming faint at the pumps were continually
cheered by their officers with the prospect of day soon break¬
ing, and some refreshment was regularly served out to them.
All behaved with the utmost intrepidity and obedience, and
without shrinking from their respective posts ; and, although
the water came faster in at the gun-ports than the pumps
could discharge it, they never swerved from their duty.
About half an hour before dawn, a council was held by the
officers, when it was their unanimous opinion that, as the
ship was fast settling down in the water, nothing more could
be done for her preservation. Spars, booms, hen-coops, and
every thing buoyant, was therefore cast loose, that the men
might have some chance to save themselves as she sunk, for
the boats were at a distance, on accormt of the high surf which
was running. The prisoners were ordered to be freed of
irons ; and the ship, now taking a heavy heel, lay qmte down
on one side. At this moment one of the officers told the
captain that she was going down, for the anchor on the bow
was under water, and, bidding him farewell, leapt overboard.
The captain followed ; and then the vessel, taking her last heel,
while every one was scrambling to windward, sunk in an
instant, 'fhe crew had just time to leap overboard, which
they did, uttering a most dreadful yell.
"The cries of the men drowning were at first awful in the
extreme, but died away by degrees, as they became faint and
sunk. In half an hour, or little more, the boats saved the
rest of the survivors.
Morning then dawning, the sun shone out, and, when all
2 N 3
WRECK OF THE
the boats arrived at a small sandy key, about four miles distant,
which afforded a place of refuge, it was found, on a muster,
that thirty-five seamen and four prisoners had perished. T-he
boats were hauled up whenever the strength of the people
was a little recovered, and a guard put over the remaining
prisoners. Providentially a small barrel of water, a keg of
wine, some biscuit, and a few muskets and cartouch-boxes,
had been thrown into a boat. But the heat of the sun and
reflection of the sand now became intolerable, and the quan¬
tity of salt water swallowed by the men created the most
parching thirst ; excruciating tortures were endured, and one
cf the men went mad and died. Nothing from the cask,
however, could be served out the first day, for, on calculation,
it was found that only two small wine glasses of water could
be allowed to each for sixteen days.
Immediate preparations were made to fit the boats for a
voyage, and some necessary articles were procured from the
part of the wreck above the surface. On the following day
the pinnace, red-yawl, launch, and blue-yawl, set out on a
voyage to Timor, carrying 110 persons.
As soon as they had embarked, oars were laid on the thwarts,
forming a platform, so as to afford room for two tier of men
A pair of wooden scales were put into each boat, and a
musquet-ball weight of bread served to each individual.
In this manner they entered on a long and dangerous voy¬
age. Several islands were visited in hopes of Refreshment,
which was scantily obtained, and the lives of the people
hazarded from the attacks of the savages. The boats were
obliged to keep close together, the chief means of subsistence
being in the launch. They towed each other in the night,
and cast off the tow-line through the day. But the increasing
height of the sea and haziness of the weather obliged them
to desist.
While the men were occupied in steering, tliey were often
subject to a coup de soleil, for they were then prevented from
wetting their shirts like their comrades, and putting them on
their heads to alleviate the scorching heat of the sun. This
method of wetting the body is not advisable, if protracted
beyond three or four days, for after that time the great ab¬
sorption from the skin taints tlie fluids with the bitterness of
salt water ; so much so that the saliva becomes intolerable
in the mouth.
The people at length neglected weighing their slender al¬
lowance, their mouths becoming so parched that few attempted
to eat ; and what was not claimed was returned to the general
stock. Old people sufi'ered much more than young, of which
a particular instance was seen in a young boy, a midshipman.
PANDORA FRIGATE.
4!.'>
■who sold his allowance of water two days for one allowance
of bread. As the sufferings of the survivors increased, they
became more cross and savage in temper.
On the morning of the 13th of September, the island of
Timor was seen, and the discoverer immediately rewarded
with a glass of water ; and, though the access to the shore was
dangerous, the boats ventured a passage through a high surf.
Happily they succeeded, and, having found a spring, drank
copiously, and then reposed a few hours on the grass. Crowds
of natives next coming do-wn, an ample supply of provisions
was obtained ; and, after making a repast, part spent the night
on shore, and the remainder in the boats.
On the following morning, the whole embarked for Cou-
pang, where the Dutch received them with the utmost kind¬
ness and hospitality, providing every thing for their comfort
and satisfaction.
