The island has no name in our drafts, but the
natives call it Pub Sabuda; it is about three leagues long, and two miles wide,
more or less; it is of a good height, so as to be seen eleven or twelve leagues;
it is very rocky, yet above the rocks there is good yellow and black mould, not
deep, yet producing plenty of good tall trees, and bearing any fruits or roots
which the inhabitants plant. I do not know all its produce, but what we saw were
plantains, cocoa-nuts, pine-apples, oranges, papaes, potatoes, and other large
roots. Here are also another sort of wild jacas, about the bigness of a man’s
two fists, full of stones or kernels, which eat pleasant enough when roasted.
The libby tree grows here in the swampy valleys, of which they make sago cakes.
I did not see them make any, but was told by the inhabitants that it was made of
the pith of the tree, in the same manner I have described in my “Voyage Round
the World.” They showed me the tree whereof it was made, and I bought about
forty of the cakes. I bought also three or four nutmegs in their shell, which
did not seem to have been long gathered; but whether they be the growth of this
island or not, the natives would not tell whence they had them, and seem to
prize them very much. What beasts the island affords I know not, but here are
both sea and land fowl. Of the first, boobies and men-of-war birds are the
chief, some goldens, and small milk-white crab-catchers; the land-fowl are
pigeons, about the bigness of mountain-pigeons in Jamaica, and crows about the
bigness of those in England, and much like them, but the inner part of their
feathers are white, and the outside black, so that they appear all black, unless
you extend the feathers. Here are large sky-colored birds, such as we lately
killed on New Guinea, and many other small birds, unknown to us. Here are
likewise abundance of bats, as big as young coneys, their necks, head, ears, and
noses like foxes, their hair rough, that about their necks is of a whitish
yellow, that on their heads and shoulders black, their wings are four feet over
from tip to tip; they smell like foxes. The fish are bass, rock-fish, and a sort
of fish like mullets, old-wives, whip-rays, and some other sorts that I knew
not; but no great plenty of any, for it is deep water till within less than a
mile of the shore, then there is a bank of coral rocks, within which you have
shoal-water, white clean sand, so there is no good fishing with the seine.
This island lies in latitude 2 degrees 43 minutes south, and meridian distance
from port Babo, on the island Timor, four hundred and eighty-six miles: besides
this island, here are nine or ten other small islands.
The inhabitants of this island are a sort of very tawny Indians, with long black
hair, who in their manners differ but little from the Mindanayans, and others of
these eastern islands. These seem to be the chief; for besides them we saw also
shock curl pated New Guinea negroes, many of which are slaves to the others, but
I think not all. They are very poor, wear no clothes but have a clout about
their middle, made of the rinds of the tops of palmetto trees; but the women had
a sort of calico cloth. Their chief ornaments are blue and yellow beads, worn
about their wrists. The men arm themselves with bows and arrows, lances, broad
swords, like those of Mindanao; their lances are pointed with bone: they strike
fish very ingeniously with wooden fish-spears, and have a very ingenious way of
making the fish rise; for they have a piece of wood curiously carved, and
painted much like a dolphin (and perhaps other figures); these they let down
into the water by a line with a small weight to sink it; when they think it low
enough, they haul the line into their boats very fast, and the fish rise up
after this figure, and they stand ready to strike them when they are near the
surface of the water. But their chief livelihood is from their plantations; yet
they have large boats, and go over to New Guinea, where they get slaves, fine
parrots, &c, which they carry to Goram and exchange for calicoes. One boat came
from thence a little before I arrived here, of whom I bought some parrots, and
would have bought a slave but they would not barter for anything but calicoes,
which I had not. Their houses on this side were very small, and seemed only to
be for necessity; but on the other side of the island we saw good large houses.
Their prows are narrow, with outriggers on each side, like other Malayans. I
cannot tell of what religion these are; but I think they are not Mahometans, by
their drinking brandy out of the same cup with us without any scruple. At this
island we continued till the 20th instant, having laid in store of such roots
and fruits as the island afforded.
