Chapter 14
They informed us, the night they parted company with us, the savages attacked them in a regular and powerful body in their canoes; and their never having seen a European ship before, nor being able to conceive any idea of fire-arms, made the conflict last longer than it otherwise would; for, seeing no missive weapon made use of, when their companions were killed, they did not suspect any thing to be the matter with them, as they tumbled into the water. Our seven-barrelled pieces made great havoc amongst them. One fellow had agility enough to spring over their boarding-netting, and was levelling a blow with his war-club at Mr. Oliver, the commanding-officer, who had the good fortune to shoot him.
On not finding the ship next day, they gave up all further hopes of her, and steered for Anamooka, the rendezvous Captain Edwards had appointed. Their distress for want of water, if possible, surpassed that of our own, and had so strong an effect on one of the young gentlemen, that the day following he became delirious, and continued so for some months after it.
They at last made the island of Tofoa, near to Anamooka, which they mistook for it. After trading with the natives for provisions and water, they made an attempt to take the vessel from them, which they always will to a small vessel, when alone; but they were soon overpowered with the fire arms. They were, however, obliged to be much on their guard afterwards, at those islands which were inhabited.
After much diversity of distress, and similar encounters, they at last made the reef that runs between New Guinea and New Holland, where the _Pandora_ met her unhappy fate; and after traversing from shore to shore, without finding an opening, this intrepid young seaman boldly gave it the stem, and beat over the reef. The alternative was dreadful, as famine presented them on the one hand, and shipwreck on the other. Soon after they had passed Endeavour Straits, they fell in with a small Dutch vessel, who shewed them every tenderness that the nature of their distress required.
They were soon landed at a small Dutch settlement; but the governor having a description of the _Bounty's_ pirates from our court, and their vessel being built of foreign timber, served to confirm them in their suspicions; and as no officer in the British navy bears a commission or warrant under the rank of lieutenant, where, by seal of office, their person or quality may be identified, they had only their bare _ipse dixit_ to depend on. They, however, behaved to them with great precaution and humanity. Although they kept a strict guard over them, nothing was withheld to render their situation agreeable; and they were sent, under a proper escort, to this place.
This settlement is reckoned next to Batavia, and is so lucrative, that the governor is changed every five years. The present governor's name is Overstraaten, a gentleman of splendid taste and unbounded hospitality, who lives in a princely style; and to the _otium dignitate_ of Asiatic luxury, has the happiness to join an honest hearty Dutch welcome.
A regiment of the Duke of Wirtemburg is doing duty here, amongst whom were several men of rank and fashion, who shewed us much civility and politeness.
The town is regular and beautiful, and the houses are built in a style of architecture, which has given loose to the most sportive fancy. Each street is terminated with some public building, such as a great marine school, for the education of young officers and seamen; an hospital for decayed officers in the Company's service; churches; the Governor's palace, &c. &c. Here the _utile dulce_ has not been neglected, and those objects of national importance are placed in a proper point of view, as the just pride and ornament of a great commercial people.
Such is the effect of early prejudices, that, under the muzle of the sun, a Dutchman cannot exist without snuffing the putrid exhalations from stagnant water, to which they have been accustomed from their infancy. They are intersecting it so fast with canals, that in a year or two this beautiful town will be completely dammed.
In a few days, we arrived at Batavia, the emporeum of the Dutch in the East; and our first care was employed in sending to the hospital the sickly remains of our unfortunate crew. Some dead bodies floating down the canal struck our boat, which had a very disagreeable effect on the minds of our brave fellows, whose nerves were reduced to a very weak state from sickness. This was a _coup de grace_ to a sick man on his _premier entree_ into this painted sepulchre, this golgotha of Europe, which buries the whole settlement every five years.
It is not the climate I am inveighing against; it is the Gothic, diabolical ideas of the people I indite.
Were they only Dutchmen who supplied the ravenous maw of death, it would be impertinence in me to make any comment on it; but when the whole globe lends its aid to supply this destructive settlement, and its baneful effects arising more from the letch a Dutchman has for stagnant mud than from climate, I hope the indulgent reader will pardon my spleen, when I tell them professionally that all the mortality of that place originates from marsh effluvia, arising from their stagnant canals and pleasure-grounds.
