A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World Volume 2Cook, James
History
A Voyage Towards the South Pole and Round the World Volume 2
Cook, James
Antarctica; Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
Being little wind next morning, we weighed and warped the ship into the
Cove, and there moored with the two bowers. We unbent the sails to repair
them; several having been split, and otherwise damaged in the late gale.
The main and fore courses, already worn to the very utmost, were condemned
as useless. I ordered the top-masts to be struck and unrigged, in order to
fix to them moveable chocks or knees, for want of which the trestle-trees
were continually breaking; the forge to be set up, to make bolts and repair
our iron-work; and tents to be erected on shore for the reception of a
guard, coopers, sail-makers, etc. I likewise gave orders that vegetables (of
which there were plenty) should be boiled every morning with oatmeal and
portable broth for breakfast, and with pease and broth every day for dinner
for the whole crew, over and above their usual allowance of salt meat.
In the afternoon, as Mr Wales was setting up his observatory, he discovered
that several trees, which were standing when we last sailed from this
place, had been cut down with saws and axes; and a few days after, the
place where an observatory, clock, etc. had been set up, was also found, in
a spot different from that where Mr Wales had placed his. It was,
therefore, now no longer to be doubted, that the Adventure had been in this
cove after we had left it.
Next day, wind southerly; hazy clouded weather. Every body went to work at
their respective employments, one of which was to caulk the ship's sides, a
thing much wanted. The seams were paid with putty, made with cook's fat and
chalk; the gunner happening to have a quantity of the latter on board.
The 21st, wind southerly, with continual rains.
The weather being fair in the afternoon of the 22d, accompanied by the
botanists, I visited our gardens on Motuara, which we found almost in a
state of nature, having been wholly neglected by the inhabitants.
Nevertheless, many articles were in a flourishing condition, and shewed how
well they liked the soil in which they were planted. None of the natives
having yet made their appearance, we made a fire on the point of the
island, in hopes, if they saw the smoke, they might be induced to come to
us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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