1. We afterward met with several others of the same denomination; but whether it be an office, or some degree of affinity, we could never learn with certainty.

2. Captain Cook generally went by this name amongst the natives of Owhyhee; but we could never learn its precise meaning. Sometimes they applied it to an invisible being, who, they said, lived in the heavens. We also found that it was a title belonging to a personage of great rank and power in the island, who resembles pretty much the Delai Lama of the Tartars, and the ecclesiastical emperor of Japan.

3. See Captain Cook’s former Voyage.

4. 14 lb.

5. Since these papers were prepared for the press, I have been informed by Mr. Vancouver, who was one of my Midshipmen in the Discovery, and was afterwards appointed Lieutenant of the Martin sloop of war, that he tried the method here recommended, both with English and Spanish pork, during a cruize on the Spanish Main, in the year 1782, and succeeded to the utmost of his expectations. He also made the experiment at Jamaica with the beef served by the victualling office to the ships, but not with the same success, which he attributes to the want of the necessary precautions in killing and handling the beasts; to their being hung up and opened before they had sufficient time to bleed, by which means the blood-vessels were exposed to the air, and the blood condensed before it had time to empty itself; and to their being hard driven and bruised. He adds, that having himself attended to the killing of an ox, which was carefully taken on board the Martin, he salted a part of it, which at the end of the week was found to have taken the salt completely, and he has no doubt would have kept for any length of time; but the experiment was not tried.

6. See description of the Morai, in the preceding Chapter.

7. See Vol. vi. book iii. chap. 12.

8. Sir Godfrey Copley’s gold medal was adjudged to him, on that occasion.

9. The word matee, is commonly used, in the language of these islands, to express either killing or wounding; and we were afterward told, that this chief had only received a slight blow on the face from a stone, which had been struck by one of the balls.

10. It was evident, that the iron we found in possession of the natives at Nootka Sound, and which was mostly made into knives, was of a much paler sort than ours.

11. It is to be observed, that, among the windward Islands, the k is used instead of the t, as Morokoi instead of Morotoi, &c.

12. Modoo signifies island; papapa, flat. This island is called Tammatapappa, by Captain Cook, vol. II. p. 222.

13. Both the sweet potatoes, and the tarrow, are here planted four feet from each other; the former was earthed up almost to the top of the stalk, with about half a bushel of light mould; the latter is left bare to the root, and the mould round it is made in the form of a bason, in order to hold the rain-water, as this root requires a certain degree of moisture. It has been before observed, that the tarrow, at the Friendly and Society Islands, was always planted in low and moist situations, and generally, where there was the conveniency of a rivulet to flood it. It was imagined that this mode of culture was absolutely necessary; but we now found, that, with the precaution above mentioned, it succeeds equally well in a drier situation: indeed, we all remarked, that the tarrow of the Sandwich Islands is the best we had ever tasted. The plantains are not admitted in these plantations, but grow amongst the bread-fruit trees.

14. See Vol. VI.

15. As this circumstance, of their singing in parts, has been much doubted by persons eminently skilled in music, and would be exceedingly curious, if it was clearly ascertained, it is to be lamented that it cannot be more positively authenticated.

Captain Burney, and Captain Phillips of the Marines, who both have a tolerable knowledge of music, have given it as their opinion, that they did sing in parts; that is to say, that they sung together in different notes, which formed a pleasing harmony.

These gentlemen have fully testified, that the Friendly Islanders undoubtedly studied their performances before they were exhibited in public; that they had an idea of different notes being useful in harmony; and also, that they rehearsed their compositions in private; and threw out the inferior voices, before they ventured to appear before those who were supposed to be judges of their skill in music.

In their regular concerts, each man had a bamboo, which was of a different length, and gave a different tone: these they beat against the ground, and each performer, assisted by the note given by this instrument, repeated the same note, accompanying it by words, by which means it was rendered sometimes short, and sometimes long. In this manner they sung in chorus, and not only produced octaves to each other, according to their different species of voice, but fell on concords, such as were not disagreeable to the ear.

