7

ACCOUNT

OF THE

TONGA ISLANDS.

CHAPTER I.

ON Tuesday, February 12th, 1805, at eleven o'clock a. m. the Port au Prince weighed anchor at Gravesend, made sail, and worked down the river. At twelve p.m. she came to an anchor at th Warp. The following day she weighed anchor again, passed through the Downs with a fair wind, and, sailing down the Channel, proceeded on her intended voyage. No circumstances worth mentioning occurred during several weeks. The wind continued fair, but variable. On the 20th of March, in the afternoon, the mizen-mast gave way, by the jerk of a swell, and was found much decayed under the copper, in the way of the mizen-gaff: this damage, however, by the next day, was completely repaired. On her arrival (April 9th) in lat. 21. 55. S. long. 38. 38. W. a very heavy gale came on. The foretopsail-yard, being now discovered to be rotten in the slings, was sent down and re

placed by a new one. The gale continued to increase, and, from three to five in the morning, continual flashes of lightning came on from different quarters, with loud and repeated claps of thunder, succeeded by very heavy rains.

From this period till the time of her arrival off the river of Plate, the weather was changeable, and for the most part stormy. On the 6th of May she commenced her cruize in this river. Nothing particular, however, occurred for several days, except the loss of a boy, who accidentally fell overboard, and was drowned, in spite of every exertion made to save him. On the 13th, being off the island of Lobos, a boat was sent on shore to reconnoitre. In the evening she returned, without having discovered any inhabitants; a number of seals, however, were seen, and proper apparatus for skinning them, which, in all probability, had been used by persons from the mainland, in the habit of resorting to this island for the express purpose of procuring seal-skins.

On Tuesday the 14th, two boats were sent on shore to the high land above Maldonado, to reconnoitre and kill wild cattle, which were seen in abundance. The vessel in the mean time plied in a bay under the high land. The boats returned next morning at eight o'clock, with one bull, not having been able to kill more, on account of the storminess of the weather, which rendered them too wild. The crew were detained on shore much longer than they otherwise would have been, in consequence of the desertion of two men, who had been left to take care of the boats; and after a search of several hours, without effect, they were under the necessity of returning without them.

About three hours after their arrival on board, the two men in question were seen on the beach, making signals to be brought off, which being done, they were seized up, and received a dozen lashes each. Their object was to have gone over to Maldonado; but a river lying in the way, one of them not being a swimmer, and the other unwilling to proceed by himself, they thought proper

to return.

On the 18th, finding it impossible to remain in the river, owing partly to the strong flood, and partly to contrary winds, she stood out of the river, and bore away on her voyage. The next day, very heavy gales coming on, she was found to make much water from a leak supposed to be on the larboard bow, near the surface of the water. The Falkland Islands appeared within sight, on Friday the 31st; a few days after which, the weather becoming calm, with a smooth sea, the carpenter was let down over the larboard bow, to nail lead and canvas over a cracked plank, now discovered to be the source of the leak.

Monday the 17th of June, Cape Horn bore W. by S. four leagues. The weather was very On Wednesday the 26th, Gilbert's Island bore N. five leagues. From this place she took a fresh departure.

snowy. The leak still continued.

On Wednesday, the 3d of July, having doubled the cape, she fell in with the Earl St Vincent, Captain Pinkum, a South whaler, homeward bound, by whom she despatched letters for England. She received, at the same time, from on board this vessel, Thomas Turner, harpooner, concerning whom it may be interesting to state a few particulars. He went out at first on board a

South whaler, whose name is not now recollected; she made a very successful voyage, and, on her return home, fell in with the Earl St Vincent, outward bound. Turner, being encouraged by his late good success, got permission to go on board the Earl St Vincent, and went accordingly, with the view of doubling his good fortune. This vessel was also very successful. On his return home a second time he fell in with the Port au Prince, and went on board of her, as just related, with the same views of enjoying a continuation of the good success hitherto attending him. But the favours of fortune were now at an end; by grasping at more, he soon lost all; meeting with a most severe fate, as will be hereafter related.

The Port au Prince having received information from the Earl St Vincent, that two South whalers, captured by the Spaniards, were detained at Conception, it was resolved that she should proceed, as it lay in her voyage, to endeavour to cut them out. Accordingly, on the 12th, she passed the island of Mocha with a fair wind, and steered along the coast for Conception. When off the island of St Mary's two boats were sent on shore for vegetables; a few men sick of the scurvy were also sent on shore to refresh. On the 20th of July, under American colours, she arrived off Quiriquina, an island near the bay of Conception. Here four boats, well armed and manned, were sent on shore to procure stock, commanded by Mr J. Parker, first lieutenant; Mr Russell, second lieutenant; Mr Brown, whaling-master; and Mr Williams, officer of marines. Representing to the inhabitants that the Port au Prince was an American, they received information in return, that there were

:

two English whalers in the bay, exactly as was stated by the Earl St Vincent. They waited till dusk, and then proceeded from the island to Conception, assured by Thomas Turner that there were no guns mounted, nor any batteries; of which he was fully convinced, he said, having formerly been on shore there. The weather, unfortunately, was now calm, which circumstance prevented the Port au Prince from getting into the bay to assist the boats. They, however, succeeded in boarding one of the whalers (the Albion), and having secured the Spaniards and cut the cables, towed her about a quarter of a mile, the calm rendering her sails quite useless and no doubt they would have succeeded in towing her quite clear of the forts, for such there were, notwithstanding Turner's account, had it not been for an accident, occasioned by this unfortunate man. He was employed steering one of the boats, when happening to look to the priming of his pistols, one of them unluckily went off: which alarming the sentinels on shore, two batteries were immediately opened upon them. It was here that Turner met his fate: to avoid the fire he stooped his body, bringing his chin near his knees, when a shot took away his lower jaw, his left arm as far as the elbow, and his right hand, grazing at the same time his left side, and carrying off the upper fleshy part of his right thigh: it did not, however, immediately kill him. The boat was much shattered, and one lad was slightly wounded by a splinter. The calm still continuing, and the enemy keeping up a constant fire, they were obliged to relinquish the prize. About six hours afterwards Turner died of his wounds.