The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. V. Being the First of the Third VoyageCook, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. V. Being the First of the Third Voyage
Cook, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
With a gentle breeze at east, we got up with it before ten o’clock in
the morning, and I immediately dispatched Mr. Gore, with two boats, to
endeavour to land, and get some food for our cattle. As there seemed to
be no inhabitants here to obstruct our taking away whatever we might
think proper, I was confident of his being able to make amends for our
late disappointment, if the landing could be effected. There was a reef
here surrounding the land, as at Wateeoo, and a considerable surf
breaking against the rocks; notwithstanding which, our boats no sooner
reached the lee, or west side of the island, but they ventured in, and
Mr. Gore and his party got safe on shore. I could, from the ship, see
that they had succeeded so far; and I immediately sent a small boat to
know what farther assistance was wanting. She did not return till three
o’clock in the afternoon, having waited to take in a lading of what
useful produce the island afforded. As soon as she was cleared she was
sent again for another cargo; the jolly boat was also dispatched, and
Mr. Gore was ordered to be on board, with all the boats, before night;
which was complied with.
The supply obtained here, consisted of about a hundred cocoa-nuts for
each ship; and besides this refreshment for ourselves, we got for our
cattle some grass, and a quantity of the leaves and branches of young
cocoa-trees, and of the _wharra_ tree, as it is called at Otaheite, the
_pandanus_ of the East Indies. This latter being of a soft, spungy,
juicy nature, the cattle ate it very well, when cut into small pieces;
so that it might be said, without any deviation from truth, that we fed
them upon billet wood.
This island lies in the latitude of 19° 51ʹ S. and the longitude of 201°
37ʹ E. about three or four leagues from Wateeoo, the inhabitants of
which called it Otakootaia; and sometimes they spoke of it under the
appellation of _Wenooa-ette_, which signifies little island. Mr.
Anderson who was on shore with our party, and walked round it, guessed
that it could not be much more than three miles in circuit. From him I
also learned the following particulars. The beach within the reef, is
composed of a white coral sand; above which, the land within does not
rise above six or seven feet, and is covered with a light reddish soil;
but is entirely destitute of water.
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