A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels Volume Xvii Part 26

_The cheek_ Oolooeik Oollooak Ou-lu uck-cur.

_The ear_ Tootoosh Shudeka Se-u-teck.

_The lip_ Adhee Hashlaw.

_The teeth_ Agaloo.

_The tongue_ Agonoc.

_The beard_ Engelagoong Oongai.

_The chin_ Ismaloch Tamluk Taplou.

_The neck_ Ooioc c.o.o.n-e-soke.

_The breast_ s.h.i.+msen Suk-ke-uck.

_The arm_ Toolak Dallek Telluck.

_The hand_ Kedhachoonge Aishet Alguit.

_The finger_ Atooch.

_The nails_ Cagelch Shetooe.

_The thigh_ Cachemac Kookdoshac.

_The leg_ Ketac Kanaiak Ki-naw-auk.

_The foot_ Ooleac Etscheak E-te-ket.

_The sun_ Agadac Maje Suck-ki much.

_The moon_ Toogedha. Tac-c.o.c.k.

_The sky_ Enacac.

_A cloud_ Aiengich.

_The wind_ Caitchee.

_The sea_ Alaooch Emai Ut-koo-tuk- les.

_Water_ Tangch Mooe.

_Fire_ Keiganach E-ko-ma.

_Wood_ Hearach.

_A knife_ Kamelac.

_A house_ Oolac Iglo Tope-uck.

_A canoe_ Eakeac Caiac Kaiak Kirock.

_A paddle_ Chasec Pangehon Pautik Pow.

_Iron_ Comeleuch Shawik. Shaveck.

_A bow_ Seiech. Petick sic.

_Arrows_ Agadhok. Caukjuck.

_Darts_ Ogwalook Aglikak.

_A fish-hook_ Oochtac.

_No_ Net Ena Nag.

_Yes_, or _yea_ Ah Eh Illisve.

_One_ Taradac Adowjak Attousek Attouset.

_Two_ Alac Aiba Arlak Mardluk.

_Three_ Canoogn Pingashook Pingaguah Pingasut.

_Four_ Sechn Shetamik Sissamat Sissamat.

_Five_ Chang Dallamix Tellimat Tellimat.

_Six_ Atoo In counting Arbanget.

more than five, they _Seven_ Ooloo repeat the / Arbanget.

same words Attausek.

over again.

_Eight_ Kamching Arbanget mardik.

_Nine_ Seching Kollin illoet.

_Ten_ Haso Kollit.

[113] The island of Tamarin, or Sambouricon, which lies about four leagues to the north of Cracatoa, may be easily mistaken for the latter, having a hill of nearly the same size and form, situated also near its southern extremity.

[114] Query, Was this intention ever realized? The work, supposing it to have been published, was never heard of or seen by the writer.--E.

APPENDIX TO THE CIRc.u.mNAVIGATIONS.

No. I.

NARRATIVE OF THE HON. JOHN BYRON; BEING AN ACCOUNT OF THE s.h.i.+PWRECK OF THE WAGER; AND THE SUBSEQUENT ADVENTURES OF HER CREW.

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

APPENDIX TO THE CIRc.u.mNAVIGATIONS.

No. I.

THE NARRATIVE OF THE HON. JOHN BYRON.

THE AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

As the greatest pain I feel in committing the following sheets to the press, arises from an apprehension that many of my readers will accuse me of egotism, I will not incur that charge in my preface, by detaining them with the reasons which have induced me, at this time, to yield to the desire of my friends. It is equally indifferent to the public to be told how it happened, that nothing should have got the better of my indolence and reluctance to comply with the same requests, for the s.p.a.ce of twenty years.

I will employ these few introductory pages merely to shew what pretensions this work may have to the notice of the world, after those publications which have preceded it.

It is well known that the Wager, one of Lord Anson's squadron, was cast away upon a desolate island in the South-seas. The subject of this book is a relation of the extraordinary difficulties and hards.h.i.+ps through which, by the a.s.sistance of Divine Providence, a small part of her crew escaped to their native land; and a very small proportion of those made their way, in a new and unheard-of manner, over a large and desert tract of land, between the western mouth of Magellanic Streight and the capital of Chili; a country scarce to be paralleled in any part of the globe, in that it affords neither fruits, grain, nor even roots proper for the sustenance of man; and, what is still more rare, the very sea, which yields a plentiful support to many a barren coast, on this tempestuous and inhospitable sh.o.r.e is found to be almost as barren as the land; and it must be confessed, that to those who cannot interest themselves with seeing human nature labouring, from day to day, to preserve its existence under the continual want of such real necessaries, as food and shelter from the most rigorous climate, the following sheets will afford but little entertainment.

Yet, after all, it must be allowed there can be no other way of ascertaining the geography and natural history of a country, which is altogether mora.s.s and a rock, incapable of products or culture, than by setting down every minute circ.u.mstance which was observed in traversing it.

The same may be said of the inhabitants, their manners, religion, and language. What fruits could an European reap from a more intimate acquaintance with them, than what he will find in the following accidental observations? We saw the most unprofitable spot on the globe of the earth, and such it is described and ascertained to be.

It is to be hoped, some little amends may be made by such an insight as is given into the interior part of the Country; and I find what I have put down has had the good fortune to be pleasing to some of my friends; insomuch, that the only fault I have yet had laid to my papers is, that of being too short in the article of the Spanish settlements. But here I must say, I have been dubious of the partiality of my friends; and, as I think, justly fearful lest the world in general, who may perhaps find compa.s.sion and indulgence for a protracted tale of distress, may not give the same allowance to a luxurious imagination triumphing in a change of fortune, and sudden transition from the most dismal to the gayest scenes in the universe, and thereby indulging an egotism equally offensive to the envious and censorious.

I speak as briefly as possible of matters previous to our final separation from the rest of Lord Anson's squadron; for it is from this epocha that the train of our misfortunes properly commences: and though Mr Bulkeley, one of the warrant officers of the Wager, has, long since, published a Journal and Account of the return of that part of the s.h.i.+p's company, which, dissenting from Captain Cheap's propoposal of endeavouring to regain their native country by way of the great continent of South America, took their pa.s.sage home in the long-boat, through the Streights of Magellan, our transactions during our abode on the island have been related by him in so concise a manner, as to leave many particulars unnoticed, and others touched so slightly, that they appear evidently to have been put together with the purpose of justifying those proceedings which could not be considered in any other light than that of direct mutiny. Accordingly, we find that the main substance of his Journal is employed in scrutinizing the conduct of Captain Cheap, and setting forth the conferences which pa.s.sed between him and the seceders, relative to the way and measures they were to take for their return home. I have, therefore, taken some pains to review those early pa.s.sages of the unfortunate scene I am to represent, and to enter into a detail, without which no sound judgment can be formed of any disputed point, especially when it has been carried so far as to end in personal resentment. When contests and dissensions shall be found to have gone that length, it will be obvious to every reader, why a licentious crew should hearken to any factious leader, rather than to the solidity of their captain's advice, who made it evident to every unprejudiced understanding, that their fairest chance for safety and a better fortune, was to proceed with the long-boat till they should make prize of some vessel of the enemy, and thereby be enabled to bring to the commodore a supply of stout fellows to a.s.sist in his conquests, and share in the honour and rewards.