early australian voyages-第23部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　the　main；　only　at　the　west　end　it　reaches　within　three　miles　of　it。　　At　some　distance　off　at　sea　the　west　point　appears　like　a　cape…land；　the　north　side　trends　away　north…north…west；　and　the　east　side　east…south…east。　　This　island　lies　in　latitude　3　degrees　4　minutes　south；　and　the　meridian　distance　from　Babao　five　hundred　and　twelve　miles　east。　　After　we　were　out　to　sea；　we　plied　to　get　to　the　northward；　but　met　with　such　a　strong　current　against　us；　that　we　got　but　little；　for　if　the　wind　favoured　us　in　the　night；　that　we　got　three　or　four　leagues；　we　lost　it　again；　and　were　driven　as　far　astern　next　morning；　so　that　we　plied　here　several　days。

The　14th；　being　past　a　point　of　land　that　we　had　been　three　days　getting　about；　we　found　little　or　no　current；　so　that；　having　the　wind　at　north…west…by…west　and　west…north…west；　we　stood　to　the　northward；　and　had　several　soundings：　　at　three　o'clock　thirty…eight　fathom；　the　nearest　part　of　New　Guinea　being　about　three　leagues'　distance；　at　four；　thirty…seven；　at　five；　thirty…six；　at　six；　thirty…six；　at　eight；　thirty…three　fathom；　then　the　Cape　was　about　four　leagues'　distant；　so　that　as　we　ran　off　we　found　our　water　shallower；　we　had　then　some　islands　to　the　westward　of　us；　at　about　four　leagues'　distance。

A　little　after　noon　we　saw　smoke　on　the　islands　to　the　west　of　us；　and　having　a　fine　gale　of　wind；　I　steered　away　for　them。　　At　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening　we　anchored　in　thirty…five　fathom；　about　two　leagues　from　an　island；　good　soft　oozy　ground。　　We　lay　still　all　night；　and　saw　fires　ashore。　　In　the　morning　we　weighed　again；　and　ran　farther　in；　thinking　to　have　shallower　water；　but　we　ran　within　a　mile　of　the　shore；　and　came　to　in　thirty…eight　fathom　good　soft　holding　ground。　　While　we　were　under　sail　two　canoes　came　off　within　call　of　us。　　They　spoke　to　us；　but　we　did　not　understand　their　language　nor　signs。　　We　waved　to　them　to　come　aboard；　and　I　called　to　them　in　the　Malayan　language　to　do　the　same；　but　they　would　not。　Yet　they　came　so　nigh　us　that　we　could　show　them　such　things　as　we　had　to　truck　with　them；　yet　neither　would　this　entice　them　to　come　on　board；　but　they　made　signs　for　us　to　come　ashore；　and　away　they　went。　　Then　I　went　after　them　in　my　pinnace；　carrying　with　me　knives；　beads；　glasses；　hatchets；　&c。　　When　we　came　near　the　shore；　I　called　to　them　in　the　Malayan　language。　　I　saw　but　two　men　at　first；　the　rest　lying　in　ambush　behind　the　bushes；　but　as　soon　as　I　threw　ashore　some　knives　and　other　toys；　they　came　out；　flung　down　their　weapons；　and　came　into　the　water　by　the　boat's　side；　making　signs　of　friendship　by　pouring　water　on　their　heads　with　one　hand；　which　they　dipped　into　the　sea。　　The　next　day；　in　the　afternoon；　several　other　canoes　came　aboard；　and　brought　many　roots　and　fruits；　which　we　purchased。

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…coloured　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　discoloured；　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　t