early australian voyages-第7部分

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h　a　distance；　were　men　of　very　large　size；　and　had　each　of　them　a　large　club　in　his　hand：　　they　called　out　to　us　in　a　rough　strong　voice；　but　we　could　meet　understand　anything　of　what　they　said。　　We　observed　that　these　people　walked　at　a　very　great　rate；　and　that　they　took　prodigious　large　strides。　　We　made　the　tour　of　the　island；　in　doing　which　we　saw　but　very　few　inhabitants；　nor　did　any　of　the　country　seem　to　be　cultivated；　we　found；　indeed；　a　fresh…water　river；　and　then　we　resolved　to　sail　east；　as　far　as　220　degrees　of　longitude；　and　from　thence　north；　as　far　as　the　latitude　of　17　degrees　south；　and　thence　to　the　west；　till　we　arrived　at　the　isles　of　Cocos　and　Horne；　which　were　discovered　by　William　Schovten；　where　we　intended　to　refresh　ourselves；　in　case　we　found　no　opportunity　of　doing　it　before；　for　though　we　had　actually　landed　on　Van　Diemen's　Land；　we　met　with　nothing　there；　and；　as　for　New　Zealand；　we　never　set　foot　on　it。

In　order　to　render　this　passage　perfectly　intelligible　it　is　necessary　to　observe　that　the　island　of　Cocos　lies　in　the　latitude　of　15　degrees　10　minutes　south；　and；　according　to　Schovten's　account；　is　well　inhabited；　and　well　cultivated；　abounding　with　all　sorts　of　refreshments；　but；　at　the　same　time；　he　describes　the　people　as　treacherous　and　base　to　the　last　degree。　　As　for　the　islands　of　Horne；　they　lie　nearly　in　the　latitude　of　15　degrees；　are　extremely　fruitful；　and　inhabited　by　people　of　a　kind　and　gentle　disposition；　who　readily　bestowed　on　the　Hollanders　whatever　refreshments　they　could　ask。　　It　was　no　wonder；　therefore；　that；　finding　themselves　thus　distressed；　Captain　Tasman　thought　of　repairing　to　these　islands；　where　he　was　sure　of　obtaining　refreshments；　either　by　fair　means　or　otherwise；　which　design；　however；　he　did　not　think　fit　to　put　in　execution。



CHAPTER　VII：　　REMARKABLE　OCCURRENCES　IN　THE　VOYAGE。



On　the　8th　of　January；　being　in　the　latitude　of　30　degrees　25　minutes　south；　and　in　the　longitude　of　192　degrees　20　minutes；　we　observed　the　variation　of　the　needle　to　be　90　degrees　towards　the　east；　and　as　we　had　a　high　rolling　sea　from　the　south…west；　I　conjectured　there　could　not　be　any　land　hoped　for　on　that　side。　　On　the　12th　we　found　ourselves　in　30　degrees　5　minutes　south　latitude；　and　in　195　degrees　27　minutes　of　longitude；　where　we　found　the　variation　9　degrees　30　minutes　to　the　east；　a　rolling　sea　from　the　south…east　and　from　the　south…west。　　It　is　very　plain；　from　these　observations；　that　the　position　laid　down　by　Dr。　Halley；　that　the　motion　of　the　needle　is　not　governed　by　the　poles　of　the　world；　but　by　other　poles；　which　move　round　them；　is　highly　probable；　for　otherwise　it　is　not　easy　to　understand　how　the　needle　came　to　have；　as　our　author　affirms　it　had；　a　variation　of　near　27　degrees　to　the　west；　in　the　latitude　of　45　degrees　47　minutes；　and　then　gradually　decreasing　till　it　had　no　variation　at　all；　after　which　it　turned　east；　in　the　latitude　of　42　degrees　37　minutes；　and　so　continued　increasing　its　variation　eastwardly　to　this　time。