The Chinese are here the Jews of the East, and as soon as they make their fortune, they go home. Let the amateurs of the Republican system read and learn. Be not surprised when it is observed, that these little great men, those vile hawkers of spice and nutmegs, exact a submission that the most absolute and tyrannical monarch who ever swayed a sceptre would be ashamed of. The compass of my work will not allow me to be particular; but I must instance one among many others. When an edilleer, or one of the supreme council, meets a carriage, the gentleman who meets him must alight, and make him a perfect bow in spirit; not one of Bunburry's long bows, but that bow which carries humility and submission in it, that sort of bow which every vertebræ in an English back is anchylosed against.
In our passage from this to the Cape, before we left Java, one of the convicts had jumped over board in the night, and swam to the Dutch arsenal at Honroost. In passing Bantan, we viewed the relics of Lord Cathcart. We met nothing particular in passing the island of Sumatra, but experienced great death and sickness in going through the Straits of Sunda; and after a tedious passage, arrived at the Cape of Good Hope.
Here we met with many civilities from Colonel Gordon; a gentleman no less eminent for his private virtues than his extraordinary military and literary accomplishments. From his labours, all the host of voyagers and historians of that part of the globe have been purloining; but it is to be hoped the world will, at some future period, be favoured with his works unmutilated.
The town is gay, and from length of habit, the inhabitants partake much of the manners of Bath; and, for a short season, behave with the utmost attention and tenderness. Their dress and customs are more characteristic of the English than Dutch. An uncommon rage for building has lately prevailed; and although they cannot boast of that chastity of style in which Samarang is built it is gaudy, and calculated to please the generality of observers.
Allow me to mention the singular manner in which the monkeys make depredations on the gardens here. They place a proper piquet, or advanced guard, as sentinels, when a party is drawn up in a line, who hand the fruit from one to another; and when the alarm is given by the piquet-guard, they all take flight, making sure that by that time the booty is conveyed to a considerable distance. But should the piquet be negligent in their duty, and suffer the main body to be surprised, the delinquents are severely punished.
The same ill-fated rage for canalling-murder prevails here. They have even contrived to carry canals to the top of a mountain. The boors, or country-farmers, are a species of the human race, so gigantic and superior to the rest of mankind, in point of size and constitution, that they may be called nondescripts.
Their hospital, as to scite, surpasses any in the world. It may be observed, however, that the architect, by the smallness of the windows, which only serve to exclude the light and air, seems to have studied, with much ingenuity, to render it a cadaverous stinking prison.
After being refreshed at the Cape, we passed St. Helena, the island of Ascension, and arrived at Holland; and had the happiness, through the interposition of divine Providence, to be again landed on our native shore.
The Latitudes and Longitudes of the different places touched at or discovered by his Majesty's ship _Pandora_, taken with the greatest accuracy from the centre of the islands.
Names of Places. Latitudes. Longitudes.
