James Cook held the rank and position of Commander of the sloop Resolution, and Tobias Furneaux was Commander of the sloop Adventure.  However, both people were called by everyone Captain, as was usual for those in charge of ships.  Cook was also Commodore of this squadron, which had separated in November 1773.

Adventure Sails Home Alone

On 1 April, 1774, Adventure was at Cape Town, Table Bay.  Her men were recovering from the search for the Great Southern Continent, and the deaths of 10 men at Grass Cove, New Zealand.  The ship was being replenished with food, water and materials.  Captain Furneaux wrote, “Punished Bonaventure Somerfield (Marine) with a Dozen lashes for neglect of Duty...  Sailmakers and Caulkers repairing the Sails and caulking the decks”.

The arrival and departure of ships over the next few weeks was recorded by Furneaux.  On 5 April he wrote, “Received onboard 13 Tons of Ballast.  Employed about the Rigging...  Anchored here the Ceres East Indiaman from Europe...  Sailed [from] here a Danish and three Danish Indiamen”.  On 9th, “Sailed here for England the Valantine East Indiaman, saluted us with 11 Guns, returned 9”.  The next day, “Anchored here a Dutch East Indiaman from Europe”.  Two days later, “Sailed hence the Ceres Indiaman.  Saluted us with 13 Guns.  Returned 11”.

In March, Adventure had taken on seven men at Cape Town to replace those who had died.  On 14 April, Furneaux had his men “Employed getting ready for Sea... hoisted in the Launch”.  That day, he wrote to the Sick and Hurt Board in London that he had drawn on the Board three bills of exchange for 123 Rix dollars 6 Stivers payable to Messrs Dijkes and Mulder, merchants at Amsterdam, for payment of board and lodging of the sick men sent on shore.  The next day, “Anchored here a Spanish man of War.  Saluted 11 Guns, which we returned with an equal number... Anchored here the Egmont and Northington East Indiaman.  Saluted us each with 9 Guns, returned 7 to each.  Received 30 live Sheep and a large Quantity of Vegetables for the Ship’s company”.

Two days later, Furneaux “weighed and made sail.  Saluted the Fort with 15 Guns which were returned.  The Egmont saluted us with 11 Guns, returned 9”.

Six years earlier, in 1768, Furneaux had been aboard Dolphin (captained by Samuel Wallis) sailing from Table Bay home to England.  During that voyage Dolphin called at St Helena, but Furneaux did not do that with Adventure, during her journey home.  The island was sighted on 6 May.  William Bayly the astronomer wrote, “At Noon St Helena bore NW.  Distant 64¼ Leagues”.  The next day, “At Noon St Helena bore SW.  Distant 44 Leagues”.

Furneaux wrote little in his journal and log, and what he did put was brief.  The shortest was on 30 May, when he commented “Nothing remarkable”.

There was one recorded punishment, on 21 April.  “Punish’d Rob^t Harrison Seaman w^th 12 Lashes for Insolence & neglect of Duty”.  Two days later, Furneaux “Read the Articles of War, &c^a to the Ship’s Company”.  At the end of the month, on 30th, he “Exercised great Guns and small Arms”.

On 22 May, Furneaux “Saw a Sail to the Westward”, but was unable to speak to the ship.  There was more luck on 3 June, when he “Saw a Sail in the SES heading Northward”.  She “hoisted English colours”.  The next day he “Spoke [to] the Kent East Indiaman, from St Helena”.  According to Bayly she was “from China [with] Captain David Thomson”.  By the following day, Furneaux noted, “Kent ahead of us 7 Miles”, and the next day “Lost sight of the Kent”.

On 26 June, Furneaux “Saw a Sail to the East­ward”, and the next day, “Saw two Sail to the Eastward...  Spoke the Brunswick from Glasgow bound to Virginia”.  Later that day, “Saw a Sail to the NE, standing NE.  A French Snow”, which is a two-masted vessel.  The following day, he was able to speak to “a Sloop from Boston; there were two more in Company fishing for Whale”.  Later that day, “The French Snow in Sight to the Eastward”.

