The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. I. Being the First of the First Voyage.Cook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. I. Being the First of the First Voyage.
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
The land of Ulietea and Otaha is hilly, broken, and irregular, except on
the sea-coast, yet the hills look green and pleasant, and are, in many
places, clothed with wood. The several particulars in which these
islands, and their inhabitants, differ from what we had observed, at
Otaheite, have been mentioned in the course of the narrative.
We pursued our course without any event worthy of note till the 13th,
about noon, when we saw land bearing S. E., which Tupia told us was an
island called OHETEROA. About six in the evening, we were within two or
three leagues of it, upon which I shortened sail, and stood off and on
all night; the next morning stood in for the land. We ran to leeward of
the island, keeping close in shore, and saw several of the natives,
though in no great numbers, upon the beach. At nine o’clock I sent Mr.
Gore, one of my lieutenants, in the pinnace, to endeavour to land upon
the island, and learn from the natives whether there was anchorage in a
bay then in sight, and what land lay farther to the southward. Mr. Banks
and Dr. Solander accompanied Mr. Gore in this expedition, and as they
thought Tupia might be useful, they took him with them.
As the boat approached the shore, those on board perceived the natives
to be armed with long lances: as they did not intend to land till they
got round a point which runs out at a little distance, they stood along
the coast, and the natives, therefore, very probably thought they were
afraid of them. They had now got together to the number of about sixty,
and all of them sat down upon the shore, except two, who were dispatched
forward to observe the motions of those in the boat. These men, after
walking abreast of her some time, at length leaped into the water, and
swam towards her, but were soon left behind; two more then appeared, and
attempted to board her in the same manner, but they also were soon left
behind; a fifth man then ran forward alone, and having got a good way
a-head of the boat before he took to the water, easily reached her. Mr.
Banks urged the officer to take him in, thinking it a good opportunity
to get the confidence and good-will of a people, who then certainly
looked upon them as enemies, but he obstinately refused; this man,
therefore, was left behind like the others, and so was a sixth, who
followed him.
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