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
During the night, and also all the 11th, the volcano was exceedingly
troublesome, and made a terrible noise, throwing up prodigious columns
of fire and smoke at each explosion, which happened every three or four
minutes; and, at one time, great stones were seen high in the air.
Besides the necessary work of wooding and watering, we struck the
main-top-mast to fix new trestle-trees and back-stays. Mr. Forster and
his party went up the hill on the west side of the harbour, where he
found three places from whence smoke of a sulphureous smell issued,
through cracks or fissures in the earth. The ground about these was
exceedingly hot, and parched or burnt, and they seemed to keep pace with
the volcano, for at every explosion of the latter, the quantity of smoke
or steam in these was greatly increased, and forced out so as to rise in
small columns, which we saw from the ship, and had taken for common
fires made by the natives. At the foot of this hill are the hot springs
before mentioned.
In the afternoon Mr. Forster, having begun his botanical researches on
the other side of the harbour, fell in with our friend Paowang’s house,
where he saw most of the articles I had given him, hanging on the
adjoining trees and bushes, as if they were not worthy of being under
his roof.
On the 12th, some of the officers accompanied Mr. Forster to the hot
places he had been at the preceding day. A thermometer placed in a
little hole made in one of them, rose from 80, at which it stood in the
open air, to 170. Several other parts of the hill emitted smoke or steam
all the day, and the volcano was unusually furious, insomuch, that the
air was loaded with its ashes. The rain which fell at this time, was a
compound of water, sand, and earth; so that it properly might be called
showers of mire. Whichever way the wind was, we were plagued with the
ashes; unless it blew very strong indeed from the opposite direction.
Notwithstanding the natives seemed well enough satisfied with the few
expeditions we had made in the neighbourhood; they were unwilling we
should extend them farther. As a proof of this, some undertook to guide
the gentlemen when they were in the country, to a place where they might
see the mouth of the volcano. They very readily embraced the offer; and
were conducted down to the harbour, before they perceived the cheat.
The 13th, wind at N. E., gloomy weather. The only thing worthy of note
this day was, that Paowang being at dinner with us on board, I took the
opportunity to show him several parts of the ship, and various articles,
in hopes of finding out something which they might value, and be induced
to take from us in exchange for refreshments; for what we got of this
kind was trifling. But he looked on every thing that was shown him with
the utmost indifference; nor did he take notice of any one thing except
a wooden sand-box, which he seemed to admire, and turned two or three
times over in his hand.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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