On the 20th, at half an hour after six in the morning, I weighed, and standing
out we saw a large boat full of men lying at the north point of the island. As
we passed by, they rowed towards their habitations, where we supposed they had
withdrawn themselves for fear of us, though we gave them no cause of terror, or
for some differences among themselves.
We stood to the northward till seven in the evening, then saw a rippling; and,
the water being discolored, we sounded, and had but twenty-two fathom. I went
about and stood to the westward till two next morning then tacked again, and had
these several soundings: at eight in the evening, twenty-two; at ten,
twenty-five; at eleven, twenty-seven; at twelve, twenty-eight fathom; at two in
the morning, twenty-six; at four, twenty-four; at six, twenty-three; at eight,
twenty-eight; at twelve, twenty-two.
We passed by many small islands, and among many dangerous shoals without any
remarkable occurrence till the 4th of February, when we got within three leagues
of the north-west cape of New Guinea, called by the Dutch Cape Mabo. Off this
cape there lies a small woody island, and many islands of different sizes to the
north and north-east of it. This part of New Guinea is high land, adorned with
tall trees, that appeared very green and flourishing. The cape itself is not
very high, but ends in a low sharp point, and on either side there appears
another such point at equal distances, which makes it resemble a diamond. This
only appears when you are abreast of the middle point, and then you have no
ground within three leagues of the shore.
In the afternoon we passed by the cape and stood over for the islands. Before it
was dark we were got within a league of the westernmost, but had no ground with
fifty fathom of line: however, fearing to stand nearer in the dark, we tacked
and stood to the east and plied all night. The next morning we were got five or
six leagues to the eastward of that island, and, having the wind easterly, we
stood in to the northward among the islands, sounded, and had no ground; then I
sent in my boat to sound, and they had ground with fifty fathom near a mile from
the shore. We tacked before the boat came aboard again, for fear of a shoal that
was about a mile to the east of that island the boat went to, from whence also a
shoal-point stretched out itself till it met the other: they brought with them
such a cockle as I have mentioned in my “Voyage Round the World” found near
Celebes, and they saw many more, some bigger than that which they brought
aboard, as they said, and for this reason I named it Cockle Island. I sent them
to sound again, ordering them to fire a musket if they found good anchoring; we
were then standing to the southward, with a fine breeze. As soon as they fired,
I tacked and stood in; they told me they had fifty fathom when they fired. I
tacked again, and made all the sail I could to get out, being near some rocky
islands and shoals to leeward of us. The breeze increased, and I thought we were
out of danger, but having a shoal just by us, and the wind failing again, I
ordered the boat to tow us, and by their help we got clear from it. We had a
strong tide setting to the westward.
At one o’clock, being past the shoal, and finding the tide setting to the
westward, I anchored in thirty-five fathom coarse sand, with small coral and
shells. Being nearest to Cockle Island, I immediately sent both the boats
thither, one to cut wood, and the other to fish. At four in the afternoon,
having a small breeze at south-south-west, I made a sign for my boats to come on
board. They brought some wood, and a few small cockles, none of them exceeding
ten pounds’ weight, whereas the shell of the great one weighed seventy-eight
pounds; but it was now high water, and therefore they could get no bigger. They
also brought on board some pigeons, of which we found plenty on all the islands
where we touched in these seas: also in many places we saw many large bats, but
killed none, except those I mentioned at Pub Sabuda. As our boats came aboard,
we weighed and made sail, steering east-south-east as long as the wind held. In
the morning we found we had got four or five leagues to the east of the place
where we weighed. We stood to and fro till eleven; and finding that we lost
ground, anchored in forty-two fathom coarse gravelly sand, with some coral. This
morning we thought we saw a sail.
