wrap
llll! it
■i jK *79<- this part of the ifland as,a temporary refidence of the inhabitants, pofii-
■ • bly for the purpofe of procuring a fupply of theft and other fifh. The
former, of different kinds, were here to be had in great abundance : claws
of Cray filh were found in their canoes ; and as the birds about the Ihore
were in great numbers, and flew about the natives as if never molefted, it
gave us reafon to believe that the fea furnilhed the principal means of
their fubfiftence. Black fea pies with red bills, black and white fpotted
curlews with yellow bills, large wood pigeons like thofe at Dufky bay,
a variety of ducks, fmall fand larks, and fand-pipers, were very numerous
about the thores.
“ Thefe few obfervations conclude a brief narrative o f our vifit and
tranfaclions at Chatham ifland ; and I have to lament that the hoftili'tÿ of
its inhabitants. rendered the melancholy fate that attended one of them
unavoidable, and prevented our refeàrches extending further than the
beach, and the immediate entrance o f the adjoining wood.
“ On our return to the veffel we got under weigh, with a frelh gale
at s.w. About fix in the evening, on palling point Munnings, which is
the N. e. extremity of the ifland, it was feen to be a low peninfula,
over which, from the mail-head, was difcovered more land to the fouth-
ward; but the weather became fo very hazy, that it was impoflibleto dif-
cern how far it extended in that direftion. From the bay, which I called
S k irm ish B a y , to point Munnings, the Ihore is low, rocky, and clothed
with wood. Some rocks lie a little way off the point. The extent of the
ifland in an eall and well direflion, which is nearly the line o f the coaft,
was now confidered to be about 12 leagues, allowing 140 eall variation.
The latitude of our anchoring place in Skirmilh bay was 43°49', and its
longitude 183° 25'. A t eight o’clock the extremities of the land Bore
from s.w. by s. to W; by s. 5 or 6 leagues dillant. At day-break, the
next morning, we made all fail as ufual, and purfued our way to the
Wednef. 30. n .e . ' In the courfe of this day, we paffed many patches of fea-weed,
and faw fome port Egmont hens and lèverai oceanic birds.
I H With pleafant weather and a fine gale between the s .e . and s.w.
December, quarters, we proceeded, without any thing occurring worthy of notice,
Saturday 3- until the 3d of december, when, in the afternoon, our latitude was 38°
ro' ■ the mean refult of eight fets o f lunar obfervations O ’ • - o - ta# ken• the. two D:eJce7m9b'-e r..
preceding days, and reduced by the watch, gave the longitude this day 1----
192 ”43' 33". The watch, by its rate, and error, as found at Dulkybay,
fhewed 102° 45' 37". The mean variation, by'azimuths and amplitude,
1 1°5& ealtwardly. The watch and obfervations having agreed fo well,
little error is to be apprehended in the: longitude alfigned to Chatham
ifland..
“ Our pleafant weather was . of no long continuance; on tuefday, in the. Tuefday 6.
latitude of 35°43', longitude 197° 20', towards evening,, it fell. calm. A
breeze next morning fprang up at n.e. with which we fleered to the Wednef. 7.
E,SiE.: between which, and the.N.N.w: the wind continued with hazy,
rainy, foggy and very unpleafant weather until funday, in latitude 36° Sunday 11.
53', longitude 206° : having been: vilited by few oceanic birds,. The wind
now veered round by the weft to the fouthward, and brought us tolera-
bly pleafant weather, with which, until thurfday, we continued to fleer Thurfday 15.
north by eall; when, in latitude 30“ 17?i longitude 2e>8°46', the wind
again refumed its northern direftion, varying a point or two on either
fide of north. The atmofphere became dark, heavy, fultry and gloomy j
the clouds poured down torrents of rain accompanied with much lightning,
thunder, and violent fqualls, which obliged the crew to be con-
ftantly expofed, until the 20th; when the wind changed to the fouth, Tuefday so.:
blew a moderate breeze, and we again had fine fettled weather.
. : “ Although every advantage had been taken which the winds afforded,
during the laft four days, we had not been able to Ihorten the diftance
from our deftined port, more than 6 leagues ; our latitude this day being
29° 8', longitude 211° 55’. Shortly, afternoon, fome obfervations were
procured for the longitude. The mean of four fets o f diftances gave
2140 30'18", the watch 212° 13'15". Although the watch was confide-
rably to the weftward of the lunar obfervations, yet in the laft of five days,
it made 1° 19' more eafting than the log Ihewed.
“ The wind continued between fouth, and e . s . e . with pleafant weather -r
on thurfday we were again enabled to obtain more obfervations for the, Thurfday22.
longitude, when the mean of two fets gave 213° 53'7',, the watch 212^43',
the mean of thefe, and thofe taken on tuefday, reduced by the watch to
this