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A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels novel. A total of 621 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. 1.by Robert Kerr.PREFACE.In
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. 1.by Robert Kerr.PREFACE.In this enlightened age, when every department of science and literature is making rapid progress, and knowledge of every kind excites uncommon interest, and is widely d
- 301 On the evening of the 3d February, having a brisk gale from the land at N.E. we took our departure from _Mount St Miguel_ in the Gulf of Amapalla, steering S.W. and S.S.W. till we were in the lat. of 10 N.when falling in with the tradewind, we set our cou
- 302 The anchoring ground all along the north side of Java, from Madura to Batavia, is a fine oozy bottom, free from rocks. The princ.i.p.al places on this side of the island are Batavia, Bantam, j.a.para, Samarang, Surabon, Taggal, Quale, and Rambang; all of
- 303 This island is remarkably high land, having a small cliff and a tip standing up on one side, in the middle of the highest land, easily seen in clear weather; and there is a small island without _Isla Grande_ to the southward, rising in three little hummoc
- 304 [Footnote 223: This province is now in the kingdom or viceroyalty of New Granada, and audiencia of Quito.--E.]The province of Guayaquil abounds in excellent timber of several kinds, so that it is the chief place in all Peru for building and repairing s.h.
- 305 WE weighed anchor on the 10th January, 1710, from Porta Leguro, on the coast of California, but were becalmed under the sh.o.r.e till the afternoon of the 12th, when a breeze sprang up which soon carried us out of sight of land. Being very slenderly provi
- 306 [Footnote 235: This island of St Baranora, or St Brandon, is merely imaginary.--E.]Leaving Gomera on the 15th March, Clipperton came in sight of St Vincent, one of the Cape de Verd islands, in the evening of the 21st, and came to anchor in the bay next mo
- 307 In this dangerous emergency, Captain Clipperton being overcome with liquor, and quite unable to command, the officers came to the resolution of running clear from the enemy as soon as they could get the s.h.i.+p afloat, and signed a paper to indemnify Mr
- 308 in hopes of obtaining every thing necessary for our pa.s.sage into the South Sea, as, according to the account of it by Frezier, it abounds in all the necessaries of life, such especially as are requisite in long voyages. We sailed therefore from Port Pra
- 309 On getting into the bay, they found the vessel hauled dry ash.o.r.e, when Randal ordered his people to land and bring away what they could find in her, while he and three or four more kept the bark afloat. The people found the bark empty, but seeing a sma
- 310 [Footnote 269: This expression is not explained, but seems to have been, according to the model of the Buccaneers, all prizes to be divided among the captors.--E.]Some persons present, who had a regard for me, represented, "That they had never seen o
- 311 In the sad situation we were now reduced to, every thing was to be hazarded, and any experiment tried that promised the smallest chance of success. We continued our course therefore, under terrible inconveniences, distressed for water and provisions, and
- 312 A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Volume 11.by Robert Kerr.PART II.BOOK IV. (CONTINUED.) CHAPTER XII--_Continued_.VOYAGE ROUND THE WORLD, BY CAPTAIN GEORGE SHELVOCKE, IN 1719-1722.SECTION V._Voyage from California to Canton in China
- 313 The Spaniards are no friends to the bottle, yet gallantry and intrigue are here brought to perfection, insomuch that it is quite unmannerly here not to have a mistress, and scandalous not to keep her well. The women have many accomplishments, both natural
- 314 [Footnote 3: The Pehneuches are probably here meant, who dwell on the west side of the Andes, between the lat.i.tudes of 33 and 36 S. The Puelches on the same side of the Andes, from 36 to 40.--E.][Footnote 4: Perhaps, instead of the goats in the text, _v
- 315 After the death of his father, the younger Roggewein applied to his studies with much vigour, and qualified himself for the office of counsellor in the court of justice at Batavia, where he resided for many years. After his return from Java, where he had
