The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VII. Being the Third of the Third VoyageKing, James
History
The Three Voyages of Captain Cook Round the World. Vol. VII. Being the Third of the Third Voyage
King, James
Cook, James, 1728-1779 -- Travel; Explorers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Voyages around the world -- History -- 18th century
They rested this night at a hut in the second wood, and on the 30th,
before noon, they had got clear of the first, and found themselves about
nine miles to the north-east of the ships, toward which they directed
their march through the plantations. As they passed along, they did not
observe a single spot of ground that was capable of improvement, left
unplanted; and, indeed, it appeared, from their account, hardly possible
for the country to be cultivated to greater advantage for the purposes
of the inhabitants, or made to yield them a larger supply of necessaries
for their subsistence. They were surprised to meet with several fields
of hay; and on inquiring to what uses it was applied, were told it was
designed to cover the young tarrow grounds, in order to preserve them
from being scorched by the sun. They saw a few scattered huts amongst
the plantations, which served for occasional shelter to the labourers;
but no villages at a greater distance than four or five miles from the
sea. Near one of them, about four miles from the bay, they found a cave
forty fathoms long, three broad, and of the same height. It was open at
both ends; the sides were fluted, as if wrought with a chissel, and the
surface glazed over, probably by the action of fire.
Having given this account of the most material circumstances that
occurred on the expedition to the snowy mountain, I shall now return to
the other islands that remain to be described.
The island next in size, and nearest in situation, to Owhyhee, is MOWEE;
which lies at the distance of eight leagues north north-west from the
former, and is 140 geographical miles in circumference. A low isthmus
divides it into two circular peninsulas, of which that to the east is
called Whamadooa, and is double the size of the western peninsula,
called Owhyrookoo. The mountains in both rise to an exceeding great
height, having been seen by us at the distance of upward of thirty
leagues. The northern shores, like those of Owhyhee, afford no
soundings; and the country presents the same appearance of verdure and
fertility. To the south-east, between this and the adjacent isles, we
had regular depths, with a hundred and fifty fathoms, with a sandy
bottom. From the west point, which is low, runs a shoal, stretching out
toward Ranai, to a considerable distance; and to the southward of this
is a fine spacious bay, with a sandy beach, shaded with cocoa-nut trees.
It is probable that good anchorage might be found here, with shelter
from the prevailing winds, and that the beach affords a convenient place
for landing. The country behind presents a most romantic appearance. The
hills rise almost perpendicularly, in a great variety of peaked forms;
and their steep sides, and the deep chasms between them, are covered
with trees, amongst which those of the bread-fruit were observed
particularly to abound. The tops of these hills are entirely bare, and
of a reddish brown colour. We were informed by the natives, that there
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