tfacaqOCPnnsafwl

The

Robert E. Gross Collection

A Mémorial to the Founder of the

Business Administration Library Los Angeles

"S^

-«■>.

TRAVELS

ROUND THE WORLDI

IN THE YEARS

1767, 17685 1769, 1770, 1771,

B Y

MOT^SIEUR DE PAGES,

CAPTAIN IN THE FRENCH NAVY, KNIGHT OF THE

ROYAL AND MILITARY ORDER. OF ST. LOUIS»

AND CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE

ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

AT PARIS.

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.

VOLUME THE THIRD

LONDON:

PRINTED FOR J. MURRAY, w'^ja, FLEET STREET.

M.DCC.XCIL

THE TRANSLATOR'S

ADVERTISEMENT,

X HE Tranflator finding that thefe voyages were known to few Englifh readers, was at confiderable pains to obtain more particular information concern- ing the author, than could be collefted from his works. After failing in feveral channels, he ap- plied to a literary friend in a neighbouring kingdom, from whom he had the fatisfaftion to learn, that Mr. Pages was at Paris about fix years ago, but had failed foon after with his family for his ellate in St. Domingo. En- couraged by this intelligence the tranflator addreffed a letter to the

A 2 author

ÎV ADVERTISEMENT.

author at Baradaire in St. Do- mingo, and was favoured with an anfwer from that ifland dated the ift of Nov. 1791.

After thanking the tranflator in polite terms, for doing him the honour as he expreffes it, of in- troducing his work into the Eng- lifh language, Mr. Pages gives rea- fons for having avoided in his Travels, fuch a detail refpefting places and perfons, particularly in what related to himfelf, as would have been agreeable to many of his French readers, as well as to the public at large.

He alludes to a favourite idea he entertained in his earlier years

of

ADVERTISEMENT. V

of penetrating into the interior parts of Africa, an objefl: which probably made a part of his ge- neral plan; but obferves that upon his return from his voyage towards the North Pole, having performed all his travels at his own expence, without any public remuneration, he did not find himfelf either in adequate cir- cumftances, or youthful enough to encounter the difficulties of fuch an expedition. He conti- nues however flill in the fame fentiments as to its pra6licability ; and exprefles fome furprize that in a nation of the bold and en- teiprifing fpirit of Great Britain, no adventurer equal to the un- dertaking fhould have offered himfelf. The reader may find A 3 fome

vî Advertisement.

fome hints on this fubje£l in his voyage to the South-Seas. And he adds in his letter, that it would be wife policy in a traveller, intending to pafs through the in- terior parts of Africa, to fubmit to the rite of circumcifion before his departure ; to be particularly converfant in the language and manners of the Arabs ; and above all to be divefted of every fpe- cies of prejudice, regarding him- felf fimply as the child^ of na- ture detached from every local conneftion whatever. Thus pre- pared for his enterprize, Mr. Pages would advife him to fet out from the States of Tunis, or that neigh- bourhood, where there are na- tives of a mild chara6ler and fond

of

Advertisement! vîi

of travelling, who would be will- ing to accompany hinié

Don Angel de Martos, Gover- nor of Tegas, Don Francifco Hoa- refty, merchant in Mexico, Don BafTaras Oydou, and Anoria Pig- noa, at Manilla and Acapulco, M. Retian and the Garrifon at Batavia, Mr. John Hunter ,at Bombay, Perez and Briancourt at Surat, and the French Confuls at BafTora and Sidon, are amongfi: the refpe6lable connexions Mr* Page's formed on his travels.

His letter concludes with re-? quelling the tranflator's correfpon- dence, intimating at the fame time that Ihould his health enable him to put his papers in order^ he may

A 4 perhaps

Viii ADVERTISEMENT,

perhaps be induced to give fome- thing more to the public.

Upon the whole it is not to be doubted that fuch as approve of Mr. Pages's travels, will be pleafed to be informed that this excellent man, equally diflinguifhed for the modefty and plirity of his mind, and for his genius as a voyager, is alive, and, though in an infirm ftate of health, is in a condition to enjoy the fociety of his wife and two daughters in his pleafant valley of Baradaire.

London, Nov. 1792.

I. I.

C o N-

CONTENTS.

VOLUME III.

CHAP. I.

Tiejign of the Voyage — Departure from Brejl — experiment 5 made in different Latitudes on Sea-water — The Lineis crojfed, and Martin Vas' s Iflesfeen at a Dijiance. Page i

C H A P. IL

Sight of the Cape of Good Hope — Obfervations, made with the Megameter more correct than thofe taken by the Sextant — Anchorage in Simon s Bay — Remarks on the Mode of preferring Vegetables for Sea Voyages, and Precautions to be obfervedin their ufe — Re- feBions on the Hottentots , and on the Cor- refpondence ejlablijhed by Land between the Inhabitants of Guinea and thofe of the Lidian Sea. 6

CHAP.

CONTENTS,

CHAP. III.

l^he Author fef 5 out on an inland 'Excurjîon — ^ Vijits Mujfembourg, Conjîantia, and other Dutch Settlements — Is prevented from "penetrating into the Country of the Hotten- tots, by the Timidity of thofe who were to ajjiji him, and the prudential reafonings of the Commander of the Expedition — ExaBions to which thofe muji fubmit who vifit the Cape. - - Page 15

CHAP. ÎV.

Arrival at the Cape of two Hottentot Chiefs with prefents — Details which equally relate to the independent Hottentots, and thofe who live in a State of Vafalage on the Dutch Territory — Their Perfons, Cujioms, Lan- guage, and internal Regulations — Philofo- phîcal Dfquifitions on various Languages — • Two remarkable Injiances of Magnanimity,

21

CHAP.

CONTENTS. XI

CHAP. V.

Excurjion to the Jjle of Magdekine — Detail

refpeBing the- Natural Hijhry of the Sea^

Wolf and Pe?2gum — Modes of catching the

former. - - Page 36

CHAP. VI.

Departure from the Cape — Heavy Gale of Wind, in which the Veffel fufiained much Damage — Sight of a Comet — Anchorage in the North Weft Fort of the Ifle of France, andfiihfequcnt Departure from thence to the Ifte of Bourbon — Reflexions ivhichfiiggeftsd themfehes to the Author on the fuperiour Profperity of the latter Ifle — Error in the Chart with RefpeB to the Diftance betwixt the Ifle of France and that of Rodrigue, afcertained by Bertoud's ^Lime-piece, ^o

CHAP. VII.

The fuppofcd Exifleiîce of a Southern Conti- nent— The Means to be purfued in the pre- fent Voyage to afcertain this Fact — The Barometer is not to be trufled in cold Cli- mates

Xii CONTENTS.

mates, and high Winds — Further "Experi- ments on the ^lantity of Salt contained, under different Latitudes, in Sea Water.

Page 56 CHAP. VIIL

Difcovery of fever al Ijlands and a main hand — 07ie of the Ijlands is fxed upon as a Rendezvous for the two Vef'els, and is therefore named the I/land of Re -union — -A new Coaji is afo dif covered,. n\

CHAP. IX.

Landing at the Ifand of Re-wiion, and Pof fejjion taken of the difcovered Countries--^ The Crews fufftr very feverely from the Rigour of the Climate — Refleblions on the Prevalence of Storms, and particular Winds in this Part of the Globe, - yj

CHAP. X.

The Vefels quit their Difcoveries, and fail for Madagafcar — Sudden Tranfition from fe~ vere Cold, to fine temperate Weather — An- chorage in the Bay of Antongil, where the Sick are refrejhed — Defcription of the I/land

7 . • <f

CONTENTS. xiii

of Madagafcar-^The Author, dejîrous to inform himfef of the natural Hijiory of the IJlandy and the Manners and Cujtomï of the Inhabitants, e^n barks in a Canoe, and lands near a f mall Village. Page 85

CHAP. XI.

I'he Author vijits the Chief of the Village, from whom he finds a mojl cordial reception '^-^He makes an Excurfion to another Vil" lage, where be meets with two Incidents, which ferve to Jhow the felfijh Difpofition and Cunning of the Natives. g 2

CHAP. XII.

parrel between the Governor of the French Colony, newly fettled at Madagafcar, and one of the Native Chifs — The Laws of Ilofpitality are inviolably preferved by the Author s Hofi — A Village is burned, and feveral of the Natives killed by the Euro-, peans - - no

CHAP. XIII.

Diftinâlion between the Aborigines of the I/land of Madagafcar, and the adventitious Indian

Settlers

ÏÎV CONTENTS.

Set tie?' S — Charadlerîjîîcs and Drefs of the

former — Hhelr Hujbandry — T^heîr Religious

JVorfiip — Cautions to Europeans, who fix

their Abode on this Ifiand, Page 1 06

'CHAP. XIV.

^he Palavers, or Conferences, the Natives of Madagafcar hold, even on the mofi trivial Occafion — 'their Pojfejfions — Arms — Mode (f internal Defence — Military Operations — their Cruelty in War, and irreconcilable Hatred of their Enemies, wj

CHAP. XV.

Mode of giving and receiving Frefcnts at Madagafcar — ^he Licences in which the yow2g Females indulge, arife from a Motive of Avarice — Chajlity of the married Wo^ men — Obfervations on the Language of the Inhabitants. - 125

CHAP. XVI.

T!he two Vejfels, having refitted, feparate — ^he larger one, hi which the Author is, fails for the Cape of Good Hope — Anchor- age

CONTENTS. XV

age in Simon s Bay — Further Obfervattons on the natural Hijîory and ProduBions of the Cape — Departure for Europe, and Ar~ rival in Breji Road. - Page 1 37

CHAP. XVII.

Confderations on the Diverfity of the Climates,

ftuated under equal Latitudes^ towards

the two Poles — 'The probable Caufes of this

fingular Difference — T^he Climates which

are the leaf uniform, with RefpeSl to

Heat and Cold, are the mof formy — Th&

[ Author with a View to many ufeful Ob^

\ je6ls, determines to penetrate as far as

poffible towards each Pole, and embarks

accordingly at Toulon. ~ 143

CHAP. XVIIL

Voyage from Bref to the Downs — Paffage thence to Calais — 'Journey, by the Canals cf Flanders, the Meufe, and Holland, to Amfterdam — Comparifon between Aufrian Flanders and Holland, with RefeSlions en the latter Country, and the Character of it i Inhabitants^ - 150

CHAP,

XVI CONTENTS.

CHAP. XIX.

T^he Author embarks in the Texclfor Spitz- Ijgfg — Paffagc through the German Ocean tg the Eajî of Norway — New 'Experiments on Sea-ivater — And Réfec- tions on the Mode of living of the Nor- wegians and Inhabitants of Greenland,

Page ic^y

CHAP. XX.

The north Cape of the great Continent is p'^Jfcd, and Ifands of Ice encountered — ■ Thefe large Bodies are the probable Caife of a great andfudden Change in the Wea- ther, which now becomes remarkably ferene — I^he curious Appearances the Ice exhibits -, and the Manner of navigating through the little Channels it forms. 162

CHAP. XXI.

The Vdfjage towards the North is completely blocked up by the Ice, and another one fought — Manner of Anchoring on an I/land of Ice- — Natural Hijiory of the Sea Ufii- corn and Sword-fJh—The Vefel is com- pletely

CONTENTS. XVll

pletely enclofed by the Ice, which renders the Navigation i?7Jpra^icable-^By the Exertions of the Crew this Difficulty is obviated, - - 170

CHAP. XXII.

Defcription of the Varieties of Ice e?icou?itered on this Voyage — Reafons why the Britijh Ships which profeciited northern T>ifcove* vies in iJJ^t did not fucceed in pénétra^ ting farther towards the F ok — The Au- thor conjeâures that a Voyage to the Pole itfelf is not i?npoJ/ible, and fupports his Hypothefs by Reafonings, 177

CHAP. XXIII.

The Ruffians are of all others the leaf calcfi^ lated to profecute Difcoveries towards the North Pole — Sea^Water is freed of its Salt by intenfc Cold — At particular Scafonsy towards the North Pole, it affiwies a blackifh Hue — Obfervations made with the Barometer, by which it would appear that Ice in large Bodies forms an Atmof phere of its own — Defcription of the I/land of Amferdam^ 1 84

m CHAP,

XVm CONTENTS.

CHAP. XXIV.

Defcnption of the IJland of Spifzherg — Huge Mo W2 tains of Ice are fcattered along the Sea-Coàjîs, which are wafied by excefjtve torrents — T^he Vegetation is extremely ra* pid — The ^adrupeds of thefe IJlands de- fcribed, and the periodical Changes in the Colour of their Fur explained. Page 191

CHAP. XXV.

Defer iption of the Sea and amphibious Birds of the I/lands of Spifzberg — Account of the Efablijfjments the Rufians have made there, for the colleBing of Furs — And critical Refle^lions on the Advantages ^ivhich prefent themfelves to that C/iter- frifing nation. - - 1 99

CHAP. XXVI.

The Navigation amongfl the Ice becomes

fo very difficulty that the Veffel is ifi

Danger of being crujhed in Pieces, and

is extricated by almofi incredible Fxertions

— By the Procefs of freezing, the Sea

Water

CONTETNS. XÎX

Water is almoft entirely freed of its Salt — The Fa6l is ejiablified that an extenjive Range of Ice forms an Atmofphere pecu- liar to itf elf Page 208

CHAP. XXVIL ,

Defcription of the Whale Fijhery on the Wejl Coafi with an Account of the various htftruments employed, and Suggejiions for their Improvement. 215

CHAP. XXVIII.

Methods of Whaling employed by the North Americans, and Inhabitaîits of Davis* î Straits, in Seas unincumbered by Ice-—' The different Proceffes ufed in feparating from the ufelefs Parts of the Animal the Blubber and Bone— Natural Hijiory of the Whale, - - 223

CHAP. XXIX.

ConjeBures refpeBing the Food of the Whale

— Continuation of its Natural Hijiory — ■

the Errors which have crept into the

Defcription of this Animal — and a few

philofophical RefeBions which naturally

a 2 occurred

XX CONTENTS.

occurred to the Author, from the Contem^ plation offojiupendous a Creature, Page 232

CHAP. XXX.

"^he VeJJel, Jiationed in a fmall Creek, is nearly criijloed in Pieces by large Bodies of Ice — the curious Motions and Evolu- tions of thefe Bodies — with incredible Labour a Bafon is cut in the Ice ; but is not fo efeBiial as to prevent immi- nent Danger — the Author philofophizes, and recounts the various Perils he has run. - - 242

CHAP. XXXI.

After encountering a Variety of Dificulties, during which, by the indefatigable Exer- tions of the Crew, a new Bafon is cut

in the Ice, the Vejfel is at length freed from her perilous Situation, 251

CHAP. XXXII.

RefeSîions on tropical Winds, and the

Calms which almoji confantly prevail

near the Poles — Tbe Voyage is purfued

6 amongji

CONTENTS. XXI

amongft the Ice — Singular Difference be- twixt the Sea Wolves of the North and South Seas — The Traffc the Hamburgh^ ers carry on to procure the Fat of thefe Animals, - - Page 258

CHAP. XXXIIL

Paffage towards the Coajl of America — The Land of Gallhamfques is pcijfed, but is not feeny on Account of an impenetrable Fog — Referions on the Formation of the huge Mountains of Ice met with on the American Coaji. - 265

CHAP. XXXIV.

Defcription of the CoaJi of Gallhamfques—^ Importance of the Whale Fijherjy and the Encouragement it receives from dif- ferent Nations of Europe — The Fra5lica~ bility of penetrating to the North Pole itf elf further invejiigated, 273

CHAP. XXXV.

The Seas of Siberia and Spitzberg are not the beji calcidated for a Paffage to

the

Xxiî CONTENTS.

the North Pole — 'The Cotnprejjton of the Ice and every other Objîacîe may he fur - mounted in fuch an undertaking — The Precautions in Point of Seafon, ^c, which Jhould he obferved in a fmilar "Expedition — The Vejfel directs her Courfe for Europe, and pajfes by the Ifland of John May en i which is defcribed. Page 282

CHAP. XXXVI.

The Regions of Ice are paffed, and the Fa£i C07npletely ejiablijhed, that the Congelation cf Water forms a peculiar Atmofphere-^ Several new Species of the Whale are feen and defer ibed — Senfble Difference between the Northern and Southern Climates near the Poles — Paffcige into the German Ocean^ and Arrival at Amfler dam. 289

CHAP. XXXVII.

Paffage from Rotterdam^ through the Britijh

Channely to the Ifland of Guernfey, and

from thence to the IJland of Breha, in

Lower Brittany — Arrival at Bref, 298

TABLE of the different Quantities of Salt

CONTAINED IN

SEA-WATER, TAKEN AND EXAMINED IN VARIOUS CLIMATES,

FROM

The 50*^ of Southern to the 82° of Northern Latitude;

Whence may eafily be inferred the Weight of thefe different Spe- cimens of Sea Water.

SOUTH LATITUDE.

In 49* 46

40

25:

20

' 50', ICO lb. of Sea Water contained 12 - - - -

30

54-

24

In View of Martin Vas's M and

4 pounds § of Salt,

4è

4

4

3 if

3Î

I

,6 - - - - -

3f

NORTH LATITUDE.

4<> 22'

ÏO 14 3f

25 3'

39 4

45 ------ 4

59 having foundings in the German 7 Ocean j

3,

3£

64 4I

74 - - - 81 in the Ice (*)

74 41

(*) The Ice, though compofed of Sea Water, is difcharged of Its Salt in the proccfs of freezing.

Of the Sea Water, that froze in the Air round the Hull of the Ship under'SaiJ, the Thermom ter being at 30 below Froft, 100 Pounds gave 1 Pound of Salt.

The fame Ice preferved for eight Days, the Mercury mean while having been conftantly at i^i and 20 below the Freezing Point, contained o i.

The fame Ice, after three Weeks, the Thermometer during the laft ten Days being from 6" to 11° below Froft, contained - - - o Salt.

O ^O 00^ OM-ri +> UJ N M O '

r}|»»)i>i M W <Jl« I

J- 3- N N

1> 11

I I I I

o X

t/5 m

no»' fï Q '

o 3 a r> J a I ^

o o o o

^ 2

25 1 J" w

■ . ^w,

,.•'■!•

, , w ^^. , ;'

j?~i < ïr> I u« » rr- S-. > i ît^ ' '

"% 3 "I S" •

^w

1 o I ~ ">

»

< fT

n , n

o "^ 31 3

N 3 3

» » rt « ' e: -•

3 .

o. I

ET. ^ W w n^ * 3

" ". ' I E s. 3 3 s.

roi '^ft""'?''"^"*»! 1 "^

5^S

00 o:< 00 00 00

oi -«J vo o O

I ?

00 c-a ^ ^^ N* ^n -^ o o vn 0000

1 I

I H H '..n M o o tn »•

l*> to O M

t- Csu

n

3

S- S, -

<T> Sa

5i

2". 0*

3-

Cl. Oi

cr

rt M^

ft

r» 3

0

<

3 ^ i^

0'

1 o2

H ?? R

?:

?î := ;«

r>

0 s w

n 3

'^ o" 0 |-3 t-

Cl.

:>o 0

^ n. Q-

p. H >

c,^ t~*

5^ ^

" 3 hJ

c/D 0 r^

p 3 >

s s w

0 w ^"^

-n 3 txj

-» P-

^ _ 0

<\> tya >-<-»

p .3 <-'•

n> (T> 0

'^ ^'^ ^

s:§ P'

0- <=^ 0

«i" o- :?

2. jrt S-

tr s

?? r "

3 D 0

oq - i-H

►-. ^x>

^ S- •-'

" ^. "-^

p 3

r; 0 *-:3

^r c

t^ &t M

^■erp W

c ^ •»•

p, n-

0 0

0 <

X

fîll

ii r»

r i

S ri

i «S-

1

^

rr::::::::::::»::^:: :,..... •■■;■■"

l|■:'^.^^r■;:I■:;rrL :m:r:: ■■

r

.* **i*»; ,.,7:!"..* .*fr.?^? ^^ff, >;.* ff

: ;■ : :iîiiî;i : :;; ; 1 ; :i; :: fîiii'i; :;::; : i::::'!:: ::

■

°' ■ 5?!! 5 ?î5?!--- 15:-"- ! 'T.'.i

. . . ■ =

( ' . . .

Hs. s, ■

5ïliS£

., ... 1

^

•its

as

^^m 5Î

S'Sa

1

•""^:""'\:: 'i~::: :::::: "-"-■'■■°

1

;i;rrr|s:; rii

■'■ ■■■;"!■

2,

i f

. ^ , . ■" . " . . ..."

■ « !" • . ,

^, „^- i» .u. , ' „

'.i'.'.f'.f. '. . , ! r

i

" !

11'. 'J'. '. '. i'JÎ'JJW. '.î '.l'.î'.'.i¥

■■", . s, !L^ . . ï. I"|. . „!,. r„? 1-

0v^ f: i^r|':|ïî|i if ?'!'": 1

as. .&■■ •■ 3.?3-!lf?. .? .i..?..|:a

35. .3. ,. 5,5':.!?5.?..5' .5.. S. .S3

... S'

::::;;:^:f:;:::':

<

1

£S

i;^

^

„-..

