A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1Cook, James
History
A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World, Volume 1
Cook, James
Antarctica; Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
I was led into these reflections, by not being able to recollect the face
of any one person I had seen here three years ago: Nor did it once appear,
that any one of them had the least knowledge of me, or of any person with
me that was here at that time. It is therefore highly probable that the
greatest part of the people which inhabited this sound in the beginning of
the year 1770, have been since driven out of it, or have, of their own
accord, removed somewhere else. Certain it is, that not one third of the
inhabitants were here now, that were then. Their stronghold on the point of
Motuara hath been long deserted; and we found many forsaken habitations in
all parts of the sound. We are not, however, wholly to infer from this,
that this place hath been once very populous; for each family may, for
their own convenience, when they move from place to place, have more huts
than one or two.
It may be asked, if these people had never seen the Endeavour, nor any of
her crew, how could they become acquainted with the name of Tupia, or have
in their possession (which many of them had) such articles, as they could
only have got from that ship? To this it may be answered, that the name of
Tupia was so popular among them when the Endeavour was here, that it would
be no wonder if, at this time, it was known over great part of New Zealand,
and as familiar to those who never saw him, as to those who did. Had ships,
of any other nation whatever, arrived here, they would have equally
enquired of them for Tupia. By the same way of reasoning, many of the
articles left here by the Endeavour, may be now in possession of those who
never saw her. I got from one of the people, now present, an ear ornament,
made of glass very well formed and polished. The glass they must have got
from the Endeavour.
After passing about an hour on Motuara with these people, and having
distributed among them some presents, and shewed to the chief the gardens
we had made, I returned on board, and spent the remainder of our royal
master's birth-day in festivity; having the company of Captain Furneaux and
all his officers. Double allowance enabled the seamen to share in the
general joy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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