Chapter V: Part 5

On the evening of the 25th they had sight of three islands, the natives of which came off in canoes, and went on board the ship. They bartered cocoa-nuts for some bits of iron, with which metal they did not seem unacquainted, and appeared extravagantly fond of it. They called it _parram_, and intimated, that a ship sometimes touched at their islands. These people were of the copper colour, and had fine black hair; but their beards were very small, as they were continually plucking the hair from their faces. Their teeth were even and white, and their countenances agreeable; their activity was such, that they ran to the mast-head even quicker than the seamen. They ate and drank any thing that was given them; and had not the least degree of reserve in their behaviour. Their dress consisted only of a piece of fine matting round the waist.--As the current carried the ship at a great rate, the Captain had no opportunity of landing, though the Indians offered, that some of their people should remain on board, as a security for the safe return of such of the seamen as might be sent on shore. One of the Indians, on finding that none of the crew were to land, absolutely refused to leave the ship, and was therefore carried to the island of Celebes, where he died. This man was named Joseph Freewill, and the largest of the islands was called FREEWILL ISLAND; but the natives called it Pegan; and the names of the other two are Onata and Onello.

On the evening of the 28th they discovered an island from the mast-head; but they neither visited nor gave name to it. On the 12th of October they got sight of a small island, which was named CURRENT ISLAND, from the great strength of the southerly current; and on the following day they discovered two more small islands, which were called ST. ANDREW’S ISLANDS.

On the 26th they had sight of land, which, on the day following, they knew to be the Island of Mindanao, and coasted the south-east part of it, in search of a bay described in Dampier’s Voyages; but they could not find it. A boat being sent out, found a little nook at the southern extremity of the island, near which was a town and a fort. The boat being seen from the shore, a gun was fired, and some canoes came out after it; on which the Lieutenant retreated towards the ship, and, when the canoes came in sight of her, they retired in their turn.

They now sailed eastward, and, on the 2d of November, anchored in a bay near the shore, whither the boats immediately went, and took in water; they saw no signs of that part of the island being inhabited, but a canoe being observed to come round a point of the bay, as if to watch their motions, the Captain hoisted English colours, in the hope of tempting her crew on board; but they only took a survey of the ship, and rowed off.

In the night a loud noise was heard from the shore, very much like the war-whoop of the savages of America; which, inducing Captain Carteret to think that the intentions of the islanders were hostile, he ordered up his guns from the hold, and made all preparations to repress force with force. The next morning one of the boats was sent on shore for water, while the other was held in readiness to assist in case of danger. As soon as the crew had landed, many armed men advanced from the woods, one of whom holding up something white, the Captain, who had no white flag on board, sent the Lieutenant on shore, with orders to display a table-cloth as a signal of peace. This being done, two Indians came down to the Lieutenant, one of whom addressed him first in Dutch, and then in Spanish, in which latter tongue he was with difficulty understood. His enquiries were, if the ship was a Dutch vessel; what number of men and guns she carried; if she had been to Batavia, or was bound thither; and whether she was designed for war or trade.

These questions being answered, he said they might go to the town, and he would introduce them to the Governor. The Lieutenant now desired that some armed Indians might retreat, and that the seamen might be permitted to fill water; which was readily granted. This being done, the Lieutenant presented the Indian with a silk handkerchief, and received a coarse neckcloth in return. The boats soon returned to the ship, with a good supply of water; and Captain Carteret was congratulating himself on the prospect which these amicable appearances promised, when he observed some hundreds of Indians, armed with targets, hangers, broadswords, pikes, bows, arrows and muskets, range themselves opposite the ship:--they brandished their swords, and held up their targets, in token of defiance, at the same time discharging their lances and arrows towards the ship.

Captain Carteret, still resolved to avoid coming to extremities if it were possible, and sent the Lieutenant again on shore, to display the table-cloth, as an ensign of peace. The natives seeing that the boat had reached the shore, yet that no person landed, one of them advanced, and beckoned them to come to the spot near where he stood; which the Lieutenant declined doing, as he would then have been within reach of their arrows.

The Captain having formed a resolution of visiting the town, sailed from hence the next morning, after having called the place DECEITFUL BAY: but the wind soon blowing violently in shore, he altered his resolution, and steered for Batavia.

The south of Mindanao is a fine country, interspersed with woods, lawns and plantations; and abounds with inhabitants, as do likewise its neighbouring islands. Captain Carteret was of opinion, that there were Dutchmen in the town, or persons in the Dutch interest, who, finding the Swallow to be an English vessel, had irritated the inhabitants against the crew.

On the 14th of November, 1767, they reached the Streight of Macassar, situate between the islands of Borneo and Celebes, to a point of which latter island they gave the name of HUMMOCK POINT; to the westward of which a number of boats were seen fishing on the shoals. They were in sight of two very small islands on the 21st, which are well clothed with verdure, and deemed by Captain Carteret to be the same that are called Taba Islands in the French charts.