;;;;;;;;; u '. ^

te

t-is a 5 s>i:r£

BSSiSSS..:: £ :::: 5^~.i

s

... .3

:;::;::

1' ' '! ■

Hii-' ■Ir r:P' ; ;rr:

S .Ss. 11. s . .ir !|

1 'I- II- . 'Ir fe^

^:: ::r; îi;; ;;

2.

>

O..A». ./. s5 j;i.. , . zsizzmi».». S» |5Z' ?>.^?.

'/" • p i"^' • . "^y' '' .' .' '.'?■ •', -^ . ■ ' • • . . zzz,,;, . „. „.■!". '

s, , , z z« si.«. ; ; |S

2, ?

S-5'l.. . il^s-sls.!;. ^^. . p?.

i,.B i. ■!! .S ' ' ' 1^. U' .«^.|'='li'-5=- ' i'S

3 , ; . . 5S3?Sj . r'^BS . ?. " ■ • Ss~.,l|j,3r,l|.-... ^|.

1 J^l^l • '.

' 1 ?rî ^?

â.

::: jtf.:::

' . • r gS' 'ît '. ■■^^. .2.: .?-•"

;:;|.|:::f:::rr: :|; f '

<

"" "" *■

. .":-° -t*

-♦■

- r 1 '

?

.;tr is !:i.i.îs ::g5 ;,t s. |

1

^

:

■

'

II

^■- 3 CS-3 . ^ H Ê"

C

A

VOYAGE

TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE,

IN THE YEARS 1773—74.

CHAP. I.

Deftgn of the Voyage — Departure from Bref < — Experiments made in different Latitudes on Sea-water — The Line iscroffed, and Martin Vas' s Ifles feen at a difance.

IT being the intention of government to promote difcoveries in unexplored regions of the globe, orders were given for the equipment of a (hip, called the Rolland, and a frigate, to be employed on an expedition to the South Seas. Befides the political advan- tages that might puffibly refult from this voyage, as it promifed to exhibit views of nature undifclofed to the eye, and unpervert- ed by the manners of civilized nations, I learned with peculiar fatisfadtion that it was meant I fliould have a command on the pre-. Vol. III. B ient

2 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

lent occafion, and accordingly embarked looiï after, in veiled with the charge of whatever iervice on lliore the circumftances of our dif- €overies might require. We found by our inflrudlions we flwuld touch at the Cape of Good Hope; and afterwards at the Ifle of France to land fome officers belonging to the- garrifon there, and that we were not to pro- ceed fouthward before ws had executed thefe previous orders.

We fet fail from the harbour of Brefb on the 26th of March, 1779, with a fair wind at E. N. E. the 3d of April, at fix o'clock in the evening, we came in view ©f Salvage liland, fituated north from the Canary Ifles. It appeared from our obfer- vations of latitude and longitude, as well as from the bearing of Salvage and Tencrif Illcs, that the laft is laid down on the charts about four leagues more to the north weft than it really is. We faw the ifland of Tenerif next day. And the enfuing night pafled betwixt it and the Canary ifles, and continuing the fame courfe we kept in the middle of the channel between Cape de Verd Ifles and the coafl of Africa.

I had

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 3

I had been anxious to afcertain by com- parifon, whether fea water contains fait in greater quantity under the torrid than under the other zones ; and my experiments on this fubje(5t, which I proceed to mention, ferve to ihow, contrarily to what I expeâred, that fca water is impregnated with fait in lefs quantity within than without the tro- pics.

On the 1 2th, being in lo*'. 14". north latitude and 22^. 49". weft longitude from the meridian of Paris, a hundred pounds of fea-water, taken at the depth of ten fa- thoms, and weighed in water fcales, gave three pounds ^ of fait.

On the 1 6th, repeating the fame experi- ments in latitude 4^. 22''. north, and longi- tude 18°. 44 '^ weft, an equal quantity of water contained only three pounds of fait.

On the 2 2d of the fame month, in latitude l^. 16''. fouth, and longitude 21 ^. w^eft, the fame quantity of water gave a ftmilar quantity of fait as on the i6th.

The wind, hitherto from the north eaft, gradually leflened as we approached the line, which we croiTed in 2 o ^ . 30 '''. weft longitude;

B 2 when

4 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

when fhifting to the eaft, after intervals of calm, accompanied with a few drops of rain, it fet in from the fouth eaft. Itfrefliened as we gained a morefoutherly latitude, and the temperature of the air feemed in general more harfh and irregular than in parallel latitudes in the northern hemifphere; my experience on this voyage afforded full and circumflantial evidence in confirmation of this fad.

We difcovered a confiderable difference between the fhip's reckoning and our obfer- vations, the latter placing us conftantly more to the fouth fouth weft than the former.

On the I ft of May, we faw numbers of white GoualletteSy and a fpecies of fea fowl named Frigate, fo called from their flight, which is thought to have fome refemblance to the fwift failing of that fpecies of veflel. They appeared again next day, when we faw like wife feveral fca dogs, and at fix o'clock in the evening, the man at the maft-head, called out that he faw a fmall ifland; but as the night foon came on, we wei-e unable to afcertain the truth of his re- port. On the return of day, the weather

being

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 5

"being hazy, we remained in the fame ftatc of fufpenfe; fevcral of the crew, however, affirmed that they had feen it fo diftinilly, as to have no doubt of its exiflence. Wc fteered weft fouth weft, in order to afcertain the reality of our difcovery; but the atmo- fohere becoming very obfcure^we were obliged to defift and refumeour proper courfe. It is not improbable, however, that the land, faid to have been feen on this occaiion, is one of Martin Vas's liles; fince although our reckoned longitude was only 25°. 23"^^ yet according to our obfervations it was 30^. 30". a pofition not very wide of that men- tioned by Mon. D'Apres who places them in 32^ weft longitude.

When in view of the above land, a hun- dred pounds of fea- water contained 3I pounds of fait; and fix days after, being in latitude 25^.54'', and longitude 21^. 48", I found that the fame quantity of water gave within a fradlion of 4 pounds. In latitude 24*^. the trade winds had conliderably leiTened, and as the wind ftiifted to N. W. we availed Gurfelves of the variation, and directed our courfe towards the eaft. In the latitude of B 3 about

6 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

about 26^, we entered the region of variable winds, but as they blew from the weil we kept E. S. E.

CHAP. II.

Sight of the Cape of Good Hope — Obfervations made with the Megameter more correSt than thofe taken with the Sextant — Anchorage in Simon s Bay — Remarks on the Mode of preferving Vegetables for Sea Voyages y and Precautions to be obferved in their ufe — Re^ jleâions on the Hottentots, and on the Cor- refpondence ejiablijhed by Land between the Inhabitants of Guinea and thofe of the Indian Sea,

ON the 24th of May we imagined our- felves to be at no great diftance from the Cape of Good Hope; our obferved lati- tude was 34^. 20". and longitude 13^. 20". eaftj next day frefh obfervations placed us in longitude 14^. 35''. whilfl the iliip's rec- koning carried us as far as 17^. 23''; but

we

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. J

we could have no doubt that tlie laft calcu- îation was erroneous, and that, therefore, we were by no means fo far to the eail. Next day, at fun rifing, we faw the Table of the Cape, and I found from the bearing of the land, that our longitude, as obferved by the megameter, erred only about two leagues^ whilft the error of the (liip's reckoning was no lefs than fifty one leagues eaft. Our ob- fervations with the megameter were much more accurate than thofe taken with the fextant. The firft inûrument, however, takes in only fmall diftances, and it is almofl: impoffible to ufe it in a high fea. It is much to be wifhed that a more convenient method of employing it could be invented; in that cafe it would be greatly fuperior to every infiniment for nautical obfervation I am acquainted with. We doubled the Cape ©n the 27th, and in the evening came to an- chorinFalfe bay, in forty- five fathoms water, with a bottom of fand and iliells. Next day we entered Simon's bay on a tack, and moored in thirteen fathoms, with a bottom of fine fand.

A$ fliips are expofed in the bay of the B 4 Cape

8 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

Cape to coniiderable danger from the north and north weft winds, they withdraw at the commencement of this feafon to a creek in Simon's bay, on the weft fide of Falfe bay. Here the lofty mountains of the Cape fhelter them from the high winds which blow in the weftern quarter, varying from the north all the way to the fouth point. On the other hand, this bay being open to the fouth eaft wind, which fometimes in fummer fets in with great force, fhipping give it a preference, in its turn, to the bay at the Cape. This laft is named with more propriety Table bay, as it is fituated at the foot of that mountain ten leagues diftant from the fouthern extremity of the Cape.

A conliderable part of the fl:iip's com- pany having been attacked with putrid and worm fevers, we took the firft opportunity of landing them. We laid in fome months' provisions to replace fuch as had been fpoiled or confumed^ for a great proportion of our vegetables were now found in a ftate of pu- trefadlion, a circumftance probably owing to the dampnefs of the fhip, which was new and had never before been out of the harbour.

Tq

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. Ç

To prevent the fcurvy, a difeafe fo incident to feafaring people in a long voyage, the commander had retrenched a part of the men's fait provilions, fubftitiitingve jetables in their place. This diet prefented at firil view great advantages; but in order to ren- der it really beneficial to feamen, too much caution cannot be obferved by the contractor, that the vegetables, deflined for a long voy- age, fhould not bs old, and that they ihould be dried in the oven, only (o far as will de- ftroy the eggs as well as the infeds them- felves, and prevent the vegetables from heat- ing or fermenting in hot and moifl climates. Care fliould likewife be taken by the com- manding officer, that the change of diet be gradual, and that the allowance of the men put upon this regiruen be augmented, as a vegetable diet does not yield an equal degree of nourishment with animal food; and indeed I think it not improbable, that the fevers v/hich attacked the crew on our palTage to the Cape, might have been occa- fioned by their abrupt traniition from the rich juices of an animal to the meagre ali-

jnent of vegetable food.

The

10 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

The banks of Falfe bay prefent naked and fandy hills with little or no foil, except what is found in cavities formed by the impetuous defcent of the torrents. But Dutch induf- try and perfeverance have rendered the little fettlement of Simon's bay equal to the exigencies of fuch veiTels as put into it for provifions. As there is a frequent and eafy communication between this place and the city of the Cape, Htuated at the diftance of fevcn leagues, I was able to gratify my cu- riofity by an excurfion to a town to which the vifits of. all European nations, trading to India, have given confequence and celebrity.

At the Cape I expe<fledlikewife to obtain proper information refpecfling the route and beft mode of travelling to the country of the Savage, or to fpeak more properly, the inde- pendent tribes of Hottentots, who, con- ftantly adverfe to a foreign yoke, live to this day in the quiet and innocent enjoyments of paftoral life. To inquire into the man- ners of men, in a fimple and unrefined flate, was an obje(ft always uppermoft in my thoughts, and had entered as a principle into the plan of my travels round the world i

an4

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE, II

and though I fhould not have it in my power to acquire a thorough knowledge of the manners and cuiloms of the Hottentots» yet I would not fuffer the prefent opportu* nity to efcape without knowing fomething of the real charadter of thofe tribes. Befides, as the Hottentots maintain an intercourie with the negroes who make extenllve pere- grinations into the inland country, I hoped to derive from themcurious information refpedt- ing the interior parts of Africa, which I am now of opinion might be traverfed to Tunis with much lefs difficulty than has been com- monly imagined. Slaves have been purchafed by our traders, on the coaft of Guinea, who fay they are from a country bordering on a fea towards the rifing of the fun; whence we may infer, that a communication exifts by land between the nations of Guinea and the tribes which live on the confines of the Indian ocean. In this idea I was afterwards confirmed by a converfation I had with fome negroes, purchafed by our fhips on the Mofambic coaft, who, though fpeaking a difl^erent language, can make themfelves underftood without the aid of an interpreter, 3 by

12 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

by negroes from the coaft of Congo and Angola. The- nations of tlie Mofambic coail have been conquered at different times by the Arabs, while other Arabian tribes, named Malays, arrive once a year in arms for the purpofe of traffic, as well as to colledt a tribute from Dahomer, chief of that part of the coaft of Judda, Vvhere we have efla- bliflied a French fadory. I had occauon to converfe likewife with fome Soufous ne- groes, who had been bought between cape Formofa and cape Verd, who fpokeand wrote the Arabic, and were followers of Mahomet. It is well known that the natives of Senegal carry on trade with, and pay a kind of tribute to the Arabs; and it is equally certain that the natives on the coaft of Guinea crofs the continent from their own country to Tunis and Tripoli. The fuperintendant of our fadory at Judda informed me, that the Arabs, who trade with the chief of that diflrid, are in part Cherifs of the family of Mahomet, wear a green turban, and their articles of merchandize, conliiling of dif- ferent fluffs made of filk and cotton, are exadly funilar to what we meet with among

the

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. I3

the Mahometans who border on the Medi- terranean. He fays, that when they fain te, they lay their hands not upon their breafts like the Mahometans of Europe, but upon their forehead, likethofe of India. Circum- cifion is a rite prevalent over the whole of Africa, from the Mofambic to the coaft of Barbary. It appears therefore from this de- tail, that there is a much greater intercourfe between the nations refiding in the interior parts of Africa than we have been apt to imagine; that they indeed maintain a very general correfpondence and traffic ; and that the Arabian tribes, trading with the coall: of Africa or the Indian ocean, muft have fome connexion with thofe Arabs who carry on a traffic along the coaft of the Mediterra- nean fea. From the manner of fainting in ufe among the Arabs who come to Judda, I infer likewife that there is a good deal of intercourfe between them and the Arabs on the Indian fea; and certain cuftoms I re- marked among the negroes from the coaft of Angola, induced me to come to a fimilar conclu fion with refpeâ: to them. A

game

14 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

game* of calculation in common to the nations of Africa, as well as the whole con- tinent of Ada, gives much countenance to my opinion on the fubjed:. I learned from the fame perfon, I mean our fuperintendant at Judda, that the Hyppopotamus is fome- times feen on the mar/hy borders of the river; that he makes a noife fomewhat re- fembling the neighing of a horfe, but with- out the fmalleft degree of likenefs to a horfe; that he is rather like the ox, though with the fhort hair of the buftaloe. He mentioned likewife the jackal], which in that country has a beautiful fkin, fpotted like the leopard, and is nearly of the fize of the tiger, but much his inferior in ftrength, claws, and natural ferocity.

* This game is played with little balls arranged in two line» on different points, and confifts in removing and replacing them according to certain rules, which I do not comprehend. I have met with it among the Chinefe, Malays, Indians, Turks, Malgaches, and Negroes,

CHAP

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. l^

CHAP. IIL

Tèe Author fets out on an inland Excurjion-—^ Vifits Mujfemhourg, Conjiantia, and other Dutch Settlements — Is prevented from penetrating i?ito the Country of the Hotten- tots, by the Timidity of thofe who were t9 ajjijlhim, and the prudential reafoning of the Commander of the "Expedition — Ex allions to which thofe mift fubmit who vift tin Cape,

I Set out on my excurfion the 3d of June, and after following the fea fhore for three leagues, arrived at an houfe named MuiTembourg, which belongs to the Dutch, and ferves as a place of rendezvous for a part of the Company's cattle. Some hun- dred yards further on, I came in view oï a lake, ftretchingto the north weft; it waihes the borders of a plain determined by a fweep of the mountains, which rife in Table moun- tain towards the north. Croling the lake, and continuing my journey over the plain, I difcovered at half a league's diftance the manlion and diftrid of Conftantia, fo fa- mous

l6 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

mous for its wine. Beyond it are feen ha- bitations on a foil embelliflied with a few plantations; but the ground in general ap- pears to be dry and fandy, and little fufcep- tible of improvement. The country is in general bleak, and far from being agreeable, though here and there the traveller meets with a bufh of fweet broom, and the flowery lilac. A little higher, however, the foil be- comes ftony and of a deeper mould, with feveral clumps of the lilver tree, fo named from the whitifli and velvet furface of its leaves. The filvcr tree grows ftraight, and, as the contour of the branches forms a pretty regular cone, prefents an agreeable appearance. I met with no other natural wood in this country, which would come under the defcription of timber. I was told, however, that in fuch low grounds as are iheltered from the harlh and inclement winds, there are fome very large trees, and in the interior parts of the country feveral confiderable fo refis.

The country, as I proceeded, being inter- fperfed with vineyards and corn fields, began to aiTume an air of greater fertility.

I now

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. I7

I now came in view of a vaft plain, adorned with handfome houfes, and along the road were many beautiful country feats, which in fome places were fhaded with a double row of fine trees. The gardens in general have a pleafant effed: ; but fuch as are con- tiguous to the refidence of the governor, with a wood in a quincuncial form, make one believe one's felf in the vicinity of a confiderable European town. The acorns, from which fprung thofe charming trees, were imported from Holland; but one fees with a kind of regret, that the great diflance of the colony from the African forefts, ruins the beft of their own timber, which is cut down and employed as fire-wood by the Company's fervants.

I came in view of Table bay, and the Ifle of Rob ben ; and as foon as I pafied Table mountain, obferved the Cape town, at which, after a journey of feven leagues, I arrived in the evening. The town has no advantage from walls, but is defended by a caftle, which commands the fea and the adjacent country. Tovv'ards the eafl: and weft it has two batteries, whicli overlook

Vol. III. C the

1 8 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH- POLE. "-

the road, with a work particularly intended- to cover the fhore ; and this fortification in. the quarter of the town refis on the fide of the mountain.

The population of the Cape is very con- fiderable ', the fortunes of individuals,, though not overgrown, are above medi- ocrity ', and the people in general are welL fupplied with all the comforts of life. Here the traveller meets with agreeable manners, good fcnfe, and a great deal of frugal induftry ; the complexion of the in- habitants, particularly the Creoles, is fair;, the town is handfome, and the climate happy. Such portion of the foil as has fallen to the fliare of the Company, is fer- tile and well cultivated^ The Dutch have, feveral villages at a diflance in the country, the moft conliderable of which I am told is> Stellembofc ; and the moil remote fettlers, dired:ly up the country, are about feventy leagues from the Cape. Such as refide on the coail, whether of the Atlantic or Indiaa ocean, have extended their pofleffions to a. much greater diflance from the capital ; in fa much, that were the houfes fet down within.

a mo-

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.' I9

à moderate diftance, the extent of Dutch territory would form a very ftrong colony. As the planter, however, has been permitted to appropriate to himfelf the beft foil and pafture wherever he could find it, popula- tion in the country is thin, and the houfes f^r removed from each other.

From the fertility of the foil, arid nume- rous herds of cattle, the Dutch at the Cape, as well as the planters in the remote parts of the fettlement, live at a very mo- derate expence; an advantage, however, but little felt by Europeans, government having arrogated to itfelf a monopoly, not only of fupplying fhips with ftores, but even daily fubfiftence to Grangers. . Provilions are fold at a very high price; and hence the profits of purveyance conftitute a conliderable part of the colonial revenue. Still, however, it is a matter of agreeable furprife to find at the extreme point of the African continent, plenty of every thing neceflary or convenient for a long voyage. This colony is in con- dition to export corn to Batavia, as well as to the mother country.

I abandoned, though with great relue- C 2 tance.

20 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

tance, my intended travels to the uncivilized Hottentots : the perfons to whom I ap- plied for fueh previous information as was neceifary to my entering on the expedition feemed to look through a magnifier at every obftacle in my way ; the ordinary method of confidering undertakings that deviate from the beaten track of common experience. Befides, the captain of the fliip having followed me to the Cape, urged many reafons to diffuade me from the execution of my plan — reafons, never- thelefs, which went upon the fuppofition of fuch a flrange and improbable coinci-» dence of circumftances as might militate againft any human projedt whatever. I chofe, therefore, to facrifice to my duty all that interefling knowledge which I have no doubt might have been obtained on this occafion, without the fmallefl inconveni- ence to the main objed; of our voyage. Firom this moment every flattering profpedt with which I had fet out on this fervice in a great meafure vanished; and I faw with fincere concern how little I could count on thofe inteileâiual attainments I hoped to 6 - have

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 21

have derived from my havfng a fliare in the expedition. The mere failor, attached by the habits of his profeffion to ihipboard, fatisiies himfelf with a glance of thofe ob- jects, which none but a perfon on fhore can investigate and afcertain in their true mean- ing and importance.

CHAP. IV. .

Arrival at the Cape of tivo Hottentot Chiefs with prefents — Details which equally relate to the ijidependent Hoite72totSy and thofe who live in a fate of Vaffalage on the Dutch Territory— Their Ferfons^ Ciifloms, Lan- guage, and internal Regulations — Philofo^ phical Difquiftions on various Languages — Two remarkable Infances of Magnanimity,

SOME days after my arrival, I faw at the Cape two old men, perfons of eminence amongft thofe of the Hottentot nation, who live on the territory and under the jurifdic- tion of the colony. They had brought with them fome cows as a prefent to the C 3 Dutch

22 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

Dutch, and received, in return, mock pearls, garnets, and other little articles of traffick. They declined lodging in the town, but chofe, according to the manners of their country, to pitch tents and dwell in its vicinity. The tribes in the interior country, whom the Dutch name CafFres or Bofchifmans, have a rooted abhorrence to the planters, and look down, with great contempt, on fuch of their own people, as have fubmitted to the yoke of the com- pany. Thefe independent tribes make fre- quent irruptions into the heart of the colony, and after committing depredations on the perfons and property of both, with- draw, with their booty, to the woods and fortrelTes of their difhant mountains.

