# The Life and Voyages of Captain James Cook/Chapter 22

American coast seen. Arrival in Nootka Sound: notices of the country, and its inhabitants. Resolution repaired. Voyage northward: stormy weather. Prince William's Sound, and its inhabitants. Cook's River discovered, and examined: intercourse with the natives there. Progress westward. Russian Letters received. Oonalashka, and its inhabitants. Coast explored in advancing northward: natives seen. Death of Mr. Anderson. Arrival at the western extremity of America. The Tschutski. Voyage northward stopped by fields of ice. Sea-horses killed for food. Cape North. Coast of Asia. Return to the American coast. Norton Sound, and its inhabitants. Oonalashka revisited: Russian traders met with: their friendly conduct. Progress southward return to the Sandwich Islands. Mowee, and Owhyhee, discovered and examined. Behaviour of the crew. Friendly trade with the natives. The ships anchor in Karakakooa Bay. Close of Capt. Cook's Journal.
From the Sandwich Islands our navigators steered their course towards the north and east, in order to fall in with the coast of North America; and at length, on saturday, March 7th, the land of New Albion, so named by Sir Francis Drake, came in sight; the ships being then in lat. 44° 33' N., long. 235° 20' E. The land appeared of a moderate height, diversified with rising grounds, and small hills, many of which were densely clothed with wood; while in some parts the ground was covered with snow, an article which our mariners had not recently seen. Baffled with contrary winds and ​foul weather, they advanced to the northward with difficulty, being sometimes driven out of sight of land; but, on the 29th, they discovered an extensive sound, which was found to be called Nootka; and anchored within the entrance, in lat. 49° 33' N., long. 233° 12' E. Here the country presented a different aspect, there being numerous lofty mountains, with snow-clad summits, while the intervening valleys, and the whole sea-coast, appeared like one vast and rich forest of pine and cypress.
The coast was soon found to be inhabited; and several natives, coming off in canoes, approached the ships with much ceremony; reciting long harangues, singing soft and melodious songs, shaking a kind of rattles, and strewing handfuls of feathers, and of red powder, towards their visitors. Their language had no affinity to the Tahitian, but seemed akin to that of Mexico. They had less vivacity than the South Sea Islanders, but had also less wantonness and violence, their behaviour being generally quiet and inoffensive. Yet they were no strangers to war and cruelty; for among the articles which they afterwards brought to the ships for sale, were human skulls, and hands not quite stripped of the flesh, the rest of which they signified that they had eaten.
No European ships had been here before, for the Spaniards who sailed along this coast in 1775, did not visit the people of Nootka Sound; yet they were acquainted with commerce, and with the use of metals, and had tools and ornaments of iron, brass, &c., procured from the interior. Two silver table spoons, probably Spanish, they sold to our people; from whom they eagerly sought for iron and brass. The articles which they offered for ​sale were chiefly skins, or furs, of the bear, wolf, fox, deer, lynx, martin, ermine, beaver, and sea otter; garments made of these skins, flaxen mantles, and woollen robes, such as they wore; their bows, arrows, spears, and other weapons; fishhooks, pieces of carved work, and sundry ornaments: in exchange for which, they received knives, chisels, nails, buttons, &c. They traded pretty fairly yet were rather grasping, taking payment for the grass that was cut for the sheep and goats on board, and asking it even for wood and water. In several instances, however, they were guilty of pilfering; and, having iron tools, they were rather dangerous thieves. Finding the trade with the ships lucrative, the people of the Sound wished to engross it to themselves; and quarrelled, in some cases, with the numerous strangers who came hither in canoes, to visit the British. They also appeared to carry on a trade with more distant tribes, procuring with their British articles, fresh cargoes of skins and curiosities, to sell to the ships; for which purpose, some of them were absent four or five days together.
Here our navigators remained four weeks, during which the masts and rigging of the Resolution underwent a thorough repair; the mizen-mast was entirely renewed, and much work done on the main-mast, and fore-mast: the adjacent forests supplying them with excellent timber. No tropical fruits or roots could be got here; but spruce beer was brewed for the crew, who were also supplied with excellent fish, which the natives sold on reasonable terms. The productions of the place, both animal and vegetable, corresponded, in many respects, with those of Europe.