On the 27th they crossed the equinoctial line, and got into southern latitude, at which time they found the current setting against them, and the tornadoes became violent. The crew was now diminishing by death, and weakened daily by sickness; so that there were hardly hands sufficient to navigate the vessel. On the 3d of December they had sight of the islands called the Little Pater-nosters, which lie something more than two degrees south of the line; but it was out of their power to land any where for refreshment, as the winds and currents were against them. Not a man on board was now free from the scurvy and when it was imagined that nothing could have aggravated their distress, they were attacked by a pirate in the middle of the night of the 10th of December. It was so very dark that they could not see their enemy, who attacked them with swivel guns and small arms but they returned the salute so warmly, that the pirate was sunk, and all her crew perished, after having wounded two persons on board the Swallow, and done some very trifling damage to the ship. The pirate had been seen in the dusk of the evening; and Captain Carteret afterwards heard that she belonged to a Freebooter, who had upwards of thirty vessels engaged in the dangerous business of piracy.

By the 12th of this month they had lost thirteen of the crew; and the death of thirty others was hourly dreaded. At this time too the westerly monsoon was set in, so that it was impossible to reach Batavia; and as they must speedily make some land, or inevitably perish, it was resolved to attempt the getting to Macassar, a Dutch settlement on the island of Celebes. On the 13th they saw several trees floating, and birds sitting on them: and two days afterwards they came to an anchor, at little more than a league from Macassar.

Late that night the Governor sent a Dutchman on board the Swallow, who was greatly alarmed to find that she was an English man of war, no such vessel having ever anchored there before; and so apprehensive of danger was the Dutchman, that he would not venture to enter the cabin. Very early the next day the Captain sent a letter to the Governor, requesting permission to buy provisions, and asking shelter for the ship, till the proper season returned for sailing to the westward. When the boat arrived at the wharf, not one of her crew was permitted to land; and on the Lieutenant’s refusing to deliver the letter, except to the Governor himself, the Shebander and the Fiscal (two officers of the town) came to him, and said that the Governor was sick, and that they came for the letter by his command. Though this sickness was believed to be mere pretence, the Lieutenant at length delivered the letter, which they took with them. When the boat’s crew had waited several hours in the burning heat of the sun, and without the least refreshment, the Lieutenant was informed, that the Governor had given orders to two gentlemen to wait on Captain Carteret, with an answer to his letter. While the boat lay off the wharf, it was observed that there was a great hurry on shore, all hands being engaged in fitting out such vessels as were proper for war.

Soon after the boat came back, Mess. Le Cerf and Douglas brought a letter, intimating, that “the ship should instantly depart from the port, without coming any nearer to the town; that she should not anchor on any part of the coast, and that the Captain should not permit any of his people to land on any place that was under the Governor’s jurisdiction.”

As the most forcible answer to this letter, the Captain shewed his dying men to the gentlemen, and again pleaded the urgent necessity of the case. They could not but see and feel the propriety of granting refreshments and shelter to persons in such a situation; but still, they said, their orders were absolute, and must be obeyed. Provoked at this treatment, the Captain declared he would anchor close to the town; and if they then refused him necessaries, that he would run the ship a-ground, and himself and his crew would sell their lives as dearly as possible. Alarmed at this declaration, they begged the Captain to remain in his present station, till the Governor should give further orders; and this he promised, provided that he had an answer before the sea breeze set in on the day following.

Early in the morning a sloop of war, and another vessel, with many soldiers on board, came and anchored under the ship’s bows. The Captain sent to speak with them, but they would not answer a single question: and as the sea-breeze set in at noon, he then sailed towards the town, the other vessels weighing anchor, and keeping even pace with him.

A vessel now approached from the town, in which were several gentlemen, among whom was the Mr. Douglas above-mentioned; but none of them would go on board till the Swallow had dropped her anchor. On their expressing some surprize that the Swallow had sailed from her former station, Captain Carteret told them, that he had only acted agreeable to his declaration to them the preceding day, in which he was fully justified by his present situation. These gentlemen brought with them two sheep, some fowls, fruit, and other provisions, which were highly acceptable.

After they had made several propositions, which Captain Carteret could not but reject, he again declared his resolution of putting his threats in execution, and to convince them that he was in earnest, shewed them the body of a man who had expired within a few hours; but who would probably have been then alive, if the refreshments had been brought in time. They now enquired if the ship had touched at the Spice Islands; and being answered in the negative, it was at length agreed, that she should sail to a bay at a small distance, where an hospital might be built for the sick, and where provisions were plenty, and that if any thing farther was wanted, it should be sent from Macassar.

This proposal was readily embraced, on the condition that the Governor and Council should ratify it, which they afterwards did. The Captain now enquiring why the two vessels had anchored under the ship’s bows, was told, that it was only to protect her from any outrages on the part of the natives of the country. Mr. Carteret had nothing to treat his guests with, but bad salt meat and rotten bread: but, during their treaty, a very elegant dinner having been dressed in the gentlemen’s vessel, it was served up on board the ship; after which they parted good friends.

