# The Life and Voyages of Captain James Cook/Chapter 12

Hervey's Island discovered. Arrival at Eaoowee. Friendly reception there, and at Tongataboo. Services of Attago. Copious supplies obtained. Stupidity of the Areeke, or King. Passage to New Zealand. Resolution and Adventure parted in stormy weather. Arrival of the Resolution in Queen Charlotte's Sound. Friendly intercourse with the natives. Capt. Cook's care to stock the country with useful animals and vegetables. Shocking instance of cannibalism witnessed. Healthful state of the crew of the Resolution, which prosecutes the voyage to the Antarctic regions without the Adventure. Approach to the South Pole. Return northward. Plans formed by the Captain: his sickness and recovery.
Having taken their departure from Ulietea, on friday, September 17th, our voyagers steered a westerly course, inclining to the south. On the 23rd, an island, or cluster of islets, was discovered, and named Hervey's Island. It abounded with cocoa-nut trees, but no inhabitants were seen. From thence they pursued their course, till on friday, October 1st, they arrived at Middleburg, or Eaoowee, one of the group discovered by Tasman, in 1643, which Capt. Cook afterwards named the Friendly Islands.
At Middleburg, the natives came boldly alongside in canoes, and some of them came on board, before the ships anchored in what was henceforth called English Road. Among those who boarded the Resolution was a chief named Tioony, who ​was highly pleased with a hatchet and other presents given him; and who accompanied the Captains and their friends to the beach, where an immense crowd, all unarmed, received them kindly, and promptly bartered pieces of cloth and matting, for nails and other articles. Some, indeed, handed bales of cloth into the boats, without waiting to receive any thing in return. Tioony conducted the visitors through the crowd to his own house, which stood at the head of a fine lawn, under the shade of some shaddock trees, commanding a most delightful view of the sea, and of the interesting scenery around. Here the natives were treated with a tune on the bagpipes; and in return, three young women sung a song, and these receiving gifts, all the women present began to sing also. The strangers were then taken to another house of the chief, in an adjoining plantation; where they were treated with bananas, cocoa-nuts, and a bowl of ava, prepared in their presence. Capt. Cook alone tasted the latter, which was brewed, as in other South Sea Islands, by the natives chewing the root, spitting out the juice into a bowl, and then diluting it with water.
The party returned on board to dine, accompanied by Tioony, who declined to partake. After dinner, they again went on shore with him; and while Mr. Forster and others were botanizing in the country, the Captains were conducted to Tioony's house; where fruit and greens were set before them, to which Oedidee and Omai did ample justice. He then shewed them his rich and extensive plantations, all well laid out, neatly inclosed with reed fences, and planted with various fruit trees and roots. Hogs and large fowls were ​seen near the houses, and in the lanes between the plantations; but none were offered for sale.
Next day, the Captains and their comrades, having taken a friendly leave of Tioony and his people, proceeded to the island of Amsterdam, or Tongataboo. Here their reception was equally agreeable. White flags were displayed along the shore, as emblems of peace; many people came off to them in canoes, presented them with some ava root, and invited them ashore by friendly signs. When they had anchored in Van Diemen's Road, the natives crowded on board, and began to traffic with the seamen, by exchanging native cloth for some of their clothes. This barter being likely to hurt the seamen, and hinder the purchase of provisions, Capt. Cook prudently put a stop to it; and the natives finding that nothing but eatables would be bought, brought plenty of fruit next day, with some pigs and fowls; for which they received nails and pieces of cloth.
Before our people had landed, a chief named Attago attached himself to Capt. Cook and exchanged names with him. He proved of great service during the stay of the ships, attending the Captain from morning till night, and acting as a guide and agent in almost every transaction. The Captains and scientific gentlemen were received kindly on shore; and while the latter went into the country, the former, after stopping a short time on the beach, and distributing presents to those whom Attago pointed out as chiefs, some of whom were his superiors, rested under the shade of a tree, the natives forming a circle around them. The Captains expressing a desire to see the country, Attago led them along a lane, to an open green, ​in front of an afiatooca, or place of worship. It was a raised mount, with a house upon it, towards which three elderly men, sitting down on the green, directed a speech or prayer. On going to the house, which, like the dwelling houses, was constructed with posts and rafters, and covered with palm thatch, the visitors observed two rude images within. Attago, when asked if they were gods, did not seem to understand the question; but as he tumbled them about very roughly, it did not appear that they were viewed with much veneration. Similar structures were observed by our people, in their rambles through the island; the whole of which they found in a high state of cultivation, abounding with the richest tropical fruits and vegetables. The plantations were fenced with reeds, and intersected with narrow roads, generally shaded with trees.
