Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World
Cook had taken on board at the Cape as many cattle, horses, bulls, cows,
goats, and sheep as he could stow, with a view of landing them at Tahiti
or elsewhere, and it is without surprise that we learn that after several
weeks in these stormy seas a good many of them had died. When we consider
the size of the ships the wonder is where they found room for these
animals.
On January 26th the ships arrived in Tasmania, and anchored in Adventure
Bay, principally with a view of getting fodder for the remaining cattle.
Pigs were left here, according to Cook's usual custom.
After four days the ships sailed, and arrived in Queen Charlotte's Sound,
New Zealand, on February 12th, 1777. Here Cook learnt the history of the
attack on the Adventure's boat's crew from the chief who led it, but made
no attempt at reprisals, although urged by many other natives to kill
him. He seems to have been guided by the consideration that, as related
by the natives, it was a dishonest act of barter on the part of one of
the sailors which commenced the disturbance; and that occurring so long
before, no good purpose would be served by punishment. It says much for
his humane treatment of natives.
On leaving this, Cook records that he had at different times left about a
dozen pigs in New Zealand. These increased, and stocked the whole island
by the time the English settlers arrived.
On the way to Tahiti Cook fell across several islands belonging to what
was afterwards called after him, the Cook Group. He visited Mangaia,
Atiu, Takutea,* (* Spelt by Cook Mangeea, Wateeo, and Otakootaia.) and
the Hervey Islands. Relations were established with the natives, and Cook
was much interested at finding on Atiu three natives of the Society
Islands, the survivors of twelve, who had been blown away in a canoe, and
landed on this island, five hundred miles distant. As he remarks, this
throws great light on the manner in which the different islands of the
Pacific have been peopled.
Cook now made up his mind that he was too late to prosecute discovery
this year on the American Continent, it being well into April, and being
anxious to save the remaining cattle that he wished to land at Tahiti,
and which had been taken on board especially for this purpose, the island
being still far to windward, he bore away for the Friendly Islands for
fodder and refreshments. He landed on Palmerston on the way--an island
discovered last voyage--and arrived at Namuka* (* Cook's Anamooka.) on
May 1st, with not a sick man in the ships.
The ships remained in the Friendly Group for two months and a half,
visiting and mapping the different islands, and learning much of the
manners of this interesting race, seeing their great concerted dances,
and the ceremonies of coming of age of the heir to the throne. Cook here
first became acquainted with the mysterious rite of Tabu, which was
closely connected with his own death. A selection of useful animals,
including horses, were left at Tongatabu.
While at the Friendly Islands Cook heard of the Fiji Group, and saw some
of the natives, who had come over in a canoe. The intelligence he was
able to gather concerning them was imperfect, and he saw no reason to
justify a long detour to leeward to search for them, when his object was
to stock the Society Islands with the animals he had. Had he known their
size and importance, his course might possibly have been different. As it
was, he sailed for Tahiti, and discovering Tubuai, one of the Austral
Group, on his passage, arrived there on August 13th, 1777.
Six weeks were spent here, and the old friendships further cemented.
Bulls and cows and other animals were presented to the king. Cook also
attended at several ceremonies consequent on war being declared against
Eimeo, which included the offering of the dead body of a man, previously
killed for the purpose, to the war god. He positively refused to aid in
this war, which very shortly came to an end.
Eimeo was next visited, and here the theft of a goat, which Cook intended
to land at Huaheine, induced him to take severe measures to get it back.
Several war canoes and houses were destroyed before it was returned. At
Huaheine, Omai was established, with many valuable European articles in
his possession. Here again Cook acted with considerable severity in the
case of a thief cutting off his ears, and confining him on board. His
action has been questioned, but considering his humane character, and the
judgment that he always displayed in these questions, we are justified in
believing that he had good reason for departing from his ordinary custom
of mild treatment of natives. At Ulietea, or Raiatea, next visited, a
midshipman and a seaman of the Discovery deserted. Cook took his usual
step of confining some natives of importance, and informing their
relatives that they would be retained until the deserters were returned.
In this case he impounded the king's son and daughter, with the desired
effect, as the stragglers were soon brought back from Bolabola, whither
they had gone; but both Cook and Captain Clerke were nearly captured by
the natives when on shore in the interval.
It is only surprising that more of Cook's people did not attempt to
remain in these pleasant islands. The hardships of the sea press much on
certain natures, and the allurements of the easy and careless life of a
tropical island offered such a contrast, that it scarcely required the
desire of the natives to get white men with their superior knowledge, and
above all superior arms, to remain with them, to induce them to desert.
This last, however, made desertion more easy, and had not Cook taken
strong measures, no doubt the epidemic would have spread.
After visiting Bolabola, Cook sailed north, to prosecute the main object
of his voyage, the exploration of the north-west coast of America. On
December 24th he fell in with Christmas Island, which he so named from
the season. After mapping it, and getting many turtle, he continued his
course to the north, and discovered Atooi or Kauai, the western island of
the Sandwich Group.