On 30 June, Captain Tobias Furneaux in Adventure in the Atlantic sailing home wrote, “The French Snow to the WSW”.

Resolution in April

On 1 April 1774, Resolution was sailing from Easter Island looking for the Marquesas.  First Lieutenant Robert Palliser Cooper wrote, “The Armourer empl[oye]d as before”, i.e. the armourer was making hatchets to trade at the islands for provisions.

The next day, Johann Reinhold Forster wrote, “being now very near the Isles, which were called by Mendaña, las Marquesas, we begin all to long for refreshments, which we all stand in need of...  Had all the former Navigators taken the prudent Step to inquire the Natives, for the Names of the Islands they saw, we might be able to ascertain with certainty, what are new discoveries & what not.  We take allways the trouble to ascertain the True Name, & then all the future Navigators can enquire for the Name of what they see, & then they will easily make out, whether it is new or not”.

On 6 April, Cooper wrote, “Punish’d John Innell Seaman 1 dozen [lashes] for Insolence to the Boatswain & disobeying orders”.  Forster noted that “Some Gentlemen messing in the Gunroom... are weak, thin & emaciated”.  Fortunately, “at 4 o’Clock in the PM ... Land was seen bearing WBS distant about 9 Leagues” wrote Cook.  It was “a new discovery, which I named Hoods Island after the young gentleman who first saw it”.  Alexander Hood, 16 years of age, was a cousin of Admiral Samuel Hood, first Viscount Hood, and of Admiral Alexander Hood, first Viscount Bridport.  The island is now known by its native name of Fatu Huku.  Soon afterwards they saw the island of Mohotani, and early the next morning the islands of Hiva Oa and Tahuata. 

The next day, William Wales the astronomer wrote, “About Noon we began to enter the Straits mentioned by Mendana, as seperating the Islands of St. Christina [Tahuata] and La Dominica [Hiva Oa] which we found to answer very well to the description which is given of them in the Account of his Voyage as translated by Mr [Alexander] Dalrymple”.  Cook wrote “After passing Several Coves in which seem’d to be tollerable Anchorage, but a great Surff on the Shore... At length we came to the Port we were in search after”, where Mendana had anchored. 

Cook continued, “we were attacked by such Violent Squalls from the high lands that we were within a few yards of being driven against the rocks...  After escaping this danger we stood out again... and then stretched in and Anchored” in Vaitahu Bay, on the west coast of Tahuata.  Cook named it Resolution Bay.

On 8 April, Forster wrote, “After breakfast the Cap^t & a Detachment of Marines & some sailors went ashore in the Pinnace, Cutter & Launch, & fetched some Breadfruit, Pigs & six Casks of Water.  I went up the Country & fetched some plants, very few of which were new...  In the Afternoon we went again ashore with the Cap^t & shot a couple of small birds”.  The next day, Cook recorded, “Towards Noon, a chief of some consequence, attended by a great number of People, came down to us, I made him a present of Nails and Several other Articles and in return he gave me some of his ornaments... we got by exchanges as much fruit as Loaded two boats and then return[ed] on board to dinner but could not prevail on the Chief to accompany us”.  According to Forster “The Chiefs Name was Honoo”, nowadays written as Honu.  According to Forster, the following day, he “sent my Son ashore & drew & described Fish on board...  In the Afternoon we went ashore... & bought several hogs...  One of our bought pigs ran away & the Cap^t beat the sailor for letting it go”. 

On 11 April, Cook wrote “When I saw that this place was not likely to supply us with sufficient refreshments, not very convenient for geting off wood and Water nor for giving the Ship necessary repairs, I resolv’d forth with to leave it and seack for some place that would supply our wants better...  At 3 o’Clock in the PM weighed and Stood over for S^t Dominica [Hiva Oa] in order to take a View of the West side of that Island”.  The next day, he “had a full View of the SW and western sides of the Isle neither of which seem’d to afford any Anchorage... I directed my Course SSW½W for Otaheite... with a view of falling in with Some of those isles discovered by former Navigators whose Situations are not well determined”.

