SECTION XII.

Departure from Oonalashka, and future Views.-The Island Amoghta-Situation of a remarkable Rock.-The Strait between Oonalashka and Oonella repassed.-Progress to the South-Melancholy Accident on board the Discovery.— Mowee, one of the Sandwich Islands, discovered.- Intercourse with the Natives.-Visit from Terreeoboo.- Another Island, called Owhyhee, discovered.- The Ships ply to Windward to get round it. An Eclipse of the Moon observed.The Crew refuse to drink Sugar-cane Beer.-Cordage deficient in Strength.-Commendation of the Natives of Owhyhee-The Resolution gets to Windward of the Island.Her Progress down the South-East Coast.- Views of the Country, and Visits from the Natives.-The Discovery joins. -Slow Progress Westward - Karakakooa Bay examined by Mr Bligh.-Vast Concourse of the Natives.-The Ships anchor in the Bay.

In the morning of Monday the 26th, we put to sea from Samganoodha barbour; and, as the wind was southerly, stood away to the westward.

My intention was now to proceed to Sandwich Islands, there to spend a few of the winter months, in case we should meet with the necessary refreshments, and then to direct our course to Kamtschatka, so as to endeavour to be there by the middle of May, the ensuing summer. In consequence of this resolution, I gave Captain Clerke orders how to proceed, in case of separation; appointing Sandwich Islands for the first place of rendezvous, and the barbour of Petropaulowska, in Kamtschatka, for the second.

Soon after we were out of the harbour, the wind veered to the S E. and E.S.E., which, by the evening, carried us as far as the western part of Oonalashka, where we got the wind at S. With this we stretched to the westward, till seven o'clock the next morning, when we wore, and stood to the E. The wind, by this time, had increased in such a manner as to reduce us to our three courses. It blew in very heavy squalls, attended with rain, hail, and snow.

At nine o'clock in the morning of the 28th, the island of Oonalashka bore S.E., four leagues distant. We then

wore and stood to the westward. The strength of the gale was now over, and toward evening the little wind that blew insensibly veered round to the E., where it continued but a short time before it got to N.E, and increased to a very hard gale with rain. I steered first to the southward, and as the wind inclined to the N. and N.W., I steered more westerly.

On the 29th, at half past six in the morning, we saw land extending from E. by S. to S. by W., supposed to be the island Amoghta. At eight, finding that we could not weather the island, as the wind had now veered to the westward, I gave over plying, and bore away for Oona lashka, with a view of going to the northward and eastward of that island, not daring to attempt a passage to the S.E. of it, in so hard a gale of wind. At the time we bore away, the land extended from E. by S. S. to S.S.W., four leagues distant. The longitude by the time-keeper was 191° 17', and the latitude 53° 38'. This will give a very different situation to this island from that assigned to it upon the Russian map. But it must be remembered, that this is one of the islands which Mr Ismyloff said was wrong placed. Indeed, it is a doubt if this be Amoghta;1 for after Ismyloff had made the correction, no land appeared upon the map in this latitude; but, as I have observed before, we must not look for accuracy in this chart.

At eleven o'clock, as we were steering to the N.E., we discovered an elevated rock, like a tower, bearing N.N.E. E., four leagues distant. It lies in the latitude of 53° 57′, and in the longitude of 191° 2′, and hath no place in the Russian map. We must have passed very near it in the night. We could judge of its steepness from this circumstance, that the sea, which now run very high, broke no where but against it. At three in the afternoon, after get

ting

On the chart of Krenitzen's and Levasheff's voyage in 1768 and 1769, which we find in Mr Coxe's book, p. 251, an island called Amuckta, is laid down, not very far from the place assigned to Amoghta by Captain Cook.-D.

2

Though this rock had no place in the Russian map produced by Ismyloff, it has a place in the chart of Krenitzen's and Levasheff's voyage above referred to. That chart also agrees with Captain Cook's, as to the general position of this group of islands. The singularly indented shores of the island of Oonalashka are represented in both charts much alike. These circumstances are worth attending to, as the more modern Russian maps of this Archipelago are so wonderfully erroneous.—D.

ting a sight of Oonalashka, we shortened sail, and hauled the wind, not having time to get through the passage before night. At day-break the next morning, we bore away under courses, and close-reefed top-sails, having a very hard gale at W.N.W., with heavy squalls, attended with snow. At noon, we were in the middle of the Strait, between Oonalashka, and Oonella, the harbour of Samganoodha bearing S.S.E., one league distant. At three in the afternoon, being through the Strait, and clear of the isies, Cape Providence bearing W.S.W., two or three leagues distant, we steered to the southward, under doublereefed top-sails and courses, with the wind at W.N.W., a strong gale, and fair weather.

On Monday, the 2d of November, the wind veered to the southward; and, before night, blew a violent storm, which obliged us to bring to. The Discovery fired several guns, which we answered; but without knowing on what occasion they were fired. At eight o'clock, we lost sight of her, and did not see her again till eight the next morning. At ten, she joined us; and, as the height of the gale was now over, and the wind had veered back to W.N.W, we made sail, and resumed our course to the southward.