In the afternoon I went ashore on a small woody island, about two leagues from
us. Here I found the greatest number of pigeons that ever I saw either in the
East or West Indies, and small cockles in the sea round the island in such
quantities that we might have laden the boat in an hour’s time. These were not
above ten or twelve pounds’ weight. We cut some wood, and brought off cockles
enough for all the ship’s company; but having no small shot, we could kill no
pigeons. I returned about four o’clock, and then my gunner and both mates went
thither, and in less than three-quarters of an hour they killed and brought off
ten pigeons. Here is a tide: the flood sets west and the ebb east, but the
latter is very faint and but of small continuance, and so we found it ever since
we came from Timer: the winds we found easterly, between north-east and
east-south-east, so that if these continue, it is impossible to beat farther to
the eastward on this coast against wind and current. These easterly winds
increased from the time we were in the latitude of about 2 degrees south, and as
we drew nigher the line they hung more easterly: and now being to the north of
the continent of New Guinea, where the coast lies east and west, I find the
trade-wind here at east, which yet in higher latitudes is usually at
north-north-west and north-west; and so I did expect them here, it being to the
south of the line.
The 7th, in the morning, I sent my boat ashore on Pigeon Island, and stayed till
noon. In the afternoon my men returned, brought twenty-two pigeons, and many
cockles, some very large, some small: they also brought one empty shell, that
weighed two hundred and fifty-eight pounds.
At four o’clock we weighed, having a small westerly wind and a tide with us; at
seven in the evening we anchored in forty-two fathom, near King William’s
Island, where I went ashore the next morning, drank His Majesty’s health, and
honored it with his name. It is about two leagues and a half in length, very
high and extraordinarily well clothed with woods; the trees are of divers sorts,
most unknown to us, but all very green and flourishing; many of them had
flowers, some white, some purple, others yellow: all which smelt very
fragrantly: the trees are generally tall and straight bodied, and may be fit for
any use. I saw one of a clean body, without knot or limb, sixty or seventy feet
high by estimation; it was three of my fathoms about, and kept its bigness,
without any sensible decrease, even to the top. The mould of the island is
black, but not deep, it being very rocky. On the sides and top of the island are
many palmetto trees, whose heads we could discern over all the other trees, but
their bodies we could not see.
About one in the afternoon we weighed and stood to the eastward, between the
main and King William’s Island, leaving the island on our larboard side, and
sounding till we were past the island, and then we had no ground. Here we found
the flood setting east-by-north, and the ebb west-by-south; there were shoals
and small islands between us and the main, which caused the tide to set very
inconstantly, and make many whirlings in the water; yet we did not find the tide
to set strong any way, nor the water to rise much.
On the 9th, being to the eastward of King William’s Island, we plied all day
between the main and other islands, having easterly winds and fair weather till
seven the next morning; then we had very hard rain till eight, and saw many
shoals of fish. We lay becalmed off a pretty deep bay on New Guinea, about
twelve or fourteen leagues wide, and seven or eight leagues deep, having low
land near its bottom, but high land without. The easternmost part of New Guinea
seen bore east-by-south, distant twelve leagues; Cape Mabo west-south-west
half-south, distant seven leagues.
At one in the afternoon it began to rain, and continued till six in the evening,
so that, having but little wind and most calms, we lay still off the
aforementioned bay, having King William’s Island still in sight, though distant
by judgment fifteen or sixteen leagues west. We saw many shoals of small fish,
some sharks, and seven or eight dolphins, but caught none. In the afternoon,
being about four leagues from the shore, we saw an opening in the land, which
seemed to afford good harbor. In the evening we saw a large fire there, and I
intended to go in (if winds and weather would permit) to get some acquaintance
with the natives.
Since the 4th instant that we passed Cape Mabo, to the 12th, we had small
easterly winds and calms, so that we anchored several times, where I made my men
cut wood, that we might have a good stock when a westerly wind should present,
and so we plied to the eastward, as winds and currents would permit, having not
got in all above thirty leagues to the eastward of Cape Mabo; but on the 12th,
at four in the afternoon, a small gale sprang up at north-east-by-north, with
rain; at five it shuffled about to north-west, from thence to the south-west,
and continued between those two points a pretty brisk gale, so that we made sail
and steered away north-east, till the 13th, in the morning, to get about the
Cape of Good Hope. When it was day we steered north-east half east, then
north-east-by-east till seven o’clock, and, being then seven or eight leagues
off shore, we steered away east, the shore trending east-by-south. We had very
much rain all night, so that we could not carry much sail, yet we had a very
steady gale. At eight this morning the weather cleared up, and the wind
decreased to a fine top-gallant gale, and settled at west-by-south. We had more
rain these three days past, than all the voyage, in so short a time. We were now
about six leagues from the land of New Guinea, which appeared very high; and we
saw two headlands about twenty leagues asunder, the one to the east and the
other to the west, which last is called the Cape of Good Hope. We found
variation east 4 degrees.