Communicating with this island and another, he finally left on February
3rd, 1778, and on March 7th made the coast of North America, a little
south of the Columbia River. Gales ensued, and Cook missed the entrance
of Juan de Fuca Strait, making the land again a little north of it.
Anchoring first in Nootka Sound in Vancouver Island--though Cook did not
know it was an island--the ships continued their exploration to the
north-west, skirting the coast as near as stormy weather permitted them,
and calling at various places until the north-west extremity of the
Alaska Peninsula was reached. In one place, afterwards called Cook's
River, it was hoped that the desired passage eastward was found; but it
was soon discovered that it was merely an inlet.
Passing through the Aleutian Chain, east of Unalaska, Cook visited that
island, and continued his voyage through the Bering Sea, clinging to the
land as much as possible, and finally got into Bering Strait. Here he had
both continents in sight, and communicated with both sides.
Standing further north, he, in latitude 70 degrees 30 minutes north, came
across the icy barrier of the Arctic Sea. After vainly trying for a
passage in fog and strong wind, surrounded by loose ice, and after
mapping a good deal of the shores on both sides, the ships again turned
south at the end of August, exploring as they went first on the Asiatic
side, and afterwards on the American, especially examining Norton Sound.
In the beginning of October they once more arrived at Unalaska, and the
Resolution having sprung a dangerous leak, the opportunity was taken to
stop it.
On October 26th the ships sailed for the Sandwich Islands, where Cook had
determined to winter, for the double purpose of refreshing his crew,
gaining more knowledge of the Group, and being in a convenient position
for resuming his exploration in the spring.
The voyage just accomplished was very remarkable, whether for the amount
of coast mapped, which extended for between three and four thousand
miles, or for the determination with which it was prosecuted in
tempestuous and thick weather, on a most dangerous and inhospitable
coast, part of the time in ice. The crews were perfectly healthy, with no
sign of scurvy, and he brought both his ships off without any damage.
Maui, another of the Sandwich Group, was made on November 26th, and after
communicating, the ships stood over to Owhyhee (Hawaii). Wind was against
them, and it was not until January 17th that the two ships, having passed
along the north side of the island to the eastward, at last anchored in
Kealakekua Bay, on the south-west side.
The events which followed the arrival of the ships at Hawaii, which
terminated in Captain Cook's death, were not understood at the time, but
have been elucidated by the inquiries of the early missionaries, which
throw much light upon the beliefs of the islanders.
It appears that a tradition existed that a chief of earlier times, one
Rono, Orono, or Lono (the R and the L in the Pacific languages are almost
interchangeable), had, after killing his wife, become frantically insane,
and after travelling through the islands boxing and wrestling with all he
met, had departed in a canoe, prophesying that he would some day return
in an island with trees, hogs, and dogs. He was deified, and temples
erected in his honour.
When Cook's ships arrived it was believed that the prophecy was
fulfilled. Rono had returned as he had said, and the natives flocked to
do him honour. When Cook landed he was received with adoration, the
crowds prostrating themselves, and the priests escorting him with much
ceremony. Led to a temple, he was clothed with red cloth, had pigs
offered to him, and was generally treated in a manner which, though
satisfactory as showing the friendly feelings of the natives, was
puzzling to the Europeans. This continued throughout their stay, presents
of all kinds being showered upon them. The officers, however, observed
that the warrior chiefs were not so enthusiastic as the priests and
common people. The death of a seaman, who was buried on shore in the
presence of a large concourse, would seem to have been the first
circumstance that threw doubts upon the godlike character of the
visitors; but the ready way in which the fence of a Morai or sacred
inclosure, which included various images, was granted for fuel, shows
that the priests still held to their idea. The king, Taraiopu (or
Terreooboo, as his name was written by Captain King), arrived shortly
after the ships anchored, and showed himself to be as much impressed with
the public belief as any of his subjects.
Thus matters continued during the eighteen days the ships remained; but
towards the end of this time the natives began to show anxiety that they
should be gone. The drain of hogs and other provisions, which were poured
upon the visitors, doubtless led to anxious thoughts as to how long this
was to last; and probably those members of the community who were less
amenable to the influence of the priests, and were jealous of their own
authority, were by no means so certain that the popular opinion of the
supernatural nature of the white men was correct.
The ships sailed on February 4th, but, as ill-luck had it, the Resolution
sprung her foremast in a gale, and Cook resolved to return to Kealakekua
Bay for repairs. Here they again anchored on the 11th.
Their reception was, however, very different.
No crowd of canoes round the ship; no enthusiastic mass of natives on
shore. Everything was silence.
What had happened was that the king had departed, leaving the bay under
"tabu," i.e., a sacred interdict.