[Captain Cook’s Journal During the First Voyage Round the World by James Cook]@TWC D-Link bookCaptain Cook’s Journal During the First Voyage Round the World CHAPTER 3 76/116
Our Traffick with this people was carried on with as much Order as in the best regulated Market in Europe. It was managed ashore chiefly by Mr.Banks, who took uncommon Pains to procure from the Natives every kind of refreshment that was to be got. Axes, Hatchets, Spikes, large Nails, looking Glasses, Knives, and Beads are all highly valued by this People, and nothing more is wanting to Traffick with them for everything they have to dispose of.
They are likewise very fond of fine Linnen Cloth, both White and Printed, but an Axe worth half a Crown will fetch more than a Piece of Cloth worth Twenty Shillings. Upon our arrival at Batavia we had certain information that the two ships that were at George's Island some time before our arrival there were both French ships.* (* In Admiralty copy.) DESCRIPTION OF KING GEORGE'S ISLAND. This Island is called by the Natives Otaheite, and was first discovered by Captain Wallis, in His Majesty's ship Dolphin, on June 19th, 1767, and to the Credit of him and his Officers, the Longitude of Royal Bay was by them settled to within half a degree of the Truth, and the whole figure of the Island not ill described.
It is situated between the Latitude of 17 degrees 29 minutes and 17 degrees 53 minutes South, and between the Longitude of 149 degrees 10 minutes and 149 degrees 39 minutes West from the Meridian of Greenwich.* (* These latitudes are exact.
The modern limits of longitude are 149 degrees 7 minutes to 149 degrees 36 minutes 30 seconds.) Point Venus, so called from the Observation being made there, is the Northern extremity of the Island, and lies in the Longitude of 149 degrees 30 minutes,* (* Now considered to be 149 degrees 29 minutes.) being the mean result of a Great number of Observations made upon the Spot.
The Shores of this Island are mostly guarded from the Sea by reefs of coral rocks, and these form several excellent Bays and Harbours, wherein are room and depth of Water sufficient for the largest Ships. Royal Bay, called by the Natives Matavie,* (* Matavai.) in which we lay, and the Dolphin before us, is not inferior to any on the Island, both in Point of conveniency and Situation.
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