An officer from the town coming on board the next day, the Captain applied to him to procure money for his bills on the English government. This he promised to attempt, and went on shore for that purpose, but, returning in the evening, brought word, that there was not a person in the town, who wanted to remit any money to Europe; and that the Company’s chest was totally drained: but this difficulty was at length surmounted, by an order to the Resident at Bonthain, who had money to remit to Europe, to take the Captain’s bills for any thing he should want.

On the day following Mons. Le Cerf, who was an Ensign, brought a pilot on board, to carry the ship round to Bonthain; and Le Cerf had the command of some soldiers, who were on board two guard-boats that attended the ship: and he was likewise to act as a check on the Resident.

All things being thus settled, they sailed early on the 20th of December, 1767, and anchored in the road of Bonthain on the following day. The guard-boats were now moored close to the shore, to prevent all communication between the ship’s boats and those of the country. Captain Carteret having attended the Resident, to settle the price and mode of procuring provisions, a house was appropriated to his use, situated near a small fort. This being fitted up as an hospital, the sick were landed and placed under a guard, which was commanded by M. Le Cerf, who would not permit them to go above thirty yards from the hospital, nor the natives to traffic with the seamen; so that the profits of traffic fell into the hands of the Dutch soldiers, whose gains were immoderate; so great, indeed, that some of them sold at a profit of more than a thousand per cent. after having extorted the provisions from the natives at what price they pleased. Captain Carteret having remonstrated with the Resident on the injustice of this procedure, he spoke to the soldiers on the subject; but this produced no good effect; and it was known that, after this, Le Cerf’s wife sold provisions at more than double the prime cost, while it was suspected that he sold arrack to the seamen.

On the 26th and 27th three vessels arrived, one of which had troops on board, destined for the Banda Islands; but their boats not being allowed to go on board the ship, the Captain prevailed on the Resident to purchase, for his use, four casks of salt provisions. Above one hundred sail of proas arrived at Bonthain Bay on the 28th.--These vessels, which fish round the island, carry Dutch colours, and send the produce of their labours to China for sale.

On the 18th of January a letter from Macassar informed Captain Carteret, that the Dolphin, his old consort, had arrived at Batavia. Ten days after this the Secretary, who had been sent with Le Cerf, had orders to return to Macassar; on the 19th of February, Le Cerf himself was recalled; and on the 7th of March the largest of the guard-boats was likewise ordered back. On the 9th the Resident received a letter from the Governor of Macassar, enquiring when Captain Carteret would sail for Batavia, though he must know it could not be before the eastern monsoon set in, which would not be till May. All these were suspicious circumstances; and toward the end of the month it was observed, that a canoe frequently paddled round the ship several times in the night, and retired as soon as she was seen.

While every one was speculating on these matters, the Captain received a letter, informing him that a design was formed for his destruction; that the Dutch were at the bottom of this affair; but that the ostensible person was to be the son of the King of Bony, who was on terms of friendship with the Dutch, as they had often assisted him in attempts to reduce the inhabitants of the other parts of the island of Celebes, and had been as often repulsed. The pretended grounds for this proceeding were, that the English might form connections with these unsubdued natives of the island.

Whether the information contained in this letter was true or false, Captain Carteret put his ship in the best posture of defence possible. He even suspected that the Resident was privy to the horrid scheme; but he had afterwards reason to be convinced to the contrary: though it appeared that one of the Princes subject to the King of Bony, and a minister of that monarch, had been privately at Bonthain; but of eight hundred men, who were said to be there, no traces could be found.

On the 7th of May the Captain received, through the hands of the Resident, a letter from the Governor of Macassar, denying his having any knowledge of the above-mentioned project, and requiring that the writer of the letter might be given up; but this requisition was not complied with, as the Captain knew he would be equally punished, whether his information was or was not true.

At this place they purchased plenty of fresh provisions at moderate prices; and, among the rest, beef of an excellent quality. The bullocks of this place are those that have the bunch on the back; and it likewise abounds in buffaloes, horses, sheep, deer, and goats. The natives neither eat pork nor turtle; but they sold the latter, as well as other fish, to Captain Carteret.

Having taken in wood and water, they sailed hence on the 22d of May, and, steering along the shore, came to an anchor the same evening, between the islands of Celebes and Tonikaky. They sailed again in the morning, and at night saw the southernmost of the islands of Salombo. On the 26th they saw the island of Luback; and on the 29th a number of small islands called Carimon-Java.

On the 2d of June they had sight of the land of Java, and on the following day came to an anchor in the road of Batavia, after having with difficulty prevented the ship from sinking, by the constant working of the pumps, during her whole passage from Celebes. Having fired guns of salutation, the Captain attended the Governor, requesting permission to repair the defects of the ship; but he was directed to petition the Council.

The Council met on the Monday following, when the Captain sent a letter, stating the defects of the ship, and requesting permission to repair her. The time from this day till the 18th of the month was lost in altercations respecting the affair at Bonthain Bay; the Governor and Council insisting, that Captain Carteret should sign a formal declaration, that he believed the report of an intention formed at Celebes, for cutting off the ship, was false and malicious; and the Captain on his part resolutely persisting in his refusal to sign any such paper.