Now, to overturn this fact by the reasoning of persons who did not hear those performances, is rather an arduous task. And yet there is great improbability that any uncivilized people should, by accident, arrive at this degree of perfection in the art of music, which we imagine can only be attained by dint of study, and knowledge of the system and theory upon which musical composition is founded. Such miserable jargon as our country psalm-singers practise, which may be justly deemed the lowest class of counterpoint, or singing in several parts, cannot be acquired in the coarse manner in which it is performed in the churches, without considerable time and practice. It is, therefore, scarcely credible, that a people, semi-barbarous, should naturally arrive at any perfection in that art which it is much doubted whether the Greeks and Romans, with all their refinements in music, ever attained, and which the Chinese, who have been longer civilized than any people on the globe, have not yet found out.

If Captain Burney (who, by the testimony of his father, perhaps the greatest musical theorist of this or any other age, was able to have done it) had written down, in European notes, the concords that these people sung; and if these concords had been such as European ears could tolerate, there would have been no longer doubt of the fact: but, as it is, it would, in my opinion, be a rash judgment to venture to affirm that they did or did not understand counterpoint; and therefore I fear that this curious matter must be considered as still remaining undecided.

16. An amusement somewhat similar to this, at Otaheite, has been described, Vol. VI. p. 139.

17. Voyages made by the Russians from Asia to America, &c. Translated from the German, by T. Jefferys, p. 37.

18. It hath since appeared, from the account of Kerguelen’s voyage, that this extraordinary person, who had entered into the French service, was commander of a new settlement at Madagascar, when Kerguelen touched there in 1774.

19. Extraordinary as this may appear, Kraschininikoff, whose account of Kamtschatka, from every thing that I saw, and had an opportunity of comparing it with, seems to me to deserve entire credit; and whose authority I shall therefore frequently have recourse to, relates instances of this kind that are much more surprising. “Travelling parties,” says he, “are often overtaken with dreadful storms of snow, on the approach of which, they drive with the utmost precipitation into the nearest wood, and there are obliged to stay, till the tempest, which frequently lasts six or seven days, is over; the dogs remaining all this while quiet and inoffensive; except that sometimes, when prest by hunger, they will devour their reins, and the other leathern parts of the harness.”

20. On this occasion, Major Behm permitted us to examine all the maps and charts that were in his possession. Those relating to the peninsula of the Tschutski were made in conformity to the information collected by Plenisher, between the years 1760 and 1770. As the charts of Plenisher were afterward made use of, according to Mr. Coxe, in the compilation of the General Map of Russia, published by the Academy in 1776, it may be necessary to observe, that we found them exceedingly erroneous, and that the compilers of the General Map seem to have been led into some mistakes on his authority. Those in which the islands on the coast of America were laid down we found to contain nothing new, and to be much less accurate than those we saw at Oonalashka.

21. This bird, which is somewhat larger than the common gull, pursues the latter kind whenever it meets them; the gull, after flying for some time, with loud screams and evident marks of great terror, drops its dung; which its pursuer immediately darts at, and catches before it falls into the sea.

22. From the circumstance, related in the last volume, that gave name to Sledge Island, it appears, that the inhabitants of the adjacent continents visit occasionally the small islands lying between them, probably for the conveniency of fishing, or in pursuit of furs.

It appears also from Popoff’s deposition, which I shall have occasion to speak of more particularly hereafter, that the general resemblance between the people, who are seen in these islands, and the Tschutski, was sufficient to lead Deshneff into the error of imagining them to be the same. “Opposite to the Noss,” he says, “is an island of moderate size, without trees, whose inhabitants resemble, in their exterior, the Tschutski, although they are quite another nation; not numerous indeed, yet speaking their own particular language.” Again, “One may go in a baidare from the Noss to the island in half a day; beyond is a great continent, which can be discovered from the island in serene weather. When the weather is good, one may go from the island to the continent in a day. The inhabitants of the continent are similar to the Tschutski, excepting that they speak another language.”

23. I mention the more early Russian navigators, because Beering, whom we have also followed, and after him all the late Russian geographers, have given this name to the south-east cape of the peninsula of the Tschutski, which was formerly called the Anadirskoi Noss.

