A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. 15 | Page 3

Natche, in Honour of the King's Son, performed. The Procession and other Ceremonies, during the first Day, described. The Manner of passing the Night at the King's House. Continuation of the Solemnity the next Day; Conjectures about the Nature of it. Departure from Tongataboo, and the Arrival at Eooa. Account of that Island, and Transactions there,
X. Advantages derived from visiting the Friendly Islands. Best Articles for Traffic. Refreshments that may be procured. The Number of the Islands, and their Names. Keppel's and Boscawen's Islands belong to them. Account of Vavaoo, of Hamao, of Feejee. Voyages of the Natives in their Canoes. Difficulty of procuring exact Information. Persons of the Inhabitants of both Sexes. Their Colour. Diseases. Their general Character. Manner of wearing their Hair. Of puncturing their Bodies. Their Clothing and Ornaments. Personal Cleanliness,
XI. Employments of the Women at the Friendly Islands. Of the Men. Agriculture. Construction of their Houses. Their working Tools. Cordage and fishing Implements. Musical Instruments. Weapons. Food and Cookery. Amusements. Marriage. Mourning Ceremonies for the Dead. Their Divinities. Notions about the Soul, and a future State. Their Places of Worship. Government. Manner of paying Obeisance to the King. Account of the Royal Family. Remarks on their Language, and Specimen of it. Nautical and other Observations,
A Vocabulary of the Language of the Friendly Isles,
A Vocabulary of the Language of Atooi, one of the Sandwich Islands,

A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.

PART III. BOOK II. (CONTINUED.)
[An Account of a Voyage towards the South Pole, and round the World, performed in his Majesty's ships the Resolution and Adventure, in the Years 1772, 3, 4, and 5: Written by James Cook, Commander of the Resolution.]

CHAPTER IV.
--Continued.
FROM LEAVING NEW ZEALAND TO OUR RETURN TO ENGLAND.
SECTION III.
_Range from Christmas Sound, round Cape Horn, through Strait Le Maire, and round Staten Land; with an Account of the Discovery of a Harbour in that Island, and a Description of the Coasts._
At four o'clock in the morning on the 28th, we began to unmoor, and at eight weighed, and stood out to sea, with a light breeze at N.W., which afterwards freshened, and was attended with rain. At noon, the east point of the sound (Point Nativity) bore N. 1/2 W., distant one and a half leagues, and St Ildefonzo Isles S.E. 1/2 S., distant seven leagues. The coast seemed to trend in the direction of E. by S.; but the weather being very hazy, nothing appeared distinct.
We continued to steer S.E. by E. and E.S.E.; with a fresh breeze at W.N.W., till four o'clock p.m., when we hauled to the south, in order to have a nearer view of St Ildefonzo Isles. At this time we were abreast of an inlet, which lies E.S.E, about seven leagues from the sound; but it must be observed that there are some isles without this distinction. At the west point of the inlet are two high peaked hills, and below them, to the east, two round hills, or isles, which lie in the direction of N.E. and S.W. of each other. An island, or what appeared to be an island, lay in the entrance; and another but smaller inlet appeared to the west of this: Indeed the coast appeared indented and broken as usual.
At half past five o'clock, the weather clearing up, gave us a good sight of Ildefonzo Isles. They are a group of islands and rocks above water, situated about six leagues from the main, and in the latitude of 55° 53' S., longitude 69° 41' W.
We now resumed our course to the east, and, at sun-set, the most advanced land bore S.E. by E. 3/4 E.; and a point, which I judged to be the west point of Nassau Bay, discovered by the Dutch fleet under the command of Admiral Hermite in 1624, bore N. 80° E., six leagues distant. In some charts this point is called False Cape Horn, as being the southern point of Terra del Fuego. It is situated in latitude 55° 39' S. From the inlet above-mentioned to this false cape, the direction of the coast is nearly east, half a point south, distant fourteen or fifteen leagues.
At ten o'clock, having shortened sail, we spent the night in making short boards under the top-sails, and at three next morning made sail, and steered S.E. by S., with a fresh breeze at W.S.W., the weather somewhat hazy. At this time the west entrance to Nassau Bay extended from N. by E. to N.E. 1/2 E., and the south side of Hermite's Isles, E. by S. At four, Cape Horn, for which we now steered, bore E. by S. It is known, at a distance, by a high round hill over it. A point to the W.N.W. shews a surface not unlike this; but their situations alone will always distinguish