First Voyage Round the World | Page 8

as a born leader of such expeditions.

Wallis followed nearly on Byron's track: went from the Ladrones,
through the China Sea, to Batavia, and so home, arriving in May 1768.
The Swallow, under Captain Carteret, was navigated in a different
spirit. She was badly fitted out for such a voyage, had not even a forge,
and all the articles for trade were on board the Dolphin. But Carteret
was not easily daunted. He might, under the circumstances, when he
found himself alone, have abandoned the voyage; but he boldly went
forward. Passing from the Strait of Magellan, he touched at Juan
Fernandez, and steering somewhat south of Wallis's line, he passed
south of Tahiti, discovering Pitcairn's Island on his way, and some of
the islands south of the Paumotus.
By this time his people were severely afflicted with scurvy, and his
ship in a bad state; but Carteret only thought of getting to some place of
refreshment, from which he might afterwards pass on his voyage
towards the south, in the hope of falling in with the great southern
Continent.
In this he was not fortunate. Missing all other islands, he fell across the
Santa Cruz Group, and hoping that he had found what he wanted, he
anchored and tried to water. The party were, however, attacked by the
natives, and several, including the master, were wounded and died by
poisoned arrows. All hope of a quiet refit was over, and his ship's
company being in a wretched condition, no forge or tools on board to
enable him to effect his many repairs, Carteret, who was himself very
ill, was obliged to give up all intention of exploration to the southward.
He got enough water to last him, and sailed on toward the Solomon
Islands. These he also just missed, but fell in with New Britain, and
passing between it and New Ireland, demonstrated for the first time that
these two large islands were not one, as had been supposed. He here
managed to do something to repair his leaky vessel, heeling and
caulking her, but got little but fruit for his scurvy-stricken crew. He was
attacked by the fierce islanders, and was altogether unable to do as
much as he evidently earnestly desired towards examining the islands.
Thence they struggled on by Mindanao to Makassar in Celebes,
delayed by contrary winds, disappointed of refreshments at every place
they tried, and losing men from scurvy. At Makassar they met with but
an inhospitable reception from the Dutch, who refused to permit them
to receive refreshments there, and after waiting at Bonthain, a place in

Celebes, several months, for the monsoon to change, they at last arrived
at Batavia, the only port in the Dutch Indies really open to ships, in
June 1768. Thence, after heaving down and a thorough repair, they
reached home, via the Cape, on March 20th, 1769.
Of all the voyages before Cook's, Carteret's showed most determination
and true spirit of enterprise; and had his ship been better supplied, and
more suited to the exigencies of such a long cruise, he would, but for
one thing, have accomplished far more. This was the fatal disease,
which no captain had as yet succeeded in warding off, and which
hampered and defeated the efforts of the most enthusiastic. No man
could go beyond a certain point in disregarding the health of his crew.
These, then, were the kind of voyages, with their scanty fruits, to which
the English people were getting accustomed, and they were not such as
to encourage repetition.
In all the years that had elapsed since the Spaniards first sailed on the
Pacific, but little real knowledge of the lands in it had been gained.
Let us attempt to give a picture of what was known.
The Marquesas and Santa Cruz Group were known to exist; but of the
Solomons grave doubts were felt, as no man had seen them but
Mendana, and they were, if placed on a map at all, shown in very
different longitudes.
Several voyagers had sighted different members of the extensive
Paumotu Group, but the varying positions caused great confusion.
Tahiti had been found by Wallis.
Tasman had laid down the south point of Tasmania, the western coast
of the North Island of New Zealand, and the Tonga Islands. Dampier
and Carteret had shown that New Britain and New Ireland were
separate islands, lying north-east of New Guinea. Quiros had found the
northern island of the New Hebrides.
But of none of these lands was anything really known. Those who had
visited them had merely touched. In no case had they gone round them,
or ascertained their limits, and their descriptions, founded on brief
experience, were bald and much exaggerated.
Let us turn to what was unknown.
This comprises the whole of the