​Although much engaged with the repairs of his ship, Capt. Cook now and then took a view of the Sound, which was found to be of great extent, and to contain several islands. Two villages were visited. At the most remote, a surly chief refused to let the strangers enter the houses; although some young girls, dressed in their best apparel, welcomed them with a song; as was often done by parties of natives who visited the ships in canoes. At the nearest village, the Captain and his friends had a kind reception, and examined the the houses, and their contents, at pleasure: Mr. Webber, as usual, making drawings of every thing that was curious. The natives were of filthy habits, both as to their persons, their dress, and their houses. Their persons were not handsome, and they besmeared their bodies with red paint. Their dwellings were constructed of boards, sometimes rudely carved; and several families lived under one roof, their sleeping and sitting places being arranged along both sides of the house, like so many different stalls in a stable, but with very low partitions between them. Their canoes, which had neither masts, outriggers, nor sails, were propelled with neat paddles. Their dresses were chiefly flaxen mantles, edged with fur; and a kind of woollen blankets: sometimes they wore garments of skin. Their head was covered with a conical cap: but, on some occasions, they wore wooden vizors, or masks, curiously carved, to resemble the heads of eagles, wolves, porpoises, &c. When drest in such masks, and fur cloaks, they looked like wild beasts, or men-monsters. In one of their houses, were two rudely carved images.
When the ships left the Sound, the natives, in a ​friendly way, attended to take leave of them; some in canoes, and some on board. A chief, who had attached himself to Capt. Cook, receiving a parting present, gave him a beaver skin in return; this being of considerable value, the Captain made him another present, upon which he insisted on giving him his beaver-skin cloak. Struck with his generosity, Captain Cook gave him a new broad sword, with a brass hilt; which made him completely happy. He and his people pressed their British friends to return again; and promised to provide a stock of furs for them.
In the journal of the voyage, there are many other important remarks concerning this people, and the productions of their country; and in these remarks, we see the science of Mr. Anderson combined with the accurate observation of Capt. Cook. It is worthy of notice, that here, as on the coast of New Holland, our navigator found the night tides considerably higher than those of the day.
In the evening of April 26th, the ships sailed out of Nootka Sound; and next day were overtaken by a tempest, during which the Resolution sprung a leak, which at first seemed alarming, but was afterwards kept under by one pump. The weather continuing stormy for some days, our navigators did not venture to approach the land till saturday, May 2nd, when the coast, in latitude 56°, appeared considerably indented with bays and inlets: many lofty hills were seen covered with snow, while the plains were clothed with wood. Among the mountains observed, in advancing northward was Beering's Mount St. Elias, in 60° 27' N. latitude.
​On monday, the 11th, Capt. Cook landed on a small isle, which he named Kaye's Isle, abounding with pine-trees; and left here a bottle, containing an inscription, and two silver pennies. Next day he arrived at an extensive inlet, which he named Prince William's Sound: and here, in a spot named Snug Corner Bay, the leak of the Resolution was effectually stopped. The inhabitants of the Sound, who came off to the ships in canoes, were quite a different race from those of Nootka Sound; resembling, in their persons, habits, and dress, the Esquimaux and Greenlanders; and having the same kind of canoes, made of seal skins stretched on a frame of slender laths. Some were large enough to hold twenty people; others were adapted to hold one or two, having one hole, or two holes, to admit the persons of those who sat in them. Their dresses were neatly made, of the skins of seals, sea-otters, foxes, &c.: they had also water-proof cloaks, for rainy weather, formed of a thin membranous substance like bladder. They were more cleanly than the people of Nootka, and were fonder of beads and other ornaments; having not only the ears, but the septum of the nose, perforated to receive various fancied decorations: nay, some of them had a long slit in the under lip, like a secondary mouth, which was also decked out with shells, bones, and beads. Some of their spears, knives, and arrows, were pointed with iron or copper, and some with bone; and these, with all their other implements, were ingeniously made.