After a residence of five weeks, the survivors of the ship¬
wreck embarked on board a Dutch East Indiaman for
Batavia, carrying the prisoners, and several ■ convicts, along
with them. A most tremendous storm arose, while passing
the island of Flores, whereby every sail in the ship was shi¬
vered to pieces in a few minutes. All the pumps choked, and
became useless, a leak gained rapidly on the crew, and the
vessel was drifting down with great impetuosity towards a savage
shore, about seven leagues under her lee. Dreadful thunder
and lightning also prevailed, and the Dutch seamen, panic-
struck, shrunk below, while the English took their place, and
by manly exertion preserved the ship.
At Samarang, in the island of Java, the survivors of the
shipwreck were agreeably surprised with the sight of the
tender, which had so long been given up for lost. On the
night of parting with the Pandora, she had been attacked by
a regular body of savages in their canoes, who, after a bloody
conflict, were repulsed with great loss. The tender also ex¬
perienced another attack when visiting some of the surround¬
ing islands in quest of the Pandora, which rendered it
necessary to be extremely cautious. Her crew sutfered m\ich
distress from want of water, which was relieved by a Dutch
vessel after they passed Endeavour Straits, and then they
reached the island of Java.
The English next obtained a passage to the Cape of Good
Hope, and thence to Holland, whence they had soon the
happiness of landing in their native country.
LOSS OF HIS MAJESTY'S PACKET,
LADY HOBART,
ON AN ISLAND OF ICE, 28TH JUNE, 1803.
BY
CAPTAIN FELLOWES.
We sailed from Halifax on the 22d of June 1803, steering
a course to the southward and eastward, to clear Sable Island
On the 24th we hauled to the northward, to pass over the
northern part of the Great Bank of Newfoundland, intending
to keep well to the northward, and by that means avoid the
enemy's cruizers.
At seven in the morning of the 26th, being then on the
Grand Bank, in latitude 44° 37' and longitude 51° 20' west.
Cape Race bearing north-north-west ^ west, 120 miles distant,
we discovered a large schooner under French colours, standing
towards us, wdth her deck full of men. We concluded, from
her manner of bearing down, that she had been apprised of
the war, and that she took us for a merchant brig ; therefore
we cleared our ship for action. At eight, being within range
of our gtms, we fired a shot at her, when she struck her
colours, and we sent on board and took possession of the
vessel. She proved to be l'Aimable Julie, of Port Liberté,
of eighty tons' burden, new, and strong built, and bound
thither from Port St. Pierre. She was laden with salt fish,
and commanded by Citizen Charles Rossé.
After taking out the captain and crew of the prize, I gave
her in charge to Lieutenants John Little and WiUiam Hughes
of hrs nr.ajesty's navy, who were passengers in the Lady
Hobart, and most handsomely volunteered their services.
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART.
417
Along with them I sent two of our own seamen, and two
prisoners, to assist in navigating the prize.
At ten in the morning we saw two schooners a-head, and
fired a gun to bring them to. Finding them to he English,
and bound to St. John's, I divided the French prisoners be¬
tween them, with the exception of the captain, mate, and one
boy, the captain's nephew, who very earnestly requested to
be kept on board the packet.
On Tuesday the 25th of June, it blew hard from the west-
ward, with a heavy sea and hazy weather, and thick fog at
intervals. About one in the morning, the ship, then going at
the rate of seven miles an hour by the log, struck against an
island of ice with such violence that several of the crew were
pitched out of their hammocks. The suddenness of the
shock roused me from my sleep, and I instantly ran upon
deck. The helm being put hard a-port, the ship struck again
about the chess-tree, and then swung round on her keel, her
stern-post being stove in, and her rudder carried away, before
we could succeed in our attempts to haul her off.
At this time the island of ice appeared to hang quite over
the ship, forming a high peak, which must have been at least
twice the height of our mast-Jiead; and the length of the
island was supposed to be from a quarter to half a mile.
The sea was now breaking over the ice in a dreadful man¬
ner, and the water rushing in so fast as to fill the ship's hold
in a few minutes : we hove the guns overboard, cut away the
anchor from the bows, and got two sails under her bottom.
Both pumps were kept going, and we continued baling with
buckets from the main-hatchway, in hopes of preventing the
ship from sinking. But, in less than a quarter of an hour,
she settled down to her fore-chains in the water.
Our situation was now become most perilous. Aware of
the danger of a moment's delay in hoisting out the boats, I
consulted Captain Thomas of the navy, and Mr. Bargus, my
master, as to the propriety of making any further efforts to
save the ship ; and, as I was anxious to preserve the mail, I
requested their opinion as to the possibility of taking it into
the boats, in the event of our being able to get them over the
ship's side. These gentlemen agreed with me that no time
was to be lost in hoisting out the boats ; and that, as the
vessel was then settling fast, our first and only consideration
was to endeavour to preserve the crew. And here I must
pay that tribute of praise which the steady discipline and
good conduct of every one on board so justly merit. From
the first moment of the ship's striking not a word was uttered
expressive of a desire to leave the wreck ; my orders were
promptly obeyed, and. though the danger of perishing was
418
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART.
every instant increasing, each man waited his own turn to
get into the boats with a coolness and composure that could
not be surpassed
Having fortunately succeeded in hoisting out the cutter and
jolly-boat, the sea then running high, we placed the ladies,
three in number, in the former. One of them. Miss Cotenham,
was so terrified that she sprung from the gunwale, and
pitched into the bottom of the boat with considerable violence.