On 17 April, Forster wrote, “About 10 o’clock in the morning they saw low land from the masthead right a head.  We came at noon near it & went to leeward of it... the boats went to trade ashore & I went likewise in order to see what might be gotten in the Natural History way...  we began to collect a good many plants some of which were new”.  Cook, “sent two Boats well Arm’d a Shore under the Command of Lieut^ts Cooper and Pickersgill with a view of having some intercourse with [the natives], to get some refreshments and to give M^r Forster an oppertunity to Collect some Plants”.  Richard Pickersgill was third lieutenant.  Cook continued, “the presents which our people made them were received with great indifferency which plainly shew’d that we were unwelcome Visitors...  The island we have been upon is the same as was discovered and Visited by Commodore Byron [in 1765] and... named by him Coral Island”.  The native name is Takaroa.

The next day, Cook “bore down to the Island to leeward... the same isle to which Commodore Byron gave the name of Georges Island”.  The native name is Takapoto.  He continued, “After leaving these isles we steer’d SSW½S”.  The following day, “At 7 o’Clock in the AM saw land to the westward and bore down to it... this proved to another of those drowned isles”.  It was Apataki.  He continued, “we saw from the Mast head a nother Low Island [Toau]... soon after we saw a third Land... for which we Steer’d [Kaukura]... in runing down the whole length of the N side of it, we saw not the least signs of Anchorage.  Coming near the West end discover­ed a nother or 4^th Isle being NNE [Arutua].  These four isles I called Palliser’s Isles in honour of my worthy friend M^r Pallisser Comptroller of the Navy”.  They are a subgroup of the Tuamotu Islands. 

On 20 April, Cook “steer’d SW½S for Otaheite”.  Cooper commented, “The Sailmaker employ’d repairing the new foretopgallant sail, it being much Rat eaten”.  The next day, Cook “Saw the high land of Otaheite”, and the following morning “Anchored in Matavai Bay in 7 fathom Water, which was no sooner done than we were viseted by several of our old friends, who express’d not a little joy at seeing us.  As my reasons for puting in here was to give M^r William Wales the astronomer in Resolution an oppertunity to know the error of the Watch from the known Longitude of this place and to determine a fresh her rate of going; the first thing we did was to land his Instruments &c^a and to set up tents for the reception of a guard and such others as it was necessary to have on Shore.  As to Sick we had none the refreshments we got at the Marqueses had removed every complaint of that kind”.  Forster “went ashore, & looked about, & found the Country in every respect improved.  There were a good many hogs, many new houses were erected & vast numbers of new Canoes were building & already built, chiefly owing to the facility they got to build them by the Assistance of our tools of Iron”. 

The next day, Cook was probably pleased to be able to write, “Our very good friends the Natives begin to bring us refreshments, such as fruit and Fish, sufficient for all hands”.  Forster, however, “went in Quest of plants but found none new”.  And Cooper noted, “Punish’d John Marra & Thomas Fenton with 1 dozen [lashes] for disobeying orders”. 

On 25 April, “Captain Cook in Resolution wrote, “When we were at Amsterdam [Tongatapu], among other Curiosities we Collected some red Parrot Feathers which were highly Valued by these people; When this came to be known in the isle all the Principal people of both Sex endeavour’d by every means in their power to Ingratiate themselves into our favour in order to obtain these Valuable Jewels by bring[ing] us Hogs and every other thing the Island produced... When I put in here my intention was to stay but a few days [because] the last time we were here [they brought us] no Hoggs... [However, I] “resolved to make a longer stay & to begin with the repairs of the Ship; accordingly I ordered the empty Casks and Sails to be got on shore to repair, the Smiths Forge to be set up to repair our Iron work, the Ship to be Caulked and the rigging &ca to be overhauled, Works which the high southern Latitudes had made highly necessary”.