- 316 _Incidents during the Voyage from Brazil to Juan Fernandez, with a Description of that Island._ Every thing being settled at St Sebastian, Roggewein set sail towards the S.W. and falling in with a desert island about three leagues from the coast, he set o
- 317 Leaving this island, the wind came about to the S.W. a sign that they were near some coast, which had changed the current of the air; and by this alteration of wind they were driven among some small islands, where they found themselves considerably embarr
- 318 Besides cocoa-nuts, the Dutch found in Moa great plenty of pomegranates of exquisite taste, and abundance of _pisans_ or Indian figs. These refreshments were of infinite service to them, as without them the whole of both s.h.i.+ps companies must have inev
- 319 The city of Batavia, and all the dominions possessed by the company in the East Indies, are governed by two supreme councils, one of which is named the Council of the Indies, and the other the Council of Justice, both of which are fixed at Batavia, the ca
- 320 [Footnote 1: This is contradictory, having been before described as hilly, yet fertile.--E.][Footnote 2: This account of the matter is not easily understood, and seems to want confirmation. Perhaps it is an ignorant or perverted report of sago: Yet there
- 321 The next commandery is that of Samarang, on the island of Java, and he who commands here has the direction of all the factories in that island, except those which depend immediately on the government of Batavia. _Kuttasura_, which is the residence of the
- 322 SECTION XVI._Account of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope._ Nothing remarkable occurred to the author of this voyage, while on the way from Batavia to the Cape of Good Hope, except seeing the wreck of the Schonenberg, a s.h.i.+p belonging to the Company
- 323 The island of _San Michael_ is seven or eight leagues S.E. of Tercera, and is about twenty leagues in length, having several towns and villages. The capital of this island is _Ponta del Guda_, which drives a considerable trade in _woad_, sent to Tercera,
- 324 These considerations have occasioned the compiling the ensuing work; which, in gratifying the inquisitive disposition of mankind, and contributing to the safety and success of future navigators, and to the extension of our commerce, may doubtless vie with
- 325 Over and above their complements of sailors and marines, these s.h.i.+ps had on board an old Spanish regiment of foot, intended to reinforce the garrisons on the coast of the South-Sea. Having cruised some days to leeward of Madeira, as formerly mentioned
- 326 The soil of this island is truly luxuriant, producing many kinds of fruits spontaneously, and is covered over with one continued forest of trees, in perpetual verdure, and which, from the exuberant fertility of the soil, are so entangled with thorns, bria
- 327 Although these dogs are said to prowl in vast packs, even some thousands together, they do not diminish the number, nor prevent the increase of the cattle, as they dare not attack the herds, by reason of the vast numbers that feed together, but content th
- 328 35 40' W. a difference of longitude of no less than eleven degrees.][Footnote 2: The centre of Falkland's Islands is in 51 45' S.Janson's Islands, the most north-westerly of the group, or the Sebaldines, is in 51; and Beauchene's
- 329 The northern part of this island is composed of high craggy hills, many of them inaccessible, though generally covered with trees. The soil of this part is loose and shallow, so that very large trees in the hills frequently perish for want of root, and ar
- 330 being then about four leagues from sh.o.r.e. On the first sight of it, they wore s.h.i.+p and stood to the southward; but their fore-sail splitting, and the wind being strong at W.S.W. they drove towards the sh.o.r.e. The captain, either unable to clear t
- 331 As soon as the vessel came within hail of us, the commodore ordered her to bring to under his lee quarter; and having the boat hoisted out, sent our first lieutenant, Mr Saumarez, to take possession of the prize, with orders to send all the prisoners on b
- 332 SECTION XVI._Capture of Payta, and Proceedings at that Place._ The town of Payta is in lat 50 12' S. [long. 81 15' W.] being situated in a most barren soil, composed only of sand and slate. It is of small extent, being about 275 yards in length
