and walked along the beach till we could see the islands to the S.E. already mentioned. The names of these we now obtained, as well as the name of that on which we were. This they called Mallicollo * : the island that first appeared over the south end of Ambrym is called Apee; and the other, with the hill on it, Paoom. We found on the beach a fruit like an orange, called by them Abbi-mora, but whether it be fit for eating, I cannot say, as this was decayed.

Proceeding next to the other side of the harbour, we there landed, near a few houses, at the invitation of some people who came down to the shore; but we had not been there five minutes before they wanted us to be gone. We complied, and proceeded up the harbour in order to sound it, and to look for fresh water, of which, as yet, we had seen none, but the very little that the natives brought, which we knew not where they got. Nor was our search now attended with success; but this is no proof that there is not any. The day was too far spent to examine the place well enough to determine this point. Night having brought us on board, I was informed that no soul had been off to the ship; so soon was the curiosity of these people satisfied. As we were coming on board, we heard the sound of a drum, and, I think of some other instruments, and saw people dancing; but as soon as they heard the noise of the oars, or saw us, all was silent.

Being unwilling to lose the benefit of the moonlight nights, which now happened, at seven A. M. on the 23d we weighed, and, with a light air of wind, and the assistance of our boats, proceeded out of the harbour; the south end of which, at noon, bore W.S.W. distant about two miles. When the natives saw us under sail, they came off in canoes, making exchanges with more confidence than before, and giving such extraordinary proofs of their honesty as surprised us. As the ship at first had fresh way through the water, several of them dropped astern after they had received our goods, and before they had time to deliver theirs in return. Instead of taking advantage of this, as our friends at the Society Isles would have done, they used their utmost efforts to get up with us, and to deliver what they had already been paid for. One man, in particular, followed us a considerable time, and did not reach us till it was calm, and the thing was forgotten. As soon as he came alongside, he held up the thing which several were ready to buy; but he refused to part with it, till he saw the person to whom he had before sold it, and to him he gave it. The person not knowing him again, offered him something in return, which he refused, and showed him what he had given him before. Pieces of cloth and marble paper were in most esteem with them; but edge-tools, nails, and beads, they seemed to disregard. The greatest number of canoes we had alongside at once did not exceed eight, and not more than four or five people in each; who would frequently retire to the shore all on a sudden, before they had disposed of half their things, and then others would come off.

At the time we came out of the harbour, it was about low water, and great numbers of people were then on the shoals or reefs which lie along the shore, looking, as we supposed, for shell and other fish. Thus our being on their coast, and in one of their ports, did not hinder them from following the necessary employments. By this time they might be satisfied we meant them no harm; so that, had we made a longer stay, we might soon have been upon good terms with this ape-like nation; for, in general, they are the most ugly, illproportioned people I ever saw, and in every respect different from any we had met with in this sea. They are a very dark-coloured and rather diminutive race; with long heads, flat faces, and monkey countenances. Their hair, mostly black or brown, is short and curly; but not quite so soft and woolly as that of a negro. Their beards are very strong, crisp, and bushy, and generally black and short. But what most adds to their deformity, is a belt, or cord, which they wear round the waist, and tie so tight over the belly that the shape of their bodies is not unlike that of an overgrown pismire. The men go quite naked, except a piece of cloth or leaf used as a wrappert.

* Or Mallicolla. Some of our people pronounced it Manicolo or Manicola, and thus it is also written in Quiros's Memorial, as printed by Dalrymple, vol. ii. p.

146.

The particular manner of applying the wrapper may

be seen in Wafer's Voyage, who mentions this singular custom as existing, though with some little variation, amongst the Indians of the Isthmus of Darien. See Wafer's Voyage, p. 140.

We saw but few women, and they were not less ugly than the men: their heads, faces, and shoulders are painted red; they wear a kind of petticoat; and some of them had something over their shoulders like a bag, in which they carry their children. None of them came off to the ship, and they generally kept at a distance when we were on shore. Their ornaments are ear-rings, made of tortoiseshell, and bracelets. A curious one of the latter, four or five inches broad, wrought with thread or cord, and studded with shells, is worn by them just above the elbow. Round the right wrist they wear hogs' tusks bent circular and rings made of shells; and round their left, a round piece of wood, which we judged was to ward off the bow-string. The bridge of the nose is pierced, in which they wear a piece of white stone, about an inch and a half long, and in this shape. As signs of friendship they present a green branch, and sprinkle water with the hand over the head.

Their weapons are clubs, spears, and bows and arrows. hard or iron wood.