The next day, Cook “set out for Oparre accompan­ed by the two M^r Forsters and some of the officers to pay Otoo a formal visit by appointment... we observed a number of large Canoes in Motion; but we were surprised when we got there to see upwards of three-hundred of them all rainged in good order for some distance along the Shore all Compleatly equip’d and Man’d, and a vast Crowd of Men on the Shore... When we got [back] on board the Ship, we were told that this fleet was a part of the armament intended to go against Eimeo [Mo`orea]”.  According to Forster, there were “159 double Canoes, & about 70 smaller ones with thatched houses for to receive the Chiefs during night, & to carry provisions for the fleet”.

On 28 April, Wales “continued my Observations in the Ship’s Tent; but finding then that Capt Cook’s stay at this place was likely to be considerably longer than was at first expected; and that it was not only inconvenient but that my Instruments without great Care were liable to be disturbed I sent for my own Tent on Shore; and having first removed the Great one errected it over the Clock & Quadrant as they Stood”. 

Two days later, Cook “had an oppertunity this Morn^g at Matavai to see the People in Ten War Canoes go through their exercize in Padling, they were at the same time properly equip’d for war, the chiefs in their war habits &c^a. 

Resolution in May

On 1 May, Joseph Gilbert, the Master, wrote, “Read the Articles of War to the Ships Company”.  The next day, Cooper commented, “The Armourers constantly employ’d makeing Hatchets, Nails, &c^a for Trade”.  The following day, Cook explained, “In looking into the State of our Sea Provisions we found the Biscuit in a state of decay and that the airing and Picking we had given it at New-zealand had not done it that service we intended and expected so that we were obliged to have it all a Shore here where it has under gone a nother airing and clencing [cleansing], in which has been found unfit to eat [3420] pounds”.  Two days later, Forster “went ashore & went up [a] Valley... & after we were gone that quite up as far as we could, we went over the hills eastwards... we found very few new plants, the Cascades & views are all romantic... seeing the Sun declining we hasted down towards the Tent & soon after went on board”.

On 8 May, Cook complained, “Last Night in the Middle Watch through the negligence of one of our Sentinels on Shore... he having either slept or quited his Post gave one of the Natives an oppertunity to carry off his Musquet”.  According to Forster, “the Sentry had left his post, laid the Gun in a Cask, from whence it was stolen...  In the Afternoon Cap^t Cook came ashore & soon after there came several Men & brought the Gun, & a bundle of cloath belonging to one of the Marines...  with the 2 hour Glass & the Gun.  The Capt made the people presents”.  Cooper noted, “Read the Articles of War & Punish’d Rich^d Baldy Marine (one of the guards on shore) for losing his Musquet last night when Centinel at the Tent at which time sev[era]l other things were taken out of the Tent by the Natives”.  The next day, Cooper added, “Richard Baldy Marine [given] 1 dozen [lashes] more for the above Crime”.

On 10 May, Cook wrote, “Otou desired to see Some of the great guns Fired from the Ship, accordingly I ordered Twelve to be fired all Shotted, which he viewed seemingly with more pain than pleasure.  I believe he had never seen a Cannon fired before.  In the Evening we entertained him with fire-works, which gave him great satisfaction”.  According to Wales, there were “several pieces of fire-works, such as sky Rockets Serpents Air Balloons”.  Cooper recorded, “Punish’d And[re]w Horn and Patrick Wheeling [Whelan] Seamen 6 lashes each for neglect of Duty”.

On 14 May, Wales wrote, “About 3 PM Weighed and got under [way] soon after which one of the seamen slid down the ship’s side with intention to leave her and swim on Shore and would certainly have Escaped had not the Lieut of Marines been Accidentally looking out of the Gun-Room Ports & seen him drop astern; on which a boat was hoisted out, and he was taken up and Confined”.  According to Cooper, “John Marra Gunner’s Mate jump’d over board & endeavour’d to get on shore, Bro’t too, hoisted out the Cutter & sent after him, they took him up, he afterwards jump’d out of the Boat, dived & endeavour’d to get away, but again was taken up, Bro’t on board & confin’d in Irons, hoisted the Boat in & Made sail”.

