Early Australian Voyages

J >> John Pinkerton >> Early Australian Voyages


This island which I called Nova Britannia, has about 4 degrees of
latitude: the body of it lying in 4 degrees, and the northernmost part in
2 degrees 32 minutes, and the southernmost in 6 degrees 30 minutes south.
It has about 5 degrees 18 minutes longitude from east to west. It is
generally high mountainous land, mixed with large valleys, which, as well
as the mountains appeared very fertile; and in most places that we saw,
the trees are very large, tall and thick. It is also very well inhabited
with strong well-limbed negroes, whom we found very daring and bold at
several places. As to the product of it, I know no more than what I have
said in my account of Port Montague; but it is very probable this island
may afford as many rich commodities as any in the world: and the natives
may be easily brought to commerce, though I could not pretend to it under
my present circumstances.

Being near the island to the northward of the volcano, I sent my boat to
sound, thinking to anchor here, but she returned and brought me word,
that they had no ground till they met with a reef of coral rocks about a
mile from the shore, then I bore away to the north side of the island,
where we found no anchoring neither. We saw several people, and some
cocoa-nut trees, but could not send ashore for want of my pinnace, which
was out of order. In the evening I stood off to sea, to be at such a
distance that I might not be driven by any current upon the shoals of
this island, if it should prove calm. We had but little wind, especially
the beginning of the night; but in the morning I found myself so far to
the west of the island, that the wind being at east-south-east, I could
not fetch it, wherefore I kept on to the southward, and stemmed with the
body of a high island about eleven or twelve leagues long, lying to the
southward of that which I before designed for. I named this island Sir
George Rook's Island.

We also saw some other islands to the westward, which may be better seen
in my draft of these lands than here described; but seeing a very small
island lying to the north-west of the long island which was before us,
and not far from it. I steered away for that, hoping to find anchoring
there; and having but little wind, I sent my boat before to sound, which,
when we were about two miles' distance from the shore, came on board and
brought me word that there was good anchoring in thirty or forty fathom
water, a mile from the isle, and within a reef of the rocks which lay in
a half-moon, reaching from the north part of the island to the
south-east; so at noon we got in and anchored in thirty-six fathom, a
mile from the isle.

In the afternoon I sent my boat ashore to the island, to see what
convenience there was to haul our vessel ashore in order to be mended,
and whether we could catch any fish. My men in the boat rowed about the
island, but could not land by reason of the rocks and a great surge
running in upon the shore. We found variation here, 8 degrees 25 minutes
west.

I designed to have stayed among these islands till I got my pinnace
refitted; but having no more than one man who had skill to work upon her,
I saw she would be a long time in repairing (which was one great reason
why I could not prosecute my discoveries further); and the easterly winds
being set in, I found I should scarce be able to hold my ground.

The 31st, in the forenoon, we shot in between two islands, lying about
four leagues asunder, with intention to pass between them. The
southernmost is a long island, with a high hill at each end; this I named
Long Island. The northernmost is a round high island towering up with
several heads or tops, something resembling a crown; this I named Crown
Isle from its form. Both these islands appeared very pleasant, having
spots of green savannahs mixed among the woodland: the trees appeared
very green and flourishing, and some of them looked white and full of
blossoms. We passed close by Crown Isle, saw many cocoa-nut trees on the
bays and sides of the hills; and one boat was coming off from the shore,
but returned again. We saw no smoke on either of the islands, neither
did we see any plantations, and it is probable they are not very well
peopled. We saw many shoals near Crown Island, and reefs of rocks
running off from the points a mile or more into the sea: my boat was once
overboard, with design to have sent her ashore, but having little wind,
and seeing some shoals, I hoisted her in again, and stood off out of
danger.

In the afternoon, seeing an island bearing north-west-by-west, we steered
away north-west-by-north, to be to the northward of it. The next
morning, being about midway from the islands we left yesterday, and
having this to the westward of us, the land of the main of New Guinea
within us to the southward, appeared very high. When we came within four
or five leagues of this island to the west of us, four boats came off to
view us, one came within call, but returned with the other three without
speaking to us; so we kept on for the island, which I named Sir R. Rich's
Island. It was pretty high, woody, and mixed with savannahs like those
formerly mentioned. Being to the north of it, we saw an opening between
it and another island two leagues to the west of it, which before
appeared all in one. The main seemed to be high land, trending to the
westward.

On Tuesday, the 2nd of April, about eight in the morning, we discovered a
high-peaked island to the westward, which seemed to smoke at its top: the
next day we passed by the north side of the Burning Island, and saw smoke
again at its top, but the vent lying on the south side of the peak, we
could not observe it distinctly, nor see the fire. We afterwards opened
three more islands, and some land to the southward, which we could not
well tell whether it were islands or part of the main. These islands are
all high, full of fair trees and spots of great savannahs, as well the
Burning Isle as the rest; but the Burning Isle was more round and peaked
at top, very fine land near the sea, and for two-thirds up it: we also
saw another isle sending forth a great smoke at once, but it soon
vanished, and we saw it no more; we saw also among these islands three
small vessels with sails, which the people of Nova Britannia seem wholly
ignorant of.