24. See Chart in Coxe’s Account of Russian Discoveries.

25. See Gmelin, pages 369, 374.

26. See all that is known of his voyage, and a chart of his discoveries, in Mr. Coxe’s Account of Russian Discoveries between Asia and America. We were not able to learn from the Russians in Kamtschatka, a more perfect account of Synd than we now find is given by Mr. Coxe; and yet they seemed disposed to communicate all that they really knew. Major Behm could only inform us, in general, that the expedition had miscarried as to its object, and that the commander had fallen under much blame. It appeared evidently, that he had been on the coast of America to the southward of Cape Prince of Wales, between the latitude of 64° and 65°; and it is most probable, that his having got too far to the northward to meet with sea-otters, which the Russians, in all their attempts at discoveries, seem to have principally in view, and his returning without having made any that promised commercial advantages, was the cause of his disgrace, and of the great contempt with which the Russians always spoke of this officer’s voyage.

The cluster of islands, placed in Synd’s chart, between the latitude of 61° and 65°, is undoubtedly the same with the island called, by Beering, St. Laurence’s, and those we named Clerke’s, Anderson’s, and King’s Islands; but their proportionate size, and relative situation, are exceedingly erroneous.

27. Krascheninicoff says, that the tree here spoken of is a dwarf cedar, for that there is not a pine in the peninsula.

28. Krascheninicoff says, that the natives likewise convert the bark into a pleasant wholesome food, by stripping it off whilst it is young and green, and cutting it into long narrow stripes, like vermicelli, drying it, and stewing it afterward along with their caviar.

29. Gmelin, p. 41. Steller enumerates five different species of this plant.

30. Lonicera pedunculis bifloris, floribus infundibili formis, bacc solitariÂ, oblongÂ, angulosÂ. Gmel. Flor. Sib.

31. Myrtillus grandis cÆruleus.

32. Epilobium.

33. Choerophyllum seminibus levibus.

34. Tradescantia fructu molli edulo.

35. Bistorta foliis ovatis, oblongis, accuminatis.

36. Jacobea foliis cannabis. Steller.

37. Anemonoides et ranunculus.

38. Gmel. Sib. tom. i. p. 119. Tab. XXV.

39. Canis vulpes.

40. Mustela zibellina.

41. Rivers emptying themselves into the Lena, near its source.

42. Canis casopus.

43. Lepus timidus.

44. Mus citellus.

45. Mustela erminia.

46. Mustela nivalis.

47. Ursus luseus.

48. Krascheninicoff relates, that this small animal frequently destroys deer, and the wild mountain sheep, in the following way: they scatter at the bottom of trees bark and moss, which those animals are fond of: and whilst they are picking it up, drop suddenly upon them, and fastening behind the head, suck out their eyes.

49. The Koriacks make use of a very simple method of catching bears. They suspend, between the forks of a tree, a running noose, within which they fasten a bait, which the animal, endeavouring to pull away, is caught sometimes by the neck, and sometimes by the paw.

50. Crapra amon.

51. Mr. Steller has made the following scale of its cry:

For a further account of this bird, I must refer the reader to Krascheninicoff, vol. ii. part 4.

52. Anas picta, capite pulchrÈ fasciato. Steller.

53. Falco leucocephalus.

54. Vultur albiulla.

55. Mustela lutris.

56. English Translation, p. 59.

57. The quadrupeds and birds mentioned in this part of the voyage are marked in this list with a double asterisk.

58. The birds which are not described by LinnÆus, are referred to the History of Birds, now publishing by Mr. Latham, surgeon, in Dartford Kent.

59. I never saw this; but it is mentioned by Mr. Ellis. I had omitted it in my zoologic part.

60. It is proper to remark, that Atlassoff sent an advanced party, under the command of a subaltern, called Lucas Moloskoff, who certainly penetrated into Kamtschatka, and returned with an account of his success before Atlassoff set out, and is therefore not unjustly mentioned as the discoverer of Kamtschatka.

61. This river empties itself into the Jenesei.

62. Thirty-six pounds English.

63. Spanberg places the island here spoken of, in 43° 50' north latitude, and mentions his having watered upon it; and that this watering party brought off eight of the natives, of whom he relates the following circumstances: That their bodies were covered all over with hair; that they wore a loose striped silk gown, reaching as low as their ankles; and that some of them had silver rings pendant from the ears: that, on spying a live cock on deck, they fell on their knees before it; and likewise before the presents that were brought out to them, closing and stretching forth their hands, and bowing their heads at the same time down to the ground; that, except the peculiarity of their hairiness, they resembled the other Kurile islanders in their features and figure, and spoke the same language. The journal of the ship Castricom also mentions this circumstance of the inhabitants of the country discovered by them, and called Jeso, being hairy all over the body.