On the 18th the Captain learnt that orders had been given for repairing the ship at Onrust, whither a pilot attended her, and where she came to an anchor on the 22d of June; but as the wharfs were pre-engaged by other ships, the repairs did not commence till the 24th of July. On examination, the vessel was found in so very rotten and decayed a condition, that the Dutch carpenter would not undertake her repair, without shifting her whole bottom, till the Captain had certified under his hand, that what should be done was in consequence of his own express direction. This the Dutchman thought necessary, lest the ship should never reach England, and the blame consequently rest with him.

During Captain Carteret’s stay at this port, he frequently visited M. Houting, an Admiral in the service of the Dutch, a gentleman remarkable for his politeness and affability, from whom the Captain received several distinguishing marks of kindness.--The Governor of Batavia lives with the state of a sovereign Prince. When he goes publicly abroad he is escorted by horse-guards, and has two black footmen who run before his coach. When any other coach meets that of the Governor, it is drawn on one side, and the persons in it get out to pay their respects; nor, if a coach is behind, must it be driven by the Governor’s, whatever necessity may require its greater speed. The like homage is paid to the members of the Council, only that the person does not quit his carriage, but salutes them standing in it; one black man, with a stick in his hand, runs before the coach of a member of the Council, and thinks himself at liberty to punish those who do not make a proper obedience.

It was hinted to Captain Carteret, by the landlord of the hotel where he lodged, that his carriage must stop, if he should meet the Governor’s, or those of the Council; but the Captain disdaining to pay a degree of homage to the servants of the States of Holland, which is not paid to the King of Great Britain, refused to comply; and when the black men were mentioned, he said he knew how to defend himself, and pointed to his pistols. In a few hours afterwards he was told, from the Governor, that he might act as he pleased.

Captain Carteret having engaged some English seamen, sailed from Onrust on the 15th of September, and came to an anchor off Princes Island, in the Streight of Sunda, on the following day. Having here taken in wood and water, they sailed on the 25th with a fine gale of wind, which held them during a passage of 700 leagues; and on the 23d of November they came to an anchor in Table Bay in the Cape of Good Hope. The Captain having received numberless civilities from the Governor and other gentlemen of this place, sailed on the 6th of January, and on the 20th anchored off the Island of St. Helena, from whence he again sailed on the 24th. On the 31st of January they anchored in a bay off the Island of Ascension, where they found an abundance of turtle, many of which were taken; and the ship sailed again on the following day.

It had been accustomed to leave on this island (which is uninhabited) a letter in a bottle, containing an account of the name and destination of any ship which might touch there; and with this custom Captain Carteret complied.

On the 20th of this month a ship which had been seen the preceding day far to the leeward, but had out-sailed the Swallow in the night, tacked and stood towards her. A boat was sent on board, in which was a young officer, who, by many artful questions, endeavoured to learn from Captain Carteret all the most important particulars of his voyage; and this piece of ill manners was aggravated, by his inventing a tale to disguise those of his own voyage; for the vessel he had just left was no other than that of M. Bougainville, which was then returning from a voyage round the world. Captain Carteret learnt this circumstance afterwards from the Lieutenant; for the boat’s crew, which had brought the French officer on board, had discovered every secret to one of the English crew who spoke French. Happily, Captain Carteret had kept his own secret so well, that Monsieur Bougainville was not at all the wiser for the time he had lost in the negotiation of this illiberal business. The Frenchman learnt the name of the English ship from the letter left in the bottle at the island of Ascension.

Our adventurers had sight of the western islands on the 7th of March 1769, and came to an anchor at Spithead on the 20th of the same month, without meeting with any accident worth recording.

Considering the extreme unfitness of the Swallow to perform such a voyage; the length of time she was in doing it; the amazing dangers she escaped; and the apparently insurmountable difficulties she went through; to what can we ascribe her arriving safe in England at last, but the merciful interposition of a particular providence.

CAPTAIN
COOK’s
VOYAGE
ROUND THE WORLD.
In 1768, 1769, 1770 and 1771.

Mr. Banks, a gentleman of considerable fortune in Lincolnshire, was induced to undertake this voyage from his natural curiosity, and invincible desire of attaining knowledge. He had already visited the banks of Newfoundland and Labradore, and was now happy in having an opportunity of observing the transit of Venus in the southern part of America. He accordingly engaged his friend Dr. Solander to accompany him in this voyage. This gentleman, who was born in Sweden, and educated under the celebrated Linnæus, had, from his extensive learning, been appointed to a place been appointed to a place in the British Museum, and given the greatest satisfaction in that capacity. Mr. Banks also took with him two draftsmen, one to delineate views and figures; the other to paint such subjects of natural history as might present themselves. He had besides a secretary and four servants.

On the 26th of August, 1768, the Endeavour sailed from Plymouth, and on the 2d of September they saw land between Cape Finister and Cape Ortegal, on the coast of Gallicia in Spain. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander had, during this course, an opportunity of viewing many marine animals, hitherto unnoticed; among these was a new species of an angular figure, near three inches in length and one in thickness, having a hollow quite through it, and a brown spot at one end. Four of these animals were joined together; but upon being put into water they separated and swam about. They resembled a gem in brightness, and shone in the water with fine colours. There was another animal of a more beautiful and lively colour, which was not unlike an opal. About ten leagues from Cape Finister, various birds were observed, which had not been described by Linnæus.

