Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
into the Ground. These Green Talk Axes that are whole and good they set
much Value upon, and never would part with them for anything we could
offer.* (* The weapons of greenstone, found in the South Islands, were
much prized. This hard material required years to shape into a mere, or
short club, and these were handed down from father to son as a most
valuable possession.) I offer'd one day for one, One of the best Axes I
had in the Ship, besides a number of Other things, but nothing would
induce the owner to part with it; from this I infer'd that good ones were
scarce among them.
Diversions and Musical instruments they have but few; the latter Consists
of 2 or 3 sorts of Trumpets and a small Pipe or Whistle, and the former
in singing and Dancing. Their songs are Harmonious enough, but very
doleful to a European ear. In most of their dances they appear like mad
men, Jumping and Stamping with their feet, making strange Contorsions
with every part of the body, and a hideous noise at the same time; and if
they happen to be in their Canoes they flourish with great Agility their
Paddles, Pattoo Pattoos, various ways, in the doing of which, if there
are ever so many boats and People, they all keep time and Motion together
to a surprizing degree. It was in this manner that they work themselves
to a proper Pitch of Courage before they used to attack us; and it was
only from their after behaviour that we could tell whether they were in
jest or in Earnest when they gave these Heivas, as they call them, of
their own accord, especially at our first coming into a place. Their
signs of Friendship is the waving the hand or a piece of Cloth, etc.
We were never able to learn with any degree of certainty in what manner
they bury their dead; we were generally told that they put them in the
ground; if so it must be in some secret or by place, for we never saw the
least signs of a burying place in the whole Country.* (* The burying
places were kept secret. The body was temporarily buried, and after some
time exhumed; the bones were cleaned, and hidden in some cave or cleft in
the rocks. As bones were used by enemies to make implements, it was a
point to keep these depositories secret, to prevent such desecration.)
Their Custom of mourning for a friend or relation is by cutting and
Scarifying their bodys, particularly their Arms and breasts, in such a
manner that the Scars remain indelible, and, I believe, have some
signification such as to shew how near related the deceased was to them.
[Maori and Tahiti Words.]
With respect to religion, I believe these people trouble themselves very
little about it; they, however, believe that there is one Supream God,
whom they call Tawney,* (* Probably Tane-mahuta, the creator of animal
and vegetable life. The Maori does not pray.) and likewise a number of
other inferior deities; but whether or no they worship or Pray to either
one or the other we know not with any degree of certainty. It is
reasonable to suppose that they do, and I believe it; yet I never saw the
least Action or thing among them that tended to prove it. They have the
same Notions of the Creation of the World, Mankind, etc., as the people
of the South Sea Islands have; indeed, many of their notions and Customs
are the very same. But nothing is so great a proof of their all having
had one Source as their Language, which differ but in a very few words
the one from the other, as will appear from the following specimens,
which I had from Mr. Banks, who understands their Language as well, or
better than, any one on board.
COLUMN 1: ENGLISH.
COLUMN 2: NEW ZEALAND.
COLUMN 3: SOUTH SEA ISLANDS.
A Chief : Eareete : Eare.
A Man : Taata : Taata.
A Woman : Ivahina : Ivahine.
The Head : Eupo : Eupo.
The Hair : Macauve : --.
The Ear : Terringa : Terrea.
The Forehead : Erai : Erai.
The Eyes : Matu : Matu.
The Cheek : Paparinga : Paparea.
The Nose : Ahewh : Ahew.
The Mouth : Hangoutou : Outou.
The Chinn : Ecouwai : --.
The Teeth : Hennihu : Nihio.
The Arm : Haringaringu : Rema.
The Finger : Maticara : Maneow.
The Belly : Ateraboo : Oboo.
The Naval : Apeto : Peto.
Come here : Haromai : Haromai.
Fish : Heica : Eyca.
A Lobster : Kooura : Tooura.
Coccos : Taro : Taro.
Sweet Potatoes : Cumala : Cumala.
Yamms : Tuphwhe : Tuphwhe.
Birds : Mannu : Mannu.
The Wind : Mebaw : Mattai.
A Thief : Amootoo : Teto.
To examine : Mataketake : Mataibai.
To sing : Eheiva : Heiva.
Bad : Keno : Eno.
Trees : Oratou : Eraou.
Grand Father : Toubouna : Toubouna.
Friend : -- : Tio.
No : Kaoura : Oure.
Number 1 : Tahai : Tahai.
Number 2 : Rua : Rua.
Number 3 : Torou : Torou.
Number 4 : Ha : Hea.
Number 5 : Rema : Remo.
Number 6 : Ono : Ono.
Number 7 : Etu : Hetu.
Number 8 : Wharou : Wharou.
Number 9 : Iva : Hyva.
Number 10 : Angahourou : Ahourou.
What do you call this or that? : Owy Terra : Owy Terra.
[Speculations on a Southern Continent.]
There are some small differance in the Language spoke by the
Aeheinomoweans and those of Tovy Poenammu; but this differance seem'd to
me to be only in the pronunciation, and is no more than what we find
between one part of England and another. What is here inserted as a
Specimen is that spoke by the People of Aeheinomouwe. What is meant by
the South Sea Islands are those Islands we ourselves Touched at; but I
gave it that title because we have always been told that the same
Language is universally spoke by all the Islanders, and that this is a
Sufficient proof that both they and the New Zelanders have had one Origin
or Source, but where this is even time perhaps may never discover.
