Chapter Twenty Six.
Captain Cook’s Second Voyage—A.D. 1772.
Supposed great southern land—Exploring expedition formed—Captain Cook appointed commander—Equipment of the Resolution and Adventure—Sail from Plymouth—Reported discovery by the French—Steer south—Land-like appearance of the ice—Intense cold—Separation of the ships—Icebergs—Sail from the Antarctic regions for New Zealand—Reach Dusky Bay—Health of the crew—Intercourse with the natives—Visit the ship—Garden planted—Live stock left—Sail for Queen Charlotte’s Sound—Fall in with the Adventure—Traffic with the natives—Voyage continued—Scurvy on board Captain Furneaux’s ship—Sail for Otaheite—Nearly on a reef—Natives visit the ship—Propensity to steal—Treatment—Interview with the King—Sail for Matavia Bay—Sail for Huaheine—Behaviour of the chief—A native is taken on board—Leave the Society Islands—Steer for Middleburg and Amsterdam—Reception—Description of the country—Object of the voyage continued—Quantities of ice—Illness of the commander—Easter Island—Ancient monuments—Sail for the Marquesas—Anchor at Nombre de Dios—The Indians come on board—A savage killed—Return to Otaheite—Native expedition against Eimeo—Voyage continued—Savage Island—The Tonga group—At Erromongo—Quarrel with the natives—Tamia—Native cultivation—A new island discovered—Reception by the natives—New Caledonia—Norfolk Island—News of the Adventure—Reach Christmas Sound—The natives—Sandwich Land—Vain search for Cape Circumcision—Steer for the Cape of Good Hope—News of an accident which befell the Adventure—Sail for England—Results of the voyage.
Before the return of Captain Cook to England it was supposed that New Guinea, New Holland, and New Zealand formed one great southern land, denominated Terra Australis Incognita. Though he had proved that these were islands, it was still supposed that there existed a great southern land, which had been seen by a French officer, Captain Bouvet, in 1739.
To determine whether such a land did exist, it was resolved to send out another expedition, the command of which was offered to Captain Cook. He gladly accepted it, and chose two vessels—the Resolution, of four hundred and sixty-two tons, on board of which he sailed, and the Adventure, of three hundred and thirty-six tons, of which Captain Tobias Furneaux was made commander. Two astronomers, Messrs Wales and Bayley; three naturalists, Mr Foster and his son, a Swede—Dr Sparrmann; and a landscape painter, accompanied the expedition.
An abundant supply of provisions of an anti-scorbutic nature was placed on board. Each ship also carried a vessel in frame of twenty tons, to serve as tenders. The Resolution had a complement of one hundred and twelve officers and men, and the Adventure of eighty-one. Fishing-nets, hooks, and articles of all sorts to barter with the savages were put on board; indeed, no exploring expedition had ever left England so well equipped.
After frequent delays the two ships left Plymouth on the 13th of July, 1772, and shaped a course for Madeira. Merely touching at Funchal, they took in a supply of water at the Cape de Verdes. The two ships then sailed for the Cape of Good Hope.
Here the Governor informed Captain Cook that a French ship had discovered land in the meridian of the Mauritius, in latitude 48 degrees south, and that a French expedition, under Captain Marion, was now exploring the South Pacific. On the 22nd of November Captain Cook left the Cape of Good Hope, and steered a course towards Cape Circumcision, the name given to the point of land which Captain Bouvet supposed to be a part of the southern continent.
As the ships got farther south, the weather became so cold that much of their live stock died. On the 10th of December an island of ice was seen, after which thick hazy weather came on. While the Resolution was leading, an iceberg was discerned from her deck. It was about fifty feet high, with perpendicular sides, against which the sea broke furiously. Captain Furneaux, mistaking it for land, hauled his wind. Other navigators probably have been deceived as he was. Day after day the ship sailed on among icebergs, exposed to storms of rain and sleet and constant storms, although it was the middle of summer.
Captain Cook now steered to the west, hoping to get round the ice and reach the highest position of Cape Circumcision; but he finally came to the conclusion that Captain Bouvet had mistaken some lofty icebergs surrounded by field ice for land.