A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels | Page 3

the first Interview with
Oberea, the Person, who, when the Dolphin was here, was supposed to

be Queen of the Island, with a Description of the Fort.
SECT. XI. The Observatory set up; the Quadrant stolen, and
Consequences of the Theft: A Visit to Tootahah: Description of a
Wrestling match: European Seeds sown: Names given to our People by
the Indians.
XII. Some Ladies visit the fort with very uncommon Ceremonies: The
Indians attend Divine Service, and in the Evening exhibit a most
extraordinary Spectacle: Toubourai Tamaide falls into Temptation.
XIII. Another Visit to Tootabah, with various Adventures:
Extraordinary Amusement of the Indians, with Remarks upon it:
Preparations to observe the Transit of Venus, and what happened in the
mean Time at the Fort.
XIV. The Ceremonies of an Indian Funeral particularly described:
General Observations on the Subject: A Character found among the
Indians to which the Ancients paid great Veneration: A Robbery at the
Fort, and its Consequences; with a Specimen of Indian Cookery, and
various incidents.
XV. An Account of the Circumnavigation of the island, and various
Incidents that happened during the Expedition; with a Description of a
Burying-place and Place of Worship, called a Morai.
XVI. An Expedition of Mr Banks to trace the River: Marks of
subterraneous Fire: Preparations for leaving the Island: An Account of
Tupia.
A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION. OF VOYAGES AND
TRAVELS.
* * * * *

PART III.

[Illustration]
A GENERAL HISTORY AND COLLECTION OF VOYAGES AND
TRAVELS.
* * * * *

PART III. BOOK I.
* * * * *
CHAPTER I.
AN ACCOUNT OF THE VOYAGES UNDERTAKEN BY THE
ORDER OF HIS MAJESTY GEORGE III. FOR MAKING
DISCOVERIES IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE; AND
SUCCESSIVELY PERFORMED BY COMMODORE BYRON,
CAPTAIN WALLIS, CAPTAIN CARTERET, AND CAPTAIN
COOK, IN THE DOLPHIN, THE SWALLOW, AND THE
ENDEAVOUR: DRAWN UP FROM THE JOURNALS WHICH
WERE KEPT BY THE SEVERAL COMMANDERS, AND FROM
THE PAPERS OF SIR JOSEPH BANKS, BART. BY JOHN
HAWKESWORTH, LL.D. [TAKEN FROM THE THIRD EDITION,
LONDON 1785, VARIOUSLY MODIFIED TO ANSWER THE
PURPOSES OF THIS COLLECTION, AS ELSEWHERE
EXPLAINED.]

GENERAL INTRODUCTION.
His majesty, soon after his accession to the crown, formed a design of
sending out vessels for making discoveries of countries hitherto
unknown; and, in the year 1764, the kingdom being then in a state of
profound peace, he proceeded to put it into execution.[1] The Dolphin
and the Tamar were dispatched under the command of Commodore

Byron.
[Illustration: Tracks of ANSON, BYRON, WALLIS & CHARTERET;
with COOK'S in 1769.]
[Footnote 1: In the reign of George II, two voyages of discovery were
performed, viz, by Captain Middleton in 1741, and Captains Smith and
Moore in 1746. They were in search of a north-west passage through
Hudson's Bay. Of these notice will be taken elsewhere.--E.]
The Dolphin was a man-of-war of the sixth rate, mounting twenty-four
guns; her complement was 150 men, with three lieutenants, and
thirty-seven petty officers.
The Tamar was a sloop, mounting sixteen guns; her complement was
ninety men, with three lieutenants, and two-and-twenty petty officers,
and the command of her was given to Captain Mouat.
Commodore Byron returned in the month of May in the year 1766, and
in the month of August following the Dolphin was again sent out,
under the command of Captain Wallis, with the Swallow, commanded
by Captain Carteret. The equipment of the Dolphin was the same as
before. The Swallow was a sloop mounting fourteen guns; her
complement was ninety men, with one lieutenant and twenty-two petty
officers.
These vessels proceeded together till they came within sight of the
South Sea, at the western entrance of the Strait of Magellan, and from
thence returned by different routes to England.
In the latter part of the year 1767, it was resolved by the Royal Society,
that it would be proper to send persons into some part of the South Sea
to observe a transit of the planet Venus over the sun's disc, which,
according to astronomical calculation, would happen in the year 1769;
and that the islands called Marquesas de Mendoza, or those of
Rotterdam or Amsterdam,[2] were the properest places then known for
making such observation.

[Footnote 2: So called by Tasman, but by the natives Anamooka and
Tongataboo; they belong to that large cluster which Cook named the
Friendly Isles.--E.]
In consequence of these resolutions, it was recommended to his
majesty, in a memorial from the Society, dated February, 1768, that he
would be pleased to order such an observation to be made; upon which
his majesty signified to the lords commissioners of the Admiralty his
pleasure that a ship should be provided to carry such observers as the
society should think fit to the South Seas; and, in the beginning of April
following, the society received a letter from