In their first approach to the ships, the natives sung a kind of song, one held out a white garment, and another stood with his arms extended, like a cross; but they would not come alongside, though ​they accepted some presents thrown to them. On a subsequent day, after some of the sailors had stepped into their boats, a few of them ventured on board the Resolution; and among others, a good looking chief, who wore a conical cap, ornamented with blue beads. Several other visits were paid to both ships, and a friendly trade was carried on, the natives exchanging furs, weapons, &c., for beads, and pieces of iron. Yet they were not more honest than other savages, and made some very daring attempts at robbery; for some of them went on board the Discovery, at an early hour, when they supposed the crew would be almost all asleep; and drawing their knives, to frighten the watch on deck, began to plunder; but when the crew, alarmed by the watch, began to come up, armed with cutlasses, the plunderers retired very deliberately in their canoes. They attempted, presently after, to take a boat that was in custody of two men, from under the very guns of the Resolution; a clear proof that they were ignorant of firearms, of which their visitors still left them in ignorance.
Finding no passage towards the north in this extensive inlet, our navigators returned to the open sea, on wednesday, May 20th, passing on the west side of an island opposite the entrance, which was named Montagu Island. Steering in a S.W. direction, they arrived next day at a larger inlet, now called Cook's Inlet, the recesses of which they were, during several days, employed in exploring; particularly in examining a large navigable river that flowed into it, since named Cook's River, the course of which they traced upwards, as far as 61° 30' N. lat., 210° E. long.; where it was still a ​league in breadth, though more than 70 leagues from its entrance. Its course was nearly from north to south; the tides in it were strong, and rose above 20 feet. On the west side was seen a lofty mountain, in which was a volcano. The natives who lived on the banks of the river, were of the same race as those of Prince William's Sound. Many of them visited the ships in canoes, and sold furs, salmon, and halibut, for beads, old clothes, and pieces of iron. Their habitations were not visited, but Lieut. King landed on the east bank, to take formal possession of the river and country; displaying the British flag, and burying a bottle containing an inscription and some English coins. Mr. Law, who was of the party, bought a dog from the natives whom they met on shore, and shot it dead in their sight; which struck them with surprise and terror.
On saturday, June 6th, the vessels sailed from Cook's Inlet, and proceeded towards the southwest, in the direction of the coast; which was skirted with islands and rocks, with little interruption, as far as to Oonalashka, where they anchored, on the 28th, in Samganoodha harbour, in lat. 53° 55', long. 193° 30.' In their progress thither, our navigators saw on the continent, a conical hill, with a volcano in its summit. The inhabitants of some of the islands which they passed, were found to be no strangers to Europeans. At Schumagin's Islands, which were passed on the 19th, some natives, in canoes, came under the Discovery's stern, and one of them, taking off his cap, and bowing politely, delivered to Capt. Clerke a thin wooden case, which contained a Russian letter, or memorial, with the date 1778, and a reference to ​1776. A similar document was presented to Capt. Cook at Oonalashka, but he returned it, with some presents; knowing that these letters must have been left by some Russian Commander, with directions to put them on board the next Russian ship that might pass. Other natives met with in canoes, were observed to imitate European politeness, and one of them had on some European clothes.
In approaching to Oonalashka, on the 26th, our voyagers had escaped imminent danger; they had cast anchor, on hearing the sound of breakers, in a fog; and when it cleared away, the perils through which they had passed were discovered. "Two elevated rocks," says the Captain, "were about half a league each from us, and about the same distance from each other. There were several breakers about them; and yet Providence had, in the dark, conducted the ships through, between these rocks, which I should not have ventured in a clear day; and to such an anchoring place, that I could not have chosen a better." A point of land adjacent, is aptly termed Cape Providence.
The inhabitants of Oonalashka and the neighbouring islands, like those of Prince William's Sound, resemble the Esquimaux and Greenlanders, both in their persons, their dress, and their canoes; while their manners are somewhat polished, through their intercourse with the Russians. They wear ornaments in their ears and nose, and some have them also in their lips. They usually take their fish and other food raw; although the Russians have taught them the use of pots and kettles, which a few of them possess. Their houses are oblong pits, sunk in the ground, ​about 50 feet long by 20 feet broad, with a roof of wood covered with grass and earth, appearing above ground like a dunghill. They enter by a hole at one end, where a post with steps cut in it serves as a ladder; and there is a hole at the other end for a window. Different families live under one roof, arranged as in the dwellings at Nootka Sound; and the accommodations here are equally deficient in cleanliness. The houses are heated, as well as lighted, with lamps. The people are remarkably quiet and inoffensive. They bury their dead in elevated situations, covering them with heaps of stones, like the ancient tumuli in our own country.
