William Wade Ellis was a surgeon’s mate during Captain James Cook’s third voyage, first on the Discovery and later on the Resolution, and gives quite a good history of this expedition. Ellis wrote a book and added illustrations. Here is his account of ‘Contact’ and description of what he saw.
Just prior to reaching Hawai‘i, they landed at Christmas Island – Ellis reminds us of signs of land … “we observed a greater number of birds than usual, which increased as we continued our course; and most of them being such as never fly very far from land, we concluded ourselves to be in the neighbourhood of some.”
“Orders were given to keep a good look out; and we stood on, the birds (which were boobies, men of war birds, egg birds, and tropic birds) becoming more numerous … This place … we called Christmas Island (having spent that anniversary there)”.
They left Christmas Island and “Our course from hence was nearly north; we had a fine steady breeze, and the weather was fine and pleasant. … The next day (Jan. 18, 1778) … we saw land to the eastward … but night coming on, we tacked and stood off till morning (Jan. 19th), when we proceeded to trace the coast [of Kauai] in a SW and W direction.”
“The land at first presented rather a barren appearance, but upon a closer view it improved upon us, particularly on the western side, which consisted of a large tract of fine level plains, and beyond them a double range of hills, which were covered with trees.”
“Upon the shore we saw a few clusters of coco nut trees, but by no means so abundant as at the Society Isles. As we drew nearer in-shore, some of the inhabitants put off in their canoes, and very readily came along side.”
“Their colour was more of the copper cast than that of the natives of Taheitee, and they wore their hair long, and of different hues, like the people of the Friendly Isles. Their dress was nothing more than a narrow slip of cloth round their middle, and they were marked or tattowed in different parts of their body.”
“Their cloth was stamped or printed in various patterns, not much unlike our printed linens; their language nearly resembled that of Taheitee. They were easily persuaded to come on board, and, like all other Indians soon began to thieve, but nothing of any consequence was lost.”
“We saw no weapons among them, nor did they behave abruptly or disagreeably, but in their disposition seemed friendly and good natured. We purchased a few pigs and sweet potatoes of them, for which we gave them a hatchet or two, and a few small nails, with which they appeared very well satisfied. In the evening we stood off, intending to examine the place more closely the next day.”
“In the morning (Jan. 20th) at six, captain Cook made a signal for the Discovery’s fix-oared cutter, which, accompanied with the Resolution’s pinnace and large cutter, was sent to look for a safe place for the ships to anchor, and to try what soundings were to be found nearer in shore.”
“During their absence, we stood off and on, being fearful of venturing too near. The natives came off as yesterday, and we bought a few hogs, tarrow, sweet potatoes, and sugar cane, of all which they appeared to have plenty, and excellent of their kind.”
“At three in the afternoon the boats returned, having found a tolerable birth, and at four both vessels came to. Soon after captain Cook went on shore in the pinnace, attended by the Discovery’s cutter, both well-armed.”
“He was received on shore very cordially by the natives, who treated him during his stay with great respect and attention , and brought many small hogs, potatoes, tarrow, or eddoes, and sugar-cane, all which were purchased at a very easy rate.”
“The women were rather ordinary, and in general masculine, and will scarce bear a comparison with the fair dames of Taheitee.”
“Their dress is the same as that of the men, only the cloth is wider, and reaches down to the knees. Their hair is cut short behind, and long before, but turned back like our toupees, which mode of wearing it does not set them off to the greatest advantage.”
“Many, who were along-side in their canoes, pleaded hard to come on board, but captain Cook had given strict orders, previous to his anchoring, not to suffer a single woman to be admitted into the ships, as there were several people in both, who still had the venereal disease.”
“But, notwithstanding every precaution, many of our men contrived to have connexions with them, in consequence of which we found this terrible disorder raging among them when we arrived there the second time.”
“The next day (Jan. 21st), the launches were sent to fill water, which could be procured without much difficulty, from a fine river at no great distance from the ships, and parties were dispatched to the shore to trade with the natives, while others were to superintend the market on board the ships.”
“They supplied us with abundance of every thing the island produced, and in the evening our trading parties returned with abundance of fine hogs, potatoes, sugar-cane, &c.”
“The 22d was very windy, with much rain, which prevented our boats from landing, as a heavy surf broke upon the shore. Our friends however came off in the midst of it, and a brisk trade was carried on, on board.”