This, which might have been an accident productive of fatal
consequences to herself, as well as to us all, was unattended
by any bad effect. The few provisions which had been saved
from the men's berths were then put into the boats, which
were quickly veered a-stern.
By this time the main-deck forward was under water, and
notlung but the quarter-deck appeared. I next ordered the
men into the boats, and, having previously lashed iron pigs
of ballast to the mail, it was thrown overboard.
I now perceived that the ship was sinking fast. Intending
to drop myself from the end of the trysail-boom into the cut¬
ter, but apprehensive that she might be stove under the
counter, I called out to the men to haul up and receive me ;
and I desired Mr. Bargus, who continued with me in the
wreck, to go over first. He replied that in this instance he
begged leave to disobey my orders—that he must see me safe
over before he attempted to go himself. Such conduct, and
at such a moment, requires no comment ; but I should be
wanting to myself and to the service, if I did not state every
circumstance, however trifling ; and it is highly satisfactory
to have this opportunity of recording an incident so honour¬
able to a meritorious officer.
At the time we hoisted out the boats, the sea was running
so high that I scarcely flattered myself we should get them
over in safety, and indeed nothing but the steady and orderly
conduct of the crew could have enabled us to accomplish so
difficult and hazardous an undertaking; and it is only justice
to them to observe that not a man in the ship attempted to
make use of the liquor, which every one had in his power.
While the cutter was getting out, I perceived John "Tipper,
one of the seamen, emptying a five gallon bottle, and, on in¬
quiry, found it to be of rum. He said that he was doing so
for the purpose of filling it with water from the scuttle-cask
on the quarter-deck, whicu had generally been filled over
night, and which waa men the only fresh water that could be
got at. It afterwartls became our principal supply. This
cucumstance I relate as being so highly creditable to the
character of a British sailor.
\V*e had scarce quitted the ship when she gave a heavy
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART.
419
lurch to port, and then went down head foremost. I had
ordered the colours to be hoisted at the main top-gallant mast
head with the union downwards, as a signal of distress, that
if any vessel should happen to be near us at the dawn of day,
our calamitous situation might attract observation from her,
and relief be afforded us.
At this awful crisis of the ship sinking, when fear might be
supposed the predominant principle of the human mind, a
British seaman, named John Andrews, exhibited uncommon
coolness : " There, my brave fellows," he exclaimed, " there
goes the pride of old England !"
I cannot attempt to describe my own feelings, or the sen¬
sations of my people. Exposed, as we were, in two open
boats, on the great Atlantic ocean ; bereft of all assistance
but that which our own exertions under Providence could
afford us, we narrowly escaped being swallowed up in the
vortex. Men accustomed to vicissitudes are not easily de¬
jected, but there are trials which human nature alone cannot
surmount. The consciousness of having done our duty, and
reliance on a good Providence, enabled us to endure the
calamity that had befallen us, and we animated each other
with the hope of a better fate.
While we were employed in deliberating concerning our
future arrangements, a singular incident occurred, which oc¬
casioned considerable uneasiness among us. At the moment
the ship was sinking, she was surrounded by what seamen
call a school, or an incalculable number of whales, which can
only be accounted for by our knowing that, at this particular
season, they take a direction for the coast of Newfoundland
in quest of a small fish called capelard, which they devour.
From their near approach, we were extremely apprehensive
that they might strike the boats and materially damage them,
frequent instances having occurred in the fishery of boats
being cut in twain by the force of a single blow from a whale.
We therefore shouted, and used every efibrt to drive them
away, but without efiect ; they continued, as it then seemed,
to pursue us, and remained about the boats for half an hour,
when, thank God ! they disappeared without having done
us any injury.
After surmounting dangers and difSculties which baffle all
description, we at length rigged the foremast, and prepared
to shape our course in the best manner that circumstances
would admit. The wind blew precisely from that point
on which it was necessary to sail in order to make the
nearest land.
An homr scarcely elapsed from the time the ship struck,
until she foundered. The crew were already distributed in
420
LOSS OF THE LADY HoBART.
the following order, which was afterwards preserved. In the
cutter, which was twenty feet long, six feet four inches broad,
and two feet six inches deep, were embarked three ladies and
myself ; Captain Richard Thomas of the navy ; the French
commander of the schooner ; the master's mate, gunner,
steward, carpenter, and eight seamen, in all eighteen people.