The 15th, in the morning, between twelve and two o’clock, it blew a very brisk
gale at north-west, and looked very black in the south-west. At two it flew
about at once to the south-south-west, and rained very hard. The wind settled
some time at west-south-west, and we steered east-north-east till three in the
morning; then the wind and rain abating, we steered east-half-north for fear of
coming near the land. Presently after, it being a little clear, the man at the
bowsprit end called out, “Land on our starboard bow.” We looked out and saw it
plain: I presently sounded, and had but ten fathom, soft ground. The master,
being somewhat scared, came running in haste with this news, and said it was
best to anchor. I told him no, but sound again; then we had twelve fathom; the
next cast, thirteen and a half; the fourth, seventeen fathom; and then no ground
with fifty fathom line. However, we kept off the island, and did not go so fast
but that we could see any other danger before we came nigh it; for here might
have been more islands not laid down in my drafts besides this, for I searched
all the drafts I had, if perchance I might find any island in the one which was
not in the others, but I could find none near us. When it was day we were about
five leagues off the land we saw; but, I believe, not above five miles, or at
most two leagues, off it when we first saw it in the night.
This is a small island, but pretty high; I named it Providence. About five
leagues to the southward of this there is another island, which is called
William Scouten’s Island, and laid down in our drafts: it is a high island, and
about twenty leagues big.
It was by mere providence that we missed the small island; for, had not the wind
come to west-south-west, and blown hard, so that we steered east-north-east, we
had been upon it by our course that we steered before, if we could not have seen
it. This morning we saw many great trees and logs swim by us, which, it is
probable, came out of some great rivers on the main.
On the 16th we crossed the line, and found variation 6 degrees 26 minutes east.
The 18th, by my observation at noon, we found that we had had a current setting
to the southward, and probably that drew us in so nigh Scouten’s Island. For
this twenty-four hours we steered east-by-north with a large wind, yet made but
an east-by-south half south course, though the variation was not above 7 degrees
east.
The 21st we had a current setting to the northward, which is against the true
trade monsoon, it being now near the full moon. I did expect it here, as in all
other places. We had variation 8 degrees 45 minutes east. The 22nd we found but
little current, if any; it set to the southward.
On the 23rd, in the afternoon, we saw two snakes, and the next morning another
passing by us, which was furiously assaulted by two fishes, that had kept us
company five or six days; they were shaped like mackerel, and were about that
bigness and length, and of a yellow-greenish color. The snake swam away from
them very fast, keeping his head above water; the fish snapped at his tail, but
when he turned himself, that fish would withdraw, and another would snap, so
that by turns they kept him employed, yet he still defended himself, and swam
away a great pace, till they were out of sight.
The 25th, betimes in the morning, we saw an island to the southward of us, at
about fifteen leagues’ distance. We steered away for it, supposing it to be that
which the Dutch call Wishart’s Island; but, finding it otherwise, I called it
Matthias, it being that saint’s day. This island is about nine or ten leagues
long, mountainous and woody, with many savannahs, and some spots of land which
seemed to be cleared.
At eight in the evening we lay by, intending, if I could, to anchor under
Matthias Isle; but the next morning, seeing another island about seven or eight
leagues to the eastward of it, we steered away for it. At noon we came up fair
with its south-west end, intending to run along by it and anchor on the
south-east side, but the tornadoes came in so thick and hard that I could not
venture in. This island is pretty low and plain, and clothed with wood; the
trees were very green, and appeared to be large and tall, as thick as they could
stand one by another. It is about two or three leagues long, and at the
south-west point there is another small, low, woody island, about a mile round,
and about a mile from the other. Between them there runs a reef of rocks which
joins them. (The biggest I named Squally Island.)