The 6th, in the evening, being in the latitude of 42° 12′, and in the longitude of 201° 26', the variation was 17° 15′ E. The next morning, our latitude being 41° 20′, and our longitude 202, a shag, or cormorant, йew several times round the ship. As these birds are seldom, if ever, known to fly far out of sight of land, I judged that some was not far distant. However, we could see none. In the afternoon, there being but little wind, Captain Clerke came on board, and informed me of a melancholy accident that happened on board his ship, the second night after we left Samganoodha. The main tack gave way, killed one man, and wounded the boatswain, and two or three more. addition to this misfortune, I now learned, that, on the evening of the 2d, his sails and rigging received considerable damage; and that the guns which he fired were the signal to bring to.

In

On the 8th, the wind was at N.; a gentle breeze with clear weather. On the 9th, in the latitude of 39°, we had eight hours calm. This was succeeded by the wind from the S., attended with fair weather. Availing ourselves of this, as many of our people as could handle a needle, were

set

set to work to repair the sails; and the carpenters were employed to put the boats in order.

On the 12th at noon, being then in the latitude of 38° 14', and in the longitude of 206° 17', the wind returned back to the northward; and, on the 15th, in the latitude of 33° 30′, it veered to the E. At this time, we saw a tropic-bird, and a dolphin, the first that we had observed during the passage. On the 17th, the wind veered to the southward, where it continued till the afternoon of the 19th, when a squall of wind and rain brought it at once round by the W. to the N. This was in the latitude of 32° 26', and in the longitude of 207° 30′.

The wind presently increased to a very strong gale, attended with rain, so as to bring us under double-reefed top-sails. In lowering down the main top-sail to reef it, the wind tore it quite out of the foot rope, and it was split in several other parts. This sail had only been brought to the yard the day before, after having had a repair. The next morning we got another top-sail to the yard. This gale proved to be the forerunner of the trade-wind, which, in latitude 25°, veered to E. and E.S.E.

I continued to steer to the southward till day-light in the morning of the 25th, at which time we were in the latitude of 20° 55'. I now spread the ships, and steered to the W. In the evening we joined, and at midnight broughtto. At day-break, next morning, land was seen extending from S.S.E. to W. We made sail, and stood for it. At eight, it extended from S.E. & S. to W., the nearest part two leagues distant. It was supposed that we saw the extent of the land to the east, but not to the west. We were now satisfied, that the group of the Sandwich Islands had been only imperfectly discovered; as those of them which we had visited in our progress northward, all lie to the leeward of our present station.

In the country was an elevated saddle hill, whose summit appeared above the clouds. From this hill, the land fell in a gentle slope, and terminated in a steep rocky coast, against which the sea broke in a dreadful surf. Finding that we could not weather the island, I bore up, and ranged along the coast to the westward. It was not long before we saw people on several parts of the shore, and some houses and plantations. The country seemed to be both

well

well wooded and watered, and running streams were seen falling into the sea in various places.

As it was of the last importance to procure a supply of provisions at these islands; and experience having taught me that I could have no chance to succeed in this if a free trade with the natives were to be allowed; that is, if it were left to every man's discretion to trade for what he pleased, and in the manner he pleased; for this substantial reason, I now published an order, prohibiting all persons from trading, except such as should be appointed by me and Captain Clerke; and even these were enjoined to trade only for provisions and refreshments. Women were also forbidden to be admitted into the ships, except under certain restrictions. But the evil I meant to prevent by this regulation, I soon found, had already got amongst them.

At noon, the coast extended from S., 81° E., to N. 56° W.; a low flat, like an isthmus, bore S., 42° W.; the nearest shore three or four miles distant; the latitude was 20° 59′, and the longitude 203° 50′. Seeing some canoes coming off to us, I brought-to. As soon as they got alongside, many of the people, who conducted them, came into the ship, without the least hesitation. We found them to be of the same nation with the inhabitants of the islands more to leeward, which we had already visited; and, if we did not mistake them, they knew of our having been there. Indeed, it rather appeared too evident; for these people had got amongst them the venereal distemper; and, as yet, I knew of no other way of its reaching them but by an intercourse with their neighbours since our leaving them.

We got from our visitors a quantity of cuttle-fish for nails and pieces of iron. They brought very little fruit and roots; but told us that they had plenty of them on their island, as also hogs and fowls. In the evening, the horizon being clear to the westward, we judged the westernmost land in sight to be an island, separated from that off which we now were. Having no doubt that the people would return to the ships next day, with the produce of their country, I kept plying off all night, and in the morning stood close in shore. At first, only a few of the natives visited us; but, toward noon, we had the company of a good many, who brought with them bread-fruit, potatoes, tarro, or eddy roots, a few plantains, and small pigs; all of which they exchanged for nails and iron tools. Indeed, we had

nothing