The two former are made of

Their bows are about four feet long, made of a stick split down the

middle, and are not circular, but in this form. The arrows, which are a sort of reeds, are sometimes armed with a long and sharp point, made of the hard wood, and sometimes with a

very hard point made of bone; and these points are all covered with a substance which we took for poison. Indeed, the people themselves confirmed our suspicions, by making signs to us not to touch the point, and giving us to understand, that if we were pricked by them we should die. They are very careful of them themselves, and keep them always wrapped up in a quiver. Some of these arrows are armed with two or three points, each with small prickles on the edges, to prevent the arrow being drawn out of the wound.

The people of Mallicollo seemed to be a quite different nation from any we had yet met with, and speak a different language. Of about eighty words which Mr. Forster collected, hardly one bears any affinity to the language spoken at any other island or place I had ever been at. The letter R is used in many of their words; and frequently two or three being joined together, such words we found difficult to pronounce. I observed that they could pronounce most of our words with great ease. They express their admiration by hissing like a goose.

To judge of the country by the little we saw of it, it must be fertile; but I believe their fruits are not so good as those of the Society or Friendly Isles. Their cocoa-nut trees, I am certain, are not; and their bread-fruit and plantains did not seem much better. But their yams appeared to be very good. We saw no other animals than those I have already mentioned. They have not so much as a name for a dog, and consequently have none; for which reason we left them a dog and a bitch; and there is no doubt they will be taken care of, as they were very fond of them. After we had got to sea, we tried what effect one of the poisoned arrows would have on a dog. Indeed we had tried it in the harbour the very first night, but we thought the operation had been too slight, as it had no effect. The surgeon now made a deep incision in the dog's thigh, into which he laid a large portion of the poison just as it was scraped from the arrows, and then bound up the wound with a bandage. For several days after, we thought the dog was not so well as he had been before; but whether this was really so, or only suggested by imagination, I know not. He was afterwards as if nothing had been done to him, and lived to be brought home to England. However, I have no doubt of this stuff being of a poisonous quality, as it could answer no other purpose. The people seemed not unacquainted with the nature of poisons; for when they brought us water on shore, they first tasted it, and then gave us to understand we might with safety drink it.

This harbour, which is situated on the N.E. side of Mallicollo, not far from the S.E. end, in latitude 16° 25′ 20′′ S., longitude 167° 57′′ 23′ E., I named Port Sandwich. It lies in S.W. by S. about one league, and is one-third of a league broad. A reef of rocks extends out a little way from each point; but the channel is of a good breadth, and hath in it from forty to twenty-four fathoms water. In the port, the depth of water is from twenty to four fathoms; and it is so sheltered that no winds can disturb a ship at anchor there. Another great advantage is, you can lie so near the shore as to cover your people who may be at work upon it.

CHAPTER IV. AN ACCOUNT OF THE DISCOVERY OF SEVERAL ISLANDS, AN INTERVIEW AND SKIRMISH WITH THE INHABITANTS UPON ONE OF THEM. THE ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP AT TANNA, AND THE RECEPTION WE MET WITH THERE.

SOON after we got to sea, we had a breeze at E.S.E. with which we stood over for Ambrym till three o'clock in the afternoon, when the wind veering to E.N.E. we tacked and stretched to the S.E. and weathered the S.E. end of Mallicollo, off which we discovered three or four small islands, that before appeared to be connected. At sunset the point bore S. 77° west, distant three leagues, from which the coast seemed to trend away west. At this time the isle of Ambrym extended from N. 30o E. to N. 65° E. The isle of Paoom from N. 76° E. to S. 88° E. and the isle of Apee from S. 83° E. to S. 43° east. We stood for this last isle, which we reached by midnight, and then brought to till daybreak on the 24th, when we made sail to the S.E. with a view of plying up to the eastward on the south side of Apee. At sunrise, we discovered several more islands, extending from the S.E. point of Apee to the south as far as S.E. by S. The nearest to us we reached by ten o'clock, and not being able to weather it, we tacked a mile from its shore in fourteen fathoms water. This island is about four leagues in circuit, is remarkable by having three high peaked hills upon it, by which it has obtained that name. In the P.M. the wind veering more to the north, we resumed our course to the east; and having weathered Threehills, stood for the group of small isles which lie off the S.E. point of Apee. These I called Shepherd's Isles, in honour of my worthy friend Dr. Shepherd, Plumian professor of astronomy at Cambridge. Having a fine breeze, I had thoughts of going through between them; but the channels being narrow, and seeing broken water in the one we were steering for, I gave up the design, and bore up, in order to go without, or to the south of them. Before this could be accomplished, it fell calm, and we were left to the mercy of the current, close to the isles, where we could find no soundings with a line of a hundred and eighty fathoms. We had now lands or islands in every direction, and were not able to count the number which lay round us. The mountain on Paoom was seen over the east end of Apee, bearing N.N.W. at eight o'clock. A breeze at S.E. relieved us from the anxiety the calm had occasioned; and we spent the night making short boards.