64. This accounts for what Krascheninicoff says, that he got from Paramousir a japanned table and vase, a scimetar, and a silver ring, which he sent to the cabinet of her imperial majesty at Petersburg. And if what M. Steller mentions, on the authority of a Kurile, who was interpreter to Spanberg in his voyage to Japan, is to be credited, that nearly the same language is spoken at Kunashir and Paramousir, it cannot be questioned that some intercourse has always subsisted between the inhabitants of this extensive chain of islands.

65. The vessel here spoken of was from Satsma, a port in Japan, bound for another Japanese port, called Azaka, and laden with rice, cotton, and silks. She sailed with a favourable wind; but, before she reached her destination, was driven out to sea by a violent storm, which carried away her masts and rudder.

On the storm’s abating, not one of the crew, which consisted of seventeen (having probably never made other than coasting voyages), knew where they were, or what course to steer. After remaining in this situation six months, they were driven on shore near the promontory Lopatka; and having cast out an anchor, began to carry on shore such articles as were necessary to their existence. They next erected a tent, and had remained in it twenty-three days, without seeing a human being, when chance conducted a Cossack officer, called Andrew Chinnicoff, with a few Kamtschadales to their habitation. The poor unfortunate Japanese, overwhelmed with joy at the sight of fellow-creatures, made the most significant tenders they were able, of friendship and affection; and presented their visitors with silks, sabres, and a part of whatever else they had brought from the ship. The treacherous Chinnicoff made reciprocal returns of kindness and good-will; and, after remaining with them long enough to make such observations as suited his designs, withdrew from them in the night. The Japanese, finding that their visitors did not return, knew not what course to take. In despair they manned their boat, and were rowing along the coast in search of a habitation, when they came up with their vessel which had been driven ashore, and found Chinnicoff and his companions pillaging her, and pulling her in pieces for the sake of the iron. This sight determined them to continue their course, which Chinnicoff perceiving, ordered his men to pursue and massacre them. The unfortunate Japanese, seeing a canoe in pursuit, and which they could not escape, apprehended what was to follow. Some of them leaped into the sea; others, in vain, had recourse to prayer and intreaties. They were all massacred but two, by the very sabres they had presented to their supposed friends a few days before. One of the two was a boy about eleven years old, named Gowga, who had accompanied his father, the ship’s pilot, to learn navigation; the other was a middle-aged man, the supercargo, and called Sosa.

Chinnicoff soon met with the punishment due to his crimes. The two strangers were conducted to Petersburg, where they were sent to the academy, with proper instructors and attendants; and several young men were, at the same time, put about them for the purpose of learning the Japanese language.

They were thrown on the coast of Kamtschatka in 1730. The younger survived the absence from his country five, the other six years. Their portraits are to be seen in the cabinet of the empress at Petersburg.

66. From Muller’s account of the course steered by Captain Spanberg, in his route from Kamtschatka to Japan, it appears that he must also undoubtedly have seen De Gama’s Land, if it really has the extent given it in Mr. D’Anville’s maps. Walton, who commanded a vessel in the same expedition, seems also to have looked in vain for this land on his return from Japan; and three years afterward, on account of some doubts that had arisen respecting Spanberg’s course, Beering went directly in search of it as low as the latitude of 46°.—See Voyages et DÉcouvertes, &c. p. 210, et seq.

67. See Book vi. chap. i. p. 149.

68. This land was seen by the Dutchmen who sailed in the Castricom and Breskes, and imagined by them to be part of the continent of America. There now remains scarce any doubt of its being the islands of Ooroop and Nadeegsda. See the Journals of the Castricom and Breskes, published by Wetzer.

69. This land was also discovered by the Castricom; and, from its situation, as described in the journal of that vessel, it appears to be the islands of the Three Sisters.