Leaving Oonalashka on thursday, July 2nd, our navigators proceeded to trace the American coast, which, from a point called Oonemak, near this island, makes a sudden turn towards the north-east. On the 9th, they arrived at the entrance of a large river, which was named Bristol River, in lat. 58° 27', long. 201° 55': and the bay into which it falls was called Bristol Bay. From hence the coast takes a N.W. direction, and their progress in exploring it was much retarded by shoals and foggy weather. At a promontory, which was designated Cape Newenham, where the coast bends towards the north, Lieut. Williamson, by the Captain's direction, landed and took possession of the country in the usual form, leaving a bottle containing an inscription. On the 21st, near 30 natives came off to the ships in canoes; and some trifles being thrown them, they ventured alongside, and traded with the seamen. They were of the same race as the people lately seen.
On monday, August 3rd, when our navigators ​were in lat. 62° 34', long. 192°, they sustained a serious loss by the death of Mr. Anderson, surgeon of the Resolution; who had long been lingering under a consumption. On this painful occasion, the Captain, after noticing his skill and talents, remarks; "The reader of this Journal, will have observed, how useful an assistant I had found him in the course of the voyage; and had it pleased God to have spared his life, the Public, I make no doubt, might have received from him such communications, on various parts of the natural history of the several places we visited, as would have abundantly shewn, that he was not unworthy of this commendation." To perpetuate his memory, an island discovered that day, was named Anderson's Island. His first mate, Mr. Samwell was made surgeon of the Discovery, and Mr. Law was removed into the Resolution.
On the 9th, Captain Cook arrived at the western extremity of America, which he named Cape Prince of Wales, in lat. 65° 46', long. 191° 45': but a strong north wind arising, with rain and mist, he stood over to the westward, where land had been seen, which proved to be the continent of Asia; and here he entered a bay, which he named St. Laurence Bay, and landed with three armed boats, near a village of the Tschutski. About 30 or 40 men stood on a rising ground beside the village, each armed with a spontoon, a bow and arrows. Three of them approached the British, and taking off their caps, made a low bow, which the party returned; but when the latter advanced, the natives retreated, till Captain Cook following them, alone and unarmed, persuaded them to stop; when an interchange of presents took place, followed by ​a friendly traffic. Some of them treated their visitors with a song and dance; but all of them were very cautious, taking care to have their weapons near them. They were of a different race from the natives lately seen on the American shores, being stouter and taller: their clothing was of leather, or skins, well made; and their quivers, and spontoons or spears, were handsomely adorned. The latter were of iron or steel, of European or Asiatic workmanship. Their ears were bored, to receive ornaments; but not their noses or lips. They set great value on knives, and tobacco. The village was found to contain both their summer and winter habitations; the former being large conical huts, the latter a kind of circular or oval vaults, communicating with vaulted under-ground store-rooms. About their habitations were several stages, 10 or 12 feet high, made of bone; on which they dry their fish and skins. They use sledges drawn by dogs. Their canoes are like those on the American coast.
After spending two or three hours with these people, the party returned to the ships; which, having now a fair wind, proceeded toward the north-east; and at noon, on the 11th, were in the middle of Behring's (or Beering's) Straits, about seven leagues from each continent. Advancing northward, our navigators kept both continents in sight, till the evening of the 13th, when they lost sight of land. Next day, steering eastward, they saw the American coast, where a point of land, in lat. 67° 45', long. 194° 51', was named by the Captain, Point Mulgrave, in honour of his noble friend, whose approach to the north pole would now very naturally come into his mind. Persever​ing towards the north and east, he saw, on the 17th, a brightness in the northern horizon, which proved to be what is called the blink, reflected from ice; and in the afternoon, the ships were close to the edge of a large field of ice, in lat. 70° 41', long. 1980. Standing a little to the east and south, the Captain observed the extreme point of the American coast, now visible, to be much encumbered with ice, and thence named it Icy Cape. Perceiving that the ships were in great danger of being caught between the ice and the shore, if they kept on an easterly course, he tacked, and stood to the westward; and, on the 19th, being close to the main ice, where there were many hundreds of sea-horses (the walrus) lying in herds, huddled together like swine, our people killed several of them, and took them on board for food; and as their flesh was more relished than salt meat, quantities of this marine beef were procured on subsequent days. On the 21st, the ships approached the American coast, at a point named Cape Lisburne, in lat. 69° 5', long. 194° 42'. No harbour could be seen on this coast; the shore was generally flat, with shoal water; the land had a greenish hue.