CHAPTER　VIII：　　OBSERVATIONS　ON；　AND　EXPLANATION　OF；　THE　VARIATION　OF　THE　COMPASS。



On　the　16th　we　were　in　the　latitude　of　26　degrees　29　minutes　south；　and　in　the　longitude　of　199　degrees　32　minutes；　the　variation　of　the　needle　being　8　degrees。　　Here　we　are　to　observe　that　the　eastern　variation　decreases；　which　is　likewise　very　agreeable　to　Doctor　Halley's　hypothesis；　which；　in　few　words；　is　this：　　that　a　certain　large　solid　body　contained　within；　and　every　way　separated　from　the　earth　（as　having　its　own　proper　motion）；　and　being　included　like　a　kernel　in　its　shell；　revolves　circularly　from　east　to　west；　as　the　exterior　earth　revolves　the　contrary　way　in　the　diurnal　motion；　whence　it　is　easy　to　explain　the　position　of　the　four　magnetical　poles　which　he　attributes　to　the　earth；　by　allowing　two　to　the　nucleus；　and　two　to　the　exterior　earth。　　And；　as　the　two　former　perpetually　alter　the　situation　by　their　circular　motion；　their　virtue；　compared　with　the　exterior　poles；　must　be　different　at　different　times；　and　consequently　the　variation　of　the　needle　will　perpetually　change。　　The　doctor　attributes　to　the　nucleus　an　European　north　pole　and　an　American　south　one；　on　account　of　the　variation　of　variations　observed　near　these　places；　as　being　much　greater　than　those　found　near　the　two　other　poles。　　And　he　conjectures　that　these　poles　will　finish　their　revolution　in　about　seven　hundred　years；　and　after　that　time　the　same　situation　of　the　poles　obtain　again　as　at　present；　and；　consequently；　the　variations　will　be　the　same　again　over　all　the　globe；　so　that　it　requires　several　ages　before　this　theory　can　be　thoroughly　adjusted。　　He　assigns　this　probable　cause　of　the　circular　revolution　of　the　nucleus　that　the　diurnal　motion；　being　impressed　from　without；　was　not　so　exactly　communicated　to　the　internal　parts　as　to　give　them　the　same　precise　velocity　of　rotation　as　the　external；　whence　the　nucleus；　being　left　behind　by　the　exterior　earth；　seems　to　move　slowly　in　a　contrary　direction；　as　from　east　to　west；　with　regard　to　the　external　earth；　considered　as　at　rest　in　respect　of　the　other。　But　to　return　to　our　voyage。



CHAPTER　IX：　　DISCOVERS　A　NEW　ISLAND；　WHICH　HE　CALLS　PYLSTAART　ISLAND。



On　the　19th　of　January；　being　in　the　latitude　of　22　degrees　35　minutes　south；　and　in　the　longitude　of　204　degrees　15　minutes；　we　had　7　degrees　30　minutes　east　variation。　　In　this　situation　we　discovered　an　island　about　two　or　three　miles　in　circumference；　which　was；　as　far　as　we　could　discern；　very　high；　steep；　and　barren。　We　were　very　desirous　of　coming　nearer　it；　but　were　hindered　by　south…east　and　south…south…east　winds。　　We　called　it　the　Isle　of　Pylstaart；　because　of　the　great　number　of　that　sort　of　birds　we　saw　flying　about　it；　and　the　next　day　we　saw　two　other　islands。



CHAPTER　X：　　AND　TWO　ISLANDS；　TO　WHICH　HE　GIVES　THE　NAME　OF　AMSTERDAM　AND　ROTTERDAM



On　the　21st；　being　in　the　latitude　of　21　degrees　20　minutes　south；　and　in　the　longitude　of　205　degrees　29　minutes；　we　found　our　variation　7　degrees　to　the　north…east。　　We　drew　near　to　the　coast　of　the　most　northern　island；　which；　though　not　very　high；　yet　was　the　larger　of　the　two：　　we　called　one　of　these　islands　Amsterdam；　and　the　other　Rotterdam。　　Upon　that　of　Rotterdam　we　found　great　plenty　of　hogs；　fowls；　and　all　sorts　of　fruits；　and　other　refreshments。　These　islanders　did　not　seem　to　have　the　use　of　arms；　inasmuch　as　we　saw　nothing　like　them　in　any　of　their　hands　while　we　were　upon　the　island；　the　usage　they　gave　us　was　fair　and　friendly；　except　that　they　would　steal　a　little。　　The　current　is　not　very　considerable　in　this　place；　where　it　ebbs　north…east；　and　flows　south…west。　　A　south…west　moon　causes　a　spring…tide；　which　rises　seven　or　eight　feet　at　least。　　The　wind　blows　there　continually　south…east；　or　south…south…east；　which　occasioned　the　Heemskirk's　being　carried　out　of　the　road；　but；　however；　without　any　damage。　　We　did　not　fill　any　water　here　because　it　was　extremely　hard　to　get　it　to　the　ship。

