[Illustration: _View of a Town in the Island of Terra del Fuego._]
Neither did they testify any surprise at the sight of fire arms, and appeared to be well acquainted with their use. Probably the spot on which Mr. Banks and the Doctor met them, was not a fixed habitation; their houses not being erected to stand any length of time, and they were destitute of a boat or canoe. They did not seem to have any form of government among them, nor did there appear any kind of subordination. These people appeared upon the whole to be the out-casts of human nature, whose lives were passed in wandering in a forlorn manner over dreary wastes--whose only dwelling was a wretched hovel, such as has been described, and their cloaths scarcely sufficient to prevent their perishing with cold in the summer of this country, much less in the extreme severity of winter; their only food was shell-fish, which must soon be exhausted at any one spot; destitute of every convenience arising from the rudest art, or even an implement to dress their food. Such were these people, who nevertheless appeared content; so little does refinement or luxury promote happiness.
They observed no quadruped animals except seals, sea lions and dogs. Mr. Banks saw, from a hill, the impression of the foot-steps of a large beast on the surface of a bog, but he could not determine of what kind it was. This gentleman observed no land-birds larger than an English black-bird, except hawks and vultures; there were however ducks, and other water fowl in abundance; likewise shell-fish, muscles, clams and limpets in great plenty.
It is remarkable, that in this country, though uncleared, there was no species of hurtful or troublesome animals. Mr. Banks and Dr. Solander found a great variety of plants. The beach and the birch may be used for timber. The scurvy-grass and wild celery, it is imagined, contain antiscorbutic qualities; and may therefore be of service to the crews of such ships as hereafter touch at this place. The former is found in abundance near springs and in damp places, particularly at the watering-place in the Bay of Good Success, and resembles the cuckow-flower or lady’s-smock in England. The wild-celery resembles the celery in our gardens, but the leaves are of a deeper green. It grows in great plenty near the beach, and upon the land above the spring-tides; and tastes like parsley mixed with celery. In the morning of Sunday, January 22, Captain Cook having got in his wood and water, sailed out of the bay, and steered his course through the streight.
The generality of writers, who have described the island of Terra del Fuego, have represented it as covered with snow, and destitute of wood. In this however they are evidently mistaken, and their error must have arisen from having visited it in the winter season, when it possibly is covered with snow. The crew of the Endeavour perceived trees when they were at a considerable distance from the island, and on their nearer approach, they found the sea coast and the sides of the hills clothed with an agreeable verdure. The summit of the hills are barren, but the vallies are rich, and a brook is to be found at the foot of almost every hill; the water has a reddish tinge, but is not ill tasted, and was some of the best Captain Cook took in during his whole voyage.
The streight of Le Maire is bounded on the west by Terra del Fuego, and on the east by the west end of Staten Land, and is near five leagues in length, and as many in breadth. The bay of Good Success is seated about the middle of it on the side of Terra del Fuego, which presents itself upon entering the streight from the northward; and the south head of it may be distinguished by a land-mark, resembling a road from the sea to the country. It affords good anchorage, and plenty of wood and water. Staten Land did not appear to Captain Cook in the manner described in Lord Anson’s Voyage; the horror and wildness with which it is there depicted was not discernable to Mr. Banks and the other gentlemen; on the contrary, the land was neither destitute of wood nor verdure, nor covered with snow, and on the north side there appeared bays and harbours. This difference may also probably arise from their not having visited the place in the same season of the year.
Thursday, January 26, Capt. Cook sailed from Cape Horn. The farthest southern latitude he made was 60 degrees 10 minutes, by 74 degrees 30 minutes west. The weather being very calm, Mr. Banks sailed in a small boat to shoot birds, when he killed some sheer-waters and albatrosses; the latter were larger than those caught to the north of the streight; the sheer-waters were less, and their backs darker coloured. The albatrosses proved very good eating.
