Thus situated; unable to proceed farther to the south, and in danger of being too late for the monsoon, he gave immediate orders to proceed northwards, in hope of discovering the country, which Dampier has distinguished by the name of _Nova Britannia_.
To all the islands they had now left, Captain Carteret gave the general name of QUEEN CHARLOTTE’S ISLANDS; and, besides those already mentioned, he saw several, which he named as follows, viz. LORD HOW’S ISLAND; KEPPEL’S ISLAND; LORD EDGCOMBE’S ISLAND; OURRY’S ISLAND; and VOLCANO ISLAND; this last being so denominated from a smoke that issued from its top, which is of an amazing height, and shaped like a sugar loaf.
The canoes of the inhabitants are formed of the trunk of a tree hollowed, are large enough to contain ten or twelve people, and are furnished with out-riggers, but have no sails.
The people of Egmont Island are very expert at swimming and diving; and active and vigorous in a high degree. Their arrows are so sharp, and discharged with such strength, that one of them wounded a man in the thigh, after passing through the wash-board of the boat. The points of these arrows are flint, and no metal was seen among the natives. There are good harbours on the coasts of these islands, which likewise abound in rivers, and have some vallies, but for the most part they are mountainous, and covered with trees.
Captain Carteret sailed on the 18th of August, and holding a west-north-west course, he on the 20th discovered a small island, which was called GOWER’S ISLAND, the people of which did not differ in any thing material from those of the islands he had lately left. Some cocoa-nuts were here procured in exchange for nails; and the inhabitants had intimated, that they would furnish a farther supply the next morning but it was then found, that the current had carried the ship considerably to the south during the night, and brought them within sight of two other islands, one of which was called SIMPSON’S ISLAND, and the other CARTERET’S ISLAND.
As both these islands were to windward of the ship, they sailed again to Gower’s Island, which abounds with fine trees, many of which are the cocoa-nut. A boat being sent on shore, the Indians attempted to seize her; and in return the crew made prize of a canoe, in which was a number of cocoa-nuts. The arms of the natives were spears, bows and arrows.
As a strong current set to the southward, they now steered a north-westerly course, because the bad condition of the ship, and sickness of the crew, would have rendered it impossible for them ever to have got to sea again, if they had been driven into any gulph or deep bay. On the 22d one of the marines fell overboard, and was drowned, notwithstanding every effort was used to save him.
The ship fell in with nine islands in the night of the 24th, which Captain Carteret supposes to be the same that were discovered by Tasman, and are named Ohang Java: eight of these are very small, but the other is more extensive, and they are all inhabited by blacks, whose heads are woolly, like those on the coast of Africa. The next day they had sight of an island covered with verdure, which was called SIR CHARLES HARDY’S ISLAND, and from the number of fires that were seen on it, they supposed it to be inhabited. This day they likewise had sight of a large island, formed of three high hills, which took the name of WINCHELSEA’S ISLAND. On the 26th they saw a large island to the north, which Captain Carteret imagines to have been the island of St. John, that was discovered by Schouten.
This day they were within sight of Nova Britannia, and the next morning the current drove the ship into a deep bay, which, in Dampier’s Voyages, is called St. George’s Bay. On the 28th they gave the name of WALLIS’S ISLAND to a small island in a bay, off which they came to an anchor, and were now 7500 miles due west from the main land of America. The cutter was sent out to catch fish; but not succeeding, she returned with a considerable number of cocoa-nuts.
On the next day, after great fatigue, they weighed the anchor, and sailed to a place which they called ENGLISH COVE, where they immediately began to take in wood and water. They now attempted to catch fish with hooks and lines, but none of them would bite; nor were they much more successful with their nets: turtle likewise were very plentiful, yet they could not take any of them; but at low water they picked up some large cockles and rock oysters. From the shore they procured cocoa-nuts, and the cabbage of the cocoa-tree, which is crisp and juicy; this, when eaten raw, tastes like a chestnut; but, when boiled, has a more agreeable flavour than the parsnip. It was found to be excellent when boiled with portable soup and oatmeal. They likewise gathered some plumbs, which tasted like those of the West Indies, which are called Jamaica plumbs; and by this supply of vegetables, they had soon reason to rejoice in the blessing of returning health.
This island seemed to have been lately inhabited, as several wretched huts were seen, in which were the remains of fires, and the shells of fish, which did not appear to have been long catched: they had likewise a sight of two animals, which were supposed to be dogs. This place produces palm-trees of various kinds; aloes, canes, bamboos, rattans, beetle-nut, and the nutmeg-tree; with a variety of other trees, and many shrubs and plants of which the names were not known. In the woods was a large black-bird, whose note was not unlike the barking of a dog: there were likewise parrots, rooks, pigeons and doves: they also saw centipieds, serpents and scorpions.
Having taken in wood and water, and repaired the ship in the best manner they were able, the Captain took possession of the country, with all the neighbouring islands, for the King of Great Britain. This was done by nailing on a lofty tree a piece of board faced with lead, on which was engraved the name of the vessel, and of the Captain, the time of entering and leaving the harbour, and a representation of the union flag of England.
They left this cove on the 7th of September, and anchored on the same day almost close to a grove of cocoa-nut trees, where they supplied themselves with the fruit and the cabbage in very great abundance; and called the place CARTERET’S HARBOUR, which being formed by the main and two islands, one of them was named LEIGH’S ISLAND, and the other COCOA-NUT ISLAND.
Nothing now remained but to attempt the reaching Batavia while the monsoon continued favourable: on the 9th of September, therefore, the anchor was weighed, and when they were about four leagues from land, the wind and current being both against them, they steered round the coast into a channel between two islands, which channel was divided by another island, to which Captain Carteret gave the name of the DUKE OF YORK’S ISLAND, and near which are several smaller islands. To the south of the largest island are three hills of singular form, which were called the MOTHER AND DAUGHTERS, one of which was supposed to be a volcano, from the large clouds of smoke that were seen issuing from it. A point they called CAPE PALLISER, lies to the east of these hills, and CAPE STEPHENS to the west; north of which last lies an island, which took the name of the ISLE OF MAN. The country in general is mountainous and woody, and was supposed to be inhabited, from the number of fires seen on it in the night. On the Duke of York’s Island the houses are situated among groves of the cocoa-nut tree, and form the most enchanting prospect.
Having brought to for the night, they sailed again in the morning, when some of the Indians put off in canoes towards the ship; but the wind being fair and blowing fresh, it was not thought prudent to wait for them. Steering north-west by west, they lost sight of New Britain on the 11th, and it being now found, that what had been taken for a bay was a streight, it was called ST. GEORGE’S CHANNEL, and the island on the north of it received the name of NEW IRELAND. In the evening they discovered a large island, well clothed with verdure, which was denominated SANDWICH ISLAND, off this island the ship lay great part of the night, during which time a perpetual noise was heard, resembling the sound of a drum. When they had almost cleared the Streight, the weather falling calm, a number of canoes approached the ship, and, though they could not be prevailed on to go on board, they exchanged some little matters with the crew, receiving nails and bits of iron, which they preferred to every thing else that was offered them. Though the canoes of these people were formed out of single trees, they were between 80 and 100 feet in length. The natives are negroes, and their hair is of the woolly kind, but they have neither thick lips nor flat noses. They wore shell-work on their legs and arms, but were otherwise naked, except that their hair and beards were powdered with white powder, and a feather was stuck into the head above the ear. Their arms consisted of a long stick and a spear; and it was observed, that they had fishing-nets and cordage.