These, together with the provisions, brought the boat's gun¬
wale down to within six or seven inches of the water. Some
idea of our crowded state may be formed from this ; but it is
scarcely possible for the imagination to conceive the extent of
our sufferings in consequence of it.
In the jolly-boat, which was fourteen feet from stem to
stern, five feet three inches broad, and two feet deep, were
embarked Mr. Samuel Bargus, master; Lieutenant-Colonel
George Cook, of the first regiment of guards ; the hoastwain,
sail-maker, and seven seamen ; in all eleven persons.
The only provisions which we were able to save consisted
of between forty and fifty pounds of biscuit, a vessel con¬
taining five gallons of water, as also a small jug, and part of
a barrel of spruce-heer, one five-gallon vessel of rum, a few
bottles of port wine, with two compasses, a quadrant, a spy¬
glass, and a small tin mug. The deck-lantern, which had a
few spare candles in it, had likewise been thrown into the
boat ; and, the cook having had the precaution to secure his
tinder-box and some matches that were kept in a bladder, we
were enabled to steer by night.
The wind was now blowing strong from the westward, with
a heavy sea, and the day had just dawned. Estimating our¬
selves 350 miles distant from St. John's in Newfoundland,
with the prospect of westerly winds continuing, I found
it necessary at once to use tíie strictest economy. This
I represented to my companions in distress, that our re-
sohition, when adopted, should on no account be changed,
and that we shduld begin by suffering privations which, I
foresaw, would be greater than I ventured to explain. To
each person, therefore, were served out half a biscuit and a
glass of wine, which was the only allowance for the ensuing
twenty-four hours ; we all agreed to leave the water un¬
touched as long as possible.
During the time we were employed in getting out the boats,
I ordered the master to throw the main-hatch tarpauling into
the cutter, which being afterwards cut into lengths, enabled
us to form a temporary bulwark against the waves. I had
also reminded the carpenter to carry as many tools with him
as he could. Accordingly, among other things, he had put
a few nails in his pockets, and we repaired the gunwale of
the cutter, which had been staved in hoisting her out.
LOSS OF THF LADY HOBART.
421
Soon after day-light we made sail with the jolly-boat in tow,
and stood close hauled to the northward and westward, in
hopes of reashing the coast of Newfoundland, or of being
picked up by some vessel. We passed two islands of ice
nearly as large as the first ; and now said prayers, and re¬
turned thanks to God for our deliverance. At noon we made
an observation, in latitude 46° 33' N., St. John's bearing
W. f N. distant 350 miles.
Wednesday the 29th of June was ushered in with light
variable winds from the southward and eastward. We had
passed a long and sleepless night, and I found myself, at
dawn of day, with twenty-eight persons, anxiously looking up
to me for the direction of our course, as well as for the
distribution of their scanty allowance. On examining our
provisions we found the bag of biscuit much damaged by salt
water, on which account it became necessary to curtaU the
allowance. All cheerfully acquiesced in this precaution.
It was now that I became more alive to the horrors of our
situation. We all returned thanks to heaven for past mercies,
and ofiTered up prayers for our safety.
A thick fog soon after came on ; it continued during the
day with heavy rain, which, now being destitute of any mean«
of collecting, afforded us no relief. Our crowded and ex¬
posed condition was rendered more distressing from being
thoroughly wet, as no one had been permitted to take more
than a great c^t or a blaset, with the clothes on his back.
The oars ^Tbothboatswre kept constantly going, and we
steered a nT1^..,SL_co'h^-—All hands were anxiously look¬
ing out for a strange sail. At noon, a quarter of a biscuit
and a glass of rum were served to each person. St. John's _
bore 310 miles distant, but we made no observation. One of
the ladies again read prayers to us, particularly those for
delivery after a storm, and those for safety at sea.
Next morning we were all so benumbed with wet and ex¬
treme cold, at day-break, that half a glass of rum and a
mouthful of biscuit were served out to each person. The
ladies, who had hitherto refused the spirits, were now pre¬
vailed upon to take the stated allowance, which afforded them
immediate relief, and enabled them the.better to resist the
severity of the weather. The sea was mostly calm, with
thick fog and sleet; the air raw and cold. We had kept at
our oars all night, and we continued to row the whole of this
day. The jolly-boat having unfortunately put off from the
ship, with only three oars, and having but a small sail con¬
verted into a foresail, from a top gallant steering-sail, without
needles or twine, we were obliged to keep her constantly in
tow. The cutter also, having lost two of her oars in hoisting
2 Ü
422
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART.
out, was now so deep in the water that with the least sea she
made but little way, so that we were not enabled to profit
much by the light winds.