The following particulars concerning ibis race of men, are equally appHcable to the free and enilavcd Hottentots ; and are fadls which I believe, having either feeii them with my ov^ncyes, or obtained them ffcm the report of reputable créoles who re- fide in the interior parts of the country.

The Hottentot is of a middle flature,

well

■VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 2^

weW proportioned, adlive, and pofTejfTes great agility in running ; the upper part of his face is broad with high cheek bones, but the lower part is flender and draws to a point at the chin ; he has the nofe and lips of the negroe ; a large prominent eye with a con- fiderable degree of vivacity ; his hair is lefs crifped than tTie hair of the negroe, and approaches nearer to that of the natives of Madagafcar ; he is at much pains to anoint it with greafe, and as he wears a bonnet which covers the whole forehead, it gra- dually loofes its frizzled texture and becomes intirely ilraight. It is far from being thick —it rather has the appearance of having been pulled out by fmall tufts. His complexion is naturally brown, but, from its being conftantly expofed to the fun, and anointed with the fat of his cattle, gradually deepens into a duiky black.

Theïe fadls give countenance to the ob- fervations I made on this fubjed: in the Defarts of Arabia ; I mean that heat of climate, co-operating with the influence of a dry parched foil, may account for the complexion of the negroe, as well as the C 4 crifped

24 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

crifped and woolly nature of his hair. The Hottentots, whom it would be very im- proper to call negroes, are, however, fur- rounded by them on all fides, and, I have no doubt, are of the fame extraction. The high antiquity of their iirft: emigration, and their long reddence on a more humid foil, and under a milder and more tem^ perate climate than their own, have pro- duced in my opinion, the circumftances which diftinguiih their prefent appearance from that of their negroe anceftry. The Hottentot wraps himfelf in a large fkin and depofits his privates in a fmall bag adorned with a piece of ftrong leather of an oval form. This cafe or codpiece is like- wife embelliflied with fmall brafs nails, and a border of little rings of the fame metal, which, owing to the motion of his body, produce a tinkling found like that of the {heep-bell. They have the art of extrad- ing the metal from their mountains, as well as of manufa élu ring it for different ufes. The breaft and neck are adorned with mock pearls, garnets, or fmall pieces of bone. Their chaplets and necklaces are of the

fame

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE, 25

fame materials, and you frequently meet them with the inteftines of their cattle tied round their ancles. Strings of garnets, hang- ing down on the hinder part of the neck, are attached to the hair on the crown of the head.

The heads of families receive much ho^ nour and confideration from the commu- nity, while the youth are not even allowed accefs to the national council. Previoufly to their being admitted to this privilege, they muft be declared men, and have en- tered into a ftate of wedlock — honours which are conferred at the fame time, and by the fame ceremony. When a young man has attained the age and other qualities which fit him for accompanying his coun- trymen to the war, to the chace of wild animals, and, in ftiort, for difcharging the duties of a huftand and parent, he makes choice of a wife, and convokes an aflembly of his tribe. The bride and bridegroom are conduced thither by their refpedive rela- tions, and receive an harangue on the reci- procal duties of the married ftate; after which a Hottentot, appointed to the office,

binds

2.6 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

binds a piece of inteftine about the arms of the bridegroom, and urines acrofs his fhoulders ; v/hen the candidate for public honours being declared invefted with all the rights and prerogatives of a married man, may henceforth affifl: in council, as well as in the purfuits of the fields. The women are chafte in their morals, and live in a ftate of great fubordination to their hufbands. A man may have a plurality of wives, but marriage is never permitted between bro- thers and fiflers. I was afTured, by perfons of whofe information and veracity I could not doubt, that the apron of the female Hottentot is a mere fidion of travellers. From every thing I could learn refpedting the manners of the Hottentots, from the cuftom of urining on the flioulders in the nuptial ceremony, from their anxiety to adorn the parts of fex in the male, as well as from the very abjeâ: condition of the woman, we feem warranted to infer that they have a peculiar veneration for age, fex, and all the qualities of manhood — qualities ç)î eiiential moment in the defence and per- petuity of the fpecies.

The

V<5YAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 2/

The Hottentots, denominated Caffres, .defpifing agriculture and tillage, give their whole time to their herds and flocks. Their oxen ferve for riding as well as for beafls of burthen. They live not in tents like the Arabs, but in huts made of bull-rufhes, or the fkins of animals 3 and as the country abounds in pafturage, they are lefs addicted to a wandering and deful* tory manner of life than either the Arabs or the Tartars. Though prone to indo- lence, they are fwift of foot, dexterous and aâ:ive in their perfons. In thechaceof the lion and tiger, as well as in their wars with the Dutch and Dutch Hottentots, (the laft of whom they defpife,) they give eminent , proofs of courage and intrepidity. Their arms confift of the bow and arrov/, the dagger, afpecies of javelin, and a fhort maify club pointed at each extremity with brafs, which they have the art of throwing at the enemy with particular addrefs. I have feen a fimilar weapon among the Egyptians, and the inhabitants of Palefline, and it is by no means improbable that the ufe of the plub may have gradually migrated hither 5 from

;28 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POL^.v

from Egypt or Abyfîinia, They take much pleafure in dancing, and the found of mu- Ileal infti-uments 5 and fome of them, in their leifure hours, touch a fpecies of guitar. Their nrfl appearance is not prepoffeffing, but after a Httle acquaintance one difcovers ^ countenapce, that from its variety, and the vivacity of the eyes, feems to indicate fome- thing lively and intelligent. I have ken them play a game of combination with art addrefs which would import any thing ra- ther than that grofs ftupidity vulgarly attri- buted to the character of the Hottentot, If they, nearly in the fimpleil fbate of hu- man life, find amufement in what gives exercife to the powers of the underiland- ing, we cannot, without being chargeable with ignorance orinjuflice, impute to them a turn of mind peculiarly ftupid and infen- iible. Though I do not think their na- tural temper fad or melancholy, it feems to be of a ferions cail.

The language of the Hottentots is the moft fingular I have ever met with. Be- iides innumerable gutturals, it contains many founds form.ed by preffing the tongue

in

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE- Ctg

in a bent flate againfl the palate. Thefe founds have feme refemblance to that uttered by a glutton or drunkard in low life, wheu he meets with a difli or bottle of wine par- ticularly fuited to his liking. It would perhaps be difficult to render what I mean better underflood than by the word c/op or c/ep ; a found which feems to precede the main expremon, and is repeated once or twice, according as the objeift to which it is applied is more or lefs important. They fay, for example, when one Hottentot ad- drefies another by his name, c/op ouaguays^ I thought, however, I could perceive that this initial flap of the tongue was only in- troductory to a primitive or original word. By a primitive word, I mean a word which is neither derived from, nor com- pounded of any other, as eau, terre, bois, ci/eau ; whereas habitation, boijjon, aSîioji, are derived from habiter, boire, agir. This uncouth found, I obferved, preceded likewife their numerals, i, 2, 3, 4, &c. The fa- vages of the province of Tegas, in Ame- rica, have a mode of expreffion formed by a fnap of the angers, in the way in which

we

30 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE^

we call upon a dog. They have other founds- formed by preffing the tongue again ft the' palate, and analagoas to that made by a woman when flie colledis her poultry ; but even this bears little refembiance to that of the Hottentot. The natives of the Philip- pine ifles employ a certain prefTure of the tongue to give founds expreffive of a negative. In my travels round the world i had occafion to make fome refle(ftions on this fubjed: -, at prefent I fhall only mention fuch eaftern languages as I confider original or underived : of this defcription, in my opinion, are thofe of the Tartars, Arabs, Indians, and Chinefe ^ in thefe there is one remarkable difference, I mean their refpec- tive facility or difficulty of enunciation -, and it is in fome meafure from the very fmooth inflexions of voice in one, and the very guttural articulations of another, that I in- fer their originality. My ear could diftin-^ guifh a confiderabie analogy between the languages of the two peninfulas of India and thofe of the numberlefs iflands which feparate the fouth from the Indian fea ; in So much, that I find more difparity between

the

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 3Î

the French and Englifli, though every one knows they are both derived from the Ger- man and Latin, than between any two of thofe languages. A fimilarity is likewife obferved between the jargon of Otaheite and that of New Zeland. But the extenfioa of population and intercourfe from the Chi-^ nefe Archipelago to the iflands of Otaheite and New Zeland, (fuppofmg this to have been the procefs,) muft have been effected by many intermediate fleps, and would have required a much longer period of time than was neceffary to unite in the fame manner the moil remote parts of the European con- tinent, even including the coafls of Green- land and North America. For this reafon I am inclined to think that the iflands of the fouth fea v;ere peopled entirely from the pe- ninfula beyond the Ganges, and probably not very long fince. From the high an- tiquity of its population, we may fuppofe that many revolutions, fometimes in one direâiion, and fometimes in another, muft have occurred, by which men being often reduced from conllderable civilization almoin to a ftate of barbarifm, the languages of

the

32 VOYAGÉ TO THE SOUTH POLE.

the different nations would be greatly de- praved and confounded, before they im- parted population to the iflands of the fouth fea.

Here the reader will give me leave to re- late two inftances of magnanimity, tothefirft of which I fliould have found it difficult to give credit, had it not happened at this place the evening before my arrival ; and if, befides the publick notoriety of the fa(5b, I had not been an eye witnefs of thofe vehement emotions of fympathy, blended with admi- ration, which it had juftly excited in the mind of every individual at the Cape.

A violent gale of wind fetting in from the north north weft, the barometer which had ftood at 28*^ and a fradion, during the preceding fine weather, fuddenly chopped to 2y^, and three Dutch velTels in the road, dragged their anchors. One loaded with grain for Holland, was forced upon the rocks, and bulged -, and while the greater part of the crew fell an immediate facriiice to the waves, the remainder were feen from the fhore ftruggling for their lives by cling- ing to different pieces of the wreck. The

fea

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 3^

Tea ran dreadfully high> and broke over the failors with fuch amazing fury, that nd boat whatever would venture off to their affifl- ance. Meanwhile a planter, confiderably advanced in life, and long a member of the colony, had come from his farm on horfe- back to be a fpedator of the fhipwreck» His. heart was melted at the fight of the unhappy feamen ; but knowing the bold and enterprifing fpîrit of his horfe, and his particular excellence as a fwimmer, he inftantly determined to make a defperate effort for their deliverance i He alighted> and blevv a little brandy into his horfe's noftrils, when again feating himfelf firm in the fdddle, hê inffantly rufhed into the midft of the breakers. At firft both difap- peared j but it was not long before they floated oil the furface> andfwamto the wreck; when taking with him two men, each of whom held by one of his boots, he brought them fafe on fhore* This perilous experi- ment he repeated no feldomer than fevea times, and faved fourteen lives to the pub- lick ; but on his return the eighth time. Vol. ill. D his

24 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLF.

his horffe being much fatigued, and meetings a moft formidable wave, he lofl: his bakncey and was overwhelmed in a moment. The horfe fwam ikfe to land, b»t his gallant rider,, alas! was no more. I am doubtful if in the hiftory of mankind we have a more brilliant example of heroifm exerted- in- the cauie of human it}^

The fécond ihftance of extraordinary for- titude I am to mention, is' not equal to the firfl ; Hill, however, it may be coupled with it in our narrative, fince both have, a ten- dency to {how how na?>i3TalIy the. mind is difpofed to imbibe great and intrepid fenti- ments, when removed from the- pernicious influence of luxury, and placed in tho, eafé and freedom of rural life. There a man acquires the habits of labour and induftry, whether it be to maintain himfelf and fa- mily in a decent mediocrity of fortune, or to acquire it by the conqueû: of $hofe diffi- culties which a rude and uncultivated foil oppofes to his fuccefs^ liwas in this view I obferved that our brave cavalier, though an European by birth, had been long a mem- ber of the colony — But I return to my ilory.

A Creoles.

VOYAGE TO THÉ SOUTH POLE. ^S

A Creole, who refided inland at a confider- able diftance from the Cape, was wounded in the hand, and a gangrene had enfued, from negligence and inattention. At length he became convinced that nothing but im- mediate amputation could fave his life : but refleâ:ing he was at too great a diftanCe from town to expeâ: the aid of a furgeon, he determined to perform the operation him- felf. It was a procefs neither of much time nor expence to the créole ; for after pre- paring fuch herbs as he meant to apply as a remedy to the flump, he cut off his hand with one ftroke of a hatchet, and was in- debted to no other affiftance than that of a negro, who held his arm fleady during the operation ^ and the fimple precepts of nature foon effeded his cure. I faw afterwards the patient in good health at Simon's bay ; he was attended by his Haves, and a number of waggons, containing butter and other ar-* tides, the produce of his farm.

CHAP,

5^ yOYAGZ TO THE SOXTTH POLSTr

C H A P. V,

'Excitrjlon to the IJle of Magdekhie — Detail refpeSiing the Natural Hijhry of the Sea^ Wo f and Penguin. — Modes of catching the- former.

AFTER informing myfèlf in the htÇk manner I could, concerning the town and harbour at the Cipc, I returned to my iîiip \m Simon's bay. In an interval of pub- lick duty^ I ma>de an excurfion to the Ilie o.C Mdgdaleine,. fituated at tlie bottom of Falfe bay, about tl^ree leagues from the fhip. I knew it w:as a: great refort of penguins and fea-wslves, numbers- of which I had feen, in my way to£fhoff Romanfclip, arockwhicli forms two paiîes at the m©uth of Simon's- bay. I efteemed it neither a diûgi-ecable- nor unprofitable paftime to confider thoie amphibious animals alive, the laft of whicb appears to form the: intermediate link be- t\i'een the fifli and q.aadruped ; as the firlï feeiïis to conned:^ though in a more imper-^ fedt manner^ the feathered race with, the amphibious cjuadruped.

5 -^s

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POXE. 37

As the waves break with confiderablc vi- olence on the confines of Magdaleine ifle, I was capefiil to make choice of a calm day; and on my way thither I killed fome Mou- tons de Cape and manches Je velours, or velvet ileeves.. On our approaching the land, I happened to take /hot at a manche de velour^ which alarmed a herd of fea- wolves as they lay baiking in the fun, who inftantly got up to their feat, and raifed fuch cries as in number and variety I could only compare to the bleating of a flock of iheep, when the old and young make mu- tual refponfes to each other. The age and iize of the animal might be diiiinguiihed by the degree of tone and energy of his voice. Our landing was fomewhat abrupt, ithe noife ceafed, and numbers qî theni plunged into the fea ; but as they hovered near to the rû>cks aconlidcrable time, I had :an opportunity to bear diftindtly the hoarfe cries of fome of the largeft, wfeidi have a great refemblance to that of a young calf ^ but in this lituation the yoiing ones were entirely mute. After liftening with much atiention, I conceived that their cries were D 3 defcriptive

38 VOYAGE TO THE SoUTH POLE.

defcriptive of anxiety of ftate of mind, or of a gentle tranfition from one fpecies of emo-r tion to another, but which did not indicate a fentiment of fear. We were provided with fmall bludgeons, with which we flunned them by ftriking them on the mouth. We killed fourteen, and took four young ones alive. This timorous animal, impelled by the irnpulfe of nature, made conftantly towards the water by the fliorteft way, even fhoukl it lie between our legs, but never attempted to bite except when ir- ritated by an interception of his flight. Had they been capable of maintaining their ground with the obftinacy of fome animals, wq might have found it difficult to make good ^ retreat ; for they are remarkably flrong, and were in fuch numbers as almoft to cover the foil. This herd could not confift of fewer than three thoufand. The largeit were about four feet long by two and a half round -, but the average flze was two and a half or three feet in length, and one and a half round the breail. The fea-wolf ap- pears to be extremely dull in, the fenfe of hearing ^ for as they fwam along the fliore

at

TOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 39

■at the fliort diftance of three paces, I called to one of the party to obferve their movements, but the found of my voice did not moleil: -them in the leafl-. If, however, I made the flighteft motion or geftare, they inftantly dived and fled out to Tea. H^nce it fhouid feem, that the «ye in this animal is a much more delicate organ of fenfation than the •ear. The eye is not deftitute of beauty, ■though it is frequently heavy and clouded.

With refped to tlie objeâ: of that in- ûinâ: in their nature which feems con- ftantly to urge them to land, I confefs my- felf at a lofs -, but I obferved, that as foon as we had withdrawn to the fmallefl; dif- -tance from the fhore, they began as before to climb the rocks, and to fcramble towards a dry fituation ; an impulfe which they obeyed with fo little difcretion, that we took fome of them by cutting off their retreat to the water. On a dry and level fpot of ground tiieir motion is too flow to enable them to elude a purfuit ; but if they happen to reach a fmooth rock inclining towards the fea, they efcape with great facility.

Some we took alive by bhndfoiding them D 4 with

4© VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

with a coarfe fack, which ferved to defend US againfl their teeth -, others we feized by the hinder legs, dragging them backwards on their bellies -, for as they are very large and corpulent, it is with the utmoft diffi- culty they can turn round to avenge them- felves on an enemy. The fame propenfity, whatever it niay mean, which carries them with eagernefs to tlie fliore, determines them to keep hovering near the rocks after they have got into the water. In this fitu- ation they amufed us with rnany curious evolutions ; fometimes they vault high above thefurfaçe, orhpld themfelves upright, with mouth, head, and neck raifed above the water ; fometimes they take a rotatory mo- tion like awheel ; andfompiin:je6 they fpring about a foot high and dive immediately, extending the fore feet along the belly, and llretchjng put the hinder ones in the manncF^ of a fan or fiih's tail.

I imagined at firil that they werç im- pelled to land, as well as to thefe move- ments, from the neceffity of refpiring ; but, having obferved them, on fome occasions, f çniair^ a long time under water, Î abandoned

this

IÇ-OYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 41

this hypothefis, I am, perfuaded, however, that water is an element lefs agreeable to the fea-wolf than land ; an idea which was fuggefled by an extreme defire they difcover of indulging in a fort of fenfual fleep or ftupor. I was afterwards much confirmed in this opinion by an attentive obfervation of fome which I kept alive, as I {hall mention foon, Upon this fuppofition, however, what an apparent contradiction in the œconomy of nafure, as it relates to this animal ! a being, which, with a ftrong prédilection for land, is forced by hunger to proceed far out to fea, and find his food at the bottom of the ocean.

When in the fun, the fea-wolf either fits upright or lies on his belly, flretching out his fnout between his legs like a dog ; if he would get into motion, he prefixes himfelf forward by protruding his fore and hinder parts alternately in |:he manner of a catter-

fjillar. He then raiies his head and nofc ike a pointer when hp fmells his game; jind as he proceeds, has fçme refemblanceto a terrier which rifes and walks on his hinder legs. This effort, I fbould fjppofe, is

painful

42 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

painful to the animal; it feems, however, necelTarily to refult, partly from the fhortnefs of his legs, which are fcarcely vifible above the feet, and partly from the extreme cor- pulency and repletion of his body. The hair of the cub is of a dufky black, the fnout is not fo conical as it is ufually reprefcnted, nor is the higher part of the nofe equally de- prefTed ; the teeth are fmall, the muftachoes of a confiderable length, and the expreflion of the face mild and inofFenfive. The ears are narrow, clofe, and fliort, being only one inch and a half in length, a circumftance which gives him much the appearance of a cropped dog. His neck is thick, full, and fo even with his head, that the hand glides fmot)thly over it ; and hence it is very diffi- cult to faften the fingers on this part of the animal. His breaft is large, but gradually diminifhes towards the oppofite extremity, which terminate^ in a very fmall tail of only two inches in length, and one eighth of an inch in diameter.

He has a fort of web foot formed of a coarfe carilaginous fubflance, refembling the fins of the fea-calf. The exterior part

of

-VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 43

y){ this membrane contains five toes, which ^re never completely extended ; the inncr^. inoft is the moft diftinftly marked, the next two are lefs fo, and the two exterior ones are fcarcely perceptible. The nails ap- pear like fcales above the membrane which contains the toes, but do not extend to its extremity ; they lie under the hair, and are fo very little obferved that they hardly deferve to be mentioned.

The hinder feet have alfo five toes ; thç jhree middle ones have their points and nails like thofe of a dog, very diflinguidiable ; the remaining two are neither fo large, nor are the joints equally prominent. On thefe the nail is extremely fmall, with the appearance of having been worn thin: the five nails arc placed in the middle of the foot, which un- der the three interior toes confifls of a Hen- der bony cartilage ; the other two being of nearly the fame thicknefs in thejr whole length, are larger in their extremities than the three middle ones. The toes of the hinder feet are all connecfled by a membrane like that of a goofe. There feems to be Something v/himlical in the pofition of the

nails.

44 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

nails, as they can be of no manner of ufe td the animal but to fcratch, nor can they even render him this fervice without bending the foot in a painful pofture.

I kept two of thefe animals alive for the fpace of eight days ; at firil I immerfed them in a tub of fea water, fix inches deep, and five feet long ; but as they feemed ex- tremely reftlefs, and made frequent attempts to efcape from their confinement, I drew ©ff the water. After repeating the experi- ment twice, and finding them ftill unhappy and impatient, I at laft allowed them to remain dry. When they found themfelves difincumbered of the water, they began to fhake their ears, and fcratch and clean them- felves like a dog. They kept clofe to one another, and fometimes fneezed like the above aninial.