Gomera, | 28 5 N | 17 8 W Canary, N.E. point, | 28 13 N | 15 38 W Teneriffe, Santa Cruz, | 28 27 N | 16 16 W Palma, | 28 36 N | 17 45 W St. Antonio, Cape de Verd Islands, crossing the Line, | 17 0 N | 25 2 W Rio Janeiro, | 22 54 S Patagonia, Straits of Magellan, Cape Julian, Staten Island, | 54 47 30 S | 63 58 27 W Cape Horn, | 55 59 S | 67 21 W Diego Ramarez, Easter Island, | 27 7 S | 109 42 W Ducie's Island, | 24 40 30 S | 124 40 30 W Lord Hood's Island, | 21 31 S | 135 32 30 W Carysfort Island, | 20 49 S | 138 33 W Maitea, | 17 52 S | 148 6 W Otaheite, Matavy Bay, | 17 29 S | 149 35 W Huaheine, Owharre Bay, | 16 44 S | 151 3 W Ulitea and Otaha, | 16 46 S | 151 33 W Bolobola, | 16 33 S | 151 52 W Mauruah, | 16 26 S | 152 33 W Whytutakee, | 18 52 S | 159 41 W Palmerston's Isles, | 18 0 S | 162 57 W Duke of York's Island, | 8 33 30 S | 172 4 3 W Duke of Clarence's Island, | 9 9 30 S | 171 30 46 W Chatham's Island, | 13 32 20 S | 172 18 20 W Ohatooah, | 13 50 S | 171 30 6 W Anamooka, | 20 16 S | 174 30 W Toomanuah, | 14 15 S | 169 43 W Otutuelah, | 14 30 S | 170 41 W Howe's Island, | 18 32 30 S | 173 53 W Bickerton's Island, | 18 47 40 S | 174 48 W Gardner's Island, | 17 57 S | 175 16 54 W Pylestaart, | 22 23 S | 175 39 W Eoah or Middleburgh, | 21 21 S | 174 34 W Tongataboo, | 21 9 S | 174 41 W Proby's Island, | 15 53 S | 175 51 W Wallis's Island, | 13 22 S | 176 15 45 W Grenville Island, | 12 29 S | 183 3 \ W | | 176 57 / E Pandora's Reef, | 12 11 S | 188 8 \ W | | 171 52 / E Mitre Island, | 11 49 S | 190 4 30 \ W | | 169 55 30 / E Cherry Island, | 11 37 30 S | 190 19 30 \ W | | 169 55 30 / E Pitt's Island, | 11 50 30 S | 193 14 15 \ W | | 166 45 45 / E Wells's Shoal, | 12 20 S | 202 2 \ W | | 157 58 / E Cape Rodney, \ Point of | 10 3 32 S | 212 14 5 \ W M. Clarence in shore, | | | 147 45 45 / E Cape Hood, / New Guinea | 9 58 6 S | 212 37 10 \ W | | 147 22 50 / E Murray's Isles, | 9 57 S | 216 43 \ W | | 143 17 / E Wreck Reef, | 11 22 S | 216 22 \ W | | 143 38 / E Batavia, | 6 10 S | 106 51 E Straits of Sunda, | 6 36 15 S | 105 17 30 E Cape of Good Hope, | 34 29 S | 18 23 E St. Helena, | 15 55 S | 5 49 W Ascension Island, | 7 56 S | 14 32 W
FINIS.
FOOTNOTES:
[165-1] This seems to be the earliest description of Yaws (_Framboesia_) in these islands. Originating in Africa this contagious disease is believed to have been disseminated by the slave trade. The Dutch or Portuguese traders carried it from Madagascar and East Africa to Ceylon, where it still bears the name of _Parangi Lede_, or Foreigners' Evil. Though Hamilton did not observe it in the South Sea Islands the disease was probably there, for Mariner, who was in Tonga in 1810, described it as a well-established disease under the name of _Tona_.
INDEX
A.
Aitutaki Island, visit to, 10, 40 _note_, 123; Bligh supposed to be there, 102 Ale brewed at Namuka, 73 Anti-scorbutics, 100 Apia, 50 _note_ _Astrolabe_, Pérouse's ship, 19; relics of, 68 _note_ Australia, Northern, sighted, 76; landing on, 149
B.
Banks, Sir Joseph, 2, 112 Baring, carries letters to England, 84 Bark cloth, 115 Batavia, arrival at, 81 Beads found in Samoa, 56 Becke, Louis, _The Mutineers_, 1; _First Fleet Family_, 24 Bentham, Mr., Purser, 79, 118, 119 Blacks attack boats, 66, 149 _Blenheim_, wreck of, 3 Bligh, Captain, 1; his character, 2; boat voyage of, 2; public sympathy with, 3; supposed to be in Aitutaki, 102 Boat lost at Palmerston Island, 86, 126 Boat voyage of Bligh, 2; of Pereira, 3; of Edwards, 22, 75, 147, 154 Bolabola visited, 39, 122 Bougainville, warning, 20; discovery of Samoa, 51, 56 _Bounty_, fitting out, 2; mutiny of, 2; driver yard found, 9, 124; anchor found, 34 _Boussole_, Pérouse's ship, 19; relics of, 68 _note_ Bread fruit, plan to acclimatize, 1; its uses, 112 Brewing ale at Namuka, 143 Broad, Mary, 23 Brown, John, 31; his character, 105; identifies mutineers, 105 Bryant, William, 23, 82 Bull taken by Mutineers, 36 Burkitt, trial of, 25; arrest of, 34; executed, 37 Burn, Michael, acquitted, 37 Butcher, Convict, 24 Byron, _The Island_, 1 Byron, Captain, 40
C.