Some one from the jolly-boat called out that there was part
of a cold ham, which had not been discovered before. Of
this a small bit about the size of a nutmeg was immediately
served out to each person, and the remainder thrown over¬
board, as I dreaded it might increase our thirst, which we
had no means of assuaging.
At noon we judged ourselves to be on the north-eastern
edge of the Great Bank, St. John's bearing W. by N. 246
miles distant. Performed divine service.
Friday, 1st July. During the greater part of the last twenty-
four hours, it blew a hard gale of wind from W. S. W., with
a heavy confused sea from the same quarter. Throughout
there were thick fog and sleet, and the weather excessively
cold ; and the spray of the sea freezing as it fiew over the
boats, rendered our situation truly deplorable. At this time
we aU felt a most painfiil depression of spirits ;—the want of
nourishment, added to the continued cold and wet, had ren¬
dered us almost incapable of exertion. The very confined
space in the boat would not admit of our stretching our
limbs ; and several of the men, whose feet were considerably
swelled, repeatedly called out for water. But on my remind¬
ing them of the resolution we had made, and of the absolutr
necessity of persevering in it, they acknowledged the justice
and propriety of my refusal to comply with their desire ; and
the water remained untouched.
We stood to the northward and westward at the commence
ment of the gale ; but the cutter was so low in the water, and
had shipped so much sea, that we were obliged to cast off the
'jolly-boat tow-rope ; and we very soon lost sight of her in
'the fog
This unlucky circumstance was productive of the utmost
distress tous all. We had been roused to exertion from a
double motive: and the uncertainty of ever again meeting
the companions of our misfortune, excited the most acute
affliction. To add to the misery of our situation, we lost,
along with the boat, not only a considerable quantity of our
stores, but with them our quadrant and spy-glass.
The gale mcreasing, with a prodigious heavy sea, we brought
the cutter to, about four in the afternoon, by heaving the
boat's sail loose over the bow, and veering it out with a rope
bent to each yard-arm, which kept her head to the sea, so as
to break its force before it reached us.
In the course of this day, there were repeated exclatnations
of a strange sail, although I knew that it was next to an im-
toss or THE LADY HOBAKT. 423
possibility to discover any thing, owing to the thickness of the
fog. Yet these exclamations escaped from the several seamen,
with such apparent certainty of the object being there that
I was induced to put the boat before the wind to convince
them of their error. As I then saw, in a very strong point of
view, the consequences of such deviation, 1 took occasion to
remonstrate with them on the subject. I represented, with
all the persuasion of which I was capable, that the depression
arising from disappointment infinitely overbalanced the mo¬
mentary relief proceeding from such delusive expectation,
and exhorted them not to allow such fancies to break out into
expression. Under all these circumstances, the ladies, with
a heroism which no words can describe, particularly afforded
to us the best examples of patience and fortitude.
Joining in prayer tranquillized our minds, and inspired
the consolatory hope of bettering our condition. On such
occasions we were all bare-headed, notwithstanding the
incessant showers.
St. John's, at noon, bore W. by N., 148 miles distant ;
but we had no obseivation.
Saturday, íád July.—It ramed hard during the night, and
the cold became so severe that hardly one in the boat was
able to move. Our hands and feet were so swelled that many
of them became quite black, owing to our confined state, and
the constant exposure to wet and cold weather. At day-break,
I served out about the third of a wine-glass of rum to each
person, with a quarter of a biscuit, and, before noon, a small
quantity of sprUce-beCr, which afforded us great relief.
During the earlier part of this day, it blew strong from the
southward and westward, accompanied with foggy weather ;
towards noon moderate breezes prevailed from the northward
and eastward.
At half-past eleven in the forenoon, a sail standmg to the
north-west was discovered in the eastward. Our joy at such
a sight, with the immediate hope of deliverance, gave us all
new life. I immediately ordered the people to sit as close as
possible, to prevent our having the appearance of an armed
boat, and, having tied a lady's shawl to the boat-hook, I raised
myself as well as I could, and Irom the bow waved it as long
as my strength would allow me. Having hauled close to the
wind, we neared each other fast, and, in less than a quarter
of an hour, we perceived the jolly-boat.
Our not recognizing her sooner was Owing to an additional
sail having been made for her out of one of my bed sheets,
which had been accidentally thrown into the boat, and was
set as a bonnet to the foresail.
