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
It was found that pigs and fowls left here on the former visit were still
in existence, and presumably thriving. It may here be mentioned, that
wherever Cook touched he invariably, so far as his stock allowed, left
animals to stock the country, and that New Zealand was, when the settlers
eventually came, found to be well supplied with pigs.
After a stay of three weeks the Resolution sailed, on November 10th, for
Cape Horn. She kept farther north than on the last occasion, the object
being to pass over new ground, and more completely disprove the existence
of any land.
The western part of Tierra del Fuego being reached, Cook followed the
shore to the south-east, mapping the outside of this dangerous and
inhospitable archipelago. On December 20th he put in to what he
afterwards called Christmas Sound, where large numbers of kelp geese were
obtained, giving the crew what Cook describes as a dainty Christmas
feast, though the flesh of these birds is as tough, fishy, and
unpalatable as can well be imagined; on this occasion, however, the
seamen seemed to have concurred in the verdict of their omnivorous
commander, to whom nothing ever came amiss. Be it remembered, however,
how long they had been on salt provisions, and that the South Sea
Islands, though pleasant in many respects, produced but little solid
food--no beef, mutton, or flesh of any quadruped but pigs, and those in
not very great plenty--while New Zealand gave them nothing but fish.
Rounding Cape Horn, he passed through the Strait Le Maire, and followed
the north shore of Staten Island, anchoring at one place to obtain seals
and birds.
Whilst praising the flavour of a young seal cub, Cook is compelled to
admit that the flesh of an old sea lion is abominable; a remarkable
statement as coming from him.
Leaving Staten Island, Cook steered east and discovered South Georgia,
named after the king. He followed the north coast of this desolate and
ice-clad island, obtaining more refreshment in the shape of seals,
penguins, and shags--unpalatable, but welcome food to men who had so long
subsisted on bad salt meat. From South Georgia the ship's head was once
more turned southwards, and before many days ice was again encountered.
In stormy and thick weather the Resolution made her way, disproving the
existence of a great tract of land laid down by speculative geographers,
until January 31st, 1775, when Sandwich Land was discovered in about
latitude 60 degrees south. This ice-covered group of islands was sketched
under great difficulties from gales, fogs, snow, and numerous icebergs;
and Cook then bore away along their parallel, to seek once more for
Bouvet's Islands to the eastward.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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