The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. IV. Being the Second of the Second Voyage.Cook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. IV. Being the Second of the Second Voyage.
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
After dinner we hoisted out three boats, and landed with a large party
of men; some to kill seals; others to catch or kill birds, fish, or what
came in our way. To find of the former, it mattered not where we landed;
for the whole shore was covered with them; and, by the noise they made,
one would have thought the island was stocked with cows and calves. On
landing, we found they were a different animal from seals, but in shape
and motion exactly resembling them. We called them lions, on account of
the great resemblance the male has to that beast. Here were also the
same kind of seals which we found in New Zealand, generally known by the
name of sea-bears; at least, we gave them that name. They were, in
general, so tame, or rather stupid, as to suffer us to come near enough
to knock them down with sticks; but the large ones we shot, not thinking
it safe to approach them. We also found on the island abundance of
penguins and shags; and the latter had young ones almost fledged, and
just to our taste. Here were geese and ducks, but not many; birds of
prey, and a few small birds. In the evening we returned on board, our
boats well laden with one thing or other.
Next day being January the 1st, 1775, finding that nothing was wanting
but a good harbour to make this a tolerable place for ships to refresh
at, whom chance or design might bring hither, I sent Mr. Gilbert over to
Staten Land in the cutter, to look for one. Appearances promised
success, in a place opposite the ship. I sent also two other boats for
the lions, &c. we had killed the preceding day; and soon after, I went
myself, and observed the sun’s meridian altitude at the N. E. end of the
island, which gave the latitude 54° 40ʹ 5ʺ south. After shooting a few
geese, some other birds, and plentifully supplying ourselves with young
shags, we returned on board, laden with sea-lions, sea-bears, &c. The
old lions and bears were killed chiefly for the sake of their blubber,
or fat, to make oil of; for, except their harslets, which were
tolerable, the flesh was too rank to be eaten with any degree of relish.
But the young cubs were very palatable; and even the flesh of some of
the old lionesses was not much amiss; but that of the old males was
abominable. In the afternoon, I sent some people on shore to skin and
cut off the fat of those which yet remained dead on shore; for we had
already more carcasses on board than necessary; and I went myself, in
another boat, to collect birds. About ten o’clock Mr. Gilbert returned
from Staten Land, where he found a good port, situated three leagues to
the westward of Cape St. John, and in the direction of north, a little
easterly, from the N. E. end of the eastern island. It may be known by
some small islands lying in the entrance. The channel, which is on the
east side of these islands, is half a mile broad. The course in is S. W.
by S. turning gradually to W. by S. and west. The harbour lies nearly in
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