When the party had returned on board to dine, an old chief, superior to Attago, came on board, and tasted both fish and wine with them. After dinner, this chief, who went on shore before the officers, took a walk with them into the country. Before they set out, Mr. Wales, who had taken off his shoes and stockings, to wade ashore from the boat, had them snatched from him; and being unable to pursue the thief along the sharp coral rocks, was left in an awkward predicament. Attago, however, soon found out the thief, and brought them back. The old chief shewed his visitors a pool of fresh water, a scarce article in these islands: and having conducted them down to the shore of Maria Bay, shewed them a large double canoe of his own, not yet launched. The canoes of these islanders were better constructed than those of ​Otaheite; but their cloth was inferior. Their language was nearly the same, and their persons were tattooed in a similar way.—The chief presented Capt. Cook with a hog; and many other hogs were purchased on that day and the following, with abundance of fruits and fowls. After this, the seamen were again permitted to traffic for curiosities; but various thefts and frauds were committed by the natives. In one instance, a thief was fired at, but not hurt.
On wednesday, October 6th, Capt. Cook and his friends were introduced to the Areeke, or King, of the island; who sat before them with sullen and stupid gravity, neither answering their addresses, nor returning their salutes, nor noticing the presents given him. He sent on board, however, a quantity of excellent provisions, ready dressed, for the Areeke of the ship. On paying him a farewell visit next day, they found him in the same stupid posture, motionless as a statue, and seemingly unconscious of their attentions, their presents, and other objects around him. A friendly leave was taken of the old chief, and afterwards of Attago; who begged that Capt. Cook would return, and bring him, among other things, a suit of clothes like his own uniform.
In heaving the coasting cable of the Resolution, it parted in the middle, being chafed by the sharp coral rocks; so that the anchor was lost, and half the cable. The supplies procured here, amounted to 150 hogs, 300 fowls, a few yams, and abundant supplies of bananas and cocoa-nuts.
The natives of these islands appeared to be well made and healthy. The females were generally modest, but lively and merry. Some cases of ​a loathsome disease being on board, Capt. Cook took all possible care to prevent it from being communicated to the inhabitants. It would be well, if under all circumstances, our seamen were prohibited from that illicit intercourse with females, by which they have too often disgraced themselves in foreign lands.
On quitting the Friendly Islands, Capt. Cook resolved to proceed direct to Queen Charlotte's Sound, in New Zealand; and from thence set out again to prosecute his discoveries towards the south and east. It was on thursday, October 7th, that our mariners left Tongataboo; and on the 8th, they saw the island of Pilstart, also discovered by Tasman. On thursday, the 21st, they arrived off New Zealand, near that part of the coast which Capt. Cook first discovered. When they were near Cape Kidnappers, two canoes came off to them; one containing some fishermen, who exchanged fish for some nails and pieces of cloth; the other, two chiefs, who received some nails with much eagerness. Capt. Cook committed to them some pigs, fowls, seeds, and roots, to stock this part of the country; the people of which he considered as more civilized than those of Queen Charlotte's Sound. The chiefs promised to take care of the pigs and fowls, as well as to sow the seeds, and plant the roots. These people remembered the Endeavour, and expressed their fears of the guns.
After these men had left him, Capt. Cook proceeded southward beyond Cape Turnagain, with a view to pass through Cook's Strait, and revisit Queen Charlotte's Sound. But very stormy and squally weather coming on, with adverse winds, and a few intervals of calm, he was for some days ​baffled in all his attempts to pass through the Strait; being sometimes driven out to sea, sometimes to the south, and sometimes to the north. His difficulties were augmented by having frequently to wait for the Adventure, which here, as in other parts of the voyage, was often a good way to leeward. Twice during these tempests, the ships lost sight of each other, but again joined. A third time, however, the Adventure disappeared during heavy gales at the entrance of the Strait, and was no more seen. Capt. Cook would have steered into a large bay, in the southern division of New Zealand, had the Adventure been with him; but Queen Charlotte's Sound was their appointed rendezvous. He anchored two hours at an inlet, where some natives came off, and received with avidity a few nails that were given them; but seemed very indifferent about two couples of fowls, that were committed to their charge, with a view to stock that part of New Zealand. At length, on the 3rd of November, the Resolution was safely moored in Ship Cove; but the Adventure, which was supposed to have got there first, had not arrived.
The sails and rigging having been much damaged by the recent gales, measures were promptly taken for repairing them. Tents were erected for the sailmakers and coopers; and the smith's forge was set up. Fresh supplies of wood and water were taken on board; the biscuit was aired and picked, that part which was wholly wasted being taken away, and that which was partially damaged being rebaked.
