On the 18th, as soon as it was light, having by several accidents and mistakes suffered a delay of many days, I took up the anchor, and ran down to, Ourust: a few days afterwards, we went along-side of the wharf, on Cooper’s Island, which lies close to Ourust, in order to take out our stores.

By this time, having been here only nine days, we began, to feel the fatal effects of the climate and situation. Tupia, after the flow of spirits which the novelties of the place produced upon his first landing, sunk on a sudden, and grew every day worse and worse. Tayeto was seized with an inflammation upon his lungs, Mr. Banks’s two servants became very ill, and himself and Dr. Solander were attacked by fevers: in a few days, almost every person both on board and ashore was sick; affected, no doubt, by the low swampy situation of the place, and the numberless, dirty canals which intersect the town in all directions. On the 26th, I set up the tent for the reception of the ship’s company, of whom there was but a small number able to do duty. Poor Tupia, of whose life we now began to despair, and who till this time had continued ashore with Mr. Banks, desired to be removed to the ship, where, he said, he should breathe a freer air than among the numerous houses which obstructed it, ashore: on board the ship, however, he could not go, for she was unrigged, and, preparing to be laid down at the careening place; but on the 28th, Mr. Banks went with him to Cooper’s Island, or, as it is called here, Kuypor, where she lay, and as he seemed pleased with the spot, a tent was there pitched for him: at this place, both the sea breeze and the land, breeze blew directly over him, and he expressed great satisfaction in his situation. Mr. Banks, whose humanity kept him two days with this poor Indian, returned to the town on the 30th, and the fits of his intermittent, which, was now become a regular tertian, were so violent as to deprive him of his senses while they lasted, and leave him so weak that he was scarcely able to crawl down stairs: at this time, Dr. Solander’s disorder also increased, and, Mr. Monkhouse, the Surgeon, was confined, to his bed.

Voyaging Accounts