70. The country of Jeso, which has so long been a stumbling-block to our modern geographers, was first brought to the knowledge of Europeans by the Dutch vessels mentioned in the preceding notes. The name appears, from the earliest accounts, to have been well known, both to the Japanese and the Kamtschadales; and used by them indiscriminately, for all the islands lying between Kamtschatka and Japan. It has since been applied to a large imaginary island, or continent, supposed to have been discovered by the Castricom and Breskes; and it may not, therefore, be improper to consider the grounds of this mistake, as far as can be collected from the journals of this expedition. The object of the voyage in which those ships were engaged, was to explore the eastern shore of Tartary; but, being separated by a storm off the south-east point of Japan, they sailed in different tracks along the east side of that island; and, having passed its northern extremity, proceeded singly on their intended expedition.

The Castricom, commanded by De Vries, steering northward, fell in with land on the third day, in latitude 42°. He sailed along the south-east coast about sixty leagues in a constant fog; and having anchored in various places, held a friendly intercourse with the inhabitants. Thus far the journal. Now, as the islands of Matimai, Kunashir, and Zellany appear, from Captain Spanberg’s discoveries, to lie exactly in this situation, there can be no doubt of their being the same land; and the circumstance of the fog sufficiently accounts for the error of De Vries, in imagining them to be one continent, without having recourse to the supposition of an earthquake, by which Mr. Muller, from his desire to reconcile the opinion generally received, with the latter Russian discoveries, conceives the several parts to have been separated. The journal then proceeds to give an account of the discovery of Staten Island and Company’s Land, of which I have already given my opinion, and shall have occasion to speak hereafter. Having passed through the Straits of De Vries, says the journal, they entered a vast, wild, and tempestuous sea, in which they steered, through mists and darkness, to the 48° latitude north; after which they were driven by contrary winds to the southward, and again fell in with land to the westward, in latitude 45°, which they unaccountably still imagined to be part of the continent of Jeso; whereas, whoever examines Jansen’s map of their discoveries (which appears to be exceedingly accurate, as far as his information went), will, I believe, have no doubt, that they were, at this time, on the coast of Tartary. Having traced this land four degrees to the northward, they returned to the southward through the straits they had passed before.

It is not necessary to trouble the reader with the journal of the Breskes, as it contains no new matter, and has been already republished, and very satisfactorily animadverted upon by Mr. Muller.—Voyages from Asia to America, &c. English Translation, p. 78.

71. The only authentic survey of the eastern coast of Japan with which I am acquainted, is that published by Jansen in his Atlas, and compiled with great accuracy from the charts and journals of the Castricom and Breskes. I have therefore adopted, wherever the identity of the situations could be nearly ascertained, the names given in that map to the corresponding points and head lands seen by us along the coast.

Jansen places the northern extremity of Japan in latitude 40° 15' The point seen by us was in latitude 40° 27'.

72. This town is called by Jansen, Nabo.

73. Vide Muller, Fr. ed. page 215.

74. Lage Hoeck, or Low Point, is placed by Jansen in latitude 36° 40'.

75. Witte Hoeck, placed by Jansen in latitude 35° 24'.

76. Sanduynege Hoeck, in latitude 35° 55'. Jansen.

77. See KÆmpfer’s Hist. of Japan, vol. i. p. 92, 93, 94, and 102.

78. “J’ai vÉrifiÉ moi-mÊme, avec plusieurs Chinois, la population de Canton, de la ville de Tartare, et de celle de Battaux,” &c. Voyage aux Indes, &c. par M. Sonnerat, tom. ii. p. 14.

79. A catty is 18 oz.—a pecul 100 catty.

80. The English settled here in the year 1702, when the factory of Chusan, on the coast of China, was broken up, and brought with them some Macassar soldiers, who were hired to assist in building a fort; but the president not fulfilling his engagement with them, they watched an opportunity, and one night murdered all the English in the fort. Those without the fort hearing a noise, took the alarm and ran to their boats, very narrowly escaping with their lives, but not without much fatigue, hunger, and thirst, to the Johore dominions, where they were treated with great humanity. Some of these afterward went to form a settlement at Benjar-Massean, on the island of Borneo. East India Directory, p. 86.

81. Neptune Oriental.

82. Vide Dampier, vol. i. p. 392.

83. Dampier, vol. i. p. 390.

84. The island of Tamarin, or Sambouricou, which lies about four leagues to the north of Cracatoa, may be easily mistaken for the latter, having a hill of nearly the same size and form, situated also near its southern extremity.