Captain Cook's Journal During His First Voyage Round the World: Made in H. M. Bark "Endeavour", 1768-71Cook, James
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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
After the Ship was moved into Deeper Water I went with the Pinnace and
Yawl, mann'd and Arm'd, and landed upon the Island, accompanied by Mr.
Banks and Dr. Solander. We had scarce landed before all the Canoes left
the Ship and landed at different parts of the Island, and before we could
well look about us we were surrounded by 2 or 300 People, and,
notwithstanding that they were all Arm'd, they came upon us in such a
confused, straggling manner that we hardly suspected that they meant us
any harm; but in this we were very soon undeceived, for upon our
Endeavouring to draw a line on the sand between us and them they set up
the War dance, and immediately some of them attempted to seize the 2
Boats. Being disappointed in this, they next attempted to break in upon
us, upon which I fir'd a Musquet loaded with small Shott at one of the
Forwardest of them, and Mr. Banks and 2 of the Men fir'd immediately
after. This made them retire back a little, but in less than a minute one
of the Chiefs rallied them again. Dr. Solander, seeing this, gave him a
peppering with small Shott, which sent him off and made them retire a
Second time. They attempted to rally several times after, and only seem'd
to want some one of resolution to head them; but they were at last
intirely dispers'd by the Ship firing a few shott over their Heads and a
Musquet now and then from us. In this Skirmish only one or 2 of them was
Hurt with small Shott, for I avoided killing any one of them as much as
Possible, and for that reason withheld our people from firing. We had
observed that some had hid themselves in a Cave in one of the Rocks, and
sometime after the whole was over we went Towards them. The Chief who I
have mentioned to have been on board the Ship hapned to be one of these;
he, his wife, and another came out to meet us, but the rest made off.
Those 3 people came and sat down by us, and we gave them of such things
as we had about us. After this we went to another part of the Island,
where some of the inhabitants came to us, and were as meek as lambs.
Having taken a View of the Bay from the Island and Loaded both Boats with
Sellery, which we found here in great plenty, we return'd on board, and
at 4 A.M. hove up the Anchor in order to put to Sea, with a light breeze
at East, but it soon falling Calm, obliged us to come too again, and
about 8 or 9 o'Clock, seeing no probability of our getting to Sea, I sent
the Master to Sound the Harbour. But before this I order'd Matthew Cox,
Henry Stevens, and Emanl Parreyra to be punished with a dozen lashes each
for leaving their duty when ashore last night, and digging up Potatoes
out of one of the Plantations.* (* Cook's care to deal fairly with
natives is evinced by this punishment.) The first of the 3 I remitted
back to Confinement because he insisted that there was no harm in what he
had done. All this Forenoon had abundance of the Natives about the Ship
and some few on board. We Trafficked with them for a few Trifles, in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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