Page:Captain Cook's Journal during His First Voyage Round the World.djvu/477

July 1771.]

made mention in Book 1st, page 76, of 2 Spanish Ships touching at Georges Island some months before our Arrival there. Upon our arrival at Batavia we were inform'd that 2 French Ships, commanded by the Sieur de Bougainville, had put in there about 2 years before us in their way home from the So. Seas. We were told many Circumstances relating to the 2 Ships, all tending to prove beyond a doubt that they were the same 2 as were at George's Island as above mentioned, which we then conjectur'd to be Spaniards, being lead into that mistake by the Spanish Iron, etc., we saw among the Natives, and by Toobouratomita pitching upon the Colours of that Nation for those they wore, in which he might very easily be mistaken; but as to the Iron, etc., there might be no mistake, for we were told that either one or both of these Ships had put into the River de la Plata, where they disposed of all their European goods brought for that purpose, and purchased others to Trade with the Islanders in the So. Sea; and I think we were told that they also touched upon the Spanish Main in the So. Sea. As a proof of their having been trading with the Spaniards, Bougainville's Ship had on board a great Quantity of Spanish Dollars at the time she arrived at and left Batavia, some days after our arrival at the Cape of Good Hope. I was told by some French Officers, lately come from the Island Mauritius, that Orette, the Native of George's Island which Bougainville brought away with him, was now at the Maritius, and that they were going to fit out a Ship to carry him to his Native country, where they intend to make a Settlement; 100 Troops for that purpose were to go out in the same Ship. This account is confirmed by a French Gentleman we have on board, who has very lately been at the Maritius. As I have no reason to doubt the truth of this account, it leads me to consider the rout that this Ship must take, which I think can be no other than that of Tasmans as far as the Coast of New Zeland; and if she fall in with that Coast to the Southward of Cape Farewell will very probably put into Admiralty