On the morning of August 20 the ship left Resolution Harbour, (so-called by Captain Cook, because the Resolution had anchored there,) in Tanna, and continued the survey along the coasts of this extensive group of islands. A large number of natives were seen at the south-west side of Mallicollo, and on the opposite shore a brief communication was held with apparently another race of people, who came off in numerous small outrigger canoes. Though gifts were handed to them, they could not be induced to come up the side, or even to take hold of a rope.
The scenery of the coast in all directions was much admired; the vegetation was most luxuriant; every hill was chequered with plantations, and every valley was watered by a sparkling stream. The survey of the group being at length completed, the Resolution stood away towards New Zealand. The supposed continent of Quiros had dwindled into a small island, and, as Captain Cook took his departure from the south-west point in latitude 15 degrees 40 minutes, longitude 165 degrees 59 minutes, he named it Cape Lisbourne. The Resolution continued her course to the south-west, from September 1 till the 4th, when land was discovered bearing south-south-west, and extending round for some leagues. Breakers were seen half-way between the ship and the shore, and inside them were several canoes, evidently coming off, but as night fell they returned. The night was spent in standing off and on the land, and the next morning, the boats having discovered a channel through the reef, the ship stood in and came to anchor. She was immediately surrounded by a number of natives, who came off in eighteen canoes. They were entirely unarmed, and apparently well disposed. Some presents were thrown to them, for which they offered two stale fish in return, and, confidence being established, numbers crowded on board. Some were asked into the cabin to dinner. They showed, however, no curiosity to taste the pea-soup, salt beef, or pork, but ate some yams.
Except a curious wrapper generally in use these people were entirely naked. They seemed intelligent, and examined with considerable interest the goats, hogs, dogs, and cats on board, which, it was evident, they had never before seen. They valued spike-nails and cloth of all colours, but red cloth they preferred. A young chief was seen in one of the canoes, but did not come on board. After dinner, Captain Cook, accompanied by a native, landed with two armed boats’ crews. The beach was thronged with people, and the native pointed out those to whom presents should be given, mostly old men; among them was the chief, Teabooma, who soon calling for silence addressed the people, apparently in favour of the strangers. All the chiefs in succession made speeches, the old men giving a grunt and a nod of approbation at the end of each sentence. The captain kept his eyes on the people all the time, and was completely convinced of their good intentions. Having made signs that water was wanting, his native friend conducted them along the coast, lined with mangroves, to a creek, on going up which, above the mangroves, a straggling village appeared; the ground around being laid out in well cultivated plantations of sugar-canes, plantains, yams, and other roots, watered by rills conducted from the main stream, whose source was in the hills. Here was an abundance of fresh water. Among other things, some roots were seen baking in an earthen jar, holding from six to eight gallons, apparently manufactured by the natives. On their way Mr Forster shot a duck, which the native begged to have, that he might explain to his countrymen how it was killed. The party returned on board at sunset, convinced that they were not likely to obtain provisions at the place, as it did not appear to produce more than the inhabitants themselves required, although it was clear that they were ready to give what they could, for a more obliging, civil, pleasant people had not been met with during the voyage. Hundreds came on board the ship, but not a theft was committed. One of them, who had attached himself to Captain Cook, brought some roots; a few of the others had weapons, such as clubs and darts, which they willingly exchanged for nails and pieces of cloth. A present had been made up for Teabooma, who, however, slipped out of the ship, and lost it. A good watering-place was found, not far off, up a creek; but as only a small boat could enter it the casks were rolled over the beach, and put on board the launch. Plenty of fuel could also be procured.