- 333 [Footnote 1: The intelligent reader will demand more than the _tradition of the country_ to induce his belief, that this diving business is not most certainly destructive of the miserable wretches who are compelled to pursue it. The divers in the Persian
- 334 Besides the care we had taken to prevent the galleon from pa.s.sing us un.o.bserved, we had not been inattentive to the means of engaging her to advantage, when we came up with her: For, considering the thinness of our hands, and the vaunting accounts giv
- 335 [Footnote 1: Some remarks respecting the nature and treatment of this disease are now given in the original, but being imperfect and conjectural, are omitted here.--E.]Our surgeon (who, during our pa.s.sage round Cape Horn, had ascribed the mortality we s
- 336 It was the 27th of September in the morning, that is, five days after our departure, when we thus secured our anchor; And the same day we got up our main-yard: And having now conquered in some degree the distress and disorder which we were necessarily inv
- 337 [Footnote 8: Captain Krusenstern, in his very interesting work already referred to, relates an anecdote, which it may amuse the reader to compare with the reasoning of Commodore Anson's now given: "An English brig (The Harrier) of eighteen guns,
- 338 SECTION x.x.xI._Transactions in the River of Canton._ The commodore, having taken pilots on board, proceeded with his prize for the river of Canton; and on the 14th of July, came to an anchor short of the Bocca Tigris, which is a narrow pa.s.sage forming
- 339 Whilst the s.h.i.+ps lay here, the merchants of Macao finished their agreement for the galleon, for which they had offered 6000 dollars; this was much short of her value, but the impatience of the commodore to get to sea, to which the merchants were no st
- 340 A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. 12.by Robert Kerr.PART III.[Ill.u.s.tration] 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 G
- 341 _Pa.s.sage up the Strait of Magellan to Port Famine; with some Account of that Harbour, and the adjacent Coast._ Soon after I returned on board I got under way, and worked up the strait, which is here about nine leagues broad, with the flood, not with a v
- 342 SECTION VI._The Pa.s.sage through the Strait of Magellan as far as Cape Monday, with a Description of several Bays and Harbours, formed by the Coast on each Side._ We continued to make sail for Port Desire till Wednesday the 6th of February, when about on
- 343 The cutter returned the next morning, at six o'clock, having been about five leagues to the westward upon the north sh.o.r.e, and found two anchoring-places. The officer reported, that having been on sh.o.r.e, he had fallen in with some Indians, who
- 344 Close to the houses of these people, we saw buildings of another kind, which appeared to be burying-places, and from which we judged that they had great veneration for their dead. They were situated under lofty trees, that gave a thick shade; the sides an
- 345 "And now perhaps it may be wondered at, that an island so exquisitely furnished with the conveniences of life, and so well adapted, not only to the subsistence, but likewise to the enjoyment of mankind, should be entirely dest.i.tute of inhabitants,
- 346 On Sunday the 16th, at six in the morning, we saw the island of St Helena, bearing W. by N. at the distance of about sixteen leagues, and about noon, a large s.h.i.+p, which shewed French colours. We pursued our course, and a few days afterwards, as we we
- 347 We continued our course till Sat.u.r.day the 13th, when our lat.i.tude being 50 34' S. and our longitude 68 15' W. the extremes of the land bore from N. 1/2 E. to S.S.W. 1/2 W. and the s.h.i.+p was about five or six miles distant from the sh.o.r
- 348 When they left the s.h.i.+p I went on sh.o.r.e with them, and by this time several of their wives and children were come to the watering-place. I distributed some trinkets among them, with which they seemed pleased for a moment, and they gave us same of t
- 349 The best place for anchoring is Pa.s.sage Point, at half a mile distance, bearing S.E. and the river bearing N.E. by E. distant three cables'length; in this situation, a bank or shoal, which may be known by the weeds, bears W.N.W. distant a cable