The next day, Cook wrote, “after leaving Otaheite we directed our Course for Huahine and at one o’Clock in the afternoon of this day Anchor’d in the North entrance of Owharre Harbour [Fare], hoisted out the boats and Warp’d into a proper birth and there Moor’d the Ship”.  The next day, he reported “the Natives began to bring us fruit”.  The following day, Cooper commented, “The Armourers constantly employ’d making Hatchets & Nails for Trade”.

On 18 May, Forster wrote, “M^r [William] Ander­son the Surgeons-Mate, went with Messrs [James] Colnet & [George] Vancouver & a Marine... shooting at a bird”.  Two days later, Forster noted, “Messrs Cooper, Clarcke & Burr went out to the Lagoons a Duck-shooting”.  They were Robert Palliser Cooper, Charles Clerke and John Davall Burr. 

On 22 May, Cook commented, “we got more Bread fruit and Cocoa nutts than we could dispence with, but Pigs which we most wanted came far short of our expectations”.  The next day, “The Ship being unmoor’d and every thing in readiness to Sail, at 8 am weighed and put to Sea... and steer’d over for the South end of Ulietea [Ra`iātea]”.  Forster “took leave of this Island, where we had gotten but few plants & new subjects off Natural History”.

The journey to the island did not take long, and the next day, Cook “anchor’d in 20 fathom water, between the two points of the reef which form the entrance on which the Sea broke with Such height and Violence as was frightfull to look at...  Warped the Ship in to safety where we droped an Anchor for the night”.  The next day, he “went on Shore accompanied by M^r F. &c^a”.  The next day, Forster “went a shore & we found a plant or two we had not seen before”.

On 27 May 1774, Cooper wrote, “Employ’d getting the spare Stream Anchor out of the Hold & getting on board Stones for Ballast.  Punish’d Char[le]s Williams Cooper’s Mate for losing his Tools 1 dozⁿ Lashes”.  Four days later, Cook wrote, “The Natives being informed that we should sail in a few days began to bring us in board fruit more than usual”.

Resolution in June

On 1 June, Forster “undertook an Excursion on the hills, & we found there one new plant”.  The next day, Cook “had Intillegence that three days before two Ships had arrived at Huaheine, (viz) Captain Furneaux and M^r Banks, the fellow who brought the intelligence described the Persons of M^r Banks and Captain Furneaux so well that I had not the least doubt of the truth and was considering wheather or no I should send over a boat that very night, when a man, a friend of M^r F. said the whole was a lie...  This Evening we entertained the Natives with fire Works”.  Two days later, Wales was pleased to note, “On computing the Observations made in this Harbour, I find the Watch gives 208°.25'8"E which is only 1⅔" in time different from what it gave last Year”.  Resolution was there in September 1773.

On 4 June, Cooper wrote, “At 10 Weigh’d & sail’d out of the harbour, at which time our friend ODiddy left us, universally beloved by us all”.  He was referring to Hitihiti, also known as Mahine, who had joined the ship at Ra`iātea in September 1773.  Cook wrote, “Odiddee did not leave us till we were almost out of the Harbour, in order that he might have an oppertunity to fire some of the guns, for being his Majestys Birth Day we gave them the Salute at going away”.  King George III was born on 4 June, 1738.

The next day, Cook “directed my Course to the West: this was with a View of carrying into execution the Resolution I had taken of viseting Quiros’s discoveries”.  The islands of Vanuatu.  Cooper noted, “The Captain releas’d John Marra Gunners Mate out of Confinement & ordered him to his Duty again”.