An excursion on shore gave the explorers a better idea of the island than they could otherwise have possessed. They were accompanied by several natives, the numbers increasing as they advanced, till they had a large cortège. Reaching the summit of a rocky hill, the sea was observed in two places on the opposite side between the heights, thus enabling them to calculate the width of the island. Below them was a large valley, through which ran a river, on whose banks were several villages and plantations, while the flat land which lay along the shore appeared to great advantage; the winding streams running through it, the plantations, the little straggling villages, the variety in the woods, the shoals on the coast, with the blue sea and the white breakers, made up a very beautiful and picturesque scene. The country in general bore a strong resemblance to parts of New Holland, under the same latitude; several of its natural productions appeared to be the same; while the forests, as in that country, were without underwood. The general aspect of the island was, however, that of a dreary waste; the sides of the mountains and other places being of hard rock, or of a thin soil baked by the sun. Even these unpromising spots were, however, covered with a coarse grass, which though of no use, as there were no cattle to feed on it, would afford pasture to numberless sheep if they were to be introduced into the island. There was a good supply of fish on the coast; but one day a somewhat ugly-looking one being dressed for supper, the captain and the two Mr Forsters, though they did but taste the liver and roe, were seized with a numbness and weakness over their limbs. An emetic and a sudorific considerably relieved them by the morning, but a pig which ate the fish died. A native who had sold the fish did not warn the buyer, though its poisonous character seems to have been known to the people, for, on seeing the skin hanging up the next morning, they expressed their utmost abhorrence of it, and intimated that it was not fit to eat. The captain was anxious to benefit the people as far as his short stay would allow; he, therefore, presented a dog and a bitch to Teabooma, who seemed delighted with the gift; indeed, he could scarcely suppose that the animals were for him. A boar and a sow were also intended for him, but as he was not then to be found they were given to another chief, or head man, and his family, who promised to take care of them. These people had made some advance out of the purely savage state. Their dwellings were circular, very thickly thatched, something like a beehive, and very close and warm. Many had two fireplaces, and some had two storeys, spread with mats and grass. As the entrance was very small, and there was no other outlet for the smoke, the heat was intolerable. It was strange that natives of so hot a climate should delight in all the extra heat they could get. Outside the huts were little pyramids, five together. On the point of the pyramids the clay pots in which they cooked their food were placed, not upright, but on the sides, the fire being lighted beneath. The canoes of the islanders were large, but rude and clumsy in build; and they constructed double canoes formed of the trunks of two trees fastened together, much in the fashion of the other double canoes of the Pacific. They had sometimes one, and sometimes two, lateen sails, composed of pieces of matting, the ropes being made of the coarse filaments of the plantain tree. When they could not sail they were propelled by sculls, the handles of which rose, nearly upright, four feet above the deck.
On standing down the coast, some objects were seen which the scientific gentlemen insisted were basaltic pillars, like those of the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland, contrary to the opinion of the captain, who held that they were trees of a peculiar growth. An island was discovered to the south of the large island, and the name of the Isle of Pines was given to it, on account of the number of tall trees growing thereon, and which the philosophers still maintained were basaltic pillars. It was not without some difficulty that, at length, the ship got near enough to the Isle of Pines to enable the captain, with a party of officers, to land on one of the islets connected with it. The objects observed were found to be a species of spruce pine, admirably fitted for masts and spars. After dinner, therefore, two boats went on shore with the carpenter and his crew, and as many spars as were required were cut down. It was of this tree that the natives made their canoes. The island on which the party landed was called Botany Island.
The Resolution got under way on October 1. Soon afterwards a gale sprang up, which, in spite of all the exertions which could be made, rendered the further survey of the group impossible. She therefore bore away for New Zealand.
New Caledonia, thus discovered, Captain Cook considered to be, with the exception of New Zealand, the largest island in the South Pacific Ocean, being about eighty-seven leagues long, extending from the north-west to south-east, that is, from latitude 19 degrees 37 minutes to 22 degrees 30 minutes South, and from longitude 163 degrees 37 minutes to 167 degrees 14 minutes East, although its width is nowhere very considerable.
The ship stood on about west-south-west till October 10, when land was discovered—an island of good height, five leagues in circuit, to which, as a compliment to the family of Howard, the name of Norfolk Island was given. The ship stood in, when after dinner two boats landed without difficulty behind some large rocks. The island was found to be uninhabited, and probably no human being had ever before set foot on its shore. Many trees and plants common in New Zealand were observed, especially the flax plant, which here appeared to be more luxuriant than in any part of that country. A spruce pine also grew in abundance, and to a great size, and there were also found a number of cabbage palms. They had large pinnated leaves, and the cabbage is, properly speaking, the bad of the tree. Each tree produces but one crown, which grows out of the stem, and by cutting this out the tree is destroyed. As many as could be collected were carried on board, and proved very welcome. The voyage to New Zealand was then continued.
On October 17 Mount Egmont was seen, and the next day the ship anchored at the entrance of Ship Cove, a strong wind preventing her getting in. The day after she warped up, and being moored, the usual preparations were made for carrying on operations on shore. The forge was set up, and coopers’ and sail-makers’ tents were erected. For several days no natives appeared. The gardens were visited, and several of the plants were in a flourishing condition. When the natives did appear their conduct was very strange. At first they kept at a distance, with their weapons in their hands; but when they recognised Captain Cook and his officers, they danced and skipped about like madmen, though even then they would not let any of their women come near.
Several of them talked about killing, but their language was so imperfectly understood that no meaning could at first be gathered from what they said. The following story was made out, however, before long:—The natives said that a ship like the Resolution had been lost in the strait, and that some of the people got on shore, when the natives stole their clothes, for which several were shot; that afterwards, when the sailors could fire no longer, the natives rushed in and killed them with their clubs and spears, and ate them. The narrators declared that they themselves had no hand in the matter, which occurred at some distance along the coast.