I cannot attempt to describe the various sensations of joy
2 o 2
424
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART.
and disappointment which were successively expressed on
the countenances of all. As soon as we approached the
jolly-boat, we threw out a tow rope to her, and bore away
to the north-west
We now mutually inquired into the state of our respective
crews after the late dreadful gale. Those in the jolly-boat
had suffered from swelled hands and feet, like ourselves, and
had undergone great anxiety on our account, concluding that
we had perished. The most singular circumstance was their
having steered two nights without any light ; and our meeting
again, after such tempestuous weather, could not have hap¬
pened but from the interposition of Providence.
Guarding against a similar accident, we made a more equal
distribution of our provision ; and, having received two bottles
of wine, and some biscuit, from the jolly-boat, we gave her
company some rum in return.
Our hopes of deliverance had now been buoyed up to the
highest pitch. The excitement arising from joy perceptibly
began to lose its effect ; and, to a state of artificial strength,
succeeded such despondency that no entreaty nor argument
could rouse some of the men even to the common exertions
of making sail.
I, for the ñrst time, served out a wine-glass-full of water
to the French captain, and several of the people, who ap-,
peared to have suffered most. I had earnestly cautioned the
crew against tasting salt water ; nevertheless some of them
had taken copious draughts of it, and became delirious ; some
were seized with violent cramps, and twitching of the stomach
and bowels. 1 again took occasion to point out to the rest of
them the extreme danger of such indiscretion.
At noon, St. John's bore W. by N., distant 110 miles. We
obtained no observation of the sun this day. Performed
divine service.
The cold, wet, and hunger, which we experienced the fol¬
lowing day are not to be described ; they rendered our con¬
dition very deplorable. At eight in the evening, having a
strong breeze from the southward, we stood on under all the
canvas we could spread, the jolly-boat following in our wake,
and rowing to keep up with us.
The French captain, who for some days had laboured under
despondency, admitting of no consolation, leapt overboard in
a ñt of, delirium, and instantly sunk. The cutter was at this
time going so fast through the water, and the oars being lashed
to the gunwale, it would have been impossible to save him
even had he floated. One of the other prisoners in the jolly-
boat became so outrageous that it was necessary to tie him
to the bottom of the boat.
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBAKT.
425
The melancholy fate of the poor captain, whom 1 had learnt
to esteem, perhaps affected me at first more sensibly than any
ether person ; for on the day of our disaster, when I was
making the distributions in the boats, and considering in
which I was to place him, he came to me, with tears in his
eyes, imploring me not to leave him to perish with the wreck.
I assured him that 1 had never entertained such an idea ; that,
as 1 had been the accidental cause of his misfortunes, I should
endeavour to make his situation as easy as 1 could, and that
as we were all exposed to the same danger, we should survive
or perish together. This assurance, and the hope of being
speedily exchanged, if ever we reached the land, operated for
a while in quieting his mind ; but fortitude soon forsook him,
and the raw spirits, to which he had not been accustomed,
producmg the most dreadful intoxicating effects, hurried on
the &tal catastrophe.
We were all deeply affected by this incident; indeed the
most trifling accident or disappointment was sufficient to ren¬
der our irritable state more painful ; and I was myself absorbed
with such melancholy as to lose all recollection for many
hours. Á violent shivering had seized me, which returned at
intervals ; and, as I had refused all sustenance, my state was
very alarming. Towards night, I enjoyed, for the first time,
three or four hours' sound sleep ; a perspiration came on, and
I awoke as &om a dream free of delirium, but painfully alive
to the horrors that surrounded me.
The sea continued to break so much over the boats that
those who had strength enough were obliged to bale without
intermission. Those who sat in the stern of the cutter were
so confined that it was difficult for any one to put his hand
into his pocket ; and the greater part of the crew lay in water
in the bottom of the boat.
The return of the dawn brought us no relief, but its light ;
the sun had never cheered us but once during the whole of
our perilous voyage ; and those among us who obtained a few
uninterrupted hours of sleep awakened to the full conscious¬
ness of misery.
A very heavy gale arose from the southward, accompanied
whh so tremendoiis a sea tliat the greatest vigilance was
necessary in managing the helm, for the boats would have
broached to from the slightest deviation, and occasioned our
inevitable destruction. We scuddsd before the wind, expect¬
ing every returning wave to overwhelm us ; but, through the
nrovidence of God, we weathered the storm, which, towards
night, began to abate.
We had now run the distance that we supposed ourselves
from St. John's ; however, the thickness of the fog prevented
us from seeing to any great extent. 2 O 3
426
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART.
Towards evening, we passed several pieces of rock-weed,
and soon after Captain Tliomas saw the wing of a backdown,
an aquatic bird frequenting the coast of Newfoundland, which
often is eaten by fishermen. This afforded us great hopes of
our approaching the land, and all hands were eagerly occupied
in observing what passed the boats. About this time a beau¬
tiful white bird, web-footed, and not unlike a dove in size and
plumage, hovered over the mast-head of the cutter ; and, not¬
withstanding the pitching of the boat, frequently attempted to
perch on it, and continued fluttering there until dark. Trifling
as such an incident may appear, we all considered it a
propitious omen.