On 6 June, Cook, “Saw How[e] Island discovered by Captain Wallis [in 1767]”.  This uninhabited island is nowadays called Maupiha`a, or Mopelia.  The next day, Forster wrote, “Just at noon the wind became foul & we got a hard shower of rain accompanied with thunder & lightning.  The wind variable all the Afternoon, & fowl.  Lightning all night, for which reason the electric Chain was fixed at the Maintop gallant mast head or Truck”.  A week later, he “saw frequent Lightning from a Cloud to leeward a breast of us”.  Two days later, Cooper recorded, “The Plantains being used, serv’d Bread to the Ships Company”. 

On 16 June, Cook wrote, “At 7 AM saw land from the Mast Head bearing NNE, bore down to it.  At Noon saw it was a low reef Island or rather a number of small Islots connected together by sand banks & breakers...  We saw no inhabitants...  I looked upon it to be a new discovery and named it Palmerston Island, in honour of my Lord Palmerston one of the Lords of the Admiralty”.  Henry Temple was Second Viscount Palmerston.  The coral atoll is still known as Palmerston Island, and is part of the Southern Cook Islands. 

On 20 June, Captain Cook in Resolution wrote, we “thought we saw Land to the SSW and accordingly hauled up for it...  At 2 PM found what we took to be land was only Clouds, reassumed our WBS Course, and an hour after saw land from the Mast head in the same direction...  Shortned Sail and spent the night Plying under Top-sails”.  The next day, “At Day break bore up for the Nother[n] point of the Isle and ran along the West Shore at the distance of one Mile from it.  A little before Noon preceiving some People runing along the Shore and Seeing landing was Practical, Brought-to, hoisted out and Man’d two Boats in one of which I went my self and Mr Pickersgill in the other.  Mr F. and his party and Mr H. accompanied us”.  Forster wrote, “we landed, & climbed up a rock...  We found however immediately a new plant & I gradually crept higher up among the dangerous Corall-rocks, with my Son, M^r Sparrman & my Servant.  A party was drawn up on a neigh­bouring rock to protect us in case of necessity, & Cap^t Cook went with one marine to the right hand in a deep gullet which seemed to be a path into the Country.  I was gone still higher up, when at once I heard some Indians hollow out, at a few Yards from me.  I called for My Son & M^r Sparrman, but found they were gone down & left me with my Servant.  I made haste to get over two precipices & to join the party...  We stood there for some while & told the Natives they should come down, we were friends, they shouted & called one another...  at last a young Man... slang a Stone with the left at us, with so much accuracy that it just past a Saylor & hit M^r Sparrman’s arm, who let fly immediately, upon which, I thinking the Cap^t had fired, did the same, whereupon both retired”.

Cook continued, “Seeing nothing was to be done here we imbarqued and proceeded down a long shore...  We proceeded several miles down the Coast without seeing any human being or convenient landing place, at length coming before a small Beach on which lay four Canoes, here we landed”.  According to Forster, “we landed with some difficulty in a very bad place & waded a shore...  I looked up and saw 2 Men advancing... with Spears.  I advised Capt Cook to retire, I went round the point, & looked over the rock, when I found Capt Cook snapt his piece twice, which missed fire.  I asked, shall I fire, he sayd: You may! consequently I let go, but my piece missed likewise fire; then M^r Hodges, M^r Sparrman & my Son fired, & probably wounded some of the Men who had thrown 2 Spears at Capt Cook, one of which passed him & just slid along my Sons Thigh & fell very short of me.  We saw some of our people drawn up on a rocky Corall in the water...  The Mate, M^r Burr, ordered the people to be ready & hearing the firing, he saw another party coming down a path where they might cut us off.  He ordered therefore his Men to fire, whereupon the Natives retired, but still in another place a Man strung his bow, at whom M^r Burr fired his piece, whereupon he retired in the bushes.  We waded up to our party & joined in firing.  A great many came down the Gullet, we had been in, (upwards of 30 in number) & then M^r Pickersgill shot at them from the Cutter, which made them retire...  Hereupon we embarked & went on board & thus we left this inhospitable Shore with it still more inhospitable Inhabitants”.  Cook felt, “The Conduct and aspect of these Islanders occasioned my nameing it Savage Island”.  It was Niue.

