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
In the afternoon I made a little excursion along-shore to the westward, in
company with Mr Wales. Besides making observations on such things as we
met, we got the names of several places, which I then thought were islands;
but upon farther enquiry, I found they were districts upon the same land.
This afternoon a fish being struck by one of the natives near the
watering-place, my clerk purchased it, and sent it to me after my return
on board.
It was of a new species, something like a sun-fish, with a large long ugly
head. Having no suspicion of its being of a poisonous nature, we ordered it
to be dressed for supper; but, very luckily, the operation of drawing and
describing took up so much time, that it was too late, so that only the
liver and row were dressed, of which the two Mr Forsters and myself did but
taste. About three o'clock in the morning, we found ourselves seized with
an extraordinary weakness and numbness all over our limbs. I had almost
lost the sense of feeling; nor could I distinguish between light and heavy
bodies, of such as I had strength to move; a quart-pot, full of water, and
a feather, being the same in my hand. We each of us took an emetic, and
after that a sweat, which gave us much relief. In the morning, one of the
pigs, which had eaten the entrails, was found dead. When the natives came
on board and saw the fish hanging up, they immediately gave us to
understand it was not wholesome food, and expressed the utmost abhorrence
of it; though no one was observed to do this when the fish was to be sold,
or even after it was purchased.
On the 8th, the guard and a party of men were on shore as usual. In the
afternoon, I received a message from the officer, acquainting me that
Teabooma the chief was come with a present consisting of a few yams and
sugar-canes. In return, I sent him, amongst other articles, a dog and a
bitch, both young, but nearly full grown. The dog was red and white, but
the bitch was all red, or the colour of an English fox. I mention this,
because they may prove the Adam and Eve of their species in that country.
When the officer returned on board in the evening, he informed me that the
chief came, attended by about twenty men, so that it looked like a visit of
ceremony. It was some time before he would believe the dog and bitch were
intended for him; but as soon as he was convinced, he seemed lost in an
excess of joy, and sent them away immediately.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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