The islands of Puerto Santo and Madeira were discovered on the 12th, and the next day they anchored in Fonchial road. In heaving the anchor, Mr. Weir, the Master’s mate, was carried overboard and drowned. Mr. Banks found at Madeira a tree, called by the natives _Vigniatico_, the _Laura indicus_ mentioned by Linnæus. The wood of this tree can scarce be distinguished from mahogany, which induced this gentleman to believe, that the wood called in England Madeira mahogany, was the _Laura indicus_; as no mahogany is exported from this island. The only article of trade in Madeira is wine, which is made in the following manner; the grapes are put into a square wooden vessel, the size of which is proportioned to the quantity; then the persons employed take off their cloaths, get into the vessel, and with their elbows and feet press out as much of the juice as they can; in this manner the stalks are then tied together, and pressed under another square piece of wood, by a lever and a stone, to extract the remainder of the juice. A whole vintage is frequently spoiled by the bad grapes being mixed with the others, which the inhabitants obstinately refuse throwing out, as the quantity of wine is increased by them.

There are no wheel-carriages in this island; the only resemblance of them is a hollow board, that may be called a sledge, and which serves to carry their wine vessels. The soil is so rich, and there is such a variety in the climate, between the hills and plains, that there is no object of luxury which grows either in India or Europe, that might not probably be cultivated here. Walnuts, chesnuts and apples, flourish almost without culture upon the hills. The pine-apple, the mango, the guava and the banana, grow almost spontaneously in the town. The corn is large grained and fine, and it might be produced in great abundance; nevertheless, the greatest part of what is consumed is imported. The beef, mutton, and pork, are likewise remarkably good, particularly the first, which induced the Captain to take some on board. _Foncho_, which is fennel in Portuguese, gave name to the town of Fonchial, that lies in latitude 20 degrees 33 minutes north, and longitude 16 degrees 49 minutes west. It is seated at the bottom of a bay, poorly built, though extensive in proportion to the island; the streets are narrow, and very badly paved. In the churches there are great numbers of ornaments, with pictures and images of saints; the first are, for the most part, done by mere daubers, and the latter are cloathed in laced habits. A better taste prevails in some of the convents, particularly that of the Franciscans; here simplicity and neatness unite, and give us a very favourable idea of these good fathers. The infirmary is also a building that does honour to the architect, and is the most considerable edifice in the whole place. There are many very high hills; Pico Ruivo is near 5100 feet in height, perpendicularly from its base. These hills are covered round with vines to a certain height, above which there are great numbers of chesnut and pine trees, and above them various sorts of timber, so thick as to form forests. The _Mirmulano_ and _Paobranco_, which are found amongst them, are unknown in Europe. The latter is very beautiful, and would be greatly ornamental in our gardens. The inhabitants are computed to be between 70 and 80,000; and the revenue arising from the customs is supposed to amount to 20 or 30,000 pound sterling per annum. Water, wine, fruit and onions, are here in plenty; sweet-meats are also to be had without any difficulty; but permission must be obtained from the Governor for poultry and fresh meat. The Endeavour sailed from Madeira September 19. On the 22d they saw the Islands of Salvages, northward of the Canaries. The chief of these islands was about 5 leagues to the south one half west. These islands appear to lie in latitude 30 degrees 11 minutes north. On the 23d they saw the Peak of Teneriffe, bearing west by south. This mountain is near 15,400 feet high. On the 29th they saw Bona Vista, one of the Cape de Verd Islands, lying in latitude 16 degrees north, and longitude 21 degrees 48 minutes west. From Teneriffe to Bona Vista they observed flying fish in great numbers, which appeared very beautiful, their sides resembling burnished silver. Mr. Banks went out in a boat on the 7th of October, and caught what is called a Portuguese man of war, together with several marine animals of the _Molusca_ tribe. They had now variable winds, with some showers of rain; and the dampness of the air did great injury to their iron utensils. October 19th Mr. Banks shot the black-toed gull, which has not been described by Linnæus. The dung of this bird is of a lively red.

They crossed the line with the usual ceremonies on the 25th of October.

When the Endeavour was, on the 28th of October, in the latitude of Ferdinand Noronha, and in longitude 32 degrees 5 minutes west, they looked out for the island, and the shoals which, according to the charts, lie between it and the main; but neither the island or the shoals could be discovered. On the 29th, in the evening, they saw the luminous appearance of the sea, mentioned by navigators: it emitted rays of light, resembling those of lightning. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander, not being inclined to adopt any of the opinions that had prevailed with regard to the causes of this luminous appearance (such as its being caused by fish darting at its prey, by the putrefaction of fish and other inhabitants of the sea, and even by electricity) threw out a casting net, when they were confirmed in their suggestion, that it was occasioned by some luminous animal. A species of the _medusa_ was caught, which resembled a metallic substance greatly heated, emitting a whitish light. Some crabs were brought up at the same time, which, though exceeding small, gave a very glittering appearance. These animals had hitherto escaped the observation of all naturalists.