“We also purchased many of their ornaments, such as fans, necklaces, bracelets, cloaks, and caps, composed of red and yellow feathers, which were very curious, the latter being made in form of helmets.”
“They also brought off some spears, which were about ten feet long, admirably polished, and the end intended for execution was about eight or ten inches in length, had many barbs, and was pointed.”
“Early the next morning (Jan. 24th,) … About nine, the king of the island came alongside in a double canoe; captain Clerke, understanding who he was, requested him much to come on board, which he appeared willing to do, but his attendants were so fearful of his receiving some hurt or other, that they intreated him not to do it.”
“He ventured however as far as the gangway, where he sat down, and presented the captain with a curious carved bowl; in return for which he received some large nails, a cut-glass bowl, and some other trifles, which pleased him exceedingly. After a short stay; his attendants bore him in their arms to his canoe, and he went ashore.”
“His name was Tomahana; he appeared to be about thirty years old, and was above the middle size; he was clothed in the same manner as the meanest of his subjects, and could only be distinguished by the great respect they paid him. Soon after his departure, the queen arrived in another canoe, and in the same manner was permitted to go no farther than the gangway.”
“She likewise made captain Clerke a present of some elegant ruffs made of various coloured feathers, for which he gave her some beads, looking glasses, and a piece of scarlet cloth; after which she was carried into her canoe, and proceeded to the shore. She was young, and had a pleasing countenance, but her dress was not remarkable.”
They then headed to Ni‘ihau. “This island was considerably smaller than the other, and had rather a wretched appearance; the south point of it is terminated by a high bluff rock, the interior parts are low, with here and there a small elevation, and not a tree is to be seen.”
“In the morning (30th), our new acquired friends came off with sweet potatoes, yams, and salt; in the two latter articles they seemed to abound. The yams were large, and the salt was equal to any we ever saw, both for colour and quality.”
“The boats were sent on shore to trade as usual, but they found the landing far more difficult than at the last place, on account of a very heavy surf, which, when the wind varies in the least to the westward, rolls in at so terrible a rate, as totally to cut off all communication with the shore.”
“In the evening, they brought off what few articles they conveniently could, but left two or three of the gentlemen behind, who superintended the market, till the weather should be more moderate.”
“This morning (Feb. 1st), the weather being more moderate, the boats were sent on shore, and in the afternoon brought off the gentlemen, with some yams and salt, but were obliged to leave the principal part of their purchases behind.”
“A number of the natives came off to the Discovery the next day (Feb. 2d), with their canoes laden with salt, yams, sweet potatoes, and fish dried and salted, of the roots, a sufficient quantity were purchased to supply the ship’s company two months at least.”
“A’towi, which is the name of the largest island, is composed, on the NW side, of a large tract of level land, the interior parts, as has been observed, before, consisting of a double range of hills.”
“The houses of the natives are in general situated near the shore, and placed in clusters, so as to form small towns or villages. Their external appearance greatly resembles the top of a barn placed upon the ground, with a small entrance in the middle.”
“Some of them were elevated upon posts about three feet high, particularly those nearest the sea; from which we may conclude, that they are, during some parts of the year, subject to inundations. They are well thatched on the outside with dry grass, so as totally to prevent the entrance of rain.”
“The floor is also well strewed with dry grass, upon which mats of various sizes and dimensions are placed. These mats are of a very close, compact texture, and made of different patterns, some of which are really elegant. They vary greatly in their degree of fineness.”
“Their canoes or boats are the neatest we ever saw, and composed of two different coloured woods, the bottom being dark, the upper part light, and furnished with an out-rigger.”
“Besides these, they have another mode of conveying themselves in the water, upon very light flat pieces of board, which we called sharkboards, from the similitude the anterior part bore to the head of that fish. Upon these they will venture into the heaviest surfs, and paddling with their hands and feet get on at a great rate. Indeed, we never saw people so active in the water, which almost seems their natural element.”
“O’neehow, which is the westernmost island, is very small, and rather low. It produces sugar-cane, plaintains, sweet potatoes, yams, and salt; in the two latter articles it exceeds A’towi. The inhabitants are not numerous; their houses, &c. are exacty like those of the above mentioned isle.”
“In the afternoon of the 2d of February, the Discovery joined her consort, and proceeded in a NNE and NE direction for the coast of America.”