The 11th, at noon, having a very good observation, I found myself to the
northward of my reckoning, and thence concluded that we had a current
setting north-west, or rather more westerly, as the land lies. From that
time to the next morning we had fair clear weather, and a fine moderate
gale from south-east to east-by-north: but at daybreak the clouds began
to fly, and it lightened very much in the east, south-east, and north-
east. At sun-rising, the sky looked very red in the east near the
horizon, and there were many black clouds both to the south and north of
it. About a quarter of an hour after the sun was up, there was a squall
to the windward of us; when on sudden one of our men on the forecastle
called out that he saw something astern, but could not tell what: I
looked out for it, and immediately saw a spout beginning to work within a
quarter of a mile of us, exactly in the wind: we presently put right
before it. It came very swiftly, whirling the water up in a pillar about
six or seven yards high. As yet I could not see any pendulous cloud,
from whence it might come, and was in hopes it would soon lose its force.
In four or five minutes' time it came within a cable's length of us, and
passed away to leeward, and then I saw a long pale stream coming down to
the whirling water. This stream was about the bigness of a rainbow: the
upper end seemed vastly high, not descending from any dark cloud, and
therefore the more strange to me, I never having seen the like before. It
passed about a mile to leeward of us, and then broke. This was but a
small spout, not strong nor lasting; yet I perceived much wind in it as
it passed by us. The current still continued at north-west a little
westerly, which I allowed to run a mile per hour.

By an observation the 13th, at noon, I found myself 25 minutes to the
northward of my reckoning; whether occasioned by bad steerage, a bad
account, or a current, I could not determine; but was apt to judge it
might be a complication of all; for I could not think it was wholly the
current, the land here lying east-by-south, and west-by-north, or a
little more northerly and southerly. We had kept so nigh as to see it,
and at farthest had not been above twenty leagues from it, but sometimes
much nearer; and it is not probable that any current should set directly
off from a land. A tide indeed may; but then the flood has the same
force to strike in upon the shore, as the ebb to strike off from it: but
a current must have set nearly along shore, either easterly or westerly;
and if anything northerly or southerly, it could be but very little in
comparison of its east or west course, on a coast lying as this doth;
which yet we did not perceive. If therefore we were deceived by a
current, it is very probable that the land is here disjoined, and that
there is a passage through to the southward, and that the land from King
William's Cape to this place is an island, separated from New Guinea by
some strait, as Nova Britannia is by that which we came through. But
this being at best but a probable conjecture, I shall insist no farther
upon it.

The 14th we passed by Scouten's Island, and Providence Island, and found
still a very strong current setting to the north-west. On the 17th we
saw a high mountain on the main, that sent forth great quantities of
smoke from its top: this volcano we did not see in our voyage out. In
the afternoon we discovered King William's Island, and crowded all the
sail we could to get near it before night, thinking to lie to the
eastward of it till day, for fear of some shoals that lie at the west end
of it. Before night we got within two leagues of it, and having a fine
gale of wind and a light moon, I resolved to pass through in the night,
which I hoped to do before twelve o'clock, if the gale continued; but
when we came within two miles of it, it fell calm: yet afterwards by the
help of the current, a small gale, and our boat, we got through before
day. In the night we had a very fragrant smell from the island. By
morning light we were got two leagues to the westward of it; and then
were becalmed all the morning; and met such whirling tides, that when we
came into them, the ship turned quite round: and though sometimes we had
a small gale of wind, yet she could not feel the helm when she came into
these whirlpools: neither could we get from amongst them, till a brisk
gale sprang up: yet we drove not much any way, but whirled round like a
top. And those whirlpools were not constant to one place but drove about
strangely: and sometimes we saw among them large ripplings of the water,
like great over-falls making a fearful noise. I sent my boat to sound,
but found no ground.

The 18th Cape Mabo bore south, distance nine leagues; by which account it
lies in the latitude of 50 minutes south, and meridian distance from Cape
St. George one thousand two hundred and forty-three miles. St. John's
Isle lies forty-eight miles to the east of Cape St. George; which being
added to the distance between Cape St. George and Cape Mabo, makes one
thousand two hundred and ninety-one meridional parts; which was the
furthest that I was to the east. In my outward-bound voyage I made
meridian distance between Cape Mabo and Cape St. George, one thousand two
hundred and ninety miles; and now in my return, but one thousand two
hundred and forty-three; which is forty-seven short of my distance going
out. This difference may probably be occasioned by the strong western
current which we found in our return, which I allowed for after I
perceived it; and though we did not discern any current when we went to
the eastward, except when near the islands, yet it is probable we had one
against us, though we did not take notice of it because of the strong
easterly winds. King William's Island lies in the latitude of 21 minutes
south, and may be seen distinctly off Cape Mabo.

In the evening we passed by Cape Mabo; and afterwards steered away south-
east half-east, keeping along the shore, which here trends
south-easterly. The next morning, seeing a large opening in the land,
with an island near the south side; I stood in, thinking to anchor there.
When we were shot in within two leagues of the island, the wind came to
the west, which blows right into the opening. I stood to the north
shore, intending, when I came pretty nigh, to send my boat into the
opening and sound, before I would venture in. We found several deep
bays, but no soundings within two miles of the shore; therefore I stood
off again, then seeing a rippling under our lee, I sent my boat to sound
on it; which returned in half an hour, and brought me word that the
rippling we saw was only a tide, and that they had no ground there.