It certainly is neither to the Southward nor Eastward, for I cannot
perswaide myself that ever they came from America; and as to a Southern
Continent, I do not believe any such thing exist, unless in a high
Latitude. But as the Contrary opinion hath for many Years prevail'd, and
may yet prevail, it is necessary I should say something in support of
mine more than what will be directly pointed out by the Track of this
Ship in those Seas; for from that alone it will evidently appear that
there is a large space extending quite to the Tropick in which we were
not, or any other before us that we can ever learn for certain. In our
route to the Northward, after doubling Cape Horn, when in the Latitude of
40 degrees, we were in the Longitude of 110 degrees; and in our return to
the Southward, after leaving Ulietea, when in the same Latitude, we were
in the Longitude of 145 degrees; the differance in this Latitude is 35
degrees of Longitude. In the Latitude of 30 degrees the differance of the
2 Tracks is 21 degrees, and that differance continues as low as 20
degrees; but a view of the Chart will best illustrate this.
Here is now room enough for the North Cape of the Southern Continent to
extend to the Northward, even to a pretty low Latitude. But what
foundation have we for such a supposition? None, that I know of, but
this, that it must either be here or no where. Geographers have indeed
laid down part of Quiros' discoveries in this Longitude, and have told us
that he had these signs of a Continent, a part of which they have
Actually laid down in the Maps; but by what Authority I know not. Quiros,
in the Latitude of 25 or 26 degrees South, discover'd 2 Islands, which, I
suppose, may lay between the Longitude of 130 and 140 degrees West.
Dalrymple lays them down in 146 degrees West, and says that Quiros saw to
the Southward very large hanging Clouds and a very thick Horizon, with
other known signs of a Continent. Other accounts of their Voyage says not
a word about this; but supposing this to be true, hanging Clouds and a
thick Horizon are certainly no signs of a Continent--I have had many
proofs to the Contrary in the Course of this Voyage; neither do I believe
that Quiros looked upon such things as known signs of land, for if he had
he certainly would have stood to the Southward, in order to have
satisfied himself before he had gone to the Northward, for no man seems
to have had discoveries more at heart than he had. Besides this, this was
the ultimate object of his Voyage.* (* It is conjectured that what Quiros
saw was Tahiti, but his track on this voyage is very vague. There are
certainly no islands in the latitude given except Pitcairn.) If Quiros
was in the Latitude of 26 degrees and Longitude 146 degrees West, then I
am certain that no part of the Southern Continent can no where extend so
far to the Northward as the above mentioned Latitude. But the Voyage
which seems to thrust it farthest back in the Longitude I am speaking of,
viz., between 130 and 150 degrees West, is that of Admiral Roggeween, a
Dutchman, made in 1722, who, after leaving Juan Fernandes, went in search
of Davis's Island; but not finding it, he ran 12 degrees more to the
West, and in the Latitude of 28 1/2 degrees discover'd Easter Island.
Dalrymple and some others have laid it down in 27 degrees South and 106
degrees 30 minutes West, and supposes it to be the same as Davis's Isle,
which I think cannot be from the Circumstance of the Voyage; on the other
hand Mr. Pingre, in his Treatise concerning the Transit of Venus, gives
an extract of Roggeween's Voyage and a map of the South Seas, wherein he
places Easter Island in the Latitude of 28 1/2 degrees South, and in the
Longitude of 123 degrees West* (* Easter Island is in longitude 110
degrees West, and is considered identical with Davis' Island.) his reason
for so doing may be seen at large in the said Treatise. He likewise lays
down Roggeween's rout through those South Seas very different from any
other Author I have seen; for after leaving Easter Island he makes him to
steer South-West to the height of 34 degrees South, and afterwards
West-North-West. If Roggeween really took this rout, then it is not
probable that there is any Main land to the Northward of 35 degrees
South. However, Mr. Dalrymple and some Geographers have laid down
Roggeween's track very different from Mr. Pingre. From Easter Isle they
have laid down his Track to the North-West, and afterwards very little
different from that of La Maire; and this I think is not probable, that a
man who, at his own request, was sent to discover the Southern Continent
should take the same rout thro' these Seas as others had done before who
had the same thing in View; by so doing he must be Morally certain of not
finding what he was in search of, and of course must fail as they had
done. Be this as it may, it is a point that cannot be clear'd up from the
published accounts of the Voyage, which, so far from taking proper notice
of their Longitude, have not even mentioned the Latitude of several of
the Islands they discover'd, so that I find it impossible to lay down
Roggeween's rout with the least degree of accuracy.* (* Roggeween's track
is still unknown.)
But to return to our own Voyage, which must be allowed to have set aside
the most, if not all, the Arguments and proofs that have been advanced by
different Authors to prove that there must be a Southern Continent; I
mean to the Northward of 40 degrees South, for what may lie to the
Southward of that Latitude I know not. Certain it is that we saw no
Visible signs of Land, according to my Opinion, neither in our rout to
the Northward, Southward, or Westward, until a few days before we made
the Coast of New Zeland. It is true we have often seen large flocks of
Birds, but they were generally such as are always seen at a very great
distance from land; we likewise saw frequently peices of Sea or Rock
Weed, but how is one to know how far this may drive to Sea. I am told,
and that from undoubted Authority, that there is Yearly thrown up upon
the Coast of Ireland and Scotland a sort of Beans called Oxe Eyes, which
are known to grow no where but in the West Indies; and yet these 2 places