Canoes, war, 114; sailing, 53 Capetown, description of, 170 Carteret visits Vanikoro, 68 _note_ Carysfort Island, discovered, 30, 102 Cattle, 118 Cherry's Island, sighted, 67 Christian, Fletcher, 2, 102, 127; his plan of forming settlement, 38 Churchill, murder of, 30, 70, 110 Cloudy Bay, 69 _note_ Coal found in Australia, 162 Cockle, gigantic, 125, 146 Cocoa, as anti-scorbutic, 100 Coleman, Joseph, surrenders, 30, 102; works pump, 73 _note_; acquitted, 37 Consumption, 117 Convict jumps overboard, 169 Convicts, escaped, at Timor, 23, 80, 161; list of, 85; find coal in Australia, 162 Cook, portrait of, 118 Coral Islands, how formed, 126 Corner, Lieut., character of, 5; blames Edwards, 22; pursues mutineers, 31, 103; examines sand key, 72; voyage home, 83; ships plants, 99; eats food from native temple, 104; robbed by natives, 60, 134 Coupang, arrival at, 79, 159; funeral of king, 163 Court martial on mutineers, 24 Cox, Captain, 31 Cox, James, escaped convict, 82
D.
Dances at Tahiti, 108 d'Entrecasteaux, voyage, 19; sights Vanikoro, 68 _note_ de Langle, massacre of, 51 _note_, 56 _note_ Diet for long voyages, 6; in the _Pandora_, 7 Dillon, Peter, discovers relics of La Pérouse, 68 _note_ Dingoes seen, 77, 151 Distilling spirits, 111 Drums, 116 Ducie Island, 7, 29; identical with Encarnacion, 30 _note_, 101 Duke of Clarence Island, 40, 128 _Duke of Portland_, taken by natives, 13 Duke of York Island, 48, 128 D'Urville explores Vanikoro, 68 _note_
E.
East Bay, 70 _note_ Easter Island, sighted, 30 _note_, 101 Edea, Queen of Tahiti, 118 Edwards, Captain, selected, 3; orders to, 4; character of, 4; charged with inhumanity, 21; touches at N. Australia, 22, 149; recklessness in sailing at night, 142; reproves mutineer for praying, 155 Eimeo, 121 Ellison, trial of, 25; arrest of, 33; execution, 37 Endeavour Straits, 20 Eua visited, 17, 138
F.
Fatafehi at Tofoa, 13, 135; at Namuka, 52 Fataka, or Mitre Island, 67 _note_ Female infanticide, 114 Fiji, visited by Kau Moala, 65 _note_; discovery of, 81 Finau, Chief of Vavau, 49 _note_; 13, 57 _note_ Fire-arms in Tahiti, 115; in Eimeo, 121 Flinders' Passage, 22, 77 Fruy, Mr., Lieut.-Governor of Timor, 79 Fulanga Inland, lack of water, 14 Futuna Island, visited by Kau Moala, 64, 65 _note_
G.
Geese, left in Tahiti, 118 Geographical position of islands, 88, 89 Gordon, Colonel, 170 _Gorgon_, H.M.S., 23, 24, 83 Governor of Timor, 79, 159, 161
H.
Haapai, visited, 51, 131 Hæva dance, 108 Hamilton, Dr., his character, 5; account of voyage, 6, 91; on health of seamen, 100 Hayward, Lieut., his character, 5; recognizes natives of Tofoa, 13, 54 _note_; pursues mutineers, 31; lands at Aitutaki, 41; ships plants, 99; recognized at Aitutaki, 123; at Tofoa, 135 Health of seamen, 99, 100 _Hector_, H.M.S., 24 Hervey Islands, 42 Heywood's account of "Pandora's Box," 9; trial of, 25; pardoned, 37 Hillbrandt, Henry, arrest of, 33; 74 _note_; gives information, 40, 123; drowned, 37 Hood, Cape, 19, 69 _note_ Hood, Lord, Island, 29, 101 _Hoornwey_, voyage home, 83 Horn Island, visited, 22, 77 _Horssen_, voyage of, 83, 88 Houses, Tahitian, 116 Howe, Lord, 91 Huahaine visited, 39, 121 Human sacrifices, 114
I.