Provisions beginning to fall short, it was determined to put into Rio de Janeiro. They saw the coast of Brazil on the 8th of November, and spoke with the people on board a Portuguese fishing-boat, who informed them, that the land which they saw was to the south of _Sancto Espirito_. Mr. Banks bought some fish of the people in the boat, and was much surprised to find that they refused Spanish silver, and wanted English shillings.

Their interpreters, who were a Venetian and Portuguese, informed them, that the crew of the fishing vessel declared, they had not seen a ship for eight years; this however they supposed to be a mistake, as they spoke such imperfect English, that it was almost impossible to understand them.

On the 13th, in the morning, we made sail for the harbour of Rio de Janeiro. Mr. Hicks, the first Lieutenant, was sent before in the pinnace to the city, to inform the Governor, we put in there for refreshments and water, and to obtain a pilot. The pinnace returned without the Lieutenant, who was detained by the Viceroy till the Captain came on shore. When the Endeavour came to an anchor, a ten-oared boat filled with soldiers came up, and rowed round the ship, without any conversation taking place. Soon after another boat came up, with several of the Viceroy’s officers; they enquired whence the Endeavour came; what her cargo consisted of; her number of men and guns; and her destination. These and several other questions were justly answered without equivocation; when they apologized for detaining the Lieutenant, and the other steps they had taken, pleading its being customary.

Captain Cook went on shore on the 14th, and obtained leave to purchase provisions, on condition of employing an inhabitant as a factor: to this the Captain objected, but in vain, as well as to the sending a soldier in the boat every time she went from the shore to the ship. Having requested, that the gentlemen on board might remain on shore whilst they sojourned, and that Mr. Banks might go up the country to collect plants; these requests were peremptorily refused. Captain Cook judging the Viceroy imagined they were come to trade, the Captain endeavoured to convince him of his mistake, by acquainting him, that they were bound to the southward, to observe the transit of Venus over the sun; a very interesting object to the advancement of navigation, of which phenomenon he appeared to be totally ignorant. An officer was appointed to attend the Captain; this, which he was told was meant as a compliment, he would have declined; but the Viceroy was too polite to allow his dispensing with the honour.

Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander were greatly disappointed upon the Captain’s return, to find they were not permitted to reside on shore, and go up the country; and their chagrin was still farther increased, to hear they were not allowed even to leave the ship; the Viceroy having ordered, that only the Captain, and such sailors as were necessary to be upon duty, should be suffered to come on shore; probably its being reported, that these gentlemen came upon this voyage to make discoveries and observations, and possessed extraordinary abilities for such business, might occasion these rigid orders. They attempted, nevertheless, to come on shore, but were prevented by the guard-boat; though several of the crew, unknown to the centinel, stole out of the cabin window at midnight, letting themselves down by a rope into the boat, and driving away by the tide till they were out of hearing; they then rowed to some unfrequented part of the shore, where they landed, and made excursions up the country, though not so far as they could have wished. When the Captain went on shore to remonstrate with the Viceroy respecting these restrictions, the only answer that could be obtained was, that he acted in consequence of his Master’s orders. Thus situated, the Captain resolved to go no more on shore, rather than be a prisoner in his own boat, as the officer, who complimented him with his company, waited upon him both from and to the shore. It was now resolved to draw up two memorials to the Viceroy; one was written by the Captain, the other by Mr. Banks: they produced answers no way satisfactory. Captain Cook and Mr. Banks replied, and several written remonstrances and answers passed between them and the Viceroy, but to no purpose. The Captain judging it necessary, in vindication of his compliance, to urge the Viceroy to some act of force in the execution of his orders, he sent Lieutenant Hicks with a packet (on the 20th) ordering him not to allow a guard in his boat. The officer of the guard-boat finding the Lieutenant resolved to obey the Captain’s command, did not oppose him by force, but accompanying the Lieutenant on shore, went to the Viceroy, and acquainted him with what had passed, which induced his Excellency to refuse opening the packet, commanding the Lieutenant to return. He found a guard had been put on board his boat in his absence, and insisted upon the soldiers quitting it. The officer now seized the boat’s crew, and conducted them to prison, under an escorte; and the Lieutenant was sent back to the ship under a guard. When Mr. Hicks had acquainted the Captain with these transactions on shore, the latter wrote to the Viceroy, demanding his boat and men, and inclosed the memorial, which he would not receive from the hands of the Lieutenant. The bearer of this express was a petty officer, in order to avoid continuing the dispute about a guard, which a commissioned officer must have kept up. Having delivered his packet, an answer was promised.