Seeing we could not anchor here, I stood away to the southward, to make the
main; but having many hard squalls and tornadoes, we were often forced to hand
all our sails and steer more easterly to go before it. On the 26th at four
o’clock it cleared up to a hard sky and a brisk settled gale; then we made as
much sail as we could. At five it cleared up over the land, and we saw, as we
thought, Cape Solomaswer bearing south-south-east, distance ten leagues. We had
many great logs and trees swimming by us all this afternoon, and much grass; we
steered in south-south-east till six, then the wind slackened, and we stood off
till seven, having little wind; then we lay by till ten, at which time we made
sail, and steered away east all night. The next morning, as soon as it was
light, we made all the sail we could, and steered away east-south-east, as the
land lay, being fair in sight of it, and not above seven leagues’ distance. We
passed by many small low woody islands which lay between us and the main, not
laid down in our drafts. We found variation 9 degrees 50 minutes east.
The 28th we had many violent tornadoes, wind, rain, and some spouts, and in the
tornadoes the wind shifted. In the night we had fair weather, but more lightning
than we had seen at any time this voyage. This morning we left a large high
island on our larboard side, called in the Dutch drafts Wishart’s Isle, about
six leagues from the main; and, seeing many smokes upon the main, I therefore
steered towards it.
The mainland at this place is high and mountainous, adorned with tall,
flourishing trees; the sides of the hills had many large plantations and patches
of clear land, which, together with the smoke we saw, were certain signs of its
being well inhabited; and I was desirous to have some commerce with the
inhabitants. Being nigh shore, we saw first one proa; a little after, two or
three more, and at last a great many boats came from all the adjacent bays. When
they were forty-six in number they approached so near us that we could see each
other’s signs and hear each other speak, though we could not understand them,
nor they us. They made signs for us to go in towards the shore, pointing that
way. It was squally weather, which at first made me cautious of going too near;
but the weather beginning to look pretty well, I endeavored to get into a bay
ahead of us, which we could have got into well enough at first; but while we lay
by, we were driven so far to leeward that now it was more difficult to get in.
The natives lay in their proas round us; to whom I showed beads, knives,
glasses, to allure them to come nearer. But they would not come so nigh as to
receive anything from us; therefore I threw out some things to them, viz., a
knife fastened to a piece of board, and a glass bottle corked up with some beads
in it, which they took up, and seemed well pleased. They often struck their left
breast with their right hand, and as often held up a black truncheon over their
heads, which we thought was a token of friendship, wherefore we did the like.
And when we stood in towards their shore, they seemed to rejoice; but when we
stood off, they frowned, yet kept us company in their proas, still pointing to
the shore. About five o’clock we got within the mouth of the bay, and sounded
several times, but had no ground, though within a mile of the shore. The basin
of this bay was about two miles within us, into which we might have gone; but as
I was not assured of anchorage there, so I thought it not prudent to run in at
this time, it being near night, and seeing a black tornado rising in the west,
which I most feared. Besides, we had near two hundred men in proas close by us;
and the bays on the shore were lined with men from one end to the other, where
there could not be less than three or four hundred more. What weapons they had,
we knew not, nor yet their design; therefore I had, at their first coming near
us, got up all our small arms, and made several put on cartouch boxes, to
prevent treachery. At last I resolved to go out again; which, when the natives
in their proas perceived, they began to fling stones at us as fast as they
could, being provided with engines for that purpose, wherefore I named this
place Slinger’s Bay; but at the firing of one gun they were all amazed, drew
off, and flung no more stones. They got together, as if consulting what to do;
for they did not make in towards the shore, but lay still, though some of them
were killed or wounded; and many more of them had paid for their boldness, but
that I was unwilling to cut off any of them, which, if I had done, I could not
hope afterwards to bring them to treat with me.