Among the natives who now visited the ship, there were several whom Capt. Cook recollected to ​have seen in his first voyage; particularly an old man named Goubiah. He was reported to have killed the goats that were put on shore up the sound; although, according to other statements, they were still alive. The youngest of the two sows, left by Capt. Furneaux, was found alive among these people, who intimated that the boar and the other sow were preserved elsewhere. The gardens were found in a flourishing state, the natives having touched nothing except the potatoes. As these people appeared to take care of the animals left with them, the Captain now gave them a boar and a young sow, along with some fowls.
The traffic carried on with the natives at this time was principally for fish, which they were much more dexterous in catching than our people. Some petty thefts were committed; and the Captain was one day much amused in observing, that a chief who pretended to keep off the people, and prevent them from stealing, contrived to pick his pocket of a handkerchief; and then professed his innocence of the theft, till the handkerchief was taken out of his bosom, when he put it off with a laugh. Six small casks having been stolen from the watering place on the morning of the 7th, the natives, dreading the consequences, all decamped. Some of them, however, returned on the 10th, and the traffic in fish was resumed. Green tale was also an article of traffic, pieces being purchased by the seamen as curiosities.
On monday, the 15th, the Captain, with Mr. Forster and others, ascended a hill which he had climbed in 1770, to look out for the Adventure; but nothing was seen of her. He therefore resolved to proceed on his voyage without her, after waiting ​a few days longer. In the mean time, his anxiety to benefit the country by stocking it with useful animals, was still displayed. He put on shore in the woods, at the bottom of the West Bay, a boar and three sows, with food to serve them for several days; that they might not come down to the shore in search of food, and be discovered by the natives. Some fowls were left in the same quarter, and others in the woods at Ship Cove. A pair of goats would also have been left; but the he goat when on shore was seized with fits, and running off along the beach, was irrecoverably lost, being supposed to have been drowned in the sea.
The boatswain and a party, being in the woods cutting broom, found a private hut of the natives, containing their most valuable property received from the British: and the natives having come to the Captain, complaining that some of these treasures had been stolen, the man whom they pointed out as the thief, was punished before them.
On the same day, some officers visiting the huts of the natives, found some human thigh bones from which the flesh had been recently picked. Next day, some of the officers going ashore to amuse themselves among the people, saw the head and bowels of a youth who had been lately killed, lying on the beach, and the heart stuck on a forked stick, fixed to the head of a large canoe. The head was purchased and brought on board, where a part of the flesh was broiled and eaten by one of the natives, before all the officers, and most of the men. The Captain was then absent, and when he returned on board, he was struck with horror, mingled with indignation, at the sight of the head, and the recital of the circumstances. But curiosity ​got the better of his indignation; and desiring to be an eye witness of what had been doubted by his countrymen at home, he ordered a piece of the flesh to be broiled and brought on the quarter deck, where it was devoured by one of these cannibals with surprising avidity. Many on board were made sick by the shocking spectacle. Oedidee stood for some time petrified with horror, and when aroused from this state of stupor, he burst into tears, and wept and scolded by turns, calling them vile men, to whom he could no longer be a friend. He would not suffer them to touch him; and looked with disgust even on the knife that had cut the human flesh, and the gentleman who had used it.
It was understood that these natives had made an expedition into Admiralty Bay, to the westward; where, among others, this youth had been killed by them in battle. On the 24th, some of the gentlemen revisiting the spot, saw the heart still stuck on the canoe, and the intestines lying on the beach; except the liver and lungs, supposed to have been eaten, after the rest of the carcase had been devoured.
While the Resolution lay here, the ship's company were well supplied with fresh vegetables; and the pork salted at Ulietea, and covered with pickle, was still excellent. Not an individual was now sick.
Having taken every thing on board, our navigator sailed on thursday, the 25th; after depositing in the garden at the Cove, under the root of a tree, a bottle containing a letter to Capt. Furneaux, and inscribing on the stump of the tree the words "Look beneath." By this prudent device, Capt. Furneaux, who arrived only five days after, ​was made acquainted with Capt. Cook's intended course.
In passing through Cook's Strait on the 25th and 26th, signal guns were fired from time to time, by the Resolution, in the hope that they might be heard and answered by her consort, if she had put into some creek or cove on either coast. It was afterwards found, that the Adventure, which had been driven out to sea, and subsequently put into Tolaga Bay for wood and water, came into the Strait, only three or four days after the Resolution passed it. Captain Cook, however, having now waited longer than the time appointed, without seeing any thing of the Adventure, resolved to prosecute his voyage towards the Antarctic regions with the Resolution alone; and his officers and men had such entire confidence in his skill and talents, that not a man was dejected; all proceeded on this voyage with as much cheerfulness as if the Adventure had been in company.