In the interim, in a sudden gust of wind, the long-boat, with four pipes of rum (by the rope breaking that was thrown her from the ship) went a-drift windward of her, with a small skift of Mr. Banks’s that was fastened to her. The misfortune was still greater as the pinnace was on shore. The yawl was manned immediately, but did not return till next morning, when she brought all the people on board. From them Captain Cook learnt, that the long-boat having filled with water, they had brought her to a grappling, and quitted her, and falling in with a reef of rocks on their return, they were compelled to cut a-drift the little boat belonging to Mr. Banks. In this situation the Captain dispatched another letter to the Viceroy, acquainting him with the accident, at the same time desiring he would assist them with a boat to recover their own: this was accompanied with a fresh demand of the pinnace and her crew. His Excellency at length complied with both the request and demand; and the same day they fortunately recovered the long-boat and skift. In the Viceroy’s answer to the Captain’s remonstrance, he expressed some doubts of the Endeavour being a King’s ship, and accused the crew of smuggling. Mr. Banks’s servants had, its true, by stratagem, got on shore (the 22d) early in the morning, and remained till night, but brought on board only plants and insects. In Mr. Cook’s reply, he said he was willing to shew his Excellency his commission again, the Viceroy having already seen it; and that if any attempt to carry on a contraband trade should be repeated, desired his Excellency would take the offender into custody. Thus terminated the dispute.

Mr. Banks (on the 26th in the morning) artfully eluded the vigilance of the guard, and went on shore: he avoided the town, and passed the day in the fields, where the chief objects of his curiosity lay. The people behaved with civility, invited him to their habitations, and he purchased a young pig for eleven shillings, and some other things. But the next day it was reported, that search was making for him and Dr. Solander, which induced them to lay aside all thoughts of going again on shore.

Being prepared for sea, with water and provisions, they took on board a pilot the 1st of December, but the wind being contrary, they were prevented getting out. The next day a Spanish packet arrived from Buenos Ayres, for Spain, when the Captain politely offered to take Mr. Cook’s dispatches to Europe; and he accordingly sent, by that conveyance, all the papers that had passed between him and the Viceroy, leaving duplicates with his Excellency for his court.

The Endeavour did not get under sail till the 7th, when having passed the Fort the pilot was discharged, and the guard-boat quitted them at the same time. During the last three or four days of their remaining at Rio de Janeiro, the air was covered with butterflies, chiefly of one kind.

From the observations of the writer of the first account of this voyage, we have the following description of the town and country. Rio de Janeiro, is supposed to have been thus named on account of its being discovered on the festival of saint Januarius. The town, which is the capital of the dominions of the Portuguese, in America, borrows its name from the river Januarius.

It is situated on the west side of the river, from which it extends itself about three quarters of a mile. The ground on which it stands is a level plain; it is defended on the north side by a hill that extends from the river, leaving a small plain, which contains the suburbs and the King’s dock. On the south side is another hill, running towards the mountains which are behind the town. Some of its streets run parallel from north to south, and are intersected by others at right angles. The principal street is near an hundred feet in width, and extends from St. Benedict to the foot of Castle-hill; the other streets are commonly twenty or thirty feet wide. The houses adjoining to the principal street have three stories, but in other places they are very irregular, though built after the same manner as in Lisbon. In the town are four convents; the first is that of the Benedictines, situated near its northern extremity; this structure affords an agreeable prospect, and contains an elegant chapel, which is ornamented with several valuable paintings. The second is that of the Carmelites, which forms the centre angle of the royal square, and fronts the harbour; its church had fallen some time before, but it is again rebuilding in a very elegant manner, with fine free-stone brought thither from Lisbon. The third is that of St. Anthony, situated on the point of a hill on the south side of the town; before this convent stands a large bason of brown granite, in the form of a parallelogram, which is employed in washing. The fourth is situated at the eastern extremity of the town, and was formerly the Jesuits convent, but is now converted into a military hospital.

The Viceroy’s palace forms the right angle of the royal square: the palace, mint, stables, goal, &c. compose but one large building, which has two stories, and is ninety feet from the water. In passing through the palace, the first entrance is to a large hall or guard-room, to which there is an ascent of three or four steps. In the guard-room are stationed the body guards who attend the Viceroy, and are relieved every morning between eight and nine. Adjoining to the hall are the stables, the prison being in the back part of the building. Within the guard-room is a flight of stairs for ascending to the upper story; this divides at a landing-place about half way, and forms two branches, one leading to the right, and the other to the left. The former enters a saloon, where there are two officers in constant attendance; the Viceroy’s aid-du-camp at the same time waiting in an anti-chamber to receive messages and deliver orders.

The left wing of the royal square is an irregular building, which consists chiefly of shops occupied by trading people. In the center of the square is a fountain supplied with water from a spring at the distance of three miles, from which it is brought by an aqueduct. From this fountain both the shipping and inhabitants are supplied with water, the place being continually crowded with negroes of both sexes waiting to fill their jars. At every corner of the streets is an altar. The market-place extends from the north-east end of the square along the shore; and this situation is very convenient for the fishing-boats, and those who bring vegetables from the other side of the river to market. Negroes are almost the only people employed in selling the different commodities exposed in the market, and they employ their leisure time in spinning of cotton.

Without the Jesuits college on the shore is a village called Neustra Seignora del Gloria, which is joined to the town by a very few intervening houses. Three or four hundred yards within the Jesuits convent stands a very high castle, but it is falling to decay. The bishop’s palace is about three hundred yards behind the Benedictine convent, and contiguous to it is a magazine of arms, surrounded by a rampart.