- 350 I stood off and on with the s.h.i.+p all night, and as soon as the day broke, I sent the boats again, with orders to make a landing, but without giving any offence to the natives, that could possibly be avoided. When our boats came near the sh.o.r.e, the
- 351 Sunday the 28th was marked by no incident; but on Monday the 29th, one of the gunner's party found a piece of saltpetre near as big as an egg.As this was an object of equal curiosity and importance, diligent enquiry was immediately made from whence i
- 352 Their food consists of pork, poultry, dog's flesh, and fish, bread-fruit, bananas, plantains, yams, apples, and a sour fruit, which, though not pleasant by itself, gives an agreeable relish to roasted bread-fruit, with which it is frequently beaten u
- 353 When we first came to an anchor, the north part of the bay bore N. 39 W. Cocoa point N. 7 W. the landing-place N.E. by N. and the south end of the island S. 28 E.; but next morning, the master having sounded all the bay, and being of opinion that there wa
- 354 On the 26th and 27th, being in lat.i.tude 34 16', and becalmed, we had several observations, by which we determined the longitude of the s.h.i.+p to be 323 30'; and it appeared that we were several degrees to the eastward of our reckoning.At six
- 355 Pulo Aroe Nov. 15. 2 28 N. 258 0 W. 255 0 W. 1 0 W.Luc.i.p.ara Nov. 25. 4 10 S. 254 46 W. None.Batavia Dec. 1. 6 8 S. 254 30 W. 2 25 W.Prince's Island Dec. 16. 6 41 S. 256 0 W. 256 30 W. 3 0 W.1768 At Sea Jan. 26. 34 24 S. 328 0 W. 323 30 W. 24 0 W.
- 356 The next morning, as soon as it was light, I sent the boats out again, to examine any place where they could get on sh.o.r.e. They returned with a few casks of water, which they had filled at a small rill, and reported, that the wind being at S.E. blew so
- 357 As the expedition to find a better place for the s.h.i.+p had issued thus unhappily, I determined to try what could be done where we lay; the next day, therefore, the s.h.i.+p was brought down by the stern, as far as we could effect it, and the carpenter,
- 358 Though we cleared the streight in the morning of Sunday the 13th of September, we had no observation of the sun till the 15th, which I could not but greatly regret, as it prevented my being so exact in my lat.i.tude and longitude as might be expected. The
- 359 The next day, we made some islands which lie not far from that place, and saw, what sometimes we took for shoals, and sometimes for boats with men on board, but what afterwards appeared to be trees, and other drift, floating about, with birds sitting upon
- 360 After this, I waited in a fruitless expectation till the 15th, when the same three gentlemen came to me the third time, and said, they had been sent to tell me that the council had protested against my behaviour at Maca.s.sar, and my having refused to sig
- 361 28, P.M. 29 45 79 50 9 40 } 31, P.M. 26 26 82 15 8 10 } June 1, P.M. 25 51 84 23 8 8 } 7, P.M. 27 23 97 16 5 45 } 8. A.M. 27 20 97 51 5 45 } 10. A.M. 26 30 98 25 5 40 } 12, P.M. 26 53 100 21 4 13 }In Crossing the South Sea 16, P.M. 28 11 111 15 2 00 } 17,
- 362 One reason, perhaps, why art and industry have done so little for Madeira is, nature's having done so much. The soil is very rich, and there is such a difference of climate between the plains and the hills, that there is scarcely a single object of l
- 363 In this situation I determined, rather than be made a prisoner in my own boat, to go on sh.o.r.e no more; for the officer who, under pretence or a compliment, attended me when I was ash.o.r.e, insisted also upon going with me to and from the s.h.i.+p: But
- 364 [Footnote 79: The Portuguese have a name for what is here spoken of.They call it the gra.s.sy sea. There is reason to think that it is a vegetable, and not an animal production. But, on the whole, the subject has been little investigated.--E.]On the 11th
- 365 SECTION VI._A general Description of the S.E. Part of Terra del Fuego, and the Streight of Le Maire; with some Remarks on Lord Anson's Account of them, and Directions for the Pa.s.sage Westward, round this Part of America, into the South Seas_.Almost
- 366 _The Arrival of the Endeavour at Otaheite, called by Captain Wallis, King George the Third's Island. Rules established for Traffic with the Natives, and an Account of several Incidents which happened in a Visit to Tootahah and Toubourai Tamaida, two