The impressive manner in which the bird left us, and then
returned to gladden us with its presence, awakened that su¬
perstition in our minds to which sailors are at all times said
to be prone. We indulged ourselves witli the most consola¬
tory assurances that the same Hand which had proiided this
solace to our distresses would extricate us from the sur¬
rounding dangers.
There being every reason to conclude ourselves well in with
the land, the few who were able to move were now called
upon to make the last eflbrt to save their lives, by rowing and
taking advantage of the little breeze that then prevailed. It
was strongly urged to them that, should the wind come off
the shore in the morning, and drive us to leeward, all exertions
to regain it might then be too late, as, independent of our
feeble state, the provisions, w ith all possible economy, could
not last more than two days, and the water, which had as yet
remained untouched, exceptin the instances before-mentioned,
could not hold out much longer.
We had been six days and nights constantly wet and cold,
and without any other sustenance than a quarter of a biscuit,
and one wine-glass of liquid, for twenty-four hours. The men
that had appeared to,Ally indifferent respecting their fate now
summoned up resolution, and as many as were capable of
moving from the bottom of the boats betook themselves to
the oars.
As the morning of Monday dawned, the fog became so
Hiick that we could not see very far from the boat. During
toe night we had been under the necessity of casting off the
juliy-boat's tow-rope to induce her crew to exert themselves
by rowing. We again lost sight of her, and I perceived that
this unlucky accident was beginning to excite great uneasiness
among us. We were at this period so much reduced that
the most trifling remark or exclamation agitated us very much.
I therefore found it necessary to caution the people against
being deceiv ed by the appearance of land, or calling out until
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART.
427
we were quite convinced of its reality, more especially as fop-
banks are often mistaken for land. Several of the poor fel*
lows, nevertheless, repeatedly exclaimed they heard breakers,
and some the firing of guns ; and, to own the truth, the
sounds we did hear bore such a resemblance to the latter that
I concluded some vessels had got on shore and were making
signals of distress. The noise afterwards proved to be the
blowing of whales, of which we saw a great number.
Soon after daylight the sun rose in view, for the second
time since we quitted the wreck. It is worthy of remark that,
during the period of seven days that we were in the boats,
we never had an opportunity of taking an observation, either
of the sun, moon, or stars ; neither could we once dry our
clothes. The fog at length beginning to dispel, we instantly
caught a glimpse of the land, within a mile's distance, between
Kettle Cove and Island Cove, in Conception Bay, fourteen
leagues from the harbour of St. John's. Almost at the same
instant, we had the inexpressible satisfaction of discovering
the jolly-boat and a schooner near the shore standing off
towards us.
I wish that it were possible for mo to describe our sensa¬
tions at this interesting moment. From the constant watching
and fatigue, and also from the languor and depression pro¬
duced by our exhausted state, such accumulated irritability
was brought on that the joy at a speedy relief affected us all
in a most remarkable way. Many burst into tears ; some
looked at each other with a stupid stare, as if doubtful of the
reality of what they saw, while several were in such a lethar¬
gic condition that no consolation, no animating words, could
rouse them to exertion.
At this affecting period, though overpowered by my own
feelings, and impressed with the recollection of our sufferings,
and the sight of so many deplorable objects, I proposed offer¬
ing up our solemn thanks to Heaven for the miraculous
deliverance. Every one cheerfully assented. As soon as I
opened the prayer-book, which I had secured the last time I
went down to my cabin, universal silence prevailed. A spirit
of devotion was so singularly manifested on this occasion
that to the benefits of a sense of religion in uncultivated
minds must be ascribed that discipline, good order, and ex¬
ertion which even the sight of land could scarcely produce.
The service being over, the people requested to have a pint
of grog each ; but, dreading the consequences of such indul¬
gence, I mixed some rum and water very weak, and distri¬
buted to every one a small quantity.
The schooner being within hail, and our situation being
made known, she hove to and received us on board, and our
428
LOSS OF THE LADÏ HOBART.
boats were taken in tow. The men could now, with difTiculty,
4>e restrained from taking large and repeated draughts of
water, in consequence of which several felt great incon¬
venience from the sudden distension of the stomach ; but,
by preserving greater caution afterwards, no other sinister
effects ensued.
The wind having blown with great violence from off the
coast, we did not reach the landi^ place at Island Cove until
four o'clock in the evening. All the women and children,
with two or three ñshermen, the rest of the men being absent,
came down to the beach, and, appearing deeply affected at
our situation, assisted in lifting us out of the vessel. They
next assisted in carrying us up the craggy rocks, over which
we were obliged to pass to get to their habitations.