In fine weather I permitted them to amufe themfelves in their own way. They never difcovered an inclination to efcape, but in viev/ of the fea; on all other occafions they either fî:rctched out their limbs and bafked in the fun, oï kept tumbling about,

rubbing

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 45

rubbing their fnout againfl the ground, or fliaking and fcratching themfelves with their teeth and nails. They feemed to receive pleafure from being fcratdhed by the fea- men, with whom they contra ded a degree of familiarity, in fo much, that they ufed to crawl round them, fmelling the lower part of their trowfers. They difcovered a preference for clothes of a blue colour, which I am therefore inclined to believe is the colour of their natural food. They ihowed a confiant propenfity to afcend, and got eafily on the quarter deck, probably in order to have the benefit of the fun in a high fituation. Their mutual fcratchings and carefles indicate a fondnefs for each other ; they were no fooner feparated than they JDined company again with all poffiblc difpatch ; and we had only to carry off one to be inllantly followed by the other, an experiment which afforded daily diver* fion to the failors.

After Jiving fome time in this flate of un- natural confinement, their eyes began to gliflen, probably from a heat of blood, as they refulèd all manner of food : I offered

them

46 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE/

them fifh and bread moiflened with watei^/ which they fmelled to, but would not eat. I endeavoured to make them fwallow flour mixed with water a Httle brackifh, with no better fuccefs, for it did not remain a mo-^ ment on their flomach. On the feventh day one of them was feized with a violent palpitation and fobbing, like the hiccups ; he foamed at the mouth, difcharging a greenifli fubftance, and gnawed the fides of his tub ; fymptoms which feemed to indi-' cate approaching madnefs, and he was im- mediately thrown overboard. Next day I let his companion loofe in a piece of mea- dow ground, obferving from my conceal- ment whether he fed upon grafs ; but after watching a long time, finding he would not eat, I drove him likewife into the fea! He kept fwimming, however, clofe to the boat, probably miftaking it for a rock, and I had fome difficulty to drive him out to fea. At firft he was weak, and fwam with little fpirit, but in a little time he dived, and after remaining about a minute under water, returned to the furface much more alert and vigorous. He had probably re-

freflied

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 47

frefhed hlmfclf at the bottom with his natu- ral food. Pie now took a final leave, and fwam towards fome rocks at a conliderable diftance.

The lile of Magdaleine is likewife fre- quented by a fpecies of penguins narped Manchots -, the higher grounds were almoft covered with their nefts, containing innu- merable eggs and young birds. ^ One of the nefls prefented an affecftionate mother, who ehofe to forfeit her liberty rather than aban- don her young. A neft contained generally two eggs or two chicks, feldom three, and never a fingle one. The young ones are laid head and tail, in the manner of pigeons, and one of them appears about a fourth larger than the other, whence I fuppofed them, male and female. Their down is remarkably long, with the thick curled ap- pearance of wool. We caught no fewer than forty old ones : they walk flow, are perpetually difpofed to crouch down upon the rocks, and therefore eafily taken ; the wings are long, and furniflied with fmall fhort feathers like hair ; their pinions ferve them occafionally inflead of fore feet, and

then

48 VOYAGE TO THE iOUTH POLE.

then they can get on much fafter ; but they are feen for the greateft part perched on their legs with the head credt, and the wings drooping ; an attitude which gives the ani- mal a great appearance of ftupidity. His plumage is of a dark grey^ with a flight fliade of blue ; the belly is white, but up- wards are two black oblong bands, one at the neck and the other at the ftomaeh r the head is black, and prefents a dull fleepy eye. They are not larger than the common duck, but the bill is fhorter, fmaller, more pointed than it is in that animal, and is ufed in his defence with great dexterity and effeâ:. T'hey dive and fvvim with much elegance -, and I have feen them turn and purfue theii" prey with furprifmg alacrity* On land they are peculiarly aukward and embarrafled.

I kept t\^o of thefe animals alive for thirteen days ; when I found them, they were unfledge d and very young, I ufed to feed them on .moiftened bread, and their di- geftion fcem{;d good, but having placed them in water. , one died foon after, and the other furvived him only three days. They

had

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 49

had none of the gentle and inoffenfive cha- raâ:er of the fea-wolf ^ for as foon as we approached their cage they became hoflile, and ready to attack us with violence.

The natural hiftorian, I prefume, will not find the above detail too minute, fince it ferves to confirm the knowledge already ac- quired of the character and ftruclure of thefe animals ; and this confideration will, I hope induce the reader who may be lefs intereiled in this particular fcience to excufe the length of the detail.

Vol. III. E CHAP.

^O VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE»

CHAP. VI.

Departure from the Cape — Heavy Gale of Wind, in which the VeJJel fujiained much Damage' — Sight of a Comet — Anchorage in the North Wejl Fort of the IJle of France ^ and fubfeqiient Departure from thence to the IJle of Bourbon — RefeBions which fuggefed ihemfehes to the Authour on the fuperiour Frofperity of the latter IJle — Error in the Chart with RefpeB to the Difance betwixt the I/le of France and that of Rodrigue, ajcertained by Bertoud's I'itne -piece,

WE now prepared for our departure. The frigate had failed the 27th of June, having orders to proceed to Madagaf- car, and, therefore, reimbarking fifteen men who were ftill indifpofed with the fcurvy, we got under weigh the 1 1 th of July. The breeze being from the north ~ north well, we went right before the wind. At four o'clock, however, P. M. it freshened, and blew with fuch violence, that we were obliged to take in the top gallant fails. The

weather

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 5I

weather became worfe, infomuch, that by half paft {even it had afTumed all the appear- ance of a ftorm ; the darknefs which over- fpread the heavens, rendered vilible by fome flafhes of lightening, accompanied with rain, began to prefent an awful fcene. The waves, by their colliiion, produced a gleam by eledlricity which enabled us to fee pretty clearly around us, In the mean time we were running at the rate of fourteen knots an hour : about eight, the main-top-fail was carried away, and the yard fhivered in pieces; the fore-fail and fore-top- fail foon followed ; in a moment the wind ihifted to the fouth weft, and blew with fuch fury, that the iliip lay water-logged in the gi^ateft diftrefs. I can conceive no fituation at fea more critical than ours ; forbad one of thofe immenfe waves now broke upon us to wind- ward on the ftarboard quarter, we muft in all probability have funk. Happily the fhip righted, but the tempefl continued to rage, and the wind blowing guns, we were again thrown on our beam ends. The powers of tEoIus feemed to have marfhalled the elements for our def}:rud:ion. We re- E 2 mained

52 VOrÀGE TO THE SOUTH POLE»

mained in this miferable plight mucfe longer than before, iror did the ihip right until, cutting away the mizzen-maft, it went overboard, and eafed us of its ineum- b ranee.

We loil on this occafion two top-mafts,. ^he fore-top-fail yard, the main-top-fail, with the mizzen-maft and all its rigging: we had two men killed by the fplinters of the fore-top-fail yard : the remainder of the night we fpent in faving fomc of the rig-, ging, and in clearing away the wreck* Our anxiety during the ftorm was much increafed by the pofition of the mizzen-mafi, which» was over the lide,. and beat wi-th fuch vio- lt;nce againft the timbers of the fliip, that we €Xpeâ:ed every moment flie would fpring a plank, or that the cordage of the wreck along iide would entangle itfelf with the rudder.

We repaired our damage in the befl man- ner we were able, and the wind having now abated, bent the only main-fail we had re- maining. The following day at noon w& iaw the Cape of the Needles, eaft north eaft five degrees north, at the diftance of ^.ight leagues. The enfuing night we hove

the

*î^OYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 53

îlie lead, which gave us forty-five fathoms, •and we fleered along a coaft very little known ; but at the dawn of the morning the land breeze fpringing up, we fcood out to fea, and bore away for the Ifle of France.

The 1 1 th of Augufl we reached the lati- tude 34^ 48'', and according to the ma- rine time-keeper of Monf. Bertoud, 56° 48'' eaftern longitude, whilfl the fhip's reckoning placed us in 58^ 39^^. At half pafl; lix in the evening we favv a comet in the weft north weft, at the elevation of 4^. The tail was towards the zenith, and con- fequently in oppolition to the fun, which was three quarters of an hour below the horizon .

On the 15th we faw feveral gouaJettes^ Vi fpecies of fea-fowl which is commonly feen in the vicinity of land, I knew, how- ■ever, of no land near, our latitude being 32^ 51''. and our longitude 63^ 26" On the 26th we faw the Falk en ciil, a bird which announced our approach to the IHes of France and Bourbon. Next day we pafTed the lile of Rodrigue; and the 2yth, E 3 ca^iiç

54 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE,

came to anchor in a harbour which lies north weft of the Ifle of France.

The error of the ihip's reckoning with refpeâ: to longitude was thirty-four leagues and a half weftward, whilft that of the time-keeper was next to nothing. Our ob- fervations made with this machine placed the Ifland of Rodrigue ^° 45" eaft from Round lile off the lile of France, and therefore the harbour of Rodrigue in 61^ 12," eaftern longitude. On the charts, however, it is laid down in 60° 45^^. From the examination of our time- keeper here and at Falfe bay, we found it had gained one minute twenty-four féconds only in the ipaceof an hundred and one days.

Here we found it eafy to repair the da- mage we had fuffered in the late florm -, but in order that we might enter the fouth feas in the fine feafon, we remained two months in harbour, part of which time, however, we fpent at the ifland of Bourbon, where we took in frefli provifions, and replaced our vegetables, which were found in a ftate of corruption in the bread-room.

Both population, and the produdions of

the

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 55

the foil, in the Ifle of Bourbon, are in a furpriflng degree fuperiour to thoie of the Ifle of France. An appearance fo little exped:- ed induced me to make fome enquiry into its caufe ; and after informing myfelf re- ipeding the fuccours afforded to both fettle- ments by the mother country, I confidered this fad as a frefh proof of one of my old maxims, that limplicity of manners, and the diligent cultivation of the foil, form the only folid bafis of a flourifhing population. Thefe are the only arts known to the happy Bourbonois ; whereas, the prevalence of vanity and intrigue in the Ifle of France has ■damped its profperity, and greatly retarded diofe advantages expeded to flow from this ifland to our poflTefllons in .India»

E 4 CHAP.

^6 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

CHAP. VII.

Th fuppofed Exîjîence of a Southern Conti- nent — The Means to be purfued in the pre- Jent Voyage to afcertain this Fa5i — The Barometer is not to be trufted in cold Cli- mates and high Winds — Further experi- ments on the ^antity of Salt contained y under different Latitudes, in Sea Water,

WE had authority from government to fit out a corvet at the lile of France, for the purpofe of faciUtating the frigate's approach to land in the courfe of our difco- veries J and this buiinefs being now accom- phfhed, and every thing in readinefs for our departure, we fet fail the 29th of Ocftober.

I fliall now mention fome fa6ls related by voyagers, which had contributed to lead men's minds to the idea of a fouthcrn conti- nent, and, at the fame time, the plan we meant to purfue for its difcovery.

Capt. Paulmierde Gonneville relates, that in doubling the Cape of Good Hope he en- countered a violent gale of wind ; and, from

the

f.>

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. ^y

the damaged condition of his fliip, being un- able to make head againfl the ftorm, he drifted, but at length found himfelf off land, when he dropped an anchor : as the veiTel required conliderable repairs, he entered the mouth of a river which he fays is about the breadth of the Seine. Here he found a people of affable and obliging manners. They weredreffed in a fpecies of mat and fea- thers : the children in general went without clothing ; the country abounded in provi- iions, and was governed by petty princes who lived in a flate of confiant warfare.

The fhips the Eagle and Mary were equipped in the year 1738 by the French Eaft-India Company, for the difcovery of a fouthern continent, and, after reaching the parallel of 50^ fouth latitude, and 15^^ eafl longitude from the meridian of Paris, fcarcely quitted the above parallel till they arrived at 35^ Eafl. In the courfe of this navigation they difcovered a promontory, which, being feen the 1 ft of January, they named Cape Circumcifion. But the ice, joined to a thick atmofphere and heavy gales of wind, prevented their going on

fhorç

5S VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE."

fhore to invefligate the nature of the dif- covery.

The Mafcarcign and Caftries failed in the year 1771 from the Ifle of France, to carry back to his native country the Indian whom Monf. de Bouganville had brought with him to Paris from the iiland of Ota- heite. Having reached 47^ South latitude, with a longitude of between 16^ and 17*^, they failed eaft, deviating little from the fame parallel till they arrived at the ifland of New Zeland. In this route they difcovered two groups of fmall illands, which they named, from their extreme flerility, the Arid ifles. The firft is fituated in the la- titude of 46^ 30'^ and by the meridian of Paris 35^ 42'^ The fécond is in the lati- tude of 46^ 16'', and in the longitude of 47° 36''. and is entirely barren. The vef- fel experienced in this paflage frequent fogs, fnow, and fevere gales of wind.

It would plainly appear from the above voyages, as well as from the relations of other navigators, fuch as Commodore An- fon, who, in doubling Cape Horn, made a long run fouthward, that if a continent

adually

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 59

adually exifts in the fouth feas, the part of it which borders upon the Atlantic mufl lie in a much higiier latitude than 50^ ; that the part of it which extends towards the Indian ocean is in a latitude fomewhat higher than 47^ ; but that as to the coaft which fhould ilretch along the Pacific ocean, our data do not enable us even to form a conjeélure. Land, it is true, has been laid down on the charts, as difcovered by Capt. Drake, fouth fouth weft from Cape Horn, and therefore much higher in latitude than the two points above men- tioned.

Thefe voyages ferve likewife to evince, that if the land vifited by Monf. de Gonne- ville is ad:ually fouth of the Cape of Good Hope, it can only be an ifland, and muft lie fouth eaft or eaft fouth eaft from the Cape. I confefs I have many doubts refpediing the polition given to this land by that navigator ; his narrative, as it relates to the people he met with, cannot apply to the inhabitants of any land direcflly fouth from the Cape, but is highly defcriptive of the natives of Madagafcar ; there the kings are conftantly

at

6o VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

at war with each other j the people are of gay affable manners, and drefs in a fpecies of mat; the children go naked, and the birds are peculiarly beautiful in their plum- age. There are, befides, rivers in the fouthern partoftheifland large enough to have received the ihips of Monf. de Gonneville ; and gales of wind from the fea frequently blow into the mouth of the channel with great impe- tuofity. From the antiquity of this voyage, it feems by no means improbable, that the part of Monf. de Gonneville's narrative in which he defcribes the ftorm he met with in doubling the Cape of Good Hope, may either have been mutilated or mifunderftood by the editor. Were the facSls to be ad- mitted nearly as they have been reprefented, it is evident that the land at which he went on fhore, muft lie in a vaflly higher latitude than that of the Cape, fmce the flrong gales prevalent in thofe parts fet in almofl uniformly from the north or north weft. But then how can we reconcile the flight drefs of the inhabitants, and the naked con- dition of the children, to the genius of a fouthern climate much higher in latitude

than

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 6ï

than the Cape. The place I (hould aflign to the difcovery of M. de Gonneville would be in the fouth eaft or eaft fouth eafl -, for if it lay direftly fouth of the Cape, it would fcarcely have been miffed by fliips paffing between India and Europe, which, in order to efcape the fevere gales fo frequent off the extreme point of Africa, ufed formerly to fail all the way to 40^ of latitude.

We refolved, therefore, to proceed eaft, until we fliould reach the latitude of 38^ or 40^. with the longitude of 35^ or 37^ ; for as the land vifited by M. de Gonneville muft have been of confiderable extent, lince it was parcelled out among a variety of dif- ferent princes, we conceived we had a good chance of falling in with it in following this courfe. But in the event of making no fuch difcovery, we meant to proceed to la- titude 50*^. and as nearly as poffible to the place where the Eagle and Mary quitted this parallel, and then to purfue, the track of thofe fliips caftward. In the courfe of this navigation we hoped to have the merit of difcovering different parts of the fouthern continent.

4 On

62 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.'

On the 1 6 th of November we arrived in 38^ i" fouth latitude, and 38^ 32^^ eaft longitude ; the variation of the needle was 28^ 1" , We had been unfortunate enough the two preceding days to have very hazy weather. On the 17th, we faw goualettes of a grey colour, birds which are generally difcovered in the neighbourhood of land : the atmofphere was obfcure and foggy. In latitude 40^. and longitude 38°. I repeated my experiments, and found that a hundred pounds of fea-water contained four pounds of fait.

The 1 8th we faw the grey goualettes in great numbers, and a fpecies of fowl black and grey, which we named capuchins, from. the fombre appearance of their feathers. Next day the wind blew from the north eaft with a thick haze ; the weather was dry, but extremely obfcure ; the wind began to blow in fqualls, and we faw the fame fpecies of fea-fowl as the evening before.

The 20th, in latitude 43^ 45'^ Reau- mur's thermometer ftood at 6^ above npo- thing. Befide the fea-fowls of the pre- ceding day, we faw penguins, and multi- tudes

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 63

tudes of fea-wolves : during the night we founded every four hours -, the weft and north weft winds blew frefh, and fhifting to the fouth weft, continued in violent fqualls till morning. Thefe gufts of wind were accompanied, fometimes with fnow, and fometimes with rain ; but we had, ne- verthelefs, in the courfe of the day, inter- vals of fine funfhine. Our latitude was 44^* 21''. and longitude 39^.

On the 23d we faw a tree floating with all its roots, penguins, fea-wolves, feme large fea-weed, with a tubical ftem and broad leaves, circumftances which we had no doubt were indications of land ; but in what quarter we ought to go in fearch of it we were at a lofs to imagine. The fouth weft wind, accompanied with a rolling fea, obliged us to rife a little in latitude ; we had not the fmalleft reafon, however, to fuppofe that our chance of finding land was by this means in any degree diminilhed. We lay to during a part of the night, and when the weather was hazy and overcaft, hove the lead at regular intervals, and, in ihort, were at all manner of pains for its dif-

covery.

64 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

covery, but in vain. It feems barely pof- iible that the above appearances were fal- lacious; at any rate we failed fifteen leagues eaft fouth eafl from the above point, without difcoveringany thing like land.

The weather became more moderate, with a tolerably ferene iky, and on the 24th and 26th the corvet was in condition to carry all her fmall fails.

On the 26th, being in latitude 46*^ 12''. and longitude 41^ 25''. I found that 100 pounds c.f fea- water gave 4-^'- pounds of fait. The wind, when it fhifted towards the fouth, blew with greater violence than when it blew from towards the north point 5 but in the firfl: cafe the atmofphere was clear, and the horizon as full of ftars as in a night under the finefl climate.

The weather continued ferene till the 27th, and during this interval we faw very few fea-fowls. Perhaps that inftind: which in ftormy weather induces thefe animals to feek flielter on land, may often, in thofe deiart regions of the ocean, draw them towards the fhip from their mistaking it for a rock. I remarked that we faw the king's

fifhers

Voyage to the south pole, 65

ï^ifliers, and the Damier or Petrel, in greater numbers at the fetting in of bad weather, or in a gale of wind, than in more moderate weather. This laft fpecies I did not men- tion before, becaufe it may be prefumed, from their great frequency at the Cape of Good Hope, that they are fufficiently known. Their name is derived from their plumage, which is fpeckled black and white : they are not very frequent in high latitudes, nor are they equally common in hot climates as at the Cape; whence it feems probable that the temperature moft fuitable to this fpecies is between 26^ and 46 '^ of latitude.

On the 27th, being in longitude 41^ 30'/. we cut the parallel of the fàrfh cluftre of iiles difcovered by the Mafcareign and Caftries. Though it is placed by thefe fhips in longitude 35^ 42'^ yet confidering the force and prevalency of the weflerly winds in thofe parts we were inclined to be- lieve the fliip's reckoning had been erroneous, and that their aâ:ual polition is much fur- ther towards the eafl: ; and we conceived that if thefe little illands were the append-

Vol. III. F ages

66 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

ages of any extenfive trafl of land we fhouldl probably fall in with it in our prefent courfe. From the ufually thick flate of the atmof- phere and violence of the winds, it feemed not improbable that thefe fliips might have pafTed within a moderate diflance of a large territory without feeing it. But it fhould feem, likewife, that if any fuch land exifts in their vicinity, it muft lie in their northern quarter; for had it been lituated towards the fouth, as the Ihips purfued this direc- tion, it would fcarcely have efcaped their obfervation. Be this as it may, in the courfe we followed we had not the fmallefl notice of land ', neither on the evening preceding the 27th, nor on any of the immediately fucceeding days, did we obferve Sea- wolf. Penguin, or indeed almoft any bird what- ever. It is true we had fome hazy weather, but it was by iliort intervals, and the fky was upon the whole tolerably clear.

On the 30th we reached the latitude 49^ 27''. and longitude 42^ 27". we were now riling into conliderably high latitudes ^ the wind blew frefh from the north eafi: with a high fea, and fnow fell in large fleaks during

the

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE, (yj

fquall ; the mercury meanwhile was not quite 4^ above nothing. We faw fea-weed and many birds of the fiime fpecies we had itç.ïi before; a white fowl in fliape refem- bling the Goualan, and a black one, which did not appear to belong to thofe tribes that venture far from land. His wings are fhort and broad, and in his flight, which is ef- feded without foaring, he has an abrupt quick flroke — circumflances which fliow him but little qualified for very exteniive cxcurfions from lands.