The gentry here keep their chaises, which are drawn by mules; the ladies however use a sedan chair, boarded before and behind, with curtains on each side, which is carried by two negroes, depending from a pole connected to the top of the chair by two iron rods coming from under its bottom, one on each side, and resting at the top. The inhabitants likewise use hammocks or rajas, supported in the same manner, and surrounded with curtains.

In this town the apothecaries shops commonly serve the purposes of a coffee-house, people meeting in them to drink capillaire, and play at back-gammon. The gentry when seen abroad are well dressed, though at home they are but loosely covered: the shopkeepers have commonly short hair, and wear linen jackets with sleeves. Beggars, who infest the streets of most European cities, are not to be found in this.

With regard to the women, it is on all hands agreed, that the females of the Portuguese and Spanish settlements in South America, are less averse to granting amorous favours, than those of any other civilized part of the globe. According to Dr. Solander’s account, as soon as the evening began, females appeared on all sides in every window, and particularized those of the male sex they liked by giving them nosegays; the Doctor and two other gentlemen received so many of these bouquets, that they threw handfuls away.

The climate of Rio de Janeiro is both agreeable and healthy, being free from many inconveniencies that are incident to other tropical countries. The air is but seldom immoderately hot, as the sea breeze constantly begins to blow about ten o’clock in the morning, and continues until night, when it is generally succeeded by a land wind, though this does not always happen. The seasons are divided into rainy and dry; though their stationary periods have lately become very irregular and uncertain: indeed the rainy seasons had almost entirely failed the four years preceding their arrival, at which time the rains had just begun, and they fell in large quantities during their stay: formerly the streets have been overflowed by the rain, and rendered impassable except with canoes.

The adjacent country is mountainous, and chiefly covered with wood, but a small part of it appearing to be cultivated. The soil near the town is loose and sandy, but farther from the river it is a fine black mould. It produces all the tropical fruits, such as oranges, lemons, limes, melons, mangoes, cocoa-nuts, &c. in great abundance, and without much cultivation; a circumstance which is very agreeable to the inhabitants, who are very indolent.

The mines, which lie far up in the country, are very rich; but their situation is concealed, and nobody can view them, except those who work in them. The experiment is very dangerous, for every one found upon the road which leads to them is hung upon the next tree, unless he can give a satisfactory account of the cause of his being in that situation. About twelve months before their arrival, the government had detected several jewellers in carrying on an illicit trade for diamonds with the slaves in the mines; and immediately after a law passed, making it felony to work at the trade, or have any tools in possession, the civil officers having indiscriminately seized on all that could be found. Near forty thousand negroes are annually imported to dig in the mines; these works are so pernicious to the human frame, and occasion so great a mortality amongst the poor wretches employed in them, that in the year 1766 twenty thousand more were draughted from the town of Rio, to supply the deficiency of the former number.

There are several courts of justice in the town, at all of which the Viceroy presides; in criminal causes the sentence is regulated by a majority of voices in the supreme court. The Viceroy has a Council appointed from Europe by the king, to assist him in his private department, where he has two voices.

The inhabitants of Rio de Janeiro maintain a whale-fishery, which supplies them with lamp-oil. They import their brandy from the Azores, their slaves and East India goods from their settlements in Africa, their wine from Madeira, and their European goods from Lisbon.

The current coin is Portuguese, which is struck here; the silver pieces are called Petacks, of different value; and the copper are five and ten ree pieces.

Rio de Janeiro is very useful for ships that are in want of refreshment; the harbour is safe and commodious, and may be distinguished by a remarkable hill, in the shape of a cone, at the west point of the bay. The entrance is not wide, but it is easy, from the sea breeze, which prevails from noon to sun-set, for any ship to enter before the wind. The entrance of the narrow part is defended by two forts, La Cruz and Lozia; they are about three quarters of a mile from each other. The bottom being rocky, renders it dangerous to anchor here, but this may be avoided by keeping the middle of the channel. The whole coast abounds with a very great variety of fish, among which are dolphins and mackrel.

On the 9th of December they took out of the sea an incredible number of atoms, of a yellowish colour, few of them more than the 50th part of an inch in length; it could not even with a microscope be determined whether they were animal or vegetable substances. These atoms tinged the sea in such a manner, as to cover it with broad streaks of a colour similar to themselves, the greatest part of a mile in length, and several hundred yards in width.

Thursday, December 8, 1768, having procured all necessary supplies, they left Rio de Janeiro; they did not meet with any material occurrence from this time to the 22d, when they discovered numerous birds of the Prosillaria genus, in latitude 39 degrees 37 minutes south, and longitude 49 degrees 16 minutes west; they were also frequently surrounded by great numbers of porpoises, of a singular species, which were about fifteen feet in length, and of an ash-colour. On the 23d they observed an eclipse of the moon; and about seven o’clock in the morning a small white cloud appeared in the west, from which a train of fire issued, extending itself westerly: about two minutes after they heard two distinct loud explosions, immediately succeeding each other like canon, after which the cloud soon disappeared.