- 367 On the 24th, Mr Banks and Dr Solander examined the country for several miles along the sh.o.r.e to the eastward: For about two miles it was flat and fertile; after that the hills stretched quite to the water's edge, and a little farther ran out into
- 368 Friday, the 12th of May, was distinguished by a visit from some ladies whom we had never seen before, and who introduced themselves with very singular ceremonies. Mr Banks was trading in his boat at the gate of the fort as usual, in company with Tootahah,
- 369 Mr Banks, in his morning walk this day, met a number of the natives, whom, upon enquiry, he found to be travelling musicians; and having learnt where they were to be at night, we all repaired to the place. The band consisted of two flutes and three drums,
- 370 On Monday morning the 10th, the marines, to my great concern, not being returned, an enquiry was made after them of the Indians, who frankly told us, that they did not intend to return, and had taken refuge in the mountains, where it was impossible for ou
- 371 A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Vol. 13.by Robert Kerr.PART III--BOOK I.CHAP, IV. SECTION XVII._A particular Description of the Island of Otaheite; its Produce and Inhabitants; their Dress, Habitations, Food, Domestic Life and Amus
- 372 [Footnote 18: The missionary account tells us, that the n.o.ble Women are the princ.i.p.al cloth-makers. Among these people, it seems, that it is far from being thought disgraceful, for the higher orders to engage in domestic concerns and useful manufactu
- 373 In numeration they proceed from one to ten, the number of fingers on both hands; and though they have for each number a different name, they generally take hold of their fingers one by one, s.h.i.+fting from one hand to the other, till they come to the nu
- 374 Oh! lives there, heaven! beneath thy dread expanse, One hopeless, dark idolater of chance, Content to feed, with pleasures unrefined, The lukewarm pa.s.sions of a lowly mind; Who, mouldering earthward, 'reft of every trust, In joyless union wedded to
- 375 [Footnote 41: Mr Parkhurst, in his Hebrew Lexicon, takes notice of this circ.u.mstance, and admits the resemblance. But in fact, there is no need to have recourse to the Jews in particular, for something similar to what is here mentioned. The Egyptians, a
- 376 To these six islands, Ulietea, Otaha, Bolabola, Huaneine, Tubai, and Maurua, as they lie contiguous to each other, I gave the names of _Society Islands_, but did not think it proper to distinguish them separately by any other names than those by which the
- 377 When these people had recovered from the first impressions of fear, which, notwithstanding their resolution in coming on board, had manifestly thrown them into some confusion, we enquired after our poor boys. The man who first came on board immediately an
- 378 In the afternoon of the 23d, as soon as the s.h.i.+p was moored, I went on sh.o.r.e to examine the watering-place, accompanied by Mr Banks and Dr Solander: The boat landed in the cove, without the least surf; the water was excellent, and conveniently situ
- 379 [Footnote 62: Savages in general, and more especially when in unfavourable circ.u.mstances as to the means of rendering life comfortable, shew little sympathy for each other; and accordingly, the principle of fort.i.tude, which, as justly observed by Mr M
- 380 At eight o'clock the next morning we were within a mile of a group of islands which lie close under the main, at the distance of two-and-twenty miles from Cape Bret, in the direction of N.W. by W. 1/2 W. At this place, having but little wind, we lay
- 381 longitude 184 42' W.; and is distant seven leagues, in the direction of S. 17 W. from Woody Head. On the north side of this point the sh.o.r.e forms a bay, in which there appears to be anchorage and shelter for s.h.i.+pping. Our course and distance f
- 382 As soon as we got out of the Sound I stood over to the eastward, in order to get the streight well open before the tide of ebb came on. At seven in the evening, the two small islands which lie off Cape Koamaroo, the south-east head of Queen Charlotte'
- 383 We continued to stand westward till two in the morning, when we made a trip to the eastward, and afterwards stood westward till noon, when, by our reckoning, we were in the lat.i.tude 42 23', and longitude from Cape West 3 55' E. We now tacked a
