Captain Cook: His Life, Voyages, and Discoveries

by William Henry Giles Kingston

An idea had prevailed on board the Adventure that the natives were ready to sell their children. This Captain Cook soon proved to be incorrect. Their object in bringing them on board was to obtain presents for them. A man brought his son, a boy of about ten years of age, and at first Captain Cook fancied from what he had heard that the object of the father was to sell him, but he soon found that it was merely to obtain a white shirt, which was given. The boy was so proud of it that he went about showing it to everybody he met, till he encountered old Will, the goat, who, making a butt at him, knocked him over in some dirt, sadly soiling his shirt. The boy considered the mischief irreparable, and was afraid of appearing before his father. At last he was brought in by Mr Forster, when he told a lamentable story against the great “dog”—nor was he comforted till his shirt was washed and dried. Captain Cook justly remarks in his journal that this incident shows how easily people can be deceived, when ignorant of the language, as to the customs and habits of the natives of foreign countries.

While these friendly natives were on board, a strange canoe full of people entered the harbour. The natives on seeing them said they were enemies, and two of them mounted the arm chests on the poop, one armed with a native hatchet, and the other with a spear, and, in bravado, bade their enemies defiance. The rest who were on board, jumping into their canoe, went on shore, probably to secure their women and children. The two who remained begged Captain Cook to fire at the strangers. The latter, however, came on board, apparently without having had any evil intentions, and peace was soon established among all parties. The strangers at once asked for Tupia, and hearing that he was dead, one or two expressed their sorrow in a way which appeared more formal than real.

A brisk trade was soon established with the newcomers; but the thoughtless seamen were so ready to give even the clothes off their backs for the merest trifles, neither useful nor ornamental, that the captain was compelled to dismiss the strangers. He afterwards crossed the harbour with Mr Forster and one of the officers to a spot where a hundred natives—men, women, and children—were collected, with six canoes, and apparently all their utensils. These they seem always to carry with them when they go even a short distance from home, lest they should be stolen by their enemies in their absence.

The state of constant warfare and consequent distrust in which they lived, especially in the Middle Island, was very evident, for they were generally found on their guard, travelling or working with their weapons in their hands; even the women were seen occasionally armed with spears. Captain Cook had reason to believe that the entire population of the Sound had changed since he was there in 1770, as he could not recognise the face of a single person he then knew. Those who asked for Tupia had possibly not seen him, but had only heard of him from their countrymen, among whom he was very popular. The immorality of the natives met with during their visit to New Zealand appears to have been very flagrant, and it is sad to reflect that advantage was taken of it by the seamen, without the slightest rebuke or censure from their superiors; indeed, it cannot be discovered from the journals of the officers that they were at all aware of their duties as a Christian people with regard to heathen savages whose shores they visited.

The king’s birthday was spent with the usual festivities, the officers of the two ships dining together.

On June 7, 1773, the two ships put out to sea, with the intention of exploring all the unknown parts of the ocean between the meridian of New Zealand and Cape Horn. In case of separation they were to rendezvous at Otaheite, where Captain Furneaux was to wait till August 20, and then to proceed to Queen Charlotte’s Sound. If not joined at that place before November 20 by Captain Cook, he was to put to sea, and carry out the instructions he had received from the Admiralty. Cook’s object in attempting to explore in so high a latitude during the winter season was to get some of the work done which would otherwise have occupied the precious months of summer; and besides, he wished to show future navigators that it would be practicable to make discoveries even in the depths of winter.

After leaving New Zealand, the course steered was generally about north-east, so that the ships soon got into a warm latitude, and the men once more put on their cool clothing. Sad news was brought on board the Resolution at this time, June 29. It was that scurvy had broken out on board the Adventure; that her cook had died, and that twenty men were ill with that complaint and the flux. The Resolution had only three men on the sick-list, and but one of these had the scurvy. A few others, showing symptoms of it, were supplied with wort, marmalade of carrots, and thickened juice of lemons. It appeared that the crew of the Adventure, during the six weeks they were in Queen Charlotte’s Sound, had eaten no vegetables, partly from not knowing what herbs to gather, and also from the inveterate dislike of the seamen to a new diet. Captain Cook had, from the first, when he thought it necessary, insisted on having wild celery, scurvy grass, and other herbs boiled with the pease and wheat, both for officers and men; and though some refused to eat it, he was firm, and would allow no other food to be served out, so that at last the prejudice wore off. Captain Furneaux instantly made use of all the remedies in his power, and his people improved in health. Still it was necessary for their sakes to put into harbour where vegetables could be procured, and a course was accordingly steered for Otaheite.

Several small low islands, clothed with cocoanut trees, were seen, but the necessity of reaching a harbour without delay prevented their examination.

On August 15, Osnaburg Island, or Maitea, was seen, and the ships then steered for Oaiti-piha Bay, near the south-east end of Otaheite, in order to procure there such refreshments as the place could afford.

At daybreak they found themselves not half a league from a reef, towards which the scud of the sea rapidly sent them, the wind having completely fallen. The depth was too great to anchor, and the boats failed to tow the ships off. A number of natives came off with provisions, but seemed totally unconscious of the dangerous position of the ships. It was curious that, though they recognised Captain Cook and those who had been there before, no one asked for Tupia.