The night before we came out of Port Sandwich, two reddish fish, about the size of large bream, and not unlike them, were caught with hook and line. On these fish most of the officers, and some of the petty officers, dined the next day. The night following, every one who had eaten of them was seized with violent pains in the head and bones, attended with a scorching heat all over the skin, and numbness in the joints. There remained no doubt that this was occasioned by the fish being of a poisonous nature, and having communicated its bad effects to all who partook of them; even to the hogs and dogs. One of the former died about sixteen hours after; it was not long before one of the latter shared the same fate; and it was a week or ten days, before all the gentlemen recovered. These must have been the same sort of fish mentioned by Quiros*, under the name of Pargos, which poisoned the crews of his ships, so that it was some time before they recovered; and we should, doubtless, have been in the same situation, had more of them been eaten.

At daybreak on the 25th, we made a short stretch to the east of Shepherd's Isles till after sunrise, when, seeing no more land in that direction, we tacked and stood for the island we had seen in the south, having a gentle breeze at S.E. We passed to the east of Threehills, and likewise of a low isle, which lies on the S.E. side of it, between a remarkable peaked rock which obtained the name of Monument, and a small island named Twohills, on account of two peaked hills upon it, disjoined by a low and narrow isthmus. The channel between this island and the Monument is near a mile broad, and twenty-four fathoms deep. Except this rock, which is only accessible to birds, we did not find an island on which people were At noon, we observed, in latitude 17° 18′ 30′′ longitude, made from Port Sand

not seen.

* Dalrymple's Collection of Voyages, vol. i. p. 140, 141.

wich, 45' east. In this situation the Monument bore N. 16° east, distant two miles; Twohills bore N. 25° west, distant two miles, and in a line with the S.W. part of Threehills; and the islands to the south extended from S. 16° 30′ E. to S. 42° west.

Continuing our course to the south, at five P.M. we drew near the southern lands, which we found to consist of one large island, whose southern and western extremities extended beyond our sight, and three or four smaller ones, lying off its north side. The two northern

most are much the largest, have a good height, and lie in the direction of E. by S. and W. by N. from each other, distant two leagues. I named the one Montagu, and the other Hinchinbrook, and the large island Sandwich, in honour of my noble patron the earl of Sandwich. Seeing broken water a-head between Montagu and Hinchinbrook Isles, we tacked; and soon after it fell calm. The calm continued till seven o'clock the next morning, when it was succeeded by a breeze from the westward. During the calm, having been carried by the currents and a S.E. swell, four leagues to the W.N.W., we passed Hinchinbrook Isle, saw the western extremity of Sandwich Island, bearing S.S.W. about five leagues distant, and at the same time discovered a small island to the west of this direction. After getting the westerly breeze, I steered S.E. in order to pass between Montagu Isle and the north end of Sandwich Island. At noon we were in the middle of the channel, and observed in latitude 17° 31' S. The distance from one island to the other is about four or five miles; but the channel is not much above half that breadth, being contracted by breakers. We had no soundings in it with a line of forty fathoms.

As we passed Montagu Isle several people came down to the sea-side, and, by signs, seemed to invite us ashore. Some were also seen on Sandwich Island, which exhibited a most delightful prospect, being spotted with woods and lawns, agreeably diversified, over the whole surface. It hath a gentle slope from the hills, which are of a moderate height, down to the sea-coast. This is low and guarded by a chain of breakers, so that there is no approaching it at this part. But more to the west, beyond Hinchinbrook Island, there seemed to run in a bay, sheltered from the reigning winds. The examining it not being so much an object with me as the getting to the south, in order to find the southern extremity of the archipelago, with this view I steered S.S.E., being the direction of the coast of Sandwich Island. We had but just got through the passage, before the west wind left us to variable light airs and calms; so that we were apprehensive of being carried back again by the currents, or rather of being obliged to return in order to avoid being driven on the shoals, as there was no anchorage, a line of a hundred and sixty fathoms not reaching to the bottom. At length a breeze springing up at S.W., we stood to S.E., and at sunset the Monument bore N. 14° 30′ W., and Montagu Island N. 28° W., distant three leagues. We judged we saw the S.E. extremity of Sandwich Island bearing about S. by E.

We continued to stand to S.E. till four A.M. on the 27th, when we tacked to the west. At sunrise having discovered a new land bearing south, and making in three hills, this occasioned us to tack and stand towards it. At this time Montagu Isle bore N. 52° W., distant thirteen leagues; at noon it was nearly in the same direction, and the new land extended from S. E. to S. by W., and three hills seemed to be connected. Our latitude, by observation, was 18° 1' S., and the longitude, made from Port Sandwich, 1° 23' E. We continued to stand to the S.E. with a gentle breeze at S. W. and S.S.W. till the 28th at sunrise, when, the wind veering to the south, we tacked and stood to the west. The three hills mentioned above, we now saw belonged to one island, which extended from S. 35° to 71° W., distant about ten or twelve leagues.