The ift of December the wind veered to the north eaft a quarter north, with a thick haze, but it foon fhifted to the weft, frefh- ened confiderably, and the haze ended in a fall of fnow. The mercury v/as five de- grees above nothing, with the air extremely cold, and the fky deeply overcafl. We faw a Sea-cow, and different forts of fea-fowls.

The 2d, we had a great deal of fnow, which fell inceffantly, even between the fqualls j the air was penetrating, and the mercury flood at 3° above nothing, while the wind and fea \vere boifterous as the evening before. Next, day the wind flill frefliening, F 2 came

68 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

came at length to blow a gale; the fnow continued, and the mercury funk to 2^. Our latitude by the fliip's reckoning was 50° 2". and our longitude 52° 43''. Want of accuracy in the barometer, efpecially during high winds, is the reafon of my not having mentioned this inflru ment before. In more temperate climates I had found it very ac-,. curate ; but now, provided the weather was -dry, it did not fail, let the wind be however high it would ; on the contrary, it fome- times rofe, particularly in a clear ftate of the atmofphere. This inftrument, which in the v/inter months at the Cape had jdood at 28 inches three or four lines during a high wind, pointed, the 30th of November, 27 inches two lines, with the thermometer 4^ above nothing, the wind high, and a o-reat fall of fnow. The i ft of December the mercury fell to 26 inches 10 lines, while the thermometer was 5° above no- thing; the weather was at firft hazy, and the wind, in the N. E. I- N. fliifting to the N. W. andW. frefhened confider- ably, with fnow, which the atmofphere feemed to threaten more. Next day the

barometer

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 69

barometer mounted to 27 inches one line, and the thermometer funk to 3^, the wind, meanwhile, increaiing, with the fame fall of fnow, though in the intervals of the fqualls the iky appeared much lefs loaded.

On the 3d the barometer rofe to 27 inches four lines, and the thermometer fell to tP though we had a ftrong gale of wind, ac- companied with a great fall of fnow ; it is true the atmofphere was at times pretty clear, but the great and general irregularity of this inftrument prevented my placing in it the fmalleft confidence.

On the 4th, the wind having gone round to the north, the weather relaxed greatly of its rigour; the fun {hone in all its fplendor, and the winds died away towards evening ; we encountered currents, but were not able to difcover their direction . The variation of the needle was 2(f ,

This ferene weather was of fliort dura- tion : next day the wind changed to the N. N. E. ilormy, and foon after to the N. N. W. with very heavy fqualls : the at- mofphere was thick and hazy, with a fall of fmall rain. This bad weather lafted F 3 during

70 I'OYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE,

during the whole of the 8 th, and in the evening the wind veered to the N. N. W, ftill blov/ing in violent gufts, with fnow. In the courfe of this fevere gale we had inter- vals of clear Iky ; the frigate loil: her fore- fail ; meanwhile, we faw fome fea-fowls. On the 7th of December our longitude was 58^ 2^\ and latitude 50''. the precife parallel we were defirous of.

The wind fhifted on the 9th to the N. N. W. and the weather became lefs tempefluous, though fnow fell inceflantly from a thick atmofphere. We faw few birds except Penguins, which were in great numbers, and fo furprifmgly tame, that they followed us, hovering along-lide, and chattering like flocks of ducks.

Next day, befides birds fuch as we had already frequently obferved, we faw a very large fpecies of Sea-fowl, Moutons de cape, and fea-vveed. The weather became fo fine, that the corvet fet her top-fails ; the nth was foggy, with the wind at N.N. W. Next morning it blew frefli, with rain ; and at noon tlie wind fhifting to the W. N. W. became fo tempefluous, that

we

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 7I

we had almoil loft the mizzen-fail and yard. It fnowed, and we faw fome birds, chiefly penguins.

Towards evening on the following day the fea fubfided, and became beautiful; the wind at W. S. W. died away into a gentle breeze, and we faw few birds.

CHAP. VIII.

Difcovery of feveral IJlands and a main hand — One of the Iflands is fixed upon as a 'Rendezvous for the two Vejfelsy and is ithej'efore named the Ifiand of Re-tinion — A new Coajl is alfo difcovered,

THE day we had fo eagerly looked for at length arrived; on the 14th, at half paft feven in the morning, we difco- vered a large fhoal of ice apparently ftation- ary on a rock, and foon after, the man at the maft head faw hidiland ftretchin^ north and fouth as far as he could fee. We ftood direélly for it, and at ten o'clock we hove F 4 the

72 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

the lead, which gave us i lo fathoms water, on a black muddy fand mixed with fhells. At noon we fleered toward sa large round hill, appearing in the fouth caft tv/o degrees eaft, at the diftance of five leagues. Our lati- tude was 49^ id'', and longitude 66^ i8''. Eaft from the meridian of Paris. Ever fmce our quitting thelfleof Bourbon we had regulated our longitude by the time-keeper» having found that it gave greater certainty in thofe thick and boifterous regions than either the fhip's reckoning, or any obferva- tions we could take of the heavenly bodies. At three in the afternoon we were only at a league and a half's diftance from land, when we flood for a kind of recefs in the coaft, in hopes we ihould meet there with good anchorage.

The coaft prefents a mountainous and very rugged afped, and feems to have been interfered in many places by the impetuous fall of torrents. The inter^our country, as far as we could difcern, was covered with fnow, which, far from exhibiting a fmooth furface, as in Europe, appeared in large white patches, fuggefting the idea of a rude

a,ad

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 73

and uncultivated foil. Along the coaft were many beautiful cafcades, formed by large torrents which were fed by the melting of the inland fnows. A river, fkirted with a lively verdure produced by fome ftraggling thickets of fhrubbery, joined thefea through a chafm in the mountain.

In the morning we had fine weather, and a pleaiant breeze from the W. S. W. but the wind fliifting abruptly towards the north, died away, and the weather became hazy. We flood off the coafl the enfuing night, and had a moderate wind, accompanied with fmall rain.

Next day, the weather ftill moderate, the wind veered to the fouth, and the fky became clear towards evening : in the night, during the general watch, we faw a beau- tiful Aurora borealis -, at two o'clock P. M, our foundings were 95 fathoms on a coral bottom, and at fix in the evening 105, on a bottom of the fame. In this depth we brought up two pieces of coral of a deep red, which prefented a number of ramified tubes refembling the root of the cocoa-tree. We law very few birds, except a large

Mouton,^

74 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

Mouton, fome Penguins, and a fowl with a large broad wing.

The morning of the i6th we had no fathoms water, on a bottom of fine grey fand, mixed with clay ; and at five, having a fmall breeze at fouth eaft, with a clear horizon, we difcovered a little ifland in the form of a wedge, iloping towards the weft. A hiç^h land, which we found to be like wife anidand, was feenfoon after, fouth weft from the former. The firft we named the Ifland of Re- union, becaufe we agreed it ftiould be the place of rendezvous in cafe of fepa- ration ; and to the fécond we gave the name of Ifle de Croy, in honour of a gentleman, who, on all occafions diftinguifhed for his publick fpirit, had been particularly care- ful to make fuch arrangements as under Providence might give fuccefs to the prefent expedition.

The following day we faw high land fouth and one quarter fouth eaft from the Ifle de Croy, which we examined, and found to be an ifland, which we named Ifle de Rolland, from the fliip. Between the above two large iflands we faw four ©thers,

much

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. y^

much fmaller, and low upon the water. A kind of promontory, which we named Cape François, next prefented itfelf, with a coaft flretching to the fbuth eafl. This is the main land, and we found it, upon invefti- gation, contiguous to our firfl: difcovery on the 14th. In the vicinity of Cape François, eaftward, we difcovered two bays feparated by a ftrip of land of a remarkable form, having the effed: of a magnificent arch or gate- way, through which we faw light. In what manner the elements ad:i ng upon this ridge had in procefs of time made fuch an opening in its fides as to exhibit the prefent fingular appearance, it is difficult to fay

Tantum cevi longinqua valet mut are vetiijîas.

From the 17th to the 23d, the winds were very irregular, with a iky fometimes clear and fometimes hazy. We contented ourfelves with a general furvey of the figure of the Coaft, which making a fweep from the north eaft to the fouth eaft forms a moft extenfive gulph. The waves broke with great violence on the furrounding rocks, 4 and

76 VOYAGE TO THE SoUTH POLE.

and we were not a little apprehenfive of be- ing wind-bound in this perilous fituation. In the bofom of the gulph is a low ifland of conliderable extent. We faw many whales with whitiih fpots, and a fpecies of Penguins of a reddifh colour, which hover- ed about the fhip, frighting us with a hoarfe obfcene fcream between that of a crow and a duck. The keennefs of the air produced a fharp appetite in the fhip's company, in fo much that fome of them fainted on duty for want of fufficient fubfiftence, and it was neceflary to increafe their daily allowance.

From the 27th to the 29th, the wind being at W. N. W. blew in fuch fqualls as to endanger our rigging -, fome of the men became indifpofed from the feverity of the weather ; it was full moon, and we had fog, rain, and hail alternately to contend, with.

The 30th was fine weather; but from the 31ft to the 2d of January, 1774, the wind veering in the fame quarter from N.N. W. to N. W. freihened into heavy gales.

The violence of the ftorm had carried us

confiderably

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. ^'J

confiderably towards the eaft, and, on the 5th, we difcovered new land ftretching out of fight eaft and weil:. The lead gave us 125 fathoms on a fine black fand mixed with fmall pebbles of the fame colour. On this coail; the land appears lower and lefs rude than any we had hitherto obferved. In the morning wefaw numbers of Penguins and a fpecies of fmall Gouallettes.

CHAP. IX,

Juanding at the IJland of 'Re-union^ and Pof- JèJ/ion taken of the difcovered Countries—^ The Crews fuffer very feverefy from the Rigour of the Climate — Refections on the Prevalence of Storms, and particular Winds in this Part of the Globe.

FROM the 3d, the wind continued at eaft varying to the north eaft, but moderate with a beautiful fea 5 we profited by this favourable interval to repair to the Illand of Re-union.

On the 6th we landed in the firft bay,

eaft

7^ VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

eaft from Cape François, and took formal polîeffion of our difcoveries.

The fhip anchored in a fmall road about half a mile in length, and a third more in breadth, containing a fmall port or harbour which fronts the fouth eafl, and is half a mile broad at its entrance. In the road the foundings are from forty-five to thirty fathoms ; and in the harbour from 1 6 to 8 — a depth of water which continues the fame clofe to the fhore. The bottom, in both, is of black fand mixed with clay. The coaft, on each lide, is lofty, but green, with an abrupt defcent, and fwarms with a fpecies of Buflard. At the upper end of the harbour is a little hill, between which and the fea, is a fmall bank of fand and gra- vel; acrofs which, a river inconiiderable in its dimenfions, but containing very fine v/ater that ilTues from a lake beyond, and, at fome diflance from the hill, runs into the fea. The fand was covered with Penguins and Sea-lions ; which, from their great familiarity and entire freedom from any alarm at our approach, feçmed to afTure us, that the country was totally uninhabited.

The

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 79

The foil produces a kind of grafs, about five inches in length, with a broad black leaf, and, feemingly, of a rich quality; but we faw not a lingle tree nor the veftige of a human habitation. The liland of Re- union lies in latitude 48^ 21 ''. and longitude 66^ 47'^ The variation of the needle was 30^. always towards the north weft.

On the morning of the 9th, it being fine weather, we fent off a boat to the fhore; fo little were the Penguins and Buftards ap- prehenfive of us, that they fuftered them- felves to be knocked down with the oar. In a fhort time the iky became overcaft, and the boat in doubling a rocky point on the ftarboard, in order to enter the road, was fuddenly driven back by a violent guft of wind, rain and hail. The boat drifted and was every moment in danger of fink- ing; happily, however, after a ftorm of fome hours, the bad weather abated, when the crew finding themfelves near Rolland Ille, and in view of the Corvet, made towards her with all poffible difpatch. The men, v/ho v/ere completely worn out with fatigue and cold, had no fooner got on

board

So VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH f»OtÈ*

board than the boat funk. We immedi-* ately flood out to fea.

It is aftonifhing how much we fufFered from the intenfenefs of the cold during the fi:orm, which laifted from ten in the morn- ing till three in the afternoon. The wind fet in from the fouth eaft, varying from the fouth point to weft fouth weft ; and the fnow and hail adhered in a thick cruft to the mafts and rigging. An attempt was made to take in the forefail which was in danger of being carried away ; but the ftrongeft men on board were unable to hand it ; it was a perfed: fheet of ice. Such was the weak and benumbed condition of the crew from the froft and piercing wind that covered them with fnow and hail, that, after repeated ex- ertions, the bufinefs was left uneffeâ:ed. What fhall we think of this extraordinary climate ? We were now in the middle of the fine feafon, this very day correfpond- ing to the 9th of July in the northern hemif- phere.

The currents in thefe reo:ions feem to run N. E. though in the gulph, eaft of Cape Francois, they appear very irregular ;

it

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 8t

it fliould feem, however, from the diredion in which the corvet drifted, between the 7th and 8th, that they fet in from the fouth weft, and made the circuit of the gulf.

The days following we had fair and hazy weather alternately, and in a very rapid fuc- ceffion; the mean heat at the Ifland of Re- union I computed to be about 6^ above froft; and at the fame place 1 00 pounds of fea- water gave four pounds and a half of fait. I ob- fefvcd that we had more haze and rain in the middle than in the beginning of fummer ; lince for fome time the rains and fog had be- come extremely frequent, whilft the winds were in general lefs violent and more variable. All along, however, we had occafionally ftrong gales, fuch as that of the 9th 5 and the twilight, from the variety and brilliancy of colouring which it fpread over the heavens, af- forded a very beautiful profpedt. I imagin- ed that the winds were more boiflerous about the time of full moon than in her wane.

Ever fince we croffed the meridian of the iflands difcovered by the Mafcareigne and Caftries, the wind began and continued to fet in with a haze from the N. N. E. quar-

VoL. III. G ter,

§2 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

ter, varying to the N. N. W. where it gene- rally became frefli. It then ufed to veer in fqualls, but with lefs haze, from N. W. to W. N. W. when the weather clearing up, it frequently terminated in a calm. If the wind continued to veer towards the fouth wefc, the weather became rough and tem- peftuous in violent fqualls j but as its force feemed to exhaufl itfelf, the weather became gradually line. In a fhort time the wind again returned to the N. E. or N. N. E, frefli and hazy.

From the time of our arrival on this newly- difcovered coail, the wind was fel- dom in the eaft, and in the few inftances of its blowing from that quarter, it was always faint, and accompanied with a clear iky. The charad:er of the winds, in other re- fped:s, was much the fame as has been men- tioned, with this difference, that they blew moil violently, attended by rain or fog, when palling from the N. N. E. to the N. N. W. — and as they fhifted in fqualls to the W. N. W. the weather gradually be- came fine. If they continued to veer from tfie W. S. W. to the S. W. the fky

became

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 83

became ferene with a gentle breeze; but

foon getting round to the N.E. and N.N.E.

they began to blow with their ufual violence.

I found, upon comparing the journals

we kept during the interval of our fepara- tion, that the winds in thefe regions are ex- tremely limited. It has happened, that when the two ihips were only eight leagues afunder, the one was labouring in a ftorm, while the other enjoyed moderate weather; and hence the capricious and turbulent ge- nius of thefe feas.

Confidered in their abrupt operation, I difcovered fome analogy between the winds in thefe latitudes, and in the feas of Siberia and Nova Zembla, where ftorm s and inter- vals of fine weather follow in a fucceffion furprifingly rapid. The latitudes v/hich I now compare are no doubt much higher in the north feas than in the fouth, Hill, how- ever, a comparifon may be made be- tween them, fince in fimilar latitudes the fea is much more rough and tsmpefluous in the fouthern than in the northern hemi- fphere. This peculiar violence of the foutît feas I am inclined to attribute to their amaz-

G 2 ing

S4 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

ing extent. They flow from eaft to wefl without any material interruption, if we ex- cept the points of South- America and New Zeland, Hmits which include a fpace equal to two thirds of the globe. But be this as it may, nature, I afn convinced, condudls herfelf, in all cafes, according to fixed and certain rules ; and if, on fome occafions, fhe ihould feem to ad: anomoloufly or from caprice, fuch appearances are to be imputed to the weaknefs of our limited capacities, which are unable to colled: from a very par- tial furvey of the different parts the unity and confiftency of the whole.

The 1 6 th the wind changed from the north eafl; to the north weft ; on the follow- ing day it blew frefh, accompanied during the night with fnow and hail.

CHAP.

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 85

CHAP. X.

'The Vejfcls quit iheir Difcoveries, and fail for Madagafcar — Sudden Tranfition from fe- vere Cold, to fme temperate weather — An- chorage in the Bay of Antongil, where the Sick are refrejiocd — Dfcription of the if and of Madagafcar — The Author, defirous to inform, himfef of the natural Hifory of ^he Ifland, and the Manners and Ciijhms of the Inhabitants, embarks in a Canoe, and lands near a f mall Village,

N the 1 8 th we quitted our cruize, which from the extreme caution of the com- mander we had continued without any voluntary deviation for the fpace of thirty five days. We now fet fail for the Ifland of Madagafcar, ftanding northward with weft and weft fouth weft winds.

We foon perceived an agreeable mitigation in the Severity of the atmofphere ; half the men neceftary two days before to hoi ft a fail from the thawed and flexible condition of the rigging, were now fully equal to G 3 the

86 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

the tafk. The thermometer in my cabin flood after fun fet at nine degrees ; and rofe in the open air to eleven ; but it was then expofed to a wind blowing from the quarter of the fouth. Some of the crew fuffered from collicky pains and extreme lalTitude, owing perhaps to the quick tranlition from, a cold to a milder climate ; but the fcurvy foon manifefled itfelf, which was a more for- midable enemy.

From the 7 th to the 9 th we had been at much pains to difcover, though without fuccefs, the Ifland of St. John de Lifboa, ■which i$ laid down in latitude 25°. and lon- gitude 55°.

On the nth we began to encounter the florms ai^d rains then prevalent on the coafl of Madagâfcar.

The 17th we difcovered the coaft of St. Mary's Ifland, and foon after that of Madaga- fcar; and on the 2 1 ft dropped anchor in An- tongil bay, clofe to a creek in the Ifland of Marrofle. On this little ifland we .ereded tents for the accommodation of fuch as were ill of the fcurvy. From the woods we had plenty of lemons and pine apples, with an

ample

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 87

ample fupply of fruit, fowls, and frefh meat, from the Indian villages, whence our fick de- rived the agreeable profpeâ: Ol a fpeedy recovery.

The Ifland of Madagafcar is about nine hundred miles in length, and one hundred in breadth, and, next to Borneo, is the mofl extenfive in the world. As it extends from the 12^. to the 26*^. of latitude, it is favoured v/ith a mild and agreeable climate, The foil is of amazing fertility; travellers, and efpecially botanifls who profefs to be accu- rate obfcrvers of nature, maintain with a kind of enthufiafm that (lie no where laviilies her bounty with equal prodigality as in this ifland. Here fhe indulges in a peculiar difplay of vigorous and multifarious vegeta- tion. The country from its vaft extent, fouth and north, includes various modifi- cations of climate, and rears the productions of the regions fituated in the higher latitudes as well as of thofe placed between the Tropics. The parts lying towards the north feem fome- what analogous in foil and climate to the iiles of the Chinefe Archipelago ; and in thefe I have no doubt fpices might be cultivated with G 4 advantage.

88 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

advantage. The fruit Rabinftira is common in the woods ; a fubftance which unites in it the quaUties of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and when gathered a httle before it arrives at full maturity is capable of fup- plying the place of thofe fpices. The num- ber of rivers in Madagafcar, the fuperior quality of the cattle and poultry, the great abundance of corn, indigo, and fugar, with many other valuable produdions, all concur in attefting the luxuriant fertility of the foil.

The travellers who firll vilited this country, imagined that it contained mines of eold and filver, an idea ftill maintained by fome perfons, though in my opinion with few or no reafons to fupport it. I found in the courfe of my refearches rock cryftal, the fpecimens of which were eighteen in- ches in length, and from five to fix in diameter. I faw likevvife pieces of Mar- cafute, which might have been miftaken for the ores of the precious metals.

But my chief objedl in this iflaiid v/as to fliudy the manners and principles of action in the people, v^hofe great population and origi- nal

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 89

iial fettlement, probably extremely ancient, feemed to militate with the notion of finding limpiicitv of character in their prefent cir- cumftances. Some faint traces of religion, much fuperfirition, no pubHc mode of religi- ous worfhip, gleams of goodnefs, alternat» examples of cowardice and courage, a ftrong propenfity to fufpicion, the ufual mark of treachery; ufagesin (liort in flat contradiction to every thing like delicacy of fentiment, and good morals among other men, are par- ticulars, which, if true, well deferve fome inveftigation .