Notwithstanding the doubling of Cape Horn is represented as a very dangerous course, and that it is generally thought passing through the streight of Magellan is less perilous, the Endeavour doubled it with as little danger as the North Foreland on the Kentish coast; the heavens were fair, the wind temperate, the weather pleasant, and, being near shore, they had a very distinct view of the coast.
Wednesday, March 1, Captain Cook was in latitude 38 degrees 44 minutes south, and longitude 110 degrees 33 minutes west, as well by observation as by the log; which concurrence, after a course of 660 leagues, was judged very singular; from whence it was plain, he had no currents that affected the ship, and most probably had not approached any land of great extent, as there are always currents near lands of considerable compass. Mr. Banks killed more than sixty birds in one day, and he caught two forest flies of the same species, but never yet described: he also found a cuttle fish, which had just been killed by the birds; it was different from the fishes of this name, met with in the European seas, having a double row of sharp talons, resembling those of a cat, which issued or retracted at will. This fish made excellent soup.
Saturday, the 25th, on account of a squabble about a bit of seal-skin, which he had taken in a frolic, but which was represented to his officer as a theft, one of the marines, a young fellow about twenty, threw himself overboard, and was drowned.
About 10 o’clock, Tuesday, April 4, Peter Briscoe, servant to Mr. Banks, discovered land to the south, about three or four leagues distant. The Captain immediately hauled up for it, and found it to be an island of an oval form, with a lake or lagoon in the center, that extended over the greatest part of it; the border of land which surrounded the lake was in many places low and narrow, especially towards the south, where the beach consisted of a reef of rocks; three places on the north side had the same appearance. This dismembrance of the firm land, made the whole resemble several woody islands. To the west was a large clump of trees, and in the center two cocoa-nut trees. Captain Cook came within a mile on the north side, but though he cast a line of 130 fathom, he found no bottom, and could not meet with any anchorage. The island appeared covered with trees of different sorts, but the gentlemen on board could not ascertain any, with glasses, except palm-nuts and cocoa-nuts; there were several natives visible on shore; they seemed tall, with remarkable large heads, which might probably be increased by some bandage; their hair was black, and their complexions copper colour. There appeared along the beach, a-breast of the ship, some of these inhabitants, with pikes or poles in their hands, which seemed twice the height of themselves: they at this time appeared naked; but when they retired, upon the ship’s passing the island, they put on a covering of a light colour. Some clumps of palm-trees served them for habitations, and at a distance resembled hilly ground, and the groves had a very happy effect. This island was in latitude 18 degrees south longitude, 139 28 west, and was named LAGOON ISLAND.
Captain Cook saw land again in the afternoon to the north-west. He reached it by sun-set, when it appeared a low island covered with wood, in form circular, about a mile in circumference. No inhabitants were visible, nor any cocoa-nut trees; though the Endeavour had reached the shore within half a mile, yet the island appeared covered with verdure of various tinges. This island, which is distant from that of Lagoon, about seven leagues north 62 west. The gentlemen on board named THRUMB CAP.
Wednesday the 5th they continued their course with a fine trade wind, and about three o’clock discovered land to the west. This was a low island between 10 and 12 leagues in circumference; it resembled in form a bow, the cord and arch forming the land, and the interstice marking the water; the beach was flat, without any visible herbage upon it, being covered with sea-weeds. Its length was between three and four leagues, and its width about 200 yards; the bow terminated with two large tufts of cocoa-nut trees; the arch was covered with trees of various heights, and of different verdure; some parts of it, however, was low, and resembled the cord. They sailed along the beach, within a league, till sun-set, when they judged they were half-way between the two tufts of trees; here they sounded. This island, from the smoke that was discovered, appeared to be inhabited, and it was named BOW ISLAND. Captain Cook’s second Lieutenant, Mr. Gore, said, after they had sailed by the island, that he had perceived several of the natives under the first clump of trees, that he had discriminated their houses, and observed many canoes hauled up. But he was the only person who made these observations, though there were several upon deck besides himself.