Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71Cook, James
History
Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71
Cook, James
Oceania -- Discovery and exploration -- Early works to 1800; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
"I considered that watering here would be tedious and attended with great
fatigue; that it was now the depth of winter in the southern hemisphere;
that the ship was leaky, that the rudder shook in the stern very much,
and that what other damage she might have received in her bottom could
not be known. That for these reasons she was very unfit for the bad
weather which she would certainly meet with, either in going round Cape
Horn or through the Streight of Magellan; that if she should get safely
through the streight or round the Cape, it would be absolutely necessary
to refresh in some port; but in that case no port would be in her reach.
I therefore determined to make the best of my way to Tinian, Batavia, and
so to Europe by the Cape of Good Hope.
"By this rout, as far as we could judge, we should sooner be at home; and
if the ship should prove not to be in a condition to make the whole
voyage, we should still save our lives, as from this place to Batavia we
should probably have a calm sea, and be not far from a port."
These are scarcely the sentiments of a bold explorer, and we shall look
in vain for any similar ideas on the part of Cook. Here was a ship just a
year from England, just come from a convenient and friendly island, where
every refreshment and opportunity for refit were to be found, and the
only thought is how to get home again!
It was the vastly different conduct of Cook's voyages; the determination
that nothing should stop the main object of the expedition; his resource
in every difficulty and danger; that caused, and rightly caused, him to
be hailed as a born leader of such expeditions.
Wallis followed nearly on Byron's track: went from the Ladrones, through
the China Sea, to Batavia, and so home, arriving in May 1768.
The Swallow, under Captain Carteret, was navigated in a different spirit.
She was badly fitted out for such a voyage, had not even a forge, and all
the articles for trade were on board the Dolphin. But Carteret was not
easily daunted. He might, under the circumstances, when he found himself
alone, have abandoned the voyage; but he boldly went forward. Passing
from the Strait of Magellan, he touched at Juan Fernandez, and steering
somewhat south of Wallis's line, he passed south of Tahiti, discovering
Pitcairn's Island on his way, and some of the islands south of the
Paumotus.
By this time his people were severely afflicted with scurvy, and his ship
in a bad state; but Carteret only thought of getting to some place of
refreshment, from which he might afterwards pass on his voyage towards
the south, in the hope of falling in with the great southern Continent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account