Taking their departure from Cape Palliser, on friday the 26th, our voyagers advanced to the south and east; and on monday, December 6th, they reckoned themselves antipodes to their friends in London. Pursuing their course amidst variable weather, they saw the first iceberg on the 12th; being then in lat. 62° 10' S. long. 172° W. Here also they began to meet with the antarctic petrel, and other birds peculiar to the icy regions near the pole. Advancing southward till they reached 66° lat. on the 15th, they incurred no small danger, in working their way among innumerable icebergs, and masses of loose ice, pieces of which were taken on board to melt for fresh water. Their perils were often increased by thick foggy weather, and ​showers of snow; which made it necessary to steer with much caution. To lessen their danger, they returned a little towards the north, and then stretched to the east; but the weather clearing up, they again resumed a southerly course, and crossed the antarctic circle once more, on monday the 20th. They now met with islands of ice, lofty and rugged, with numerous peaks; and on the 23rd, the cold being most intense, the ropes were glazed over with ice, the sails were stiff like boards, and the shivers frozen in the blocks. They had now reached 67° 20' S. lat., and in this dismal region they spent their Christmas, amidst numerous islands of ice, about 100 being ther in sight. The number of icebergs and masses of ice appearing still greater on the 26th, it was found necessary again to take a more northerly course; and after reaching 134° 17' W. long., Captain Cook turned back towards the N.W., resolving to move in a zigzag course, in different latitudes, that no considerable country or island, in those seas, might escape discovery. On monday, Jan. 3rd, 1774, he attained 140° 31' W. long., and 56° S. lat., when contrary winds obliged him to turn, and steer towards the N.E. In this direction he persevered till tuesday, the 11th; when, being in lat. 47° 51' S., long. 122° 12' W., he altered his course, and advanced towards the S.E. On the 20th, he was again among icebergs, in lat. 62° 34'; one of them was large and lofty, not less than 200 feet high, terminating in a peak resembling the cupola of St. Paul's. After steering eastward to 108° 7' W. longitude, our navigator finding the weather bright, and the sea clear of ice, again advanced towards the south, and on the 26th recrossed the antarctic ​circle; where islands of ice again appeared, and small masses were taken on board for a supply of fresh water. Notwithstanding the increase of icebergs, and occasional fogs, he persevered in his course, till he reached the latitude of 71° 10'; a much higher south latitude than any navigator had hitherto attained. His progress was then arrested by a compact field of ice, ranging east and west, from which a reflected light illuminated all the southern half of the horizon. From this vast field, mountains of ice rose in various places, to a height far beyond what our mariners had ever seen or heard of. This icy continent, Capt. Cook considered as probably extending to the south pole, or its vicinity, where it might be joined to land inaccessible to man. And now, having got as near to the south pole as it seemed possible to reach, he tacked and stood towards the north, amidst variable weather.
During his progress northward, our navigator was employed in arranging plans for the further prosecution of his voyage; and these were formed on a scale proportioned to the grasp of his own gigantic mind. He determined to go in search of the land said to have been discovered by Juan Fernandez, about the latitude of 38° S., and next proceed to visit Easter Island, or Davis's Land; then, to get within the tropics, visiting various islands, to ascertain correctly their positions; and, having stopped at Otaheite, where the Adventure might have touched, to run westward as far as the Tierra austral del Espiritu Santo of Quiros; and thence advance to the south, and afterwards to the east, so as to be as far as Cape Horn in November, with a view to employ the southern summer in ​exploring the South Atlantic ocean. These plans, vast as they were, met the hearty approbation of the gentlemen on board; and even the seamen, who were all in excellent health, having only felt slight colds occasionally since they left New Zealand, were far from being dissatisfied with the prospect of being another year on the voyage, and were now cheered with the hope of enjoying within the tropics the benefits of a milder climate. Such, indeed, were the commanding talents and high character of our hero, that all on board were ready to adopt his plans, and prompt to fulfil his wishes: and they seemed to catch from him something of that spirit of enthusiasm for discovery, which inspired him with conceptions so large, urged him on in his noble career, and made dangers and difficulties to vanish before him.
After encountering some violent storms, our navigator carefully searched for the land said to have been seen by Juan Fernandez; but found nothing in or near the place where it had been laid down. He therefore concluded, that, if any such discovery ever was made, it must be only a very small island.
In proceeding from hence in search of Easter Island, the Captain was taken seriously ill of a bilious cholic, which confined him to his bed for several days. On this occasion, Mr. Patten, the surgeon, not only acted the part of a skilful physician, but of an affectionate nurse. When patients begin to recover their appetite, singular fancies will sometimes seize them; and when the Captain began to be convalescent, he took a fancy to have Mr. Forster's favourite dog killed for him, there being no other fresh meat on board; and he ​relished both the flesh and the broth, which contributed to restore his health and strength. Some fresh fish, caught at the time, proved also of service. During the Captain's illness, Lieut. Cooper conducted the ship, and every thing went on in due order.