[8] "Here, however, as in all other societies of men, we found exceptions to the general character, and had reason to lament the behaviour of vicious individuals. Dr Sparrman and myself having left the beach where the Latoo attracted the attention of all our people, entered the wood in pursuit of farther discoveries in our branch of science. The first discharge of my fowling-piece at a bird brought three natives towards us, with whom we entered into conversation, as far as our superficial knowledge of their tongue would permit. Soon after, Dr Sparrman stepped aside into a thicket in search of a bayonet, which he had lost from the end of his musket. One of the natives, finding the temptation of the moment irresistible, grasped my fowling-piece, and struggled to wrest it from me. I called to my companion, and the two other natives ran away, unwilling to become the accomplices in this attack. In the struggle, our feet were entangled in a bush, and we both fell together; but the native, seeing he could not gain his point, and perhaps dreading the arrival of Dr Sparrman, got up before me, and took that opportunity of running off. My friend joined me immediately; and we concluded, that if there was something treacherous or vicious in the behaviour of this fellow, our separation was also imprudent, because it had furnished him with an opportunity to exercise his talents."--G.F.
In heaving in the coasting cable, it parted in the middle of its length, being chafed by the rocks. By this accident we lost the other half, together with the anchor, which lay in forty fathoms water, without any buoy to it. The best bower-cable suffered also by the rocks; by which a judgment may be formed of this anchorage. At ten o'clock we got under sail; but as our decks were much encumbered with fruit, &c. we kept plying under the land till they were cleared.[9] The supplies we got at this isle, were about one hundred and fifty pigs, twice that number of fowls, as many bananoes and cocoa-nuts as we could find room for, with a few yams; and had our stay been longer, we no doubt might have got a great deal more. This in some degree shews the fertility of the island, of which, together with the neighbouring one of Middleburg, I shall now give a more particular account.
[9] "We had made such good use of the four months, after our departure from New Zealand, as to have crossed the South Sea in the middle latitudes, in the depth of winter, examined a space of more than forty degrees of longitude between the tropics, and refreshed our people at Otaheite, the Society Islands, and the Friendly Islands, during one and thirty days. The season for prosecuting our discoveries in high southern latitudes advanced, and the savage rocks of New Zealand were only to give us shelter, whilst we changed our fair-weather rigging, for such as might resist the storms and vigours of more inhospitable climates."--G.F.
SECTION III.
A Description of the Islands and their Produce; with the Cultivation, Houses, Canoes, Navigation, Manufactures, Weapons, Customs, Government, Religion, and Language of the Inhabitants. [1]
[1] This subject is resumed in the account of Cook's third voyage, to which we refer for additional information. A few observations, however, are here given from the works already mentioned, as deserving the reader's immediate attention.--E.
These islands were first discovered by Captain Tasman, in January, 1642-3, and by him called Amsterdam and Middleburg. But the former is called by the natives Ton-ga-ta-bu, and the latter Ea-oo-wee. They are situated between the latitude of 21° 29' and 21° 3' south, and between the longitude of 174° 40' and 175° 15' west, deduced from observations made on the spot.
Middleburg, or Eaoowee, which is the southernmost, is about ten leagues in circuit, and of a height sufficient to be seen twelve leagues. The skirts of this isle are mostly taken up in the plantations; the S.W. and N.W. sides especially. The interior parts are but little cultivated, though very fit for cultivation. However, the want of it added greatly to the beauty of the isle; for here are, agreeably dispersed, groves of cocoa-nut and other trees, lawns covered with thick grass, here and there plantations, and paths leading to every part of the island, in such beautiful disorder, as greatly enlivens the prospect.[2]
[2] "Next to the Society Isles, for richness of productions, and beauty of appearance, we must place that group discovered by the Dutch navigator Tasman, and not unaptly to be distinguished by the name of Friendly Isles, from the peaceable kind disposition of their inhabitants. They are raised so high above the level of the sea, that they can no longer rank with the low islands; and being destitute of mountains, they are equally distinct from the high islands. They are extremely populous, and their uniform surface, therefore, gives the people an opportunity of carrying cultivation very far; and from one end to the other, they are intersected by paths and fences, which divide the plantations. At first, one might be apt to think that this high cultivation would give the botanist very scanty supplies of spontaneous plants; but it is the peculiar beauty of these elegant isles to join the useful to the agreeable in nature, by which means a variety of different wild species thrive among more that are cultivated in that pleasing disorder, which is so much admired in the gardens of this kingdom."--F.
The anchorage, which I named English Road, being the first who anchored there, is on the N.W. side, in latitude 21° 20' 30" south. The bank is a coarse sand; it extends two miles from the land, and on it there is from twenty to forty fathoms water. The small creek before it affords convenient landing for boats at all times of the tide; which here, as well as at the other islands, rises about four or five feet, and is high water on the full and change days about seven o'clock. The island of Tongatabu is shaped something like an isosceles triangle, the longest sides whereof are seven leagues each, and the shortest four. It lies nearly in the direction of E.S.E. and W.N.W.; is nearly all of an equal height, rather low, not exceeding sixty or eighty feet above the level of the sea. This island, and also that of Eaoowee, is guarded from the sea by a reef of coral rocks, extending out from the shore one hundred fathoms more or less. On this reef the force of the sea is spent before it reaches the land or shore. Indeed, this is in some measure the situation of all the tropical isles in this sea that I have seen; and thus nature has effectually secured them from the encroachments of the sea, though many of them are mere points when compared to this vast ocean. Van Diemen's Road, where we anchored, is under the northwest part of the island, between the most northern and western points. There lies a reef of rocks without it, bearing N.W. by W., over which the sea breaks continually. The bank does not extend more than three cables length from the shore; without that, is an unfathomable depth. The loss of an anchor, and the damage our cables sustained, are sufficient proofs that the bottom is none of the best.