Having advanced to the westward till saturday, Aug. 29th, Capt. Cook approached a rocky point on the coast of Asia, which he named Cape North, in lat. 68° 56', long. 180° 51': and finding himself able to weather that Cape, or to discover an opening in the ice through which the ships could make their way, in any direction, he was constrained to give up, till another season, the attempt to find a passage into the Atlantic. He therefore returned along the coast of Asia, to Behring's ​Straits; and, in the evening of wednesday, Sept. 2nd, passed the East Cape of Asia, which he found to be in lat. 66° 6', long. 190° 22'; and only 13 leagues distant from Cape Prince of Wales, on the American continent. Advancing along the Asian coast, he passed the Bay of St. Laurence, and two other bays, came in sight of Tschukotskoi Noss, and of Behring's Island of St. Laurence; and then steered over to examine a part of the American coast, which had been left unexplored in the voyage northward. He was the more desirous to survey this coast correctly, as he found the maps and charts of it, hitherto published, to be grossly erroneous: a large island called Alaschka, which he found to have no existence, being laid down in the strait between the two continents, while the space between them had been strangely magnified.
On the 7th, the ships arrived off the American shore, and following it to the eastward, came into an inlet, or bay, which was named Norton Sound; where they anchored on the 8th, in lat. 64° 31', long. 197° 13'. Several days were spent in exploring the sound, and the adjacent coast The land was high in the interior, and woody on the shore: some parts were covered with heath; and quantities of wild currant-berries, hurtle-berries, heath-berries, &c., were collected. The natives, who were of the same race with those of Oonalashka, were very civil and friendly; selling salmon and other fish, for knives and trinkets. The ships received here a supply of wood, with some fresh water: and proceeded on the 18th, in a southerly direction, along the coast. On arriving at the latitude of 63°, our navigators found the ​water along the shore so shallow, that they were obliged to steer towards the westward. It was supposed that the shoals from hence to Cape Newenham, might be owing to a river flowing here into the sea; the water being muddy and rather fresh.
After discovering an island, which was named Clerke's Island, in lat. 63° 15', long. 190° 30'; Capt. Cook returned towards the coast, to search for a harbour; but finding none, he again steered to the south-west; passed an island which he named Gore's Island, and another which he called Pinnacle Island; and coming in sight of Ocnalashka, on friday, October 2nd, he anchored next day with both ships in the harbour of Samganoodha. Here our navigator was visited by three Russian traders, and a Mr. Ismyloff, the principal Russian resident in these parts, who lived at Egoochshac, on the west side of the island. Civilities and presents were interchanged, and the Russians, particularly Mr. Ismyloff, gave the Captain much valuable information, as to the geography of this country, the voyages of the Russians, and the extent of their discoveries, in this part of the world. Two written charts were shewn him, which assisted him in adjusting his own, and in correcting the errors of former voyagers. Mr. Ismyloff took charge of a letter to the Admiralty, to be sent by the way of Kamtschatka. The Captain gave this intelligent gentleman a Hadley's octant; and to the person who was to take the letter to Petropaulowska, he gave a spying glass, as a token to Major Behm, Governor of Kamtschatka; for whom also Captain Cook received from Mr. Ismyloff, a letter of introduction, in the view of his touching at Kamtschat​ka for refreshments, in returning to the north next spring. During the stay of the ships, several of the British officers visited their Russian friends at their settlement, at Egoochshac, and were kindly welcomed. They had a dwelling-house, two storehouses, and a small sloop; and had a number of servants and dependants.