- 384 Our people went ash.o.r.e as usual, and with them Mr Banks and Dr Solander; who, in search of plants, repaired to the woods. Our men, who were employed in cutting gra.s.s, being the farthest removed from the main body of the people, a company of fourteen
- 385 At six in the morning we weighed, with a gentle breeze at south, and stood away to the N.W. between the outermost range of islands and the main, leaving several small islands between the main and the s.h.i.+p, which we pa.s.sed at a very little distance;
- 386 The scurvy now began to make its appearance among us, with many formidable symptoms. Our poor Indian, Tupia, who had some time before complained that his gums were sore and swelled, and who had taken plentifully of our lemon juice by the surgeon's di
- 387 The next morning, at low water, I went and sounded and buoyed the bar, the s.h.i.+p being now ready for sea. We saw no Indians this day, but all the hills round us for many miles were on fire, which at night made a most striking and beautiful appearance.T
- 388 The island that forms the streight or channel through which we had pa.s.sed, lies about four miles without these, which, except two, are very small: The southermost is the largest, and much higher than any part of the main land. On the north-west side of
- 389 Their manner of hunting we had no opportunity to see; but we conjectured, by the notches which they had every where cut in large trees in order to climb them, that they took their station near the tops of them, and there watched for such animals as might
- 390 In the afternoon of Thursday, August the 23d, after leaving b.o.o.by Island, we steered W.N.W. with light airs from the S.S.W. till five o'clock, when it fell calm, and the tide of ebb soon after setting to the N.E., we came to an anchor in eight fat
- 391 In the morning of the 19th I went ash.o.r.e with Mr Banks, and several of the officers and gentlemen, to return the king's visit; but my chief business was to procure some of the buffaloes, sheep, and fowls, which we had been told should be driven do
- 392 The boats in use here are a kind of proa.This island was settled by the Portugueze almost as soon as they first found their way into this part of the ocean; but they were in a short time supplanted by the Dutch. The Dutch however did not take possession o
- 393 [Footnote 114: This is related in the preceding volume.--E.]At seven o'clock a breeze sprung up at S.S.W., with which having weighed, we stood to the N.E. between Thwart-the-way-Island and the Cap, sounding from eighteen to twenty-eight fathom: We ha
- 394 [Footnote 125: They reckon two seasons or monsoons in this climate. The east, or good one, begins about the end of April, and continues till about the beginning of October. During this, the trade-winds usually blow from the south-east and east-south-east,
- 395 Rice, which is well known to be the corn of these countries, and to serve the inhabitants instead of bread, grows in great plenty; and I must here observe, that in the hilly parts of Java, and in many of the eastern islands, a species of this grain is pla
- 396 These are all sold about the streets every evening at sunset, either strung upon a thread, in wreaths of about two feet long, or made up into nosegays of different forms, either of which may be purchased for about a half-penny. Besides these, there are, i
- 397 In eating, they are easily satisfied, though the few that are rich have many savory dishes. Rice, with a small proportion of flesh or fish, is the food of the poor; and they have greatly the advantage of the Mahometan Indians, whose religion forbids them
- 398 After the b.o.o.bies had left us, we saw no more birds till we got nearly abreast of Madagascar, where, in lat.i.tude 27 3/4 S., we saw an albatross, and after that time we saw them every day in great numbers, with birds of several other sorts, particular
- 399 Bougainville bestowed on it the name of _Isle des Lanciers_, from the circ.u.mstance of his noticing about fifteen or twenty of its inhabitants carrying very long pikes, as in the act of brandis.h.i.+ng them against the s.h.i.+p, with signs of threatening
- 400 A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels.Volume 14.by Robert Kerr.PART III. BOOK II.AN ACCOUNT OF A VOYAGE TOWARDS THE SOUTH POLE, AND ROUND THE WORLD; PERFORMED IN HIS MAJESTY'S s.h.i.+PS THE RESOLUTION AND ADVENTURE, IN THE YEARS 177