The little illand of MarroiTe did not ef- cape my notice; but the iiihabitants, who are few, invited by the fociety of ftrangers, having, for the greateft part withdrawn to the main land ; it was by no means in con- dition to gratify my curiolity. I imitated their example, and went to relide in a village adjacent to the harbour; but as it was occu- pied by a kind of military colony, which had arrived from Europe a few days before us : fuch a mixture of natives and foreigners feemed little calculated to pro- mote my views. I now fell in with fome

men

go VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

men who had been fent to buy provifions in a diflant village, when, learning that it was entirely free from the coinpany of Europeans, I made choice of it for the place of my refidence, and departed. My eager- nefs however to profit of a fniall canoe, which was juil returning thither, had nearly put ^n end to all my enquiries; after doub- ling the Ifland of MarrolTe, the wind frefh- ened, and our little paltry boat, not exceed- ing two feet in breadth, was unable to cope with a high fwell which fuddenhy arofe in the fea. The water poured into her on all fides, and as there were only three perfons in number, we were unable to row and bail the boat at the fame time; fortunately I ob- ferved that the coafi: directly oppofite con- ûfled of a fandy foil, whilfl a little further on it prefented a rocky and dangerous iliore. Not a moment was to be loft; we inftantly put in for land, and going right before the wind v/e approached it with great celerity. Still however as the furf broke upon the beach with great violence, I could think of no expedient, by whieh, the boat might be kept above water, but that of hoifiing a fail; 6 the

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 91

the experiment fucceeded to our wiih, and running a confiderable diftance on iliore, we efcaped without any greater misfortune than that of feveral waves paffing over our heads, and drenching us to the fkin. A number of Indians were flanding on the beach, who had come about a quarter of a league to invite me to pafs the night in their village. They offered me their fer- vices in tranfporting my baggage, and feemed forward to fliev/ me every m.ark of kindnefs. Meanwhile I could not help obferving, that the part of my things they took up with the greatefl alacrity, was a bafket, containing fome bread and bottles of wine.

CHAP.

92 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

CHAP. XL

^he Author njifiis the Chief of the Village^ from "whom he fnds a mojl cordial- reception ■-r-He makes a?2 ILxcurJion to another Vil- lage, where he meets with two Incidents, which ferve to Jhow the felfijh Difpofition and Cunning of the Natives^

N our arrival at the village, I was conducted to the manlion of the Chief, Vvho faluted me with much civility, and foon after defired I fhould be fhewn to an apartment, which was ready with a fine for my accommodation. The iloor was covered with a mat, and above it, towards the top of the chamber, was a rich carpet. I was followed into my bcd- jfoom by a croud of Indians, who behaved refpeafully ^ though they put many quef- tions to my conduâior, and made it a very late hour before it pleafed them to withdraw. After they had been regaled with bread and wine, they were fucceedect by the ladies, but in a ûrsaller number ; and they all retired foon, except two or

tliree

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 93

three who had no fcruple to honour me v/ith their company as long as I thought it agreeable. I now recolledted the relations of travellers reipeâ:ing the good nature of the fex in the iland of Madagafcar, and began to be of opinion, that fuch tales were not wholly void of foundation. I was at length left by myfelf, though not till the night was confiderably advanced.

In the morning I received an early and obliging mefTage from the chief, inviting me to alTifl: in drinking Toe.* Upon entering an afTembly of about a hundred and fifty of his vaflals, he made me fet by him at the upper end of the room, while the refl: of the company remained on tlieir legs. There was prefently introduced and diflributed amongft the guefls a fpecies of liquor con- fiding of the juice of the fugar cane, fer- mented with myrtle and muftard; I drank to the health of the Chief, and after attending his levee upwards of two hours, and receiv- ing from him a thoufand kind attentions, I took the liberty to withdraw.

A few hours afterwards I had a fécond tneiTage, with an invitation to dinner; at

* Named by the Englifti a Tofter.

this

94 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

this meal he was attended only by his own family; the women took their places at our backs, and performed every office of m.enial fervice. Our board was furnifhed with plenty of rice, piled upon fig- îeaves, and garnifhed with pieces of fifh and fowl, which were dreiTed with different forts of herbs. Figleaves were fubflituted likewife for plates and fpoons ; each fpoonful of rice was moiflened with fifh broth before it was carried to the mouth ; and this diftri- bution of fauce was the care of the Chiefs daughters; for it feemed to be the depart- ment of his wife to ferve up frefh fupplies of rice and fowl as occafion might require. I ordered in fome of my wine and our entertain- ment became tolerably gay. I now withdrew to my apartment and after a fmall interval fent the chief an invitation to tafle another bot- tle of my wine. I was immediately honour- ed with his company, and at the concluiion of his vifit prefented him with a few bottles. The weather having fei m fine I took leave of my hod, after engaging him to come on board, where I affured him he fliould be received in the beil manner. I gratified his wife and daughters with fome large needles,

and

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 95

and we parted on the moft friendly terms. A number of Indians, charging themfelves with my baggage, followed me to the boat, and after acknowledging their fervices by a prefent of needles, I proceeded on my ex- curlion.

In the evening I arrived at a village, called Mahanlevoii, where I propofed to refide for fome time. It has an agreeable fituation, being placed about a gun lliot from theihore, on a fmall river, whofe banks, though not extenfive, are pleafantly diverfified with tufts of wood and meadow ground. The village is completely infulated at high water, by a little canal in the fand. The houfes, though at no great diflance from one another, leave intermediate fpaces, prefenting the fweet verdure of various trees and vegetables. The population of the village is conliderable, though at this time the people were generally fcattered over the country, being employed in the culture of their rice fields.

An incident occurred the day after I came to the village, which began to throw fome light on the charadier of the natives. A Frenchman, who had lived in a ftate of in- timacy with a daughter of the chief, for rea-

fons

^6 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

fons I could not leafn, defifled fomewhat abruptly from paying her his ufaal court. I mufl obferve, that it v/as cuftomary with the chief never finally to conclude the fale of his bullocks, until the fhallop appeared vt^hich was to carry them away. The flial- lop now made its appearance, but the Chief would lillen to no terms whatever, unlefs it was previoufly ftipulated, that the French- man fhould immediately return to his mif- trefs, and behave to her with his former kindnefs.

A propoiltion fo little cxpedied, could not fail to excite my furprife, which was by no means diminillied when I faw the Chief's requifition treated as an objeâ; of grave de- liberation in an aifembly of the principal inhabitants. From the fequel of the bufi- nefs however, I had fufficient reafon to be fa- tisfied that a principle of interefted policy was at the bottom of this extraordinary be- haviour ^ in Ihort, that the Chief's charge againft my countryman was only a mer- cenary pretext, employed to extort from him fome additional prefents. Next day one of our people, deliring to frighten away fome children who teafed him vàth their petu- lance.

VOVAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE* 97

lance, threw at them a piece of wood, which unluckily ftruck the head of a boy belonging to the Chief. The Chief, with- out difcovering the fmalleft fymptom of palTion or refentment againfl the offender, fent his fon, defiring we would drefs his wound : which was done by wrapping a bandage of linen cloth round his head. When the boy appeared, however, with his head tied up with a bandage of little va- lue, the parent was unable to conceal his an- crer. Thus I have mentioned fome iltuations in which they appeared to me to be felfidi and deligning, whilft at the fame time I will do them the juftice to relate, that in receiving the trifling prefents which they either fo- licited or expecfled from our generolity, I could not obferve the fmalleil appearance of rapacity. They are upon the whole frank and open in their dealings, difpofe of their goods on moderate terms, and are not accufed of ever departing from any part of their engagements.

In the fame manner I might have mifta- ken the charader of this people, had I only attended to their behaviour as it regarded ilrangers -, for 1 am convinced that a felfiih

Vol. II L H fpirit

98 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

fpirit exerts itfelf towards all perfons poUelTed of fuch articles as can admini/ter either to their comfort or pleafure. But havin"^ faid this, I am not at liberty to add, that the fame principle has place in their inter- courfe as neighbours and friends. They vifit and pafs fome time at the houfes of their acquaintances ; and feem without any il- liberal motive mutually ufeful to each other in their daily occupations. If one of them is in want of rice, he goes without re- ferve to find a fupply of it at the houfc of his neighbour ; if a family moves into the country, in their abfence, their houfe and canoe are at the fervice of any acquaintance in the village j circumlfances which plainly exhibit naturally kind and benevolent dif- pofitions. I had the pleafure to receive from them various little prefents, and I al- ways found that a pair of fciiHirs, a few needles, or a little brandy, gave ample fatis- fadion, and were regarded as more than an equivalent for what they had given me. I was not employed in the purchafes v/e made of provifions for the ihip, and on that account, was confidered, I believe, as a

difinterefled flranger.

CHAP.

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 9^

CHAP. XIL

parrel between the Governor cf the French Colony, newly fettled at Mad&gafcar, and one of the Native Chiefs — the Laws of Hofpitality are inviolably preferved by the Author s Hojl — A Village is burned, and feveral of the Natives killed by the Euro^ peans»

I Had been but a few days at tbis place, when the Governor of the new colony,- fettled five leagues from Mahanlevou, quar- relling with a Chief of confequence in the iiland, rafhly gave orders to fire upon him j an infult which the Indian retorted with be- coming dignity and fpirit. Theiè a<5ls of hoftility fpread a general alarm over the country, and the Chief of our village, col- leding his followers, prepared to ftand on his defence. Being only four ftrangers ail this plac«, we, in our turn, judged it but prudent to be prepared, and, therefore, be-s- fides our fmall arms, loaded a fwivel, which hy fome accident had been brought on H 2 ihoré.

lOO VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

fhore. Our alarm did not efcape the vigî« lance of one of the Chief's daughters, who communicating her fufpicion to hei father, he immediately ftepped forward to remove our fears, and exprefs his concern for the prefent interruption of public tranquillity, alluring us at the fame time, that in the charaâ:er of his guefts v/e had nothing to apprehend , either from him or the enemies of the French. He added, however, that fliould this unhappy difpute admit of na amicable compromife, as it was not impro- bable we might be inclined to take part with the French planters, fo he, in like manner, might find himfelf obliged to efpoufe the caufe of his countrymen ; but that in the meantime it was his intention to remain neuter, though in a flate of defence. He concluded, that, whatever might happen, we fhould be treated and efteemed as his friends and allies, as long as we chofe to live under his roof.

The village of Mahanlevou was now no •longer the peaceful and agreeable retreat we had found it; all was clamour and confu- fion: guards polled at regular diflances; pa-

troles

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE, ICI

troles on the roads ; fpies pafiing and re- paffing on both (idcsi labourers bufy in throwing up works around the fort; women, children, and herds of cattle removing into the interior parts of the country; were pre- fages of an approaching war, whilfl amidfl thofe warlike preparations all focial inter- courfe was completely fufpended. I had no choice but to return to the fhip, and therefore my viiit to Mahanlevou was un- fortunately limited to twelve days.

The exifling breach was not to be healed by the lenient hand of négociation, and no- thing lefs than an appeal to arms would fa- tisfy the governor. Having refoived to feize the perfon of the Indian Chief, or if he fliould happen to make his efcape, to burn his village, he required that we fliould arm, and lend him our fhallop to fécond his enterprife, a requifition which we did not think ourfelves at liberty to rcfufe. But, alas ! what a fad violation of every tie of focial convention ! we were now going in cool blood to carry fire and fword againil a man, with whom we had formerly ex- changed prefents, and every token of a H 3 covenanted

Î02 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

covenanted alliance; and who, but a few days before, attended by his wives and daugh- ters, had made us a vifit of confidence and affediion. I own I could not figure to my- felf the open and manly afpeâ: of this Indian Chief, the unafFecfted and gentle demeanor of his women, with an innocent and infant offspring, all doomed to the flames, or to expire under thofe very hands which had fo lately received their careffes, without being imprejjed with fentiments of horror. It is impoffible to exprefs the indignation I felt at the conduct of the governor. A man but juil emerged from obfcure life to a re- fponfible fituation, and who yet had the pre- sumption to proftitute the blood of two nations to gratify a perfonal animofity ^ a man who, uncandid enough to admit of no com- petition between his rights and thofe of another perfon, did not fcrupie to difgrace the hunour and juftice of his country by the perpetration of the bafefl crimes. Were the Governor of a diflant fettlement modeftly to confider how little in the eye of general, juflice he may differ from a Freebooter or Pirate, he would have fomiC forbearance with the ancient inhabitants of a country.

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. iO^

He would be more careful to abftain from every -dàt of injuftice and oppreflion; he would t:ike up arms with reludiance, and ufe them v/ith moderation; or, if urged by the neceffity of the cafe, and the duty he owes his country, he iliould reduce the natives to a (late of fervile obedience, flill it (hould be expedled, that his humanity, feeling their misfortune, would gladly gar- nifh the yoke witii iiowers, that it might fit li^rht on the gilled and degraded necks of the vanquiihed.

It was With unfpeakable faîisfaétion that I foup.d I fjiould have no Ihare in the campaign againft the natives. It is indeed the duty of a military man to meet danger in the caufe of his country, and to defeat all fuch criminal defigns as may tend to diflurb or fubvert the public peace and fe- curity; but I hope this does not imply the tacit dereliction of chara<5ler as amoral agent, or, in other words, theabfolute barter, and alienation of reafon, life, and liberty.

But fuch ad:s of enormity or incapacity in a Governor, have a tendency to betray theyoung and unthinking part of the fervice into crimes

H 4 Qf

Ï04» VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

of the iirfl magnitude; of v/hich the preferit; difpute furnifheda very melancholy example. It was in the charad:er of a young officer of undoubted courage; but who from the Governor's mifconducft, and his own indif- cretion, was involved in fuch a fcene of iniquity as muft have imbittered his mind with fhame and remorie to the lateft period of his life. He had lived, fince his arri- val, with the unfortunate Chief, who was BOW to become the vid:im of the Governor's refentment, and had received under his roof every mark of confidence and hofpi- tality. In the intercourfe of domeftic life, he tafted the pleafures of love blended with the moft genuine fentiments of friendfliip; a flate of happinefs he had continued to enjoy for fome time, having only joined his companions two days before. But viewing the prefent as an excellent oppor- tunity for difplaying the genius and talents of the foldier, all the endearing ties of love and hofpitality were diifolved in a moment. He even availed himfelf of a local knowledge of the country, and con- duced his men by intricate paths, known

only

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. IO5

only to himfclf, to inveft the manfion of his benefadior. Falfe and miftaken notions of honour feemed to have obliterated in his mind, not only the facred obligations of gratitude, but every tender fcntiment due to his miflrefs. Probably he never once dreamed that he was about to ad: the part of a monfter, who not contented with the lives of thofe v^^ho had lately taken him to their bofoms, was determined that one drop of blood in the whole family fliould not efcape the brutality of himfelf and his affociates.

The village and fort of the Chief were fpeedily reduced to afhes; but the inhabi- tants, getting notice by their fpies of the approach of the enemy, had taken flielter in the woods. A few infirm women, who, unable to efcape by flight, were endeavouring to hide themfelves in the buflies, fell into their hands; captives who owed to the depredations of old age an exemption from the miferies of perpetual flavery. The troops returned to the governor in all the exultation of triumph, and prefented him with a few articles of Indian furnitur£;

fpoils

106 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

fpoils but little formed to grace the arms, or gratify the avarice of his dependents. In what manner thefe hoiliHties finally termi- nated I am ignorant ; but certainly they refledled no credit on our national character in the minds of the natives ; a people who î confefs, began to intsreft m.e much in their happinefs and profperity.

CHAP. XHL

DJJîhîSlîoiî betwixt the Aborigines of the IJlan'd of Madagafcar^ and the adventitious Indian. Settlers— CharaSl'eriflics and Drefs of the former- — 'Their Hujhandry — Their Religious JVorJîjip— Cautions to Europeans, whofx their Abode on this Jfaiid.

ROM the hair, complexion, and make of the natives, I conceive them to be defcended from diltercn traces of men. Some^ are fliort and remarkably thick fet in their perfons, v/ith lank, fmooth hair, and an olive tcMnplexion : they have a ftrong refemblance

the

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. I07

to the Malay Indians; nor indeed do I re- gard them as originally {prang from the Aborigines of Madagafcar. Some are tall and well proportioned; have crifped locks^ large and beautiful eyes, an eafy carriage, and an open and unreferved countenance ; and this cl;ifs I ihould efteem the true pof- terity of the primitive inhabitants; their colour is nearly black, and differs but little from that of the natives on the Malabar Coaft.

In their difpofition they are lively and obliging, but wholly deflitute of genius ; vain, whimfical, interefted ; dexterous int the ufe and application of their bodily fa- culties ; but without the powers of combi- nation, and in the general condud: of life, light, precipitate, and incapable of profecu- ting in their minds any thing like principle or fyftem. They feem to have no title to what we call a decided character; good qualities they certainly poiTefs as well as bad and hence I would clafs them with that defcription of men, who, though of a weak mind, are yet found to inherit a con- fjderable portion of wit and vivacity. But

as

Io8 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

as they have few wants to be fûppHed, and fevrer diflind:ions to promote rivalHiip, or fentiments of emulation, their weakneiTes are rarely felt; while their virtues are of daily ufe, and operate habitua lly in the ordinary commerce of life. In emergencies, I mean fituations of public danger, they might be miftaken for a people coUedied,. fyftematic, and brave; but the refult of their condudt «ever correfponds to thcfe pretenfions, unlefs the danger is of the greateft urgency, and rec^uires to be repelled with the utmofl promptitude.

They wear an apron a:t the girdle, and fbmething of the fame kind on the ihoulders, with a bonnet conftrudted like an umbrella. The hair is combed into fmall trèfles, and the beard is permitted to grow only on the chin.

The men are little addided to agriculture, and are more inclined to look after their cattle, v^hich roam in the woods. They conftruâ: war canoes, as well as canoes for the ordinary buiinefs of life. The latter are very fmall, and navigated only with the oar; but the former, which are the pro- perty

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. IO9

perty of the Chief, are much larger, and have a fort of rigging. Some of them carry a hundred men, and are in condition to fail round the illand.

The women have expreffive faces, arc in general of the middle fize, though many of them are diminutively fhort; and al- though I faw but few of them ugly, I cannot rank them either with the handfome or pretty part of the fex. They have a long apron tied round the waift, with a kind of underwaiftcoat, v/hich barely co- vers the breafts. They frequently wear, by way of ornament, a large plate of filver, of a circular form, and furprifmgly well manu- fad:ured. A number of fmall filver chains are thrown round the neck, and fall down upon the bofom. The hair appears in a multitude of little treifes, dangling over the forehead, or on the corner of the eye ; or turned up in the form of a crefcent, or perhaps à la grecque, according to the particular fancy, or taile of the indivi- dual.

The women befides cultivating fields of

rice, corn, and other forts of grain, are

J employed

ÎÎO VOYAGE TO THÉ SOUTH POlÈj

employed in planting trees ànd roots, particu- larly the cafTava, or Madagalcar bread tree, po- fatoes,and the banana or plantain . — The leaves of the tree, named rafia, by a particular treat- ment, are made to fupply them with thread j and of thefe materials, dyed of various co- lours, they manufacture a fpecies of cloth^ Woolly, and affords a very handfome article which is of drefs. They are capriciouà enough, however, to give a preference to the cotton fLuffs imported by Europeans fro.n the continent, though of lefs value than their Own, Every family is provided with a loom, and carries on a manufadiure equal to its own confumption. From the leaves! of a tree, named vacoua, they procure materials for matts, bonnets, bags, and other ufeful articles.

Their common food confifls of rice, bana- nas, and dried fifli ; they confume very little either of frefh meat, or frefh fifh ; their drink is rice water, or the juice of the fugar cane, fermented with pimento and muflard.

The houfes arc fmall and in a very aiik- ^'ard ftile of building» The walls are form--

ed

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. Ill

edof bull-ruflies, and the roof covered with pkintain leaves. The principal part of the timber work, con lifts of malTy pieces of wood, while the rcfl; is of bamboo, very rudely and clumiily executed. The floor is laid with the pith of the palm, or fome other tree, and in many inftances is confi- derably raifcd above the level of the ground, to avoid tli-e exhalations of the foil. Houfes thus conftructed, befides tending to preferve the health of the inhabitants, ef- pecially during the rainy months, guard them from the annoyance of ferpents and different fpecies of infeds.

Such are the houfes in which Europeans who have occalion to winter in this idand, ought to reiide ; and as the prefervation of health, in a country often fatal to the Euro- pean conflitution, is a matter of no fmall importance, they would do well to fiibmit to th at regmen v/hich feems from expe- rience beft fuited to the genius of the cli- mate. Î would therefore recommend to tvcry foreigner, a light diet, abftinence from wine, and all fermented liquors i Jittle animal food, efpeeially if it is large 2 and

ÎÏ2 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE,

and of a coarfe quality, and leafl of all when it is faked. I would advife exercife to keep the bowels in order, as well as for preferving the elafticity and tone of the folids. His drefs fhould be light and cool, and he need not be afraid of the fun, in a clear atmof- phere, provided he does not fit or ftand under its rays, when a ftilnefs in the air denotes an approaching ftorm. It is necef- fary to be particularly careful to avoid wet or damp cloaths, which never fail to affeét tht whole frame with chilnefs ; and indeed if an European is caught in the rain, he cannot do better than ftrip himfelf im- mediately, keeping his clodths from the wet, and putting them on dry, when the iliov/er is over. He fliould likewife avoid im- moderate fatigue, and above all, every fpe- cies of debauchery; his drink ought to be clear fpring water of the befl quality; for rain water here is to be avoided if poffible. I obferved this method of living myfelf in the ifland of Madagafcar, and found it falutary from ex'^erience; and though the natives fuffer little but from cutaneous diforders, Europeans, during the rainy feafon, are

liable

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. ÎI3

liable fometimes indeed from their own. folly, to fevers of the moil malignant kind.