On 24 June, Forster wrote, “In the Evening... we expected now to be very near of Rotterdam I[sland] or Anamocka & therefore tacked several times during night, especially as they could hear breakers a head”.  Abel Tasman discovered the island of Nomuka in 1643, and named it Rotterdam.

The next day, Cook wrote, “At 6 AM bore away West, at Day light Saw land (Islands) extending from SSW to NNW”.  They were of the Haapai, Kotu and Nomuka groups.  “At Noon the most Southermost Isle bore SW distant about 4 Miles [Telekitonga], near and to the North of this Isle were 3 others and Several more to the west”.  The Otu Tolu group.

The next day, Cook “stretched to the West and soon after saw more isles a head and on each Bow...  Towards Noon some people came off in Canoes from one of the isles... they shewed us Annamocka or Rotterdam... they likewise gave us the names of some of the other Isles and wanted us much to go to theirs”.  Their island was Mango.  Abel Tasman dis­covered the island of Nomuka in 1643, and named it Rotterdam.  Cook continued, “at 5 o’Clock Anchor­ed on the North side of Annamocka about ¾ of a mile from the Shore...  As soon as we approached the South end of the isle Several of the Natives came off in their Canoes one of which asked for me by name, a proof that these people have a communication with Amsterdam”.  Resolution and Adventure had been at Tongatapu in October 1773. 

On 27 June, Captain Cook in Resolution wrote, “Early in the Morn the Master and I went on Shore to look for fresh water, we were received with great Courtesy by the Natives...  After breakfast I went a Shore with two Boats to Traffick with the People and ordered the Launch to follow to take in water... by Noon “the Botanizing and Shooting parties all come in except the Surgeon for whom we could not wait as the Water was Ebing fast out of the Cove”.  According to Wales, “This Afternoon I went on shore, and when we landed met the surgeon, who had been left behind in the forenoon.  The Natives had by surprize snatched and wrested his Gun from him, and it was with some difficulty he kept them from Striping him by presenting a tooth-pick Case which they Mistook for a Pistol; but as soon as we appeared they left him and shifted for themselves”.

The next day, Wales ruefully recorded, “The Cap^t and M^r Cooper being both on shore, and not coming off untill late in the Afternoon I could not wind the Watch up at the usual Time, and by some fatallity or other I forgot afterwards untill it was down; I have, two or three times before, been near let it go down on the same Account but luckily recollected before it was down.  I took several Altitudes this Morning from whence I find it is 2^h10'41" slower than it was before; and as I had got several at this place before it was let go down no inconvenience can possibly Arrise from this Accident; however as I had now kept it going two years I had begun to flatter my self with the hopes of carrying it home without any thing of this sort happening”.

That evening, Cook “went a Shore in Company with Mr F. and some of the officers, they made a little excursion into the isle but I did not quit the landing place...  while I was now on Shore I got the names of Twenty Islands which lay between the NW and NE, some of them in Sight.  Two which laid most to the West were remarkable on account of their great hight, in the most westermost we judged was a Vulcano by the Continual Column of Smoak we saw assend from the center of the isle, to clear up this point it was necessary we should approach them nearer”.  The island was Tofua. 

The next day, Cook, “at day-light in Morning got under Sail... and Stood to the Northward for these isles...  A great number of Canoes kept about us all the forenoon”.  The following day, 30 June, “In the Morning Stretched out for the high Islands having the Advantage of a gentle breeze... at 4 O’Clock in the PM we reached the two high Islands, the Southermost and the one on which the Vulcano is or is supposed to be is called by the Natives Amattafo [Tofua] and the other is round high and Peaked Oghao [Kao]”.

Ian Boreham

Originally published in Cook's Log, page 36, volume 47, number 2 (2024).