p. 138.
p. 138.
p. 140.
few or no vegetables while they lay in Queen Charlotte’s Sound; which arofe
partly from the want of knowing the right forts, and partly becaufe it was a
new diet, which alone was fufficient for feamen to rejedtit. To introduce any
new article o f food among feamen, let it be ever fo much for their good, he
obferves, requires both the example and authority of a commander; without
both of which it will be dropt before the people are fenfible of the benefits re-
fulting from it.
On the ift of Auguft, being in latitude 2501’ fouth, longitude 134° 6’weft, nearly
the fame that Captain Carteret afligns for Pitcairn’s Ifland, difcovered by him, in
1767, they looked well out for it, but faw nothing. According to the longitude
in which he has placed it, they muft have paifed about fifteen leagues to the
weft of it. But as this was uncertain, Captain Cook did not think it prudent,
confidering the fituation of the Adventure’s people, to lofe any time in looking
for it.
As they, had how got to the northward'of Captain Carteret’s tracks, he gave
up all hopes of difcovering a continent; iilands were all he was to expedt to
find, until he returned again to the fouth. He had in the prefent and former
voyages; crofted this ocean in the latitude of 40° and upwards, without meeting
with any thing that in the leaft induced him to think he ihould find what he
was in fearch after: on the contrary, every thing confpired to make him believe
that there is no fouthern continent between the meridian of America and New-
Zealand; at leaft, this paffage did not produce any indifputable figns of any.
For this fuppofition he gives many fatisfadtory reafons, too l«png for infertion here.
The 6th, in latitude 21°, they faw flying fifties, gannets, and egg-birds. They
daily faw flying fifties, albacores, dolphins, &c. but neither by ftriking, nor
with hook and line, could they catch any of them: this required fome drt, which
none of the people were mafters of. This day a boat was hoifted out,, and
Captain Furneaux fent for to dinner, from whom they learnt that his people
were much better: the flux had left them, and the fcurvy was at a ftand*
Some cyder which he happened to have, and which he gave to the fcorbutick
people, contributed not a little to this happy change. About eight o’clock in
the evening, after two hours calm, and fome heavy ihowers o f rain, they got
the trade wind at S. E. upon which Captain Cook diredted his courfe to the
W. N. W. as well by keeping in the ftrength of it, to get to the north of the
¡Hands difcovered in his former voyage, as to have the chance of difcovering
any other iilands that may lay in the Way. During the day-light they made all
the fail they could, but at night either run under an eaiy fail, or lay to.
On the n th , at day break, land Was feen to the fouth: this, upon a nearer p- *4r<
approach, they found to be an ifland of about two leagues in extent, clothed
with Wood, above which the côcoa nut trees ihewed their lofty heads. Captain^
Cook judged it to be one of thofe ifles difcovered by Mohfieur Bougainville.
It lies in latitude 17*24.’ fouth, longitude 1410 39’ weft. He called it after the
name of the ftiip, Refolutiort Ifland. The fickly ftate erf the Adventure's crew
rendering it neceffary for him to make the beft o f his Way to Otaheite, where
he was fure of finding refreihments, he confequently did not wait to examine
this ifland, which appeared too fmall to fupply their Wants, but purfued his
courfe to the weft. At fix o’clock in the evening land was feen from the mail
head, bearing W. by S. probably this was another of •Bougainville’S difcoveries.
They named it Doubtful Ifland.
At day break, on the 12th, they difcovered land right a-head, diftant about p.-14^
two miles ; fo that day light made known to them their danger but juft in
time. This proved another of thofe low or half drowned iilands, or rather
a large coral ihoal of about twenty leagues in circuit: a very fmall part of it was
land, which confifted of little iflets ranged along the north fide, and connedted
by fand banks and breakers; thefe iflets are clothed with wood, among which
the cocoa nut trees were only diftinguifhable; in the middle is a large lake òr
inland fea, in which was a canoe under fail. This ifland, which was named
after Captain Furneaux, lies in latitude 17° 5’ fouth, longitude 1430 i'6’ weft.
Friday the 12th they faw another of thefe low iilands, itt latitude 17*4’ fbuth,
longitude 1440 30’ weft, which obtained the nattie o fAft Venture Iflaird. Monfieur
Bougainville very properly calls this clufter of low iflands thé Dangerous
Archipelago. The fmoothnefs of thé fea fufficièntlÿ convinced them that
L 1 2 they