On　the　25th　we　were　in　the　latitude　20　degrees　15　minutes　south；　and　in　the　longitude　of　206　degrees　19　minutes。　　The　variation　here　was　6　degrees　20　minutes　to　the　east；　and；　after　leaving　had　sight　of　several　other　islands；　we　made　that　of　Rotterdam：　　the　islanders　here　resemble　those　on　the　island　of　Amsterdam。　　The　people　were　very　good…natured；　parted　readily　with　what　they　had；　did　not　seem　to　be　acquainted　with　the　use　of　arms；　but　were　given　to　thieving　like　the　natives　of　Amsterdam　Island。　　Here　we　took　in　water；　and　other　refreshments；　with　all　the　conveniency　imaginable。　　We　made　the　whole　circuit　of　the　island；　which　we　found　well…stocked　with　cocoa…trees；　very　regularly　planted；　we　likewise　saw　abundance　of　gardens；　extremely　well　laid　out；　plentifully　stocked　with　all　kinds　of　fruit…trees；　all　planted　in　straight　lines；　and　the　whole　kept　in　such　excellent　order；　that　nothing　could　have　a　better　effect　upon　the　eye。　　After　quitting　the　island　of　Rotterdam；　we　had　sight　of　several　other　islands；　which；　however；　did　not　engage　us　to　alter　the　resolution　we　had　taken　of　sailing　north；　to　the　height　of　17　degrees　south　latitude；　and　from　thence　to　shape　a　west　course；　without　going　near　either　Traitor's　Island；　or　those　of　Horne；　we　having　then　a　very　brisk　wind　from　the　south…east；　or　east…south…　east。

I　cannot　help　remarking　upon　this　part　of　Captain　Tasman's　journal；　that　it　is　not　easy　to　conceive；　unless　he　was　bound　up　by　leis　instructions；　why　he　did　not　remain　some　time　either　at　Rotterdam　or　at　Amsterdam　Island；　but　especially　at　the　former；　since；　perhaps；　there　is　not　a　place　in　the　world　so　happily　seated；　for　making　new　discoveries　with　ease　and　safety。　　He　owns　that　he　traversed　the　whole　island；　that　he　found　it　a　perfect　paradise；　and　that　the　people　gave　him　not　the　least　cause　of　being　diffident　in　point　of　security；　so　that　if　his　men　had　thrown　up　ever　so　slight　a　fortification；　a　part　of　them　might　have　remained　there　in　safety；　while　the　rest　had　attempted　the　discovery　of　the　Islands　of　Solomon　on　the　one　hand；　or　the　continent　of　De　Quiros　on　the　other；　from　neither　of　which　they　were　at　any　great　distance；　and；　from　his　neglecting　this　opportunity；　I　take　it　for　granted　that　he　was　circumscribed；　both　as　to　his　course　and　to　the　time　he　was　to　employ　in　these　discoveries；　by　his　instructions；　for　otherwise　so　able　a　seaman　and　so　curious　a　man　as　his　journal　shows　him　to　have　been；　would　not　certainly　have　neglected　so　fair　an　opportunity。



CHAPTER　XI：　　AND　AN　ARCHIPELAGO　OF　TWENTY　SMALL　ISLANDS。



On　February　6th；　being　in　17　degrees　19　minutes　of　south　latitude；　and　in　the　longitude　of　201　degrees　35　minutes；　we　found　ourselves　embarrassed　by　nineteen　or　twenty　small　islands；　every　one　of　which　was　surrounded　with　sands；　shoals；　and　rocks。　　These　are　marked　in　the　charts　by　the　name　of　Prince　William's　Islands；　or　Heemskirk's　Shallows。　　On　the　8th　we　were　in　the　latitude　of　15　degrees　29　minutes；　and　in　the　longitude　of　199　degrees　31　minutes。　　We　had　abundance　of　rain；　a　strong　wind　from　the　north…east；　or　the　north…　north…east；　with　dark　cold　weather。　　Fearing；　therefore；　that　we　were　run　farther　to　the　west　than　we　though