Indispensable Reef, 19, 69 _note_ Infanticide, 114 Innes, Mr., Surgeon's mate, 92, 157 Islands, list of, 88, 171
J.
Java, arrival at, 166
K.
Kao Island, 53, 60 Kandavu Island, why not visited, 15 Kau Moala, his voyage, 17, 65 _note_ Kava-drinking, 116 Kroutcheff, Captain, visited Mitre Island, 67 _note_
L.
Larkin, Lieut., 5; at Timor, 79 _Lila_ sickness, 11, 117 Look-out Shoal, 70 _note_ Louisiades, 20; named by Bougainville, 69 _note_
M.
Mackintosh, arrest of, 33; acquitted, 37; works pumps, 73 _note_ Maikasa River, 70 _note_ Malt, as anti-scorbutic, 100 Mangaia Island, 42 Manua visited, 16, 136 Mariner, William, narrative, 17; account of Norton's murder, 54 _note_; 57 _note_ Mata-atua Harbour, 49 _note_ Matavai Bay, 102 Matuku Island, visited by tender, 14, 16; native traditions, 15 Maurelle discovers Vavau, 16 Maurua Island, 39, 122 _Megapodius_ at Niuafoou, 62 Mendaña visits Vanikoro, 68 _note_ Millward, trial of, 25; arrest of, 34; executed, 37 Milk, dislike of, 118 Mitre Island, visited, 66 Moemoe ceremony, 135 Morrison, character of, 9; trial of, 25; arrest of, 33; his journal, 33; pardoned, 37; plan of escape, 37 _note_ Mourning in Tonga, 49; in Wallis Island, 64 Moulter, William, tries to save mutineers, 74 _note_ Mountainous Island, 152 Murray Islands, 71, 141 Musical Instruments, 116 Muspratt, trial of, 25; arrest of, 34; executed, 37 Mutineers, fate of, 3; retire to mountains, 7; their diet, 8; build schooner, 9; adventures at Tubuai, 35, 36; take Tahitian women in _Bounty_, 38; neglected at Timor, 30; list of, 86, 89; capture of, 105; let out of irons, 144
N.
Namuka, a rendezvous for tender, 12; visited, 17, 52, 131, 138; native shot, 60; cannon fired, 61; thefts by natives, 62 Nanga Cult, 128 _note_ Neiafu Harbour, Vavau, 57 New Year's Island, sighted, 99 Niuafoou visited, 17, 62, 138; large cocoanuts, 62; _Megapodius_, 62 Norman, arrest of, 33; acquitted, 37; works pumps, 73 _note_ North-West Reef, 77 Norton, his murderers recognized, 13, 54 _note_ Nukunono Island, visit to, 10, 46 _note_
O.
Oatafu Island, 40 _note_, 45 Odiddee (Titi) native of Bolabola, 31, 39 Oliver commands tender, 12, 120; discovers Fiji, 12, 166; his log lost, 15; encounters Dutch vessel, 16, 167 Omai, fate of, 39, 121 Ongea Island, lack of water, 14 Orangerie Bay, 69 _note_ Orissia, Tahitian chief, 33 Otaka Island, 39 Otoo, king of Tahiti, 31, 102, 107, 119 Overstratin, Governor of Java, 81, 168
P.
Palmerston Island, list of crew lost at, 86; visited, 42, 123; _Bounty's_ yard found at, 44 _Pandora_, fitted out, 3; her ill luck, 6; wrecked, 21, 142; state of crew, 87; disease on board, 91, 94; patent ventilator, 95 Pandora's Bank, 66 Pandora's box, excuse for, 7, 8; cruelty of, 9, 34; men drowned in, 74 _note_ Pan-pipes, 116 Papara district, 31, 33 Parrots, 130, 137 Passmore, Lieut., 5; at Timor, 79; surveys harbour, 119; explores wreck, 145 Pearl shell ornaments, 123 "Peggy" Otoo, 110 Pérouse, de la, of, 18, 68 Pitcairn Island, 1; arrival at, 3; why chosen by mutineers, 10 Plot to take _Pandora_, 7, 106 Point Venus, water bad, 34 _Port-au-Prince_, taken by natives, 13 Providential Channel, 20 Pylstaart Island sighted, 16, 138
R.