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
Atooi lies to the north-west of Woahoo, and is distant from it about
twenty-five leagues. The face of the country to the north-east and
north-west is broken and ragged; but to the south it is more even; the
hills rise with a gentle slope from the sea side, and, at some distance
back, are covered with wood. Its productions are the same with those of
the other islands; but the inhabitants far surpass all the neighbouring
islanders in the management of their plantations. In the low grounds,
adjoining to the bay where we lay at anchor, these plantations were
divided by deep and regular ditches; the fences were made with a
neatness approaching to elegance, and the roads through them were thrown
up and finished, in a manner that would have done credit to any European
engineer.
Oneeheow lies five leagues to the westward of Atooi. The eastern coast
is high, and rises abruptly from the sea, but the rest of the island
consists of low ground; excepting a round bluff head on the south-east
point. It produces abundance of yams, and of the sweet root called
_Tee_; but we got from it no other sort of provisions.
Oreehoua and Tahoora are two small islands in the neighbourhood of
Oneeheow. The former is a single high hummock, joined by a reef of coral
rocks, to the northern extremity of Oneeheow. The latter lies to the
south-east, and is uninhabited.
The climate of the Sandwich Islands differs very little from that of the
West India Islands, which lie in the same latitude. Upon the whole,
perhaps, it may be rather more temperate. The thermometer on shore in
Karakakooa Bay never rose higher than 88°, and that but one day; its
mean height, at noon, was 83°. In Wymoa Bay, its mean height at noon was
76°, and when out at sea, 75°. The mean height of the thermometer at
noon, in Jamaica, is about 86°, at sea 80°.
Whether they be subject to the same violent winds and hurricanes, we
could not discover, as we were not there in any of the stormy months.
However, as the natives gave us no positive testimony of the fact, and
no traces of their effects were any where visible, it is probable that,
in this respect, they resemble the Society and Friendly Islands, which
are in a great measure free from these dreadful visitations.
During the four winter months that we remained amongst these islands,
there was more rain, especially in the interior parts, than usually fall
during the dry season, in the islands of the West Indies. We generally
saw clouds collecting round the tops of the hills, and producing rain to
leeward; but after they are separated from the land by the wind, they
disperse, and are lost, and others succeed in their place. This happened
daily at Owhyhee: the mountainous parts being generally enveloped in a
cloud; successive showers falling in the inland country; with fine
weather, and a clear sky at the sea shore.
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