On monday, Oct. 26th, the Resolution and Discovery sailed from Oonalashka, Capt. Cook proposing to revisit the Sandwich Islands; and, after spending the winter months there, to return northward in the spring, by way of Kamtschatka. Next day, they encountered heavy squalls and contrary winds; and the weather continuing boisterous for several days, they were driven hither and thither, and were in danger of being wrecked among the rocks and isles near Oonalashka. During these gales, a disaster happened on board the Discovery: the main-tack gave way, killed one man, and wounded the boatswain, with two or three more. The sails and rigging were also much damaged. At length, on thursday, Nov. 26th, Mowee, one of the Sandwich Islands, came in sight; and, upon reaching it, our navigators soon after observed Owhyhee, the largest of all the group; and were surprised to see the summits of its lofty mountains, which are above 15,000 feet high, covered with snow. These two islands being new discoveries, Captain Cook resolved to sail round them, and to survey their extent and position, and see what harbours and accommodations they afforded, before taking up his station at either. This service occupied several weeks, owing particularly to squally weather and contrary winds, which made it an arduous task to get round the south end of Owhyhee, where evi​dent marks of devastation, produced by a volcano, were discerned. In this tedious circumnavigation, the Discovery was parted from the Resolution about a fortnight. In the mean time, both ships approached the shore, at intervals, to trade for provisions, which the natives brought off in canoes.
On their first arrival at Mowee, Captain Cook issued orders for regulating the trade with the natives, with a view to ensure a proper supply of refreshments during the stay of the ships. He also prohibited the admission of women on board, except under certain restrictions. He found himself unable, however, to prevent them from entering the ships, in considerable numbers, even while sailing round the islands; and many of them appeared to come with no other view than to make a surrender of their persons. It grieved him also to find, that the evil which he meant to prevent, had already been communicated at Oneeheow, and from thence had spread hither among the natives.
Another circumstance now occurred, which served likewise to lessen his esteem for his crew. Having brewed some very palatable beer from sugar cane, he wished to introduce it into general use on board the ships, to save the spirits for a colder climate; but when a cask was broached, not one of the crew would taste it: upon which he gave orders, that no grog should be served in either ship. He now learned for the first time, that they had almost resolved to refuse the spruce beer, at Nootka Sound: and he laments, in his journal, the backwardness of seamen to adopt any innovations on board, however salutary for themselves. "Few commanders," he adds, "have introduced into their ships more novelties, as useful varieties ​of food and drink, than I have done. Indeed, few commanders have had the same opportunities of trying such experiments, or been driven to the same necessity of trying them. It has, however, been, in a great measure, owing to various little deviations from established practice, that I have been able to preserve my people, generally speaking, from that dreadful distemper, the scurvy, which has perhaps destroyed more of our sailors, in their peaceful voyages, than have fallen by the enemy in military expeditions."
It was on wednesday, January 6th, 1779, that the Discovery rejoined the Resolution, off the south-west side of Owhyhee. Both ships had been well supplied with provisions, by friendly trade with the natives, who generally came off in their canoes unarmed. When the ships had for some days slowly advanced to the northward, along the west side of the island, they arrived, on saturday the loth, at a bay named Karakakooa, where they were visited by not fewer than 1000 canoes, mostly crowded with people, and well laden with hogs, fruits, and roots. Into this bay the ships were taken to refit; and when they were anchored, Capt. Cook felt great satisfaction, in viewing the interesting spot, and gazing on the surrounding multitude. "I had no where," he says, "in the course of my voyages, seen so numerous a body of people assembled at one place: for, besides those who had come off to us in canoes, all the shore of the bay was covered with spectators, and many hundreds were swimming round the ships, like shoals of fish. We could not but be struck with the singularity of this scene; and perhaps there were few on board who now lamented our having failed in our endeavours ​to find a Northern passage homeward, last summer. To this disappointment we owed our having it in our power to revisit the Sandwich Islands, and to enrich our voyage with a discovery, which, though the last, seemed, in many respects, to be the most important that had hitherto been made by Europeans, throughout the extent of the Pacific Ocean."
Such are the words with which our hero closes his interesting journal. Alas! how short sighted is man! Little did he think, that the discovery in which he now exulted, would prove fatal to himself; and that the people, whom he viewed with such complacency, would become his destroyers!
The details in the following Chapter, are chiefly extracted from the journal of Lieut. King, afterwards Captain King; who wrote the last of the three volumes, in which the narrative of this voyage is comprised.