Although, as I have before obferved, the natives have no regular form of reli- gious woriliip, yet they adore one fupreme being, as the Patron of juftite and good- nefs, who will judge men after death, and reward or pu nidi them according to the merit or demerit cf their adicns . The rite of cir- cumcifion is performed upon males be- tween the fcventh and eighth year cf their age; unlefs delayed in order that the company may be more numerous, and the ceremony have a greater degree of cele- brity. The day of circumcifion is fo- lemnized in families with much joy and fejfiivity, and concludes with the fmgular cuflom of firing from a mu£I-i.et the forelldn of the patient.

They believe alfo in a devil or evil being; and upon this article of their creed is founded the craft of the Panfaret or Ma- gician, who being fuppofed to defeat, or control the machinations of the invifible enemy, pracftifes a thoufand tricks on the

Vol. HI, I creduht/

ÎI4 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

credulity of the multitude; few Indians indeed of ;:[ood fenfQ eive credit to the virtue of his inchantments ; but the more ignorant and fuperftitious, who always compofe the largefb portion of the people, fuffer themfelves to be miferably duped by his fraud aiid impofition. Amulets of a fpecies of wood, fufpended round the neck, or preferved in a little bag, are fup- pofed to fecure the poffelfor againil wounds and the diftaflers of war. A fhrimp or toad, applied with words of incantation to the head of a perfon afflid:ed by difeafe, is ex- pe6ted to reilore the patieHt to his wonted health. Expoiing the lick in a hut of a certain elevation, open towards the eaft, from which is let fly an aflemblage of party-coloured threads, is a fovereign re- medy in the moft defperate cafes. A cure is fometimcs efFeâ:ed by only painting the polls or pillars of tlie patient's houfe of dif- ferent colours. Perfumes mix in abun- dance in all the arts and inchantments of the Magician. Madagafcar, laftly, prefents the traveller v/ith many other abfurd ob- fervances, of which it may bs difficult to

trace

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. II5

trace the origin, but which, in general feem to be the barbarous veftigcs of reh- gious notions, indiftindtly tranfmitted to the people from their Afiatic neighbours : the rite of circumcilion, the common ufe of perfumes, and a profound veneration for the quarter of the Eafl, are evidently the remains of religious lyftems of the higheft antiquity.

But the moft horrid part of their fuper- flition conflits in this. When an infant has the misfortune to drop into the world on a day efteemed unlucky, or of bad omen, by the Panfaret, he is expofed or fuffered to die of want, or to be devoured by wild beafls. I never was an eye witnefs of this enormity; but have heard the exiflence of it afferted by fo many per- fons of credit, that I am obliged to believe the pradice to be but too fre- quent.

The natives are accuflomed to hunt the whale all along their coaft; and having been fortunate enough to ftrike him with the harpoon, they wait till his flrength is nearly exhaufled, when they haul him I 2 towards

Îl6 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE»

towards the fhore. The women, who by this time are aiTembled on the beach, raife fongs of praife in honour of him who had the merit of giving the firfî wound. The chorus having withdrawn, the whale is dragged as near as poffible to land, and furrounded by all the men of the village, when the publick orator advances, and having pronounced a: long oration on the pre-eminence and excellent qualities of the iifh, the whale is cut up, and affords an^ immediate repafl to the company,.

CHAP.

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. llj

CHAP. XIV.

^he Palavers y or Conferences, the Natives of Madagafcar bold, even en the moji trivial Occafion — 'Their Pojfejjïons — Arms — Mode of internal Defence — Military Operations — ■ their Cruelty in War, and irreconcilable Hatred of their Rnemies,

THE fmallefl matter of difpute which happens to occur between the natives of Madagafcar and the Europeans, or, in- deed, between Indians of different tribes, receives a formal difcuffion in the palaver, or council of the tribe. Here they affcd to confider the fubjed before them, very mi- nutely, in its origin and probable confe- quences. All the alliances, as well as dif- pûtes, that have at any time fubfifted between them and the oppofite party, are brought under review. Much time is fpent in weighing the arguments of the fpeakers on both fides, and in general the fefllons of the palaver are fpun out to a very tedious length before they can come to a decifion. Such are the mighty preten- I 3 fions

Îl8 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE,

lions of the natives to talents for délibéra-* tion; pretenlions which, were they as folid ^s they are vain and affed:ed, would ferve to difcredit the account I have already given of their charadrer. But the fad: is, the in- habitants of Madagafcar are a people of a weak intelled:, and far from being qualified by a found underftanding to avail them- felves of maxims, drawn from experience, in confidering the contingencies of futurity. Befides^ as the country is divided into many fmall and independent fiâtes, mutually dif- pofed to humble and deprefs each other, the interefls of any individual community are very much involved, infomuch that it is often difficult to fay what is the line of condudt it ought in good policy to purfue. But their chief misfortune, as politicians and men of bufinefs, originates in the ver- satility of their own minds ^ things of a tri-r vial nature, fuch as a fmall prefent ad^ vantage, are fufficient to unhinge their judgement, and to impede the executiori pf even their graveft refolves.

Property in this illand confifls of cattle,

grain, and flayes of the fame nation

2 with

TOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. Ill)

v/ith their mafcers. Every perfon who has the misfortune to be made a prifoncr of war, man, woman, or child, is reduced to the condition of flavery, and from that moment is regarded by his own kindred as an objed; of contempt.

Their arms coniifl of a fliield, and the figay, a fpecies of lance, which they have the art of throwing with peculiar addrefs. They are tolerably well provided with muf- kets, which they have purchafed from the French, and in the management of which fome of the natives are not unfkilful. A few of the petty princes have obtained' fwivel guns from the fame quarter, and Î am told the Chief of Foulpoint is in con- dition to bring cannon into the field, afford- ing an example of that infatuated avarice fo notorious .in the characfler of a i'rench merchant.

The refidence of x\\<z Chief is within a Fort or Stocade, coniifling of three rows of large trees, fixed in the ground fo clofe as almoft to exclude the light. The ou- ter row is about fifteen feet high, the i)ext nine, arid the lafî, or innermofl at

I 4 leail

Ï20 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

kaft fix. The three rows, having fcarceî)? any fpace betwedi them, form one com- paftmafs of timbers, all mutualty flrengthen- ing ana fupporting one another. They are faftened together at the top hj acrofs beam, frretching along a groove, common to all the flakes in the paling, and extending the ■whole breadth of the fort. The gate is extremely narrov/, being intended to admit one perfon only in front; the door, com- pofed of a number of fmali ftakes, rolls at the top on a tranfverfe axis, and is capable of being pulled up, and let down, in the manner of a portcullis, as occalion may require. A double door is not unfrequent, v/hich is inclofed in a cafe or frame, con- iifling likewife of flakes, Their forts in general are nothing more than fimple pal- lifades, 'conflrudted in the form of an ob- long fquare; though fome of them havq ûiQ advantage of baflions, and galleries, with openings, for the purpofe of recon- noitering.

On the eve of war, the women, children, and cattle, retreat to the woods, and remain in cpncealm.ent till the iffue of the cam- paign,

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 121

paign. The village is then occupied only by the men, who, previoufly to an a>2 of ^ hoflilities, facrifice an ox. An Indian, diftingui(hed for his eloquence, then rifes, ^nd makes a long harangue on the arrogance ^nd injultice of the enemy; his country- men meanwhile dipping their fagays in the blood of the vidtim. The carcafe is now cut in pieces, with the ikin, and diflributed among the by- {landers, who inftantly begin to devour each man his allowance with a horrid voracity; a ceremony fuf- iiciently defcriptive of thofe ferocious {qïi^ timents with which they proceed to vindicate their rights, or avenge their wrongs. On this occafio:! a ilranger mufl not prefume to dip his lance in the blood, or to fhare in the warlike entertainment, unlefs he is the reputed ally of the tribe; but touching the point of Insfagay vv'i:h the point of theirs, ratifies his title to their alliance.

Their operations in the field are of a very defultory defcription, confiding chiefly in teazing and harrafling the enemy, or In attempting to furprife him, difadvantage- pufly pofted, in the night. If they have.

reafon

122 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

reafon to imagine that the enemy is oft his guard, or Httle prepared for the defence of his fort, they form a blockade round it, and endeavour by a coup de 7naîn to make the Chief a prifoner of war : fliould they have the good fortune to fucceed, they phun- der his village, drive off. his cattle, and en- fla ve his vaiTals ; but feldom or never come to any thing like a regular engagement.

In lituations where it is deemed fufficient to remain on the defeniive, they fhew con- fiderable vigilance and addrefs in the ufe of advanced pofts, fentinels, and above all ipies, v/ho are conflantly bufy in recon- noitring the ground and motions of the enemy. An example of this fort fell under my obfervation at Mahanlevou. The Chief of that itigmory, hearing that diilurbances 'were breaking out in the country, began to confult his fafety, by demoliiliing fuch houfes in the vicinity of his pallifade as obftrudted his view. He fortified the mouth of his river by throwing up a mound of eai'th, and placing his fufi leers in ambuf- cade in the ditch. On the top of the mpiind he laid a large plank of wood,

pierce4

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 12^

pierced like a hay rack, through the aper- tures of which they pafled the barrels of their fire-locks. Heaps of grafs were fo difpofed in front of the work, as to make it difficult to difcover this mafked battery at the diftance of a piftol fhot; while thofe charged with its defence were wholly covered from the fire of the enemy. The Chief never gives audience to an EmbafTa- dor, till he has been previoufly informed by his fentinels of the general nature and import of the embafiy. Should the Em^ baffador's inftruâiions be deemed fatisfac- tory, the Chief makes his appearance, and admits him to an interview at fome diftance from the fort. He com.es up and accofls his Excellency with a noble, manly, and fedate mien; but on no occafion whatever does he permit him to enter the gate of his pallifade. The natives of Madagafcar are fufceptible of very violent enmities, and fometimes ex- ecute on their devoted objedis the moil de- liberate cruelties. I faw a Chief drefied in a necklace formed of the teeth of a rival v/hom he had flain in battle. A man of the iame quality having ^captured a daughter and

coufin

124 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

coufin of an obnoxious neighbour, ordered them into his prefence, and in cold blood, ■ with a fingle ftroke of his lance, killed the former, difmiffing her companion to carry home the difmal news to the parent; and to affure him at the fame time, that he, and every foul under his roof, ihould fooner or later experience his vengeance, in a fimi- lar manner.

I am doubtful, whether the fenfibility natural to a man in an uncultivated or favage Hate, when greatly exafperated or provoked, with ail the angry and unfocial paffions in full poiTeffion of him, may not a(5c as an incentive to the cruelty of his revenge. How often has the favage of America, from the impulfe of natural goodnefs, welcomed me to his hut, and refreshed me with the wild animal, which, with the fweat of his brow, he had killed in the defart j while in the mean time the fcalp of an enemy hung dan- gling round his neck, and imparted to his ordinary beverage a delicious flavour. The new Zelander fates his appetite with the quivering limbs of a gueft, who, from folly or ingratitude, roufçs him into a paroxifm

3 ^f

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 12^

of rage. The native of Madagalcar, while he lives and alTociates v^^ith a ftranger as with a brother, may with great compofure be feen pulling out the teeth of a man whom he flew in his anger ; thefe are the fpoils which at once footh his rage and adorn his perfon; nor can a more defirable obje6t prefent itfelf to his fenfes, than the tears and anguidi of thofe who were united by the mofl tender aifeâ;ion to the fortunes of his vi(flim.

CHAP. XV.

Mode of giving and receiving Prefent s ai Madagafcar — TJoe Licences in which ttoe young Females indulge, arifefrom a Motive of Avarice — ChaJUty of the married Wo- men — Ohfervations on the Language of the Inhabitants.

THE cuflomary ufe of prefents is the fame here as in India; it is the bufi- nefs of the inferior to make the iirfl: ad- vance as well as the firll prefent, but he

always

120 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

always receives another in return. Upon our arrival in this bay, we fpent feme days in receiving compliments from the Chiefs of the adjacent villages. They fet off from the fhore in their canoes, beating their Gongs, and feemed highly delighted with the honour of difplaying the iiag of France ; in this manner they fignified their fatis- fadiion at feeing us on the coafl; and as the main objed: of this vifit was to folicit our alliance, they prefented us v/ithoxen, fowls, and fruit. They were efcorted by a numerous retinue of armed Indians, who faluted us with many expreffions of friend- ship ; particularly by grounding their arms in the canoe. The Chief was likewife attended by his favourite wife, daughters, and neareft female relations, whom we were not unmindful to regale with fruit and flrong liquors. We prefented the Chief v/ith a gun, and the ladies with a piece of muilin, fainting them at their departure with three rounds of cannon, to which they anfwered by repeated fliouts of joy and exultation. The French flag

had

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 12J

had been flying at the villages ever fince our nrft arrival in the bay; nor U'as any mark of attention and good will omitted on the part of the natives, that could excite fimilar fentiments in our minds. Having, however, a nice fenfibility o{ character, if they could at any time guefs from the nature or degree of our acknov;iedgements, that our feelings were not in unifon with their ov/n, they were apt to become fuf- picious or at beft perfedly indifferent to our concerns. It was confidered as our duty to make a prefent to the Chief, who always prefides over the market, as often as we had occafion for a frefh fupply of proviiions. Our repairing to their villages for the purpofe of providing for our wants, fhewed our dependence on their frienddiip; an advantage to be purchafed with a prefent; they, in their turn appearing on board to requed: a renewal of their alliance v/ith the French, felt the propriety of proving them- felves worthy of it by making prefents in their turn ; faâ:s in perfed: conformity to all the maxims of the Eafl refpei^ling the nature of prefents.

The

iaS VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLEi

The natives of Madagafcar indulge iri all the offices of hofpitalitj; a virtue, which there is rather the refult of a natural im- pulfe of the heart, than the prad:ice of any fixed and defined precept, fuch as founds the exercife of it in the nations of Afia* When travellers tell us, however, that in the liland of Madagafcar, the offices of hof- pitality are carried to fuch a pitch of ex- travagance, as to make it cuflomary for parents to proftitute their children to thé embraces of Grangers, they fpeak either from ignorance or from a defire of exciting aftonifhment in the reader. From a clofc^-r infpcdtion of their manners > they might have found that the little regard fhewn to chaility among that people, may be re- folved into a covetous defire of parents^ and a long acquaintance v/ith the propen- fities of diffolute men. I was at much pains to examine into the grounds of this report ; for had I found, as has been ftated by fome voyagers, that a parent made no difficulty to deliver up his daughter to the defires of every vagrant who happened to land upon the coaft, I fliould then have in- ferred

Voyage to the sôitth pole. 129

ferred that in this iiland an original fenfe of modeily and perfonal dignity made no part of the moral charader of man. But what young woman, in any part of the globe, ever offered fo ftrong an exception to the general character of the fex, as that, previouily to example and early fedudlion, fhe would give herfelf up to a man fhe never faw before, and one widely differing from her own countrymen in complexion, lan- guage, and manners. Or can we figure to ourièives a race of men fo vile and con- temptible in their own eyes, as to feel them- felves honoured by adminiflring, in the per^ fons of their own offspring, to the improper appetites of ftrangers. This tale therefore I place with confidence to the account of exaggeration, a figure but too incident to the narrations of travellers.

In endeavouring to refolve thofe equi- vocal appearances, which tend to miflead a fuperficial obferver on this point, I re- marked in the firfc place, that boys and girls are net only permitted to live together without the fmalleil refliraint, but, from the eariiefl dawn of puberty, are prompted

VcL. IIL K by

130 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

by their parents, to the ufe of thofe powers with which nature has endowed them. It is eafy to imagine that having once tailed the fweets of pleafure, they will be inticed, by opportunity and the influence of a warm climate, to a frequent repetition of the fame enjoyment. Every thing they either hear or fee, a6ls as a ftimulus to paffion; words and geftures, the moil free and licentious, are fanâ:ioned by cuftom, and mix in the ordinary commerce of life. The parent obferves with fatisfadtion the effedts of fuch education on the charaâ:ef of his child, and thence augurs every thing happy and profperous to his family in time to come.

I fpeak, however, only of boys and girls ; for married women are very little addicted to violate the nuptial engagement. A huf- band indeed may polTefs concubines or wives of a fecondary order; but making allov/ance for this cuilom, by no means peculiar to them, I am inclined to believe there is much mutual fidelity between the fexes in a married ilate. The foreigners, who firll vifited this illand in modern times,

were

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. I '^ t

Were Mahometans : they were followed by Europeans, particularly the French, who have been fettled here as a colony for a con- fiderable time; and both thefe races, with whom the natives early afTociated, to fay no worfe of them, were men of intriguing manners. The firft were fo from conllitu- tion and the licenfe granted them by the genius of their religion; the fécond, from habit, and perhaps from an affe(5tation of gallantry, and the love of the fex. Both, ftimulated by the fame defires, and favoured by the loofe principles of education in the females, infinuated themfelves into the com- pany of the lower order of the people, whom by prefents, and the hope of future gain, they eafily made fubfervient to their views. A fort of prodigality, incident to the characfler of a feaman on fhore, foon removed the fcruples of the interefted pa- rents; and thus, by gradually extinguifhing all fentiments of referve between native and foreign avarice, triumphed in the end over every obfhacle to illicit gratification. The Chiefs themfelves, naturally jealous ©f Europeans, and not infenfible to the K 2 emolu-

Î32 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE-*

emoluments of proflitufion, bred up their daughters in all the arts of the coquet, irk order that they might obtain a preference in the eye of flrangers. Befides the article of prefents, the Chief, by means of his/ daughters, who ad: as fpies on the fenti- ments and conducfl of the paramour, ob- tains fuch intelligence as is fometimes con- ducive to his fafety and independence. Thus the young ladies of Madagafcar, habituated to intrigue, prompted by the political and pecuniary views of their parents, and cap- tivated by the charm of fome new orna- ment for their perfons^ ceafe to be reluc- tant to the v/ifhes of their admirers.

Such, I am convinced, are the origin and progrefs of that want of modelly in the^. fex taken notice of by all travellers who have viiited this illand 3 a feature however, which, far from being the refult of any natural fentiment, plainly arifes, as in all fimilar cafes, from depravity of manners.. But extravagant as the natives are in their worflnip of the Paphian Goddefs, I could iiot learii that any female ever makes the

ûrik

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. Î33

firfl advances to a ftranger. That there arc vi'onien who hold out meretricious lures to the publick I have no doubt of^ but fuch characters belong to a defcription of the fex by no means peculiar to this iiland.

I was not a little furprifed that this great relaxation of manners had in no decree formed a union between the natives and the French. It fliould feem natural to imagine, that the habits of commerce with the fex would often conned: the male and female by ties of mutual confidence and affedion : certain it is, however, that no fuch attachment prevails. When a woman happens to conceive by a foreigner, fhe induftriouily procures abortion, by the ap- plication of certain drugs whofe efficacy is well known to the natives: and this praâ;ice feems to be fo univerfal, that I did not meet with a fmgle Mulatto, or perfon of colour, in Madagafcar; a country, which, from the ufual courfe of things, might be expeded to contain many thou- ■fands of this breed.

K 7 Should

134 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

Should it be alledged, that in the above detail, by offending againft the modefty of the fex, as well as of men devoted to the auflere habits of the cloifler, I have de- parted from thofe moral maxims which ought ever to prevail in the traveller's narra- tive, I have only to fay in my juftification, that if, befides prefenting a faithful pic- ture of human manners, with an analylls of charadter applicable to the natives of Madagafcar, I have endeavoured to dif- credit fuch miftaken notions as w^ould make the reality of moral diflindions contingent on habit and education, I hope I (hall not only have credit for the purity of my motives, but be allov/ed to have ferved, in fome degree, the caufe of virtue and morality.

Relying on the authority of many per- fons who have vifited the ifland of Otaheite, of which v/e have had reports fimilar to thofe- of Madagafcar, I w^ould obferve in the fime view, that there too an inte- j-efled principle produces the proftitutioii of the women. In the latter, the female places an implicit confidence in the honour

and

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. I35

and liberality of her admirer; while in the former, fhe ufually enters into a previous and formal bargain, or contradt, for the ufe of her perfon, a circumilance which im- plies a ftill greater degree of jfelfi^fhnefs and depravity. Again, if we may depend on the veracity of a native of Otaheite, whom I had frequent opportunities of converfing with at Paris, as well as the reports of various voyagers, who give teftimony to the conjugal fidelity of the Otaheitan matrons, we iliall be fatisfied that the commerce between the fexes is nearly the fame in Otaheite as in the ifland of Madagafcar, and feems equally to fpring from the fame principles. Such alfo, with very little difference, are the manners in this rcfped: of New Zealand, and Greenland; and all ought doubtlefs to be referred to a fimilar origin.

From fad:s, equally mifunderftood, tra- vellers feem to have been led to the com- mon dodrine of cannibals ; for I am con- vinced there is no race of favages on the face of the earth, who devour their fel- low men in cool blood. The rage of war, K 4 and

136 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE,

and an indignant fenfe of injuftice and op.» preffion, urge fome Indian nations to eat the body of a dead enemy ; but has not the fury and madnefs of fanaticifm, on many occalions, aâ:ed with equal enormity?