The next day we sailed close by an island, where we saw many smokes, and men in
the bays, out of which came two or three canoes, taking much pains to overtake
us, but they could not, though we went with an easy sail, and I could not now
stay for them. As I passed by the south-east point I sounded several times
within a mile of the Sandy Bays, but had no ground. About three leagues to the
northward of the south-east point we opened a large, deep bay, secured from
west-north-west and south-west winds. There were two other islands that lay to
the north-east of it, which secured the bay from north-east winds; one was but
small, yet woody; the other was a league long, inhabited, and full of cocoa-nut
trees. I endeavored to get into this bay, but there came such flaws off from the
high land over it that I could not. Besides, we had many hard squalls, which
deterred me from it; and, night coming on, I would not run any hazard, but bore
away to the small inhabited island, to see if we could get anchorage on the east
side of it. When we came there we found the island so narrow, that there could
be no shelter; therefore I tacked and stood towards the greater island again;
and being more than midway between both, I lay by, designing to endeavor for
anchorage next morning. Between seven and eight at night we spied a canoe close
by us, and seeing no more, suffered her to come aboard. She had three men in
her, who brought off five cocoa-nuts, for which I gave each of them a knife and
a string of beads, to encourage them to come off again in the morning: but
before these went away we saw two more canoes coming; therefore we stood away to
the northward from them, and then lay by again till day. We saw no more boats
this night, neither designed to suffer any to come aboard in the dark.
By nine o’clock the next morning we were got within a league of the great
island, but were kept off by violent gusts of wind. These squalls gave us
warning of their approach by the clouds which hung over the mountains, and
afterwards descended to the foot of them; and then it is we expect them
speedily.
On the 3rd of March, being about five leagues to leeward of the great island, we
saw the mainland ahead, and another great high island to leeward of us, distant
about seven leagues, which we bore away for. It is called in the Dutch drafts
Garret Dennis Isle. It is about fourteen or fifteen leagues round, high and
mountainous, and very woody. Some trees appeared very large and tall, and the
bays by the seaside are well stared with cocoa-nut trees, where we also saw some
small houses. The sides of the mountains are thickset with plantations, and the
mould in the new-cleared land seemed to be of a brown-reddish color. This island
is of no regular figure, but is full of points shooting forth into the sea,
between which are many sandy bays, full of cocoa-nut trees. The middle of the
isle lies in 3 degrees 10 minutes south latitude. It is very populous. The
natives are very black, strong, and well-limbed people, having great round
heads, their hair naturally curled and short, which they shave into several
forms, and dye it also of divers colors—viz., red, white, and yellow. They have
broad round faces, with great bottle-noses, yet agreeable enough till they
disfigure them by painting, and by wearing great things through their noses as
big as a man’s thumb, and about four inches long. These are run clear through
both nostrils, one end coming out by one cheek-bone, and the other end against
the other; and their noses so stretched that only a small slip of them appears
about the ornament. They have also great holes in their ears, wherein they wear
such stuff as in their noses. They are very dexterous, active fellows in their
proas, which are very ingeniously built. They are narrow and long, with
outriggers on one side, the head and stern higher than the rest, and carved into
many devices—viz., some fowl, fish, or a man’s head painted or carved; and
though it is but rudely done, yet the resemblance appears plainly, and shows an
ingenious fancy. But with what instruments they make their proas or carved work
I know not, for they seem to be utterly ignorant of iron. They have very neat
paddles, with which they manage their proas dexterously, and make great way
through the water. Their weapons are chiefly lances, swords and slings, and some
bows and arrows. They have also wooden fish-spears for striking fish. Those that
came to assault us in Slinger’s Bay on the main are in all respects like these,
and I believe these are alike treacherous. Their speech is clear and distinct.
The words they used most when near us were vacousee allamais, and then they
pointed to the shore. Their signs of friendship are either a great truncheon, or
bough of a tree full of leaves, put on their heads, often striking their heads
with their hands.
Early Australian Voyages, 1886, John Pinkerton |