Retarded by contrary winds, calms, and the currents that set to N.W., we were three days in gaining this space; in which time we discovered an elevated land to the south of this. It first appeared in detached hummocks, but we judged it to be connected. At length, on the 1st of August, about ten A.M. we got a fine breeze at E.S.E. which soon after veered to N.E., and we steered for the N.W. side of the island. Reaching it about two P.M., we ranged the west coast at one mile from shore, on which the inhabitants appeared in several parts, and by signs invited us to land. We continued to sound without finding bottom, till we came before a small bay, or bending of the coast, where, near a mile from

shore, we found thirty and twenty-two fathoms water, a sandy bottom. I had thoughts of anchoring here, but the wind almost instantly veered to N.W., which being nearly on shore, I laid this design aside. Besides, I was unwilling to lose the opportunity that now offered of getting to the south-east, in order first to explore the lands which lay there. I therefore continued to range the coast to the south, at about the same distance from shore; but we soon got out of soundings. About a league to the south of this bay, which hath about two miles extent, is another more extensive. Towards the evening, the breeze began to abate, so that it was sunset before we got the length of it. I intended not to stop here, and stand to the south under an easy sail all night, but at eight o'clock, as we were steering S.S.E., we saw a light a-head. Not knowing but it might be on some low detached isle, dangerous to approach while dark, we hauled the wind, and spent the night standing off and on, or rather driving to and fro; for we had but very little wind.

At sunrise on the 2nd, we saw no more land than the coast we were upon; but found that the currents had carried us some miles to the north, and we attempted, to little purpose, to regain what we had lost. At noon we were about a league from the coast, which extended from S.S.E. to N.E. Latitude observed 18° 46′ S. In the afternoon, finding the ship to drift, not only to the north, but in shore also, and being yet to the south of the bay we passed the day before, I had thoughts of getting to an anchor before night, while we had it in our power to make choice of a place. With this view, having hoisted out two boats, one of them was sent a-head to tow the ship; in the other Mr. Gilbert went to sound for anchorage. Soon after, the towing boat was sent to assist him. So much time was spent in sounding this bay, that the ship drove past, which made it necessary to call the boats on board to tow her off from the northern point. But this service was performed by a breeze of wind, which, that moment, sprung up at S. W., so that as the boats got on board, we hoisted them in, and then bore up for the north side of the island, intending once more to try to get round by the east. Mr. Gilbert informed me that, at the south part of the bay, he found no soundings till close to a steep stone beach, where he landed to taste a stream of water he saw there, which proved to be salt. Some people were seen there, but they kept at a distance. Farther down the coast, that is to the north, he found twenty, twenty-four, and thirty fathoms, three-fourths of a mile, or a mile from shore, the bottom a fine dark sand.

On the 3rd, at sunrise, we found ourselves abreast a lofty promontory on the S.E. side of the island, and about three leagues from it. Having but little wind, and that from the south, right in our teeth, and being in want of fire-wood, I sent Lieutenant Clerke with two boats to a small islet which lies off the promontory, to endeavour to get some. In the mean time we continued to ply up with the ship; but what we gained by our sails, we lost by the current. At length, towards noon, we got a breeze at E.S.E. and E. with which we could lie up for the head; and soon after Mr. Clerke returned, having not been able to land, on account of a high surf on the shore. They met with no people on the isle; but saw a large bat, and some birds, and caught a water-snake. At six o'clock P.M. we got in with the land, under the N.W. side of the head, where we anchored in seventeen fathoms water, the bottom a fine dark sand, half-a-mile from shore; the point of the head bearing N. 18° E., distant half a league; the little islet before-mentioned N.E. by E. E., and the N.W. point of the bay N. 32° W. Many people appeared on the shore, and some attempted to swim off to us; but having occasion to send the boat a-head to sound, they retired as she drew near them. This, however gave us a favourable idea of them.

On the 4th, at daybreak, I went with two boats to examine the coast, to look for a proper landing-place, wood, and water. At this time the natives began to assemble on the shore, and by signs invited us to land. I went first to a small beach, which is towards the head, where I found no good landing, on account of some rocks which everywhere lined the coast. I, however, put the boat's bow to the shore, and gave cloth, medals, &c. to some people who were there. For this treatment they offered to haul the boats over the breakers to the sandy beach, which I thought a friendly offer, but had reason afterwards to alter my opinion. When they found I would not do as they desired, they made signs for us to go down into the bay, which we accordingly did, and they ran along shore abreast of us, their