In the language of Madagafcar, which is by no means harfli or difagreeable to the ear, I perceived fome of the fame in- flexions of voice which occur in that of the Philippine illes. It feems a compound of different languages, and contains many words borrowed from the Arabic and Portuguefe. Kabar, for inftance, fignifies new, and Ouagh^ the face, as well in Ma- dagafcar as in Arabia. Palabra, or Palaver, means fpeech or difcourfe in Portuguefe, and difcourfe or council in the language of this illand. The term parole might be ufed without any great impropriety to exprefs council in our own tongue. Par- lement and parlementer , the one flgnifying the place, and the other, as a term of war, the a(ft of holding a council, are evidently derived from parler. But I ceafe enlarg- ing on a country, the hillory ©f which is

familiar

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. 1 37

familiar to many of my readers, and return

to the frigate.

CHAP. XVI.

T!he two Vejfch, having refitted, feparate-^ T^he larger one, in which the Author is, fails for the Cape of Good Hope — Anchor^ age in Simon s Bay — Further Obfervations on the natural Hi/iory and ProduBions of the Cape — Departure for Europe, and ar- rival in Brefi Road,

THE fhrip of land, which lies weft from the mouth of the river Emballe, is in latitude iç^ 2j" -, and its longitude, as determined by an eclipfe of the fun, ob- ferved on the 1 2th of March, 47^ 45^^

Our people, who had been ill of the fcurvy, were now in a ftate of convalef- cence; and as we were appreheniive left longer delay might expofe us to the malig- nant fevers of the country, we laid in a frefh ftock of rice, beef, and poultry, and, on the 29th of March, be^an to fall down

the

135 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

the bay. We difpatched the Corvet to the ilîe of France, and made fail with the fri- gate for the Cape of Good Hope.

With all our diligence, however, to quit the coaH: of Madagafcar, upon the firfl iymptoms of feveriih diforders, we were unable to clear the bay before the conm- mencement of the rains; the confequencc of which was that a number of the crew caught the fevxr of the feafon.

Nothing material occurred on the paf- fage, except the difcovery of fome currents, in a well Ibuth weft diredlion.

On the 29th of April, the appearance of fome Manches de 'velours or velvet fleeves, announced our approach to Needle Bank, which runs along the {hore eaft from the Cape of Good Hope. The lead gave us 100 fathoms, on a bottom of fine white fand, mixed with fome earth and fhells. The iH of May we faw the coaft of Africa, when we had foundings of fixty fathoms on the fame fand, mixed with black pebbles, and fhells pointed like needles. The north wind barred our en- trance to Falfe Bay; but on the 5th in

the

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. I39

the evening, after failing a little fouth eafl:, we dropped anchor ; and came to moor- ings in Simon's Bay the day following.

The feeds of a fever we had imbibed in Antongil Bay, now fhewed themlelves in the mortality of many of the iliip's com- pany. I found, however, agreeably to what is above mentioned, that the bulk of the unfortunate fufferers had imprudently expofed thenifelves either to the rain or the heat of the fun. Happily, in many of our fick> the wholefome air of the Cape foon began to produce iymp^toms of re- covery.

On this occaiion I employed my time at the Cape, either in traverfing the moun- tains, from which I ufed to return, very idly perhaps, loaded with plants, parti*, cularly onions in flower, wonderfully diver- fified in their fpecies; or in the amufement of fifliing, which I found extremely pro- dudive. In my excurfions, I frequently faw a fmall fpecies of flag, and a race of very large nionkies, named Bavian. The Dacy, a kind of rabbit, prefented itfelf, bafking in the fun, and often fuffered me

to

Î40 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

to approach within a fmall diflance before he betook himfelf to his hole.

My ear was dehghted with the fweet note of a fmall yellow bird like the Green- finch; nor was I lefs pleafed with the melody of another fpecies of the fame fize, remarkable for his tail, which is at leafl eight inches in length.

There is a wonderful beauty and deli- cacy in the plumage of the Senegaly, or Sparrow of Senegal, which is named at the Cape, Red-bill. I faw likewife various fpecies of the Colobris, one of the mofh elegant breeds of birds. It is faid by the naturalift, that his feathers prefent us with all the beautiful colours of precious ftones. He is a native of many different parts of the globe, Surinam, New Spain, Mexico, and other countries. Here too is a very handfome fpecies of tufted Sparrow, whofe feathers arc fpotted with black; and Par- tridges in great abundance. The Lion, Tiger, Zebra, Cafoat, one of the largefl birds in the world, Ollrich, and Eagle, are all natives of this country, but are

feldom

VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE. I41

feldom fecn except in the interior regions of the continent.

The Elements at the Cape feem to vie with each other in adminiftring to the wants of the inhabitants. Five or fix failors, who were fond of fifhing, foon caught with the line enough to fatisfy the whole crewj and the lifli were, in fuch plenty, that the men often hooked them in the belly, by only dangling the line carelefsly in the water. They fhewed me a kind of white fifh, of a reddifh tinge, with a large infedl, which feemed to live and feed in his mouth. I caueht a Thorn- back of a monftrous iize, that having fwallowed a fifh at the hook, found him- -felf unable to get rid of his prey.

On the 26th of June we {et fail for Europe, but the wind, being in the north weft, continued unfavourable till the 4th of July, when it went round to the fouth caft, and we made a quick run towards the north.

On the 14th we got to the 20° 24* fouthern latitude, and 51* eaftern longi- tude; where 100 pounds of fea water gave a 3 lb.

142 VOYAGE TO THE SOUTH POLE.

3 lb. 4- of fait. The 23d we faw the illand of Afcenfion, but in fpite of the temptation of its Turtle we continued our courfe. On the 28th we crolTed the Line under the ig° of weftern longitude. On the 3d and 4th of Augufl we fpoke with vellels, bound from New England for the whale iifhery on the coafl: of Africa, who told us they had loft fight of the Cape de Verd iilands three days. The wind con- tinued in the north eaft till the 26th, when we found ourfelves in 26 '^ north latitude, and 44^ weft longitude. The weft winds, which are extremely pre- valent in thofe parts, carried us rapidly eaftward. On the 7th of September we arrived in the Sound off the coaft of Bri- tany, and next day dropped anchor in the road of Breft.

A VOY-

A

VOYAGE

TOWARDS THE NORTH POLE,

IN THE YEAR 1776.

CHAP. XVIL

Conjiderations on the Diverjity of the Clmates,

Jituated under equal Latitudes, towards

the two Poles — T^be -probable Caufes of this

fmgular Difference — The CVunates which

are the leafi uniform, with Rejpeëî to

Heat and Cold, are the mofi for my — The

Author, with a View to many ifeful Ob^

jeëîs, determines to penetrate as far as

poffible towards each Pole, and embarks

accordingly at Toulon.

AVING in former voyages ^fited -s. many parts of the terraqeous globe in diiferent latitudes, I had opportunities of acquiring a confiderable knowledge of climate in the torrid as well as in the tem- perate divifions of the earth; in a fubfequent

voyage.

144 VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE.

voyage, Î made it my bulinefs to be equally well informed reipeâ:ing the reputed inhof- pitable genius of the South Seas; and upon my return from that expedition, which extended beyond the ordinary tra6l of navi- gators, three hundred leagues diredily fouth, and confifted in all of more than a thoufand leagues, performed in three months, in the mildefl: feafon of the year, I entertained not the fmaliefl doubt, that there exifts a peculiar and perpetual rigor in the fouthern hemifphere.

Surprifed as I vv^as at fo great a difparity of climate in correfponding latitudes tov^ards the two poles, I had a flrong defire to be enabled to give fome account of this extra- ordinary phenomenon in the conftitution of the globe. Northward, I obferved a fea of very great extent, in whofe high latitudes one would naturally exped: angry and tem- peftuQais climates ; but it ihould feem that the ice, extending over a great proportion of its furface, qualifies, from the quiefcent ilate of its own atmofphere, the afperity of the elements in thefe frozen res-ions. I fhould therefore refer the intemperate

con-

VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE. I45

ftitution of fouthern climates to the pro- diîïious extent of an almoft unbounded ocean, which intirely abforbs the folar rays; and this opinion derives confiderable cre- dibihty from the report of mariners, who fail between Manilla and Acapulco, a fea in length and breadth next to the fouthern ocean, the mod cxtenfive on the globe* They tell us, that this fea is fubjed: to very high and tempcfluous winds 5 and that on the confines of the American ihore, though they feldom fiil into a higher latitude than forty degrees, they often fall in with floating ice, fea-wolves, and white bears, appear- ances which are flrong indications of a rude and inhofpitable atmofphere. I then con- fidered ihe difference of climate under fmii- lar latitudes in the Atlantic, particularly on the coafls of Europe and America. The latter, compared with the continent of Europe, is of narrow limits; it contains vafl lakes, is overfpread by extenfive forefts, and prefents to the rays of the fun a furface equally vacillating and unflable with that of the ocean. Europe, on the contrary, is of very large extent : all of it, in fome degree Vol. III. L of

146 VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE.

of impruvement, , receives the united in- fluences of the great continent, and as it confines and hems in the north feas, by many confiderable iflands, is in every re- fpedl better formed for refleding the folar rays. Hence in the cHmates of Great- Bri- tain and Germany We find fcarceîy any thing analogous to the incefTant fogs and boiflerous winds of the Labradore coafl, and fouth cape of Greenland.

Thus I obferved, that in parallel latitudes, the South Sea being of vaflly greater extent, embracing aîmoft tlie v/hole circumference of the globe, is likev/ife much more fuormy i and tempefluous than the Pacific Ocean , that the latter being of larger bounds is alfo more tempeftuous and turbulent than the x^tlantic; whilil the Atlantic is more rou?h and ferocious towards the narrow

o

and wild country of America, than towards the vafl and improved continent of Europe. In my excurfions round the world, I made fome remarks on the varieties inci- dent to the torrid zone; and fhall obferve in general, that from one pole to another the climate, in proportion as it is uniform

or

VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE. 1 47

6r fluduating in temperature, is more or lefs infefted with abrupt and impetuous ivinds. To be fatisfied of the truth of this obfervation, we have only to mark what paffes on the cold extremities of the tem- perate zones. There the hoar froft, genera- ted on the fpot, or wafted thither from colder regions in their vicinity, is convert- ed into vapour by a fudden encreafe of the heat of the atmofphere ; and fuch viciffi- tudes of temperature, happening in quick fucceilion, give occafion to violence, and a fort of caprice, in the operations of the winds. The oppofite extremities of the fame zones, which border on the torrid, fhare in the more uniform teneur of that diviiioQ of the globe. The frozen zones, being for ever in a very low temperature, with little variety of heat and cold, are but feldom troubled with high winds j in them the energies of nature may be faid to be in a confiant ftate of comparative repofe, and are confequently lefs liable to any vio- lent fermentation than in the temperate zones. In the "torrid, on the contrary,

L 2 nature

148 VOYAGÉ TO THE NORTH POLE.

nature feems to keep the elements in an unvaried ftate of vigor and adivity.

The more I revolved thefe ideas in my mind, the more anxioufly I courted an op- portunity of afcertaining their veracity v^^ith my own eyes. I wifhed to furvey the cli- mates in the vicinity of the pole, in their whole extent north and fouth, to compare them, and to contraft their peculiarities with thofe of the torrid zone, all round the globe, for the accomplifhment of which purpofes, there was now but little wanting^ except a voyage to the north feas. As I wifhed likewife to bring under one view the various obftacles ariling from the ice^ which have impeded the refearches of navi- gators in thofe feas, I was prepared to con- tinue my voyage northward to as high a latitude as pofiible; and having heard of no navigator whatever, who had taken the fmallefl; notice of the different expedi- ents that might be oppofed to the difficulties of the ice, by fuch as would penetrate lo the pole, I was much inclined to think I (hould be able to fupply this defeft in the

5 annals

VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE, I49

annals of navigation. Intending to diredl my courfe towards the north and weft of Spitzberg, and, piercing through the ice beyond 80°. of latitude, to traverfe that region which is a kind of depofit or magazine, whence a rife the numberlefs fhoals that are feen floating towards Iceland, and the coaft of America, I hoped alfo to be able to fay, from my own obfervation, whether any land adtually exifts northward from the coaft of Greenland; and in fine to con- fult the gratification of a private curiofity, by attending to fuch objects of natural hif- tory, as might fall in my way, particular- ly the native animals of thofe feas.

Being on board a frigate at Toulon, which was \inder failing orders for the port of Breft, I made application to the minifter of my department for leave of abfence, and entered direâ:ly upon the exe- cution of my enterprize. This pafiage afforded me an opportunity of vifiting Gib- raltar, a very ftrong and important fortrefs, in which the art of man has only improved upon nature, in fupplying the little that was

L 7 ^-equifite

150 VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE.

requifite for the corr\pletion of her bold deiign. On my arrival at Breft, I had the pleafure to meet the minijfter's appro- bation of my intended voyage, and prepared to proceed to Holland, vv^here I had.no_ doubt I fhould find a fhip deftined for the North Seas.

CHAP. XVIIL

Voyage from Brejî to the Doivns — Tajfoge, thence to Calais — Journey, by the Canals of F landers y the Metfe, and Holland, to Amjîerdara — Comparifon bttuDeen Auftrlan Flanders and Hollandy with HefleBions on the latter Country, and the CharaBer of- its Inhabitants,

T 1 AVING departed the nth of March, X X I arrived at Cancaile the 1 6th, and refumed my voyage the 18th, on board a veffel bound for the river Thames. We fleered between theiilands Jerfey and Guern- fey, then between the Stark and Aran,

and

VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE, I5I

and afterwards between Alderney and the eoafl: of Normandy. In this courfe the Light houfe on the Caflcets was of very great ufe to us j but we now made a tack towards the coaft of England, it being lefs incumber- ed with rocks than the French (hore. The ferene afpeâ: of the fea and fky, in a feafon but little advanced, produced an agreeable furprifc; an Indian canoe might have accompliflied the navigation with all fafety.

On the 2ifl:, v/e pafTed Dover caftle, and the Eaft point of England. The Light- houfes on two ftrips of land, called North and South Foreland, are of equal benefit to commerce and the interefts of humanity; fuch objedts of national police feem to be under better re.^ulations in this ifland than in the kingdom cf France. We now an- chored in the Downs, where we met a con- iiderable fleet of merchant fhips \vaiting an Eailerly wind to fall down the ChanneL I difembarked at a fmall open town, named Deal, ftanding on a flat, between two anci- ent cailles, of little moment for national defence; but finding no opportunity at

L 4 this

152 VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE.

this place of croiTing to Holland, the third day after my arrival, I fetout for Dover. Ha-» ving been accuflomed to conllder the cii-. mate of this country much colder than that;- of France, I was ailoniflied at the mildnefs of the air, the charming verdure of the fields, the trees in blolTom, and the fpring in ge- neral in a m.ore forward ftate than I had left it in my own country. Dover proper- ly çonfifts of two towns, both fituated in a bottom, and is overlooked by very high cliffs, whence I fhould fuppofe it not fa- voured by a very wholefome atmofphere, North from the harbour ilands a caille, commanding the town and fea-fliore^ a fortrefs, which feems of at leafl equal anti- quity with thofe of Deal, but much more conliderable in point of ftrength. My time was too fhort in England to enable me to form an opinion of the national cha- rader; but I readily prefume there, is a great difference in urbanity of manners between the natives in the inland country, and fuch as a firanger meets v/ith in the maritime parts of the ifland,

I landed

VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE. 15^^

I landed in the harbour of Calais the 24th, and proceeded to Holland by the Flemilli canals, a route which afforded me a fight of Greveline, Dunkirk, Newport, Bruges, and Eclufe; and failing along that arm of the fea which borders on Zeland, and the canals of the Meufe and Holland, I faw Flufhing, Middleburgh, Vellumfland, Dort, Rotterdam, Delf, and Leyden, and on the 2d of April reached the city of Amfterdam.

I fhould prefer the quiet and eafy con- dition of the Fleming to the reftlefs toil and buille of the Hollander. The country of the latter, however, offers to the eye of the traveller, numberlefs canals of great capacity and magnificence ; many fine towns almoft afloat ; country feats; parks and gardens in which a tafle for expence and elegance is equally confpicuous; and Tea dikes, the extent, folidity, and elevation of which, mark a fpirit of the moll daring as well as judicious enterprize. One is indeed aftonifhed at the incredible labour employed by thefe creators of their country; firfl: in wrefting it from the waves, then

in

154 VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE,

in improving and embelîifliing it, and, lafl of all, in defending its boundaries againft the irruptions of the ocean. But after all, what are the Dutch but a race of illuflrious exiles, in a manner bound to the fands of the fea. My eyes were con flan tly abroad in admiration, but m.y heart was filent. On one Has lie fields, v^/hich, having been deluged by a fudden inroad of the fea, require all the art and in- duftry of man to reflore even to the condition of a morafs. On the other, multitudes of machines appear in confiiant operation to empty the fiocd into an adjacent canal ; but a florm arifes, and the whole is anni- hilated in a moment. The application of windqTiills to almofc every fpecies of manual induflry, I regard as a certain proof that with all the ground recovered from the fea, at fuch an amazing expence of labour and anxiety, the foil is by no means equal to the maintenance of the inhabitants. Their cities, Vv'hich are erected on piles, fcarcely able to fudain their burthen, feem in con- fiant jeopardy of dilfolving in the waters. The dikes conilrudcd as, barriers againft the ocean, as v/cll as others in the inland

country:»^

VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE. I55

country, are undermined, or fuddenly fvvept away by the ravages of the fea, or the violence of a river, which commit alternate dévaluation in the provinces^ The air itfelf, of an infalubrioas quahty, feems to forbid man to occupy a country, which nature never intended for his ufe. In the great towns, the traveller meets with feme handfome buildings ; a commerce which ^ggrandifes a few lofty individuals; fliip- ping, the lize and number of which de- note the exteniive fpeculations of their owners. But the houfcs in tov/n and coun- try are deferted by the poorer fort; a race cf men who may be fiid to fubmit to per- petual exile, and all the perils of the ocean, in earning a little pittance for their families, the hovel they live in, a few roots, and a fmall portion of rye for their fubfiflence; men, in ihort, the fvveat of whofe brows, whofe ftrength and life itfelf, often fall a facrifice to the eafe and convenience of the rich. I can thmk of nothing to v/hich Holland may more properly be compared, ^han a traâ: of country that has been under- mined, and almoli floated by the ocean i

but

156 VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE.

but which retaining a varnifh of green turf, incorporated with the adjacent foil, and bound together by the roots of its own produâiîons, is preferved for a while from final dilTolution. Such vegetables as are unable to extend their fibres to the foîid ground, peri/h; but as they decay become foil for others. If a tree happens to fpring up, the tender roots will fufcain it a little; but fhouid it thrive and increafe in fize, the thin foil which ferves it as a bafe gra- dually gives way, and the tree falls to the ground. The Dutch appear to poiTefs a certain ferenity of mind^ they have fome good qualities, are a little roguifh and covetous of money, but generally in the iljle of honeft people.

CHAP.

Voyage to the north pole. 157

CHAP, XIX.

T^he Author embarks in the Texelfir Spitz-» berg — P^llf^ig^ through the German Ocean to the lËaJî of Norway-^New Experiments on Sea-water — -And ReJleC" tions on the Mode of living of the Nor-* ivegians and Lîhabitants of Greenland,

I Remained in Holland only three weeks -, the merchants, to whom I had letters of recommendation, affiiling me with their good offices, I found a fliip bound for the feas of Spitzberg, and failed from the Texel on the 16th of April, 1776. We fell down the river by the fouthcrn pafTage^ which is cfleemed the ùk^f and is formed by the coafl and fand banks, which extend two leagues into the fea. We then ftood N. ~ N. W. acrofs the German ocean, which has foundings in its whole extent as far as the Etland idands. The Sound, however, is very irregular, owing to fre- quent fand banks, which. afford plentiful filheries to the inhabitants of the Tea coaft. Of thefe fands, the moft confiderable is

the

158 VbYACÉ TO THE NdRTH POLE;

the Dogger-bank, which runs N. E. and W. S. VV. nearly in the form of a proje6tioii

of the cone, having the bafé towards the

I..

weft fouth weft; Its mean breadth ié fourteen leagues, and its center is in latitude ^^^ 5". Its moft wefterly point is fifteen leaî^ues from the Ensrliili coaft, and its moft eafterly twenty-four from the coaft of Jutland. Such parts of the Bank, as lie fouth, and fouth Vv^eft, have the leaft depth of v/ater, it being only from nine to eighteen fathoms; w^iile eaft and north the Sound has from twenty to thirty fathoms; without its fouthern extremities the lead gives twenty-five^ and without its northern, forty or forty-five fathoms. On the 17th we arrived in the latitude of 55'"^ and 3r'' of eaftern longitude from the meridian of Paris; the variation of the needle being 18^ towards the north weft. Two leagues

o

fouth from the above point of latitude we had fixteen fathoms ; but now, at kvcn in. the evening, having failed ten leagues N; .J- N. W. from the fame point, the lead gave us twenty-four. Tv/o days after/ being five leagues fouth of 57 '^ 31 ''latitude

and

VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE. I59

and 2