It was most fortunate that we fell in with the land about
Island Cove. A very few mUes to the northward the coast is
inaccessible, and lined with dangerous reefs of rocks, which
we should have pushed for in the night, had we seen them.
Our situation had become so desperate that I had resolved
to land at the first place we could make, and in that case we
must all have perished.
The different fishing-huts were constructed of pine logs.
The three ladies. Colonel Cooke, Captain Thomas, the master,
and myself, were conducted to the house of Mr. Lilly, a
planter, who received us with great attention and humanity.
This small village afforded neither medical aid nor fresh pro¬
visions, both of which we so much required, potatoes and salt
fish being tlie only food of the inhabitants. I therefore re¬
solved to lose no time in proceeding to St. John's, and hired
a small schooner for that purpose.
On the seventh of July we embarked in three divisions ,
the most infirm were placed in the schooner ; the master's.
mate had charge of the cutter, and the boatswain of the
jolly-boat. But such was the exhausted state of the whole
party that the day was considerably advanced before we
could get under weigh.
At two in the afternoon we made sail, with the jolly-boat
in tow and the cutter in company, and stood along the coast
of Newfoundland, with a favourable breeze.
Towards dusk it began to blow hard in squalls off the land,
when we lost sight of the cutter, and were obliged soon after
to come to an anchor without St. John's harbour. We en¬
tertained great apprehensions for the cutter's safety, particu¬
larly as she had no grapnel, lest she might be driven out to
sea ; but at daylight we perceived her and the schooner enter¬
ing the harbour. The cutter, we learnt, fortunately fell in
with a fishing-vessel, to which she made fast during the night.
LOSS OF THE LADY HOBART.
429
The ladies, Colonel Cooke, Captain Thomas, and myself,
conducted by Mr. Lilly, left the schooner when she anchored,
and, notwithstanding the extreme darkness and badness of
the night, reached the shore in the jolly-boat. No house being
open at so late an hour, we wandered for some time about
the streets ; but at length we were admitted into a small
house, where we passed the remainder of the night on chairs,
as there was but one miserable bed for the ladies.
Early on the following day, our circumstances having been
made known, hundreds of people crowded down to the land¬
ing-place. Nothing could exceed their surprise on seeing
tite boats thai, had carried nine-and-twenty persons such a
distance, over a boisterous sea; and, when they beheld so
many miserable objects, they could not conceal emotions of
pity and concern.
I waited on Brigadier-General Skerrit, who commanded
the garrison, and who, immediately on learning our situation,
ordered a party of soldiers, to take the people out of the boats,
and, with the utmost kindness and humanity, directed beds
and every necessary article to be prepared for the crew.
The greatest circumspection was found necessary in ad¬
ministering nourishment to the men. Several of the crew
were so much frost-bitten as to require constant surgical
assistance ; and it was arranged that they should continue at
St, John's until they were in a fit condition to be carried to
Halifax, for which purpose I hired a schooner.
Being anxious to return to England, I engaged the cabin
of a small vessel bound to Oporto, and, on the 11th of July,
embarked with Mrs. Fellowes, Colonel Cooke, Captain Thomas,
Mr. Bargus, the master, and the colonel's servant, who, during
the voyage home, lost several of his toes in consequence of
what he had suffered. The master's-mate was left to take
charge of the ship's company, and was directed to conduct
them to Halifax, whence they would be enabled to return to
their own country by the first opportunity.
After taking leave of our hospitable friends at St. John's,
and recommending the companions of our distresses to their
protection, we put to sea with favourable weather.
During a voyage of fifteen days, we had a few difiScuIties
to encounter, such as pumping continually, for the vessel
sprimg a leak in a gale of wind, and we were obliged to
throw overboard a considerable part of her cargo, which
consisted of salt fish.
On the 26th of July we fell in with an American ship, the
Bristol Trader of New York. The owner, Mr. William
Cowley, on being told our distressed situation, and that we
had been ship-wrecked, immediately hove to, and, with a bene-
430
LOSS OP THE LADY HOBART.
volence and humanity that will ever reflect the highest honour
on his character, received us on board, and brought us safe to
Bristol, where we arrived, to our great happiness, on the third
of August.
The persons saved, besides the oflîcers and crew, were two
French seamen, Mrs. Fellowes, and five passengers, Mrs.
Scott, Miss Cotenham, Lieutenant-Colonel Cooke, and Capt.
Richard Thomas of the navy.
J. BiLcnro,
PRINTEB ANI> STEBKOTYPEP
WOKING, fiURREY.
910.4
S55