It
became necessary, however, to call at some of the groups we passed, and
it surprised us to find how diversified are the manners and customs of
the natives who inhabit the numerous islands of the South Seas. Not
only are the people of each group governed by different laws, but
frequently each island is distinct from the others in the language
spoken and the manner of life followed upon it. Hence it would require
a bulky volume to describe in detail the many and varied tribes we met
with on our journey.
We made the coast of New Holland within five months after leaving
Amsterdam (a record voyage), somewhere about the same place where I had
affixed the metal plate at the time of our first visit. But we did not
land here, as the weather was unfavourable, a strong breeze blowing and
a high sea running at the time, making it necessary to keep a good
offing from the shore. As we coasted toward the south, however, the
weather moderated, so that we were able to bring our ship with safety
nearer land.
From an observation we took when the weather was favourable, we
ascertained that we were three hundred miles to the north, with an
unbroken coastline extending before us; so we concluded we had rounded
a promontory, and were now upon the west coast of New Holland.
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