Celebrated Travels and Travellers Vol 2 First part chapter II - Captain Cook’s predecessors part 3b

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CHAPTER IX.

Thank you. Thank you. More information? Order, volunteer, please visit the Jules Verne Library librivox.org Thank you. Celebrated Travels and Travellers, Volume 2 Great Navigators of the Eighteenth Century by Jules Verne First part CHAPTER II. PART III. CAPTAIN. COOK'S PREDECESSORS On the sixteenth of January, in endeavouring to reach Rupert Isle, the Boudouz was driven by the currents half a cable's length from the shore. The anchor, which was then heaved, gave way, and without the least land-breeze the vessel stranded. It was necessary to regain gallant harbour. It was just time, for next day a fearful storm was raging. After experiencing constantly adverse and variable winds for twenty-six days in Port Gallant, thirty-six hours' favourable breeze, for which we had not dared to hope, sufficed to take us into the Pacific Ocean. This I believe to be a solitary instance of a voyage without anchorage, from Port Gallant to the narrow channel. I estimate the entire length of this strait, from Virgin Cape to Cape Pellier, at about one hundred and fourteen leagues.

We took fifty-two days to accomplish it, in spite of the difficulties we met with in the passage of the Straits of Magellan. And in this Bougainville entirely agrees with Byron. I should advise this route, in preference to that by Cape Horn, from September to the end of March. During the remaining months of the year I should prefer the open sea. Contrary winds and heavy seas are not dangerous, whilst it is not wise to grop one's way between two coasts. One is sure to be detained for some time in the strait, but this delay is not time wholly lost. One meets with water in abundance, wood and shellfish, and occasionally very good fish. And I am decidedly of opinion that a crew reaching the Pacific by doubling Cape Horn suffers more from the ravages of Scurvy than that which proceeds by the straits of Magellan.

Bougainville's opinion has met with many opposers up to the present time, and the route which he lauds so highly has been almost abandoned by navigators. One strong reason for which is that steam has completely transformed maritime experience and entirely changed nautical science. Scarcely had he entered the southern sea, when Bougainville, to his intense surprise, found the winds southerly. He was therefore obliged to relinquish his intention of reaching Juan Fernandez. Bougainville had agreed with Monsieur de la Gironde, captain of the Étoile, that if a larger stretch of sea was discovered, the two vessels should separate, but not lose sight of each other, and that every evening the bugles should recall them within half a league of each other, so that, in the event of the Boudeux's encountering danger, the Étoile might avoid it. Bougainville for some time sought Easter Island in vain. At last, he fell in during the month of March with the lands and islands erroneously marked upon Mr. Bellini's chart as Quiros Islands. On the twenty-second of the same month he met with four islets, to which he gave the name of Quatre Facardins, which belonged to the dangerous group, a set of Modroporic islets, low and damp, which all navigators who have visited the Pacific Ocean by way of the Straits of Magellan appear to have noticed. A little further discovery was made of a fertile island inhabited by entirely naked savages, who were armed with long spears, which they brandished with menacing gestures, and thus it obtained the name of Lancer's Island.

We need not refer to what we have already repeatedly said of the nature of these islands, the difficulty of access to them, their wild and inhospitable inhabitants. Cook calls them this very Lancer's Island, Thrum Cape, and the inhabitants of La Alpe, which Bougainville found on the 24th, is identical with Cook's Bow Island. The Captain, knowing that Roger Wine had nearly perished in these latitudes, and thinking the interest of their explorations not worth the risk to be run, proceeded southward and soon lost sight of this immense archipelago, which extends in length five hundred leagues and contains at least sixty islands or groups.

Upon the 2nd of April, Bougainville perceived a high and steep mountain, to which he gave the name of La Boudouz. It was Maitea Island, already called La Dezana by Quiros. On the 4th, at sunrise, the vessel reached Tahiti, a long island consisting of two peninsulas, united by a tongue of land no more than a mile in width.

More than one hundred pirogues hastened to surround the two vessels. They were laden with coconuts and many delicious fruits, which were readily exchanged for all sorts of trifles.

When night fell, the shore was illuminated